Guided by a John Alasdair Macdonald, a Highland historian with 18 years experience, this private 5 day tour is a relaxed, in-depth journey through Scotland's far north — Caithness, Sutherland and Wester Ross.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––
📖 Read John's full guide: https://www.thehebrideanexplorer.com/insights/discovering-far-north-and-highlands.html before scrolling down to view the tour itinerary.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Day 1 — Inverness to Wick
Departing Inverness, we travel north across the three firths — the Beauly, Cromarty and Dornoch — pausing in the picturesque cathedral town of Dornoch with its medieval sandstone cathedral and quiet historic centre. The afternoon takes us to Dunrobin Castle, the largest and grandest castle in the Highlands, with formal gardens overlooking the Dornoch Firth. Along the way we stop at Carn Liath Broch, a remarkably preserved two-thousand-year-old Iron Age roundhouse, before continuing north to Wick, our base for the night.
Day 2 — Wick to TongueFrom Wick, we explore the dramatic clifftop ruin of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, ancestral stronghold of the Earls of Caithness, perched on a narrow headland above the North Sea. We continue to John o' Groats, the traditional 'end of the road' from Land's End, with views out across the Pentland Firth to Orkney, pausing nearby at the Duncansby sea stacks. The afternoon takes us to Dunnet Head, the true northernmost point of mainland Britain, before a scenic drive along the northern coast road to Tongue, in the heart of Clan Mackay territory, for our overnight stay.
Day 3 — Tongue to UllapoolDeparting Tongue, framed by the mountains of Ben Loyal and Ben Hope, we travel west to Smoo Cave at Durness, one of the largest sea caves in Britain, cut into limestone with a waterfall dropping into its inner chamber. Our route continues through the wild scenery of Assynt, among the oldest mountains in Europe, to the evocative ruin of Ardvreck Castle on the shores of Loch Assynt, once a stronghold of Clan Macleod. We pause at Knockan Crag, where the visible rock strata transformed our understanding of how mountains form, before arriving in the harbour town of Ullapool for our overnight stay.
Day 4 — Ullapool to GairlochOur most relaxed day, leaving Ullapool we visit Corrieshalloch Gorge, a mile-long box canyon crossed by a Victorian suspension bridge, with the Falls of Measach dropping forty-five metres below. We continue along the coast to Gruinard Bay, a sweep of pink sand and turquoise water with views out toward the Summer Isles, before arriving at Inverewe Garden at Poolewe — a sub-tropical garden made possible by the Gulf Stream, remarkable this far north. We conclude the day with a short drive to Gairloch, our base for the night.
Day 5 — Gairloch to InvernessOn our final day, we travel along the shores of Loch Maree, one of Scotland's most beautiful lochs, dotted with ancient pine-covered islands beneath the slopes of Slioch. Our route continues through Glen Torridon, among the oldest mountains on Earth, rising almost sheer from sea level, with a stop at the pocket-sized fishing village of Shieldaig on Loch Torridon. The afternoon takes us back east through Lochcarron on our return journey to Inverness.
Share On