Scotland. Looking for breathtakingly beautiful.

[hawleybits]

We'd like to visit Scotland for a few days early in July. Myself and adult dc.
Does anyone have any recommendations for breathtaking scenery and preferably not too touristy?
Happy to go with recommendations as a starting point and then hopefully fill in the travel and accommodation accordingly.

the plane landing. The title of the video 'The most stunning landing spot in the world - Barra Airport' is spot on.

Fly to Inverness. Do the Black Isle then Aviemore and Cairngorm. It's touristy, but quieter in summer than it is in winter as no skiiers.

If you stay near Aviemore (we always stay in Newtonmore) you've got scenery, mountains, coast and town all on hand.

Harris and Lewis. Just gorgeous - some of the best beaches in the world. Would be my number one recommend. (Not as touristy as Skye.)

Iona is peaceful, reverent and spiritual.

Glencoe/Rannoch Moor, bleakly stunning and very powerful especially if you research the massacre. Most of the Highlands is gorgeous to be honest, especially if you get a clear day for views. The Road to the Isles is rightly famous. As is the Glenfinnan Viaduct if you are or have Harry Potter fans but you do need to book the train trip well in advance. If you have active kids there's lots of activities round Aviemore to wear them out for a while.

Mull is lovely - Tobermory was Balamory and is cute but also go across to the west side where it's less popular. Islay had a great whisky tour done on bicycles, we were a bit wobbly by the end

Perthshire is "tamer" beauty, think rolling green hills and pine forests. Tumnel Valley, Queens View, Pitlochry area very popular esp with the beige slacks and afternoon tea brigade but there's lots to see and do.

Loch Lomond is lovely on a warm sunny day but half of Glasgow will decamp there if the weather is good so you may need to travel round to find a quieter spot.

Edinburgh is such a beautiful city. The architecture and history are top notch. I'll never forget coming out of Waverley station for the first time and seeing the castle on the rock all lit up at dusk for the first time. Magical. Lots of cultural stuff all year round (it gets incredibly busy during the festival in August of course).

Oh and I forgot over the west side, Argyll, Loch Fyne etc, just lovely. Inveraray Jail is spooky! Great seafood of course. I also liked finding little places like Portpatrick and even onto Portavadie, gorgeous little seaside towns further down.

Glencoe is so beautiful.

Luskentyre Beach on Harris. Consistently voted in top ten of beaches world wide.

‘Nother vote for driving through Glencoe here...

Argylls secret coast - look for it on Facebook.

Another vote for Assynt. Stay in Lochinver, go to Achmelvich and clachtoll beaches, drive the wee mad road to Drumbeg, eat at the Kylesku Inn, climb the mountains of Inverpolly. Best place in the world.

If not- Mallaig and road to the isles, torridon, glencoe all amazing too.

Book in advance it’s never crowded but always booked up!

Argyll secret coat is where we went last year. Beautiful.

I live in the Highlands- breathtaking view each morning (not quite sure that makes up for lack of things to do, but there you go).

Fly to Glasgow. Train journey from Glasgow to Mallaig is amazing - although can be quite tourist.

Do you have to come in July? On the West Coast May/June is less midgy and much drier than July/August. If you're restricted to school holidays maybe consider May half term.

Also - Edinburgh is obligatory! There's nowhere else like it. Arriving by train into Waverley is magical.

Mind if I piggyback on your thread, OP?

We’re thinking of going to Loch Fyne, near Inveraray, in Argyll toward the end of March and just wanted to see if anyone had opinions on the area?

@JustHereForThePooStories so, so beautiful

Loch Fyne Spa & Hotel is IN Inveraray

Reading all your wonderful messages, one thing is obvious..how much you Scottish people (and visitors too) love your own special places.
This idea of a holiday to Scotland just popped into my head as a maybe but it's an absolute must now!

I'm not Scottish but live in a very rural area in Scotland (from moving from SE) and I absolutely adore it.

Thanks BluePony. We’re looking at booking a cottage on the loch for two weeks.

The more, the merrier poostories I'm enjoying reading this thread.

The west coast of Harris is the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and in July the Machair will be in bloom.

Western Ross, Skye, Assynt, all amazing too and I've had wonderful holidays in Islay, Mull and around Achiltibuie.

I'm sure there are wonderful places on the East coast as well...

The Highlands are one of my favourite places. We usually stay around Ullapool (Laide, Gairloch). You can also get the ferry from here across to Lewis, where it's even more remote. Uig Sands is a huge beach and you could quite easily be the only ones on it.

Back on the mainland, I love the drive up to Durness. I also really like Aviemore as well.

Enjoy your research!

Kintyre- absolutely breathtaking.

A few years ago we hired a boat and did the Caledonian canal from Inverness to Fort William and back. Hands down one of the best holidays we have ever had. I've lived in Scotland since the early 90's and have travelled around it, camping and walking a lot but had never experienced it like this before. Having breakfast on Loch Ness (while nessie watching), arriving at Fort Augustus, and sailing down Laggan Avenue were moments I will never forgot. We have just booked to do it again in 2019 now that DS2 is steady on his feet.

It might not be what you are looking for this for this trip but maybe one for the future.

Great suggestions going on. Might take a trip myself