It might just be a man-made point of reference – Britain’s most northwesterly point – but Cape Wrath does have a feeling of being at the very edge of something. This is mostly down to the Stevenson lighthouse (1827) being perched on cliffs high above the continuous and mesmerising pounding of the ocean waves below. Indeed only 5miles/8km to the...

Castle Stalker is one of Scotland’s most scenically imposing castles, thanks mainly to its perch on a rock that’s barely bigger than the stronghold itself. But with the castle closed to the public, the best place to appreciate it is from the nearby Castle Stalker View Cafe (location of this entry’s map marker) – for an inspiring view and a...

Frequently described as Scotland’s most beautiful glen, Glen Affric is all glassy lochs, craggy mountains, Scots pine and healthy populations of otters, pine martens, wildcats and golden eagle. Towards the eastern end of the glen – about 5km/3miles from the village of Cannich, – lie picnic areas and handful of short and easy hiking trails. One goes to Dog Falls...

Scotland’s mountains are at their most arresting in the valley of Glencoe and few other roads in the country twist through a landscape of such raw drama. Here bleak expanses of moorland and bog are fringed by brooding, heather and snow-dappled peaks. It all looks like “…a burial ground of a race of giants”, at least according to Charles Dickens....

Harry Potter fans will immediately recognise the Jacobite Steam Train as the Hogwarts Express. The locomotive was used in the young magician’s films, as were some of the locations along the railway line – particularly the 21-arched Glenfinnan viaduct. But the line has its own history too: opened in 1901 steam trains have run here ever since (except during a...

Skye’s 2000-strong capital, Portree, gathers on harbour-side cliffs overlooking the wild Isle of Raasay and has a cheerful feel thanks to its multicoloured houses. There’s a clutch of good little shops to wander around, but probably the most impressive – if you’re on the lookout for local arts and crafts – is the Aros Centre (01478 613750), about a mile south of town on...

Skye’s own mountain range, The Cuillins, are about 8 miles (13km) long and rise almost 1000m (3,300ft) above the sea with about twenty serious peaks over 3,000ft (called Munros). The range divides into two pretty distinct sections. The Black Cuillins are a huge craggy mass that offer a real challenge to even hardcore climbers: their ultimate challenge is a two-day...

The Trotternish peninsula forms the northern tip of the Isle of Skye and is famed for its medley of cliffs and rock fingers. They owe their existence to the uneven weathering of huge chunks of volcanic rock. But what makes them particularly spectacular are the huge landslides at their base. They were the result of a huge and unstable mass...