The Highland Road By Public Transport

The Highland Road Your Detailed Itinerary by public transport southeast.Break your journey at the and nightlife and also offers the Day 1 Highland Folk Museum at option of visiting Loch Ness and Day 6 Day 7 Newtonmore, before continuing for the spectacular lochside ruins of From Edinburgh there are frequent overnight at Aviemore. Urquhart Castle. Combined bus Leave Inverness to journey back Depart Perth for Edinburgh (bus or bus and train departures for Stirling and boat cruises leave from the city over the high Grampian hills en train – journey times vary but – around an hour away. Stirling centre. Overnight in Inverness. route for Perth. Break your journey around 80 minutes). Edinburgh is Castle dominates the town’s at the little resort town of Pitlochry, one of Europe’s great capitals, with skyline, the town grew up around Day 3 to visit the Blair Athol Distillery a huge range of places to see and this once strategically important Aviemore is a gateway for the at the southern edge of the town. things to do and a vibrant cultural fortress. Walk up to it by way of the Cairngorms National Park with a Day 5 (About 20 minutes’ walk from train life. Compact enough to discover on busy shopping streets to reach the huge choice of leisure activities. Fascinating places easily reached station. Most bus services stop close foot. Visit the iconic Edinburgh atmospheric Old Town, then the Regular bus services throughout from Inverness also include Fort to the distillery). Then re-join the Castle and the Royal Mile, there is Esplanade with its magical views. the day, year round link the resort George, Europe’s best preserved southbound services for Perth, an also a good choice of historical and Overnight in Stirling. to CairnGorm Mountain (that is, the 18th-century fortress, or Culloden attractive town by the banks of the Ghost walks. base station for the funicular battlefield, or spectacularly scenic River Tay. Its easy-to-navigate railway). The linking buses run as a Glen Affric, all available on a day central grid of streets is worth Day 2 ‘hail and ride system’ from tour by bus. Alternatively, discover exploring, with plenty of shops, Inverdruie, so you can also get off the Moray Firth resort town of cafes and pubs, as well as a Stirling lies within sight of the A9, anywhere and explore the network Nairn (frequent bus or train museum and galleries. the Highland Road, and your of paths and walks around, for services) with its beautiful beaches Overnight in Perth. journey continues northwards via example, Loch Morlich. Overnight in – with a chance of seeing dolphins Perth for Newtonmore and Aviemore. from the shore. Boat cruises also Aviemore. (There are bus and rail operate from Inverness and Nairn. services. Journey times just over The information contained in this publication is as supplied to Overnight in Inverness. VisitScotland and to the best of VisitScotland’s knowledge is two hours.) En route, Perthshire’s correct at the time of going to press. VisitScotland can accept no Day 4 responsibility for any errors or omissions. Journey times and woods gradually give way to the frequency are accurate at the time of going to print but may be open moorland and heathery hill- Inverness is about 40 minutes by subject to change. April 2015. VisitScotland is committed to ensuring that our natural slopes of the central Highlands, train or bus from Aviemore, with environment and built heritage, upon which tourism is so with the Pass of Drumochter, the pinewood and moorland views and dependent, is safeguarded for future generations to enjoy. Cover: Looking across to the mountains of Glen Coe highest point reached by rail in the a fine panorama over the inner © Paul Tomkins, VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint UK, leading down to the valley of Moray Firth on the approaches to the River Spey, with superb views of Inverness. The Highland capital has the Cairngorm Mountains to the great shopping, restaurants, pubs

To search over 7,000 quality assured For up to date timetables and travel accommodations, from bed and breakfasts information why not visit: to castles go to: www.visitscotland.com www.traveline.info Sit back and let someone else do the driving, enjoying a journey that takes in the grandeur of the central Highlands and the high Cairngorm Mountains. With Inverness, the bustling Highland capital, as your The Highland Road most northerly point, you can also explore on the way some of Scotland’s most spectacular castles. by public transport

21-HIGHLANDS_BY_PUBLIC_SCOTLAND_MAP_FINAL.pdf 1 3/17/2015 11:31:23 AM SANDAY ROUSAY A966 Eday © MFAtech Maps STRONSAY A967 National Buses 1 www.digital-map.org A986 The Highland www.citylink.co.ukKirkwall [email protected] Stromness A965 ORKNEY +44 (0) 207 871 1332 Road A964 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2011 NationalA960 Trains www.scotrail.co.ukSt Margaret’s Hope 0 12.5 25 50 Kilometers HOY A961SOUTH BurwickLocalRONALDSAY Transport 0 5 10 20 30 40 Miles www.traveline.info Gills Bay abster Durness Scr A836 John o’ Groats STIRLING CASTLE – Superb atmospheric Melvich For more information on Port of Ness Bettyhill Thurso fortress with commanding views all round A857 A99 Moray Firth Boat Trips and and many associations with the Scottish A838 Tongue A882 other attractions, please visit monarchy. A really rewarding Scottish castle Arnol Wicwww.visitscotland.comk experience! Scourie A836 A858 Stornoway A894 Altnaharra A99 A866 h Callanish c A897 n LEWIS i A894 Dunbeath 2 M Lochinver A859 e Loch h Shin A9 Helmsdale T Lairg A835 A839 A839 Brora Tarbert A837 HARRIS Mellon Udrigle Golspie A868 Ullapool SCALPAY Aultbea A949 c h Dornoch Leverburgh i n A836 BERNERAY M The Moray Poolewe Tain e Firth Dolphins Otternish t l Gairloch 7 i t t h Lossiemouth L A832 A835 i r HIGHLAND FOLK MUSEUM, Lochmaddy Cromarty F Cullen Fraserburgh A867 a y A941 Buckie Banff Macduff NORTH Uig A855 o r NEWTONMORE – Fascinating Achnasheen Dingwall A832 M Forres A990 Gardenstown UIST Torridon A896 Nairn Elgin A95 A98 reconstructions of real buildings – including A87 Strathpeffer A96 Fochabers A981 BENBECULA North A941 A90 school, farm and old crofter’s ‘blackhouse’ – A850 A890 Muir of Ord Kessock A940 Keith A97 Turriff Dunvegan Beauly Craigellachie A947 A950 give real insight into life in the Highlands Portree A890 A948 A865 RAASAY INVERNESS ALLEYA95 A952 Peterhead from the early 1700s to mid 1900s. Lochcarron A82 Daviot A920 Huntly A863 Urquhart Castle A833 A939 Dufftown Sconser Kyle of 6 A9 Carbost Grantown- SPEY V Ellon SOUTH Lochalsh on-Spey A95 A941 A920 A975 SKYE A87 Drumnadrochit Urquhart A920 Shiel A938 A96 UIST Glenelg Castle Carrbridge 3 Broadford BridgeLoch Ness StrathspeyTomintoul SteamA97 InverurieA90 Lochboisdale Kylerhea 5 Loch Boat of Alford C Ness A9 Garten3 Railway A851 A87 A887 A939 Isle of Eriskay Canna Elgol Fort Augustus Aviemore A944 A944 ABERDEEN Highland Folk MuseumKincraig Cairngorms A980 M Armadale 2 Cairngorms A888 Invergarry Newtonmore Kingussie Aboyne Rum NationalNational Park Park 4 Castlebay BARRA Mallaig Ballater Banchory Y Ralia Braemar Crathie A90 Eigg A86 A889 A957 Arisaig Spean Bridge Stonehaven CM Muck A830 A82 Loch Glenshee A90 A861 Loch Fort William A93 Ardnamurchan Ericht Blair MY Shiel Edzell STRATHSPEY STEAM RAILWAY – Acharacle Atholl BlairSpittal Athol of Sometimes described as offering the best Laga Corran 8 Glenshee A937 Coll Kilchoan Bruar A924 Distillery Brechin CY Strontian Glencoe views of any preserved railway, this one and Drimnin Kinloch Pitlochry Kirriemuir Montrose Tobermory Ballachulish Rannoch A934 a half hour round trip from Aviemore offers A884 Aberfeldy A926 A848 wide vistas of the high Cairngorms. CMY Lochaline A828 A923 Glamis Forfar A933 Tiree BlairgA826owrie Fishnish Loch TayA827 Dunkeld A928 A15 Arbroath K MULL Craignure Lismore Tyndrum Killin A923 DUNDEE A822 A94 Carnoustie A849 Oban A930 A85 h A85 Lochearnhead PERTH Iona Crianlaric A85 Scone 4 Loch A85 A919 Fionnphort A816 Awe Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Crieff Seil A822 Auchterarder A913 St Andrews Luing A819 National ParkLoch Earn Callander Cupar A917 Inveraray A83 A82 A9 A816 Stirling A823 A916 Crail A821 A84 M90 Glenrothes Ardgartan Castle Dunblane A917 Anstruther A83 Tarbet A81 Kinross A814 Aberfoyle M9 A91 Leven Colonsay JURA Crinan A815 Loch Lomond A811 Alva A92 r t h o 1 Fi f Fo A886 Drymen Dunfermline Kirkcaldy r t h Lochgilphead A817 A875 Burntisland North Berwick Helensburgh STIRLING Bo'nessRosyth A880 Balloch A198 Dunbar ISLAY Dunoon Gourock Dumbarton M9 EDINBURGH A846 Colintraive M80 Falkirk A1087 Rhubodach Greenock Linlithgow Haddington CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK Port Askaig M8 M8 Old Craighall Feolin Tarbert Portavadie Wemyss Bay CoatbridgeEdinburgh Edinburgh A1 Scotland’s largest national park offers M8 M8 9 Dalkeith Kennacraig A78 Paisley CastlePenicuik 10Newtongrange Eyemouth Rothesay Ghost Walk A6112 landscapes from pinewood to high tundra, A847 Bowmore Claonaig Largs GLASGOW A1 A844 Motherwell Roslin A846 Bute A760 A68 plus a range of outdoor and wildlife activities. Millport Hamilton A706 A702 Gigha hranza M77 A703 A7 A6105 Take the funicular railway for a glimpse of the A83 Loc A78 A737 A701 Lanark A721 A698 high tops. Port Ellen Tayinloan Ardrossan ARRAN Kilmarnock A71 M74 Galashiels A6089 Irvine Peebles A72 A698 Coldstream Carradale Brodick Biggar Melrose A699 Kelso Troon A1 A841 Mauchline A701 A699 Prestwick Abington Selkirk 5 Ayr A70 A70 A698 Jedburgh A697 Campbeltown A76 Wanlockhead A708 A719 A77 A74(M) Sanquhar Hawick A6088 Maybole A76 A702 A7 A1 A77 Moffat A68 Girvan A1068 Ballycastle A713 Thornhill

A702 A76 A701 M74 Langholm E N G L A N D A68 A696 A714 A709 Lockerbie A77 New Galloway A712 Dumfries A7 A712 A75 Gretna NEWCASTLE LOCH NESS – Scotland’s most famous loch is an A75 Green Cairnry Newton Stewart Castle New UPON TYNE around 23 miles (36 km) long and the largest N O R T H E R N Douglas Abbey A69 Gatehouse Gretna A69 loch in the UK by water volume. Associated Stranraer A75 A762 Dalbeattie Larne A751 of Fleet A194(M) Wigtown A75 A710 Carlisle since the 1930s with sightings of an Portpatrick A77 A75 A711 A689 I R E L A N D A755 unidentified creature popularly called ‘Nessie’. A746 Kirkcudbright A716 A747 A596 M6 A167 Boat cruises available. A595 Port Logan A686 Whithorn A689 A6 A689 BELFAST Mull Of A591 A592 6 7 8 Galloway 9 10 M6 A66 A688 A1(M)

URQUHART CASTLE – Ruins of one of THE MORAY FIRTH DOLPHINS BLAIR ATHOL DISTILLERY – One of the EDINBURGH CASTLE – An icon of EDINBURGH GHOST WALK – A choice of Scotland’s largest castles, mostly dating from The famous bottle-nose dolphins here are the oldest distilleries in Scotland, producing a mellow Scotland, Edinburgh Castle dominates the tour operators offer ghost walks in some of the 16th century. Blown up in 1692 to prevent its most northerly resident population in the world. single malt whisky. It uses the clear waters of the skyline of Scotland’s capital. Lots to see here, most atmospheric parts of the Old Town. capture by rebel Jacobites. Spectacular Several Moray Firth communities offer dolphin ‘Allt Dour’ – in Gaelic, the burn (stream) of the from the Norman period St Margaret’s Entertaining and informative – but not for lochside setting. cruises, but they are often seen from the shore. otter – that flows off the peak of Ben Vrackie Chapel to the Scottish National War the nervous! behind the town. Memorial and Scotland’s Crown Jewels.