7 of the Best Destinations in Scotland You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
I lived in Scotland for three years and was able to visit a lot of cool places. I’ve compiled a list here of some of my favorites that I rarely see make it on the lists of top destinations.
Dunnottar Castle
The first location is a castle called Dunnottar Castle, which is located just south of Aberdeen. The castle is built on a small peninsula that drops off into the ocean. I’ve been to a lot of castles, but this one has the most unique location.
Rest and Be Thankful
This is a spot on the side of the A83, which is a super scenic highway in Scotland. The name comes from the feelings of the soldiers, who built the road in the 1750s. The name is inscribed on a stone at the top of the pass. These days, it makes a great stop if you’re doing a relaxed road trip through the area and some guided tours also stop here.
Ullapool
Ullapool was a town that completely blew me away. I had no expectations and I thought it was one of the most precious towns I’ve ever visited. We were lucky to have seen one of the most striking sunsets on our first night. The next day we really loved walking around all the little shops in the center of town.
Queen’s View
The Queen’s View is a view over Loch Tummel and Schiehallion, which is that striking mountain you see slightly covered by clouds. Legend has it that Queen Victoria stopped at this spot for tea once. Hence the name. I really love this area because it has a lot of trees, unlike most of the country.
Applecross Pass
While we were driving from Skye to Ullapool, we took the coastal road. This took us over Applecross Pass. This happens to be the scariest drive I’ve ever been on. It’s a one-lane road and it’s extremely steep and winding. But if you make it to the top, you will be rewarded with the most amazing views of the Isle of Skye.
Scott’s View
The Borders is probably one of the least visited parts of Scotland, but from what I’ve seen, it has some really unique spots. There’s a lot of ancient churches and ruins in the area, but I was blown away by Scott’s View.
The North Coast of Scotland has some amazing beaches and cute towns, but we stumbled across Smoo Cave, which is tucked away right on the coast. It’s still being explored by scientists, but you can get a guided tour and some interesting information. It’s located near Durness, right in the northwest corner of the country.
I made a map where you can see the exact locations of each of these places.
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