The Roadside Attractions That Capture the Magic of Scotland
Ready to capture the magic of Scotland in a bottle? We’ve designed a driving route for you that works well if you begin between Edinburgh and Glasgow, head north through Perthshire and Inverness, continue along the northern coast, then turn west toward Ullapool before looping back south through Skye and Argyll.
It’ll keep your driving in a clean line, avoid doubling back, and let each part of the country add something different to your story.
The Kelpies, Falkirk
Starting in Falkirk makes sense if you’re coming from Edinburgh or Glasgow, and The Kelpies are a great first stop. Standing nearly 100 feet high in Helix Park, they were designed to reflect Scotland’s horse-powered heritage and draw on the folklore of shape-shifting water spirits.
They’re so big, you’ll see them before you reach them, which make them an easy starting point.
This is a short stop, not a place to linger for hours. You can walk the base, take in the scale, maybe join a short interior tour if you have the time, then get back on the road. It will give your drive a nice jumpstart without adding too much to your day.
The Hermitage, Dunkeld
About an hour north of Falkirk, near Dunkeld, The Hermitage is where the drive begins to change. It’s right off the main road, and an easy place to pull in without much planning.
A short woodland walk will lead you through tall Douglas firs and down toward Ossian’s Hall, a small structure set above Black Linn Falls. You’ll hear the water before you see it, and then the sky will open over the falls.
This is a place where it makes sense to stay a little while longer. You’ll want some time to walk the loop, stand at the viewpoint, and take a proper break before continuing. If you’ve packed a sandwich and a thermos of tea, this is a great place to enjoy them.
Clava Cairns, near Inverness
As you approach Inverness, Clava Cairns is a worthwhile stop just outside the city. It’s a short detour and easy to reach, which makes it a natural stopping point before continuing north.
The site dates back over 4,000 years and includes passage graves, standing stones, and circular cairns arranged in a way that preserve the original structure.
When you walk through it, there’s very little to interrupt the experience. There are no heavy barriers, no explanations, just the stones and the open space around them. You won’t need long here, either, but it will certainly stay with you.
It’s the kind of stop that will change how you think about the landscape you’re driving through.
Dunrobin Castle, Golspie
Once you follow the A9 north along the coast, Dunrobin Castle is one of the stops that works well as a longer break. It sits above the Moray Firth and is easy to access from the road.
The castle has older origins, but much of what you see today comes from a 19th-century redesign, which gives it that distinct, almost French profile. The gardens spill down toward the sea, and their position alone makes it worth lingering.
Try to take some time to walk the grounds, spend some time here, and let it break up the drive. If you’re going to slow down anywhere, this is one of the best places to do it.