Quick Answer
- Best time: May to September for long days; October to March for snow, aurora and quiet roads.
- Winter weather: Inverness December highs about 7.3°C, around 28 hours of sunshine in the month (Met Office).
- Daylight: about 6.5 hours around 21 December in Inverness.
- Best base: Inverness, plus Fort William, Aviemore or Portree for a second stop.
- Getting there: ScotRail from Edinburgh or Glasgow in around 3 to 3.5 hours; Stagecoach buses 1 and 13 from Inverness Airport.
- Jacobite steam train: 1 June to 23 October 2026, £76 adult standard return.
At a glance
- Best time
- May–Sep; Oct–Mar for snow and aurora
- Time needed
- 4 to 7 days
- Currency
- Pound sterling (GBP)
- Language
- English (Gaelic on signs)
- Visa
- UK ETA (£20) for most visitors
- Getting around
- Car best; ScotRail and Citylink coaches
The Scottish Highlands cover the mountainous north and west of Scotland: lochs, glens, single-track roads and a coastline broken up by sea lochs and islands. Inverness is the only city and the transport hub, and most first trips combine it with one or two other bases. Prices, dates and opening hours below were checked on 10 October 2026.
When is the best time to visit the Scottish Highlands?
May to September for long days and the easiest driving. October to March for snow on the peaks, empty roads and aurora chances, at the cost of short days and wet weather.
| Month | Average high / low (°C) | Rain days (≥1 mm) | Sunshine (hours a month) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 9.5 / 3.5 | 13.1 | 52 | Autumn colour fading, quiet roads |
| December | 7.3 / 1.5 | 14.1 | 28 | Snowy peaks, the longest nights |
| January | 7.1 / 1.3 | 13.6 | 40 | Ski centres if snow allows, aurora |
| February | 7.6 / 1.4 | 12.3 | 74 | Clearer days, aurora, winter walks |
| May | 14.8 / 6.4 | 11.4 | 184 | The sunniest month, before midges peak |
| July | 19.0 / 11.3 | 11.5 | 139 | Warmest; the Jacobite runs twice a day |
| October | 12.8 / 6.1 | 13.7 | 82 | Autumn colour, the wettest month in Inverness (78 mm) |
Figures are the Met Office’s 1991-2020 normals for Inverness, on the sheltered east side of the Highlands. The mountains and the west are much harsher: the Met Office’s North Scotland district averages December highs of about 5.7°C, around 20 rainy days and about 192 mm of rain. Daylight is the other constraint. In Inverness the sun rises at about 08:57 and sets at about 15:32 on 21 December 2026, so plan every drive to finish before dark.
Where should you stay in the Scottish Highlands?
The Highlands are too big for one base. Pick one or two from this table depending on what you want to see.
| Base | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Inverness | First trips, the airport, trains, Loch Ness and Culloden | A small city; the big mountain scenery is an hour or more away |
| Drumnadrochit (Loch Ness) | Urquhart Castle on your doorstep, a village feel | Few places to eat in winter; you need a car |
| Fort William | Glencoe, Ben Nevis and the Jacobite steam train | Wet climate; a long drive from Inverness |
| Aviemore | The Cairngorms, Cairngorm Mountain and winter walks | Busy in school holidays; on the train line but spread out |
| Portree (Isle of Skye) | Skye’s landscapes without a daily return drive | Rooms book out early in summer; long drives on single-track roads |
For a first winter trip, Inverness is the easiest base: it has the airport, the station and the most hotels open year-round. Add a night in Fort William or Portree if you want Glencoe or Skye without five hours of driving in one short day. Compare Inverness hotel prices for your dates .
How do you get to and around the Scottish Highlands?
What are the top things to do in the Scottish Highlands?
| Sight | Entry (2026) | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness | £14 online, £16 in person | Winter hours 9.30am to 4.30pm (1 November to 31 March); closed 25 and 26 December |
| Culloden Battlefield | £12.50 adult; car park £5 | The 1746 battlefield is open daily; the visitor centre has set hours |
| Glencoe | Visitor centre free; car park £4 | Drive the A82 through the glen for Buachaille Etive Mòr |
| Isle of Skye | Free to explore | Stay at least one night; daylight is short in winter |
| Cairngorm Mountain, near Aviemore | Check the operator’s site | Funicular railway and, when there is snow, skiing; 2026/27 season passes at the earlybird price until 30 November |
| The Jacobite steam train | £76 adult standard return | Fort William to Mallaig, 1 June to 23 October 2026 only |
Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. The castle ruins sit on a promontory above the loch, with views up and down the Great Glen. Historic Environment Scotland warns that tickets often sell out, and once they sell out online none are sold at the castle.
Glencoe. The National Trust for Scotland runs a free visitor centre with a giant 3D map of the glen. In winter the mountains are serious terrain: stick to low-level paths unless you have winter skills.
The Jacobite steam train. West Coast Railways runs this 84-mile return trip from Fort William to Mallaig over the Glenfinnan Viaduct, with about an hour and a half in Mallaig. All tickets are day returns, and a few cash-only seats may be sold on the day at Fort William, with no guarantee. It does not run in winter, so plan a summer or early autumn trip if it is on your list.
Northern Lights. VisitScotland names October to March as the best months, between 9pm and 2am, on clear, dark nights. The Cairngorms, Wester Ross and Applecross, and the Caithness coast are among its suggested spots. An aurora is possible on clear nights, never guaranteed.
The North Coast 500. A 516-mile driving loop around the far north of Scotland, easily joined from Inverness. The official site advises at least 5 to 7 days and warns that some large attractions close over winter.
What day trips can you take from Inverness?
- Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle: a short drive southwest along the loch.
- Culloden and the Black Isle: the battlefield is just east of the city; the Black Isle lies across the Kessock Bridge to the north.
- Aviemore and the Cairngorms: easy by train or car, with Cairngorm Mountain above the town.
- Isle of Skye or Glencoe: possible in summer, but in winter’s six to seven hours of light, an overnight stay is far better.
What goes wrong on a Highlands trip?
- Running out of daylight. Around 6.5 hours of daylight in late December. Start early and avoid long drives after dark.
- Underestimating distances. Single-track roads, sheep and weather slow you down. Glencoe and Skye are not quick hops from Inverness.
- Weather in the mountains. The west and the high ground get far more rain and frost than Inverness. Pack waterproofs and proper boots: see our best winter boots for travel, packable down jackets and thermal base layers.
- Planning around the Jacobite in winter. It runs only from 1 June to 23 October 2026.
- Winter closures. Some attractions, cafés and smaller hotels close or cut hours from November to March. Check before you drive out.
- Forgetting the ETA. Apply on GOV.UK before you fly.
How many days do you need in the Scottish Highlands?
Four to five days covers Inverness, Loch Ness and Culloden plus either Skye or Glencoe. A week lets you split the trip between Inverness and Skye or Fort William without long daily drives. Many visitors pair the Highlands with a few days in Edinburgh, about 3 to 3.5 hours away by train, or fly in via London. For the wider picture, see our UK travel guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to visit the Scottish Highlands?
May to September gives the longest days and the mildest weather, and May is usually the sunniest month, with around 184 hours of sunshine in Inverness on the Met Office’s 1991-2020 normals. October to March is quiet, cold and dark, but it brings snow on the mountains, the best chance of the Northern Lights and lower prices outside the holidays.
How cold and dark are the Scottish Highlands in winter?
Inverness averages December highs of about 7.3°C and lows of about 1.5°C, with around 9 days of air frost and only about 28 hours of sunshine in the whole month, according to the Met Office. On 21 December 2026 the sun rises at about 08:57 and sets at about 15:32 in Inverness, so you get roughly 6.5 hours of daylight. The mountains and the west coast are colder and much wetter.
Is Inverness a good base for the Scottish Highlands?
Yes, for a first trip. Inverness has the region’s main airport, direct ScotRail trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow and coaches to Skye, and Loch Ness and Culloden are short drives away. For Glencoe and the Jacobite steam train, add a night or two in Fort William; for the Cairngorms, stay in Aviemore; for Skye, sleep on the island rather than driving there and back in a day.
How much does Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness cost?
An adult ticket costs £14 online or £16 in person, according to Historic Environment Scotland. From 1 November to 31 March the castle opens daily from 9.30am to 4.30pm, with last entry an hour before closing, and it is closed on 25 and 26 December. Book ahead: once online tickets sell out, none are sold at the castle.
When does the Jacobite steam train run in 2026?
The Jacobite runs between Fort William and Mallaig, an 84-mile return trip over the Glenfinnan Viaduct. In 2026 the morning service runs daily from 1 June to 23 October and the afternoon service from 10 June to 25 September. An adult standard class day return costs £76 and first class £116, and West Coast Railways sells no one-way tickets. It does not run in winter.
How many days do you need in the Scottish Highlands?
Four to five days covers Inverness, Loch Ness and Culloden plus either Skye or Glencoe. A full week lets you do Inverness, Skye and Fort William or the Cairngorms without long driving days. Driving the whole North Coast 500 needs at least 5 to 7 days on its own, according to the route’s official site.
Start planning your Scottish Highlands trip
Flying into Inverness is the quickest way in; the train from Edinburgh is the most scenic. Either way, book rooms in Inverness and your second base before you plan the drives.
Find cheap flights to Inverness | Compare Inverness hotel prices
Planning a wider winter trip? See where to go in December, where to go in February and the hotels hub.
