bothies

Winning tip: Bothies and a fogbow in the northern Highlands

After trekking in from near Oykel Bridge, our group stayed the night at Choire Mhoir and Magoo’s bothies (conjoined Mountain Bothies Association and non-MBA bothies, both free) in the northern Highlands. Emerging from the bothies come morning, a fog hovered between the mountains leading up to the summit of Seana Bhràigh, peaking out above, and Loch a’ Choire Mhóir below. As the sun rose, the fog steadily lifted, but not before creating a magical fogbow above the loch and bothies.
Rory

Stone age on two wheels in Orkney

We took our bikes on the ferry from Scrabster on the mainland to Orkney (worth the trip on its own for the views of the Old Man of Hoy) for a spin round the island to take in some of the most impressive neolithic sites in Europe. Starting in Stromness, we headed north to Skara Brae, then looped round to Kirkwall via the must-see road sign for Twatt. The next morning we spent exploring the majestic Ring of Brodgar and nearby standing stones of Stenness. The setting, where the lochs of Harray and Stenness meet, is spectacular. These neolithics clearly had an eye for the dramatic! We finished with Maeshowe burial chamber before catching the ferry back to the mainland.
Matt Lunt

Total escape on Harris

I had a child-free week last summer and for my first solo trip chose the Outer Hebrides. The adventure began on the ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway where I spotted minke whales and acrobatic dolphins. I stayed in one of Wigwam Holidays’ cosy shepherd’s huts on a croft in Harris, painted the colours of a Hebridean sky with rich tweed blinds and a wood-burning stove. Storm Floris hit while I was there and I had endless windy beach walks seeing otters, sea eagles, grey seals, my mind clear to write poetry and daydream. I have never struggled to return to normal life so much after a trip; a total escape.
Lynda Gairns

West coast campervan epic

We did a campervan trip along Scotland’s west coast and ended up loving the quieter spots most. Kinlochewe, a village in Wester Ross, is stunning in good weather. I climbed 981-metre Slioch from there, which has incredible views over Loch Maree (with a bit of scrambling near the top). We then stayed near Gairloch and enjoyed the huge beaches and views out to Skye and the Outer Hebrides. My favourite stretch was near Mallaig: walking along Loch Morar to tiny Tarbet, then getting the boat back, it felt so remote. Ardnamurchan was also a highlight with Sanna beach, a quick climb up Ben Hiant on the drive over, and watching an otter one evening. Campsites were £10-£33 per night.
Hannah

Exploring Scotland’s longest peninsula

Last year we opted for Kintyre for our Scottish break and found it wonderfully unspoilt. As the country’s longest peninsula it has west coast island scenery all around, without the hassle of ferries. As well as the Kintyre Way coastal path, we enjoyed fish and chips at Tarbert harbour and explored the region’s whisky capital, Campbelltown. A final highlight was a peaceful picnic on Saddell Bay (location of Paul McCartney’s Mull of Kintyre music video), where Anthony Gormley’s GRIP sculpture now looks out over Kilbrannan Sound towards Arran.
Moira B

A city break in Glasgow

Arriving in the city for the first time ever at Glasgow Central, it seemed to me that’s exactly how a station should look. Off I went in search of the handsome Kelvingrove museum, Billy Connelly’s banana boots (currently at St Enoch shopping centre) and the small and thoughtful tenement house run by the National Trust for Scotland that tells the poignant story of an independent, single woman who lived there virtually all her life. Glasgow tells the history of its people as it is, and nowhere more so than the Barras flea market. The Mackintosh tea rooms proved an excellent pit stop. It’s so sad to think that Charles Rennie Macintosh died in obscurity and relative poverty at the age of 60 but his legacy is everywhere, including the Glasgow School of Art, diminished after the fire, but it will in time rise again.
Liz Owen Hernandez

Community-owned Hebridean island

We spent an unforgettable week on the Isle of Eigg at Cleadale Bothy (£80 a night, two-night minimum). Cleadale is one of the most northern settlements on the island, surrounded by wild and windy beaches, views to the south of An Sgùrr (the island’s single peak) and the Mordor-esque hills of the island of Rùm, native bluebells everywhere, and screeches of manx shearwaters at night. The island, which is 12 miles off Mallaig on the mainland, is community owned and very welcoming – while we were there we were invited to a free film night. There’s a shop, a bar, a brewery, a tiny museum, and a watersport equipment and bike hire outlet (no cars can be brought on to the island by visitors).
Margherita

Rewilded Southern Uplands

Carrifran Wildwood in the Moffat Hills is a landscape shaped by care and determination. Volunteers have returned native trees to the once-bare glen, and the scale of what they have achieved brought a lump to my throat when I first saw the valley open out from the viewpoint. It is a hopeful place, showing how collective effort can heal the land and create something enduring for future generations to experience. At the wood, there are paths and information boards for visitors, and nearby Moffat has independent shops, a museum and a park with a fantastic kids’ play area.
Hannah Price

Castles and lidos in Aberdeenshire

Coastal Aberdeenshire might not be as popular as the Highlands and islands, but Stonehaven is a great place and one of my favourite Scottish seaside towns. A nice shingly beach, a (heated!) seawater lido and a fantastic seafront ice-cream shop called Aunty Betty’s are a few of the town’s attractions. But it’s nearby Dunnottar Castle that is the biggest draw for me. Views of the coastal medieval fortress are, for my money, some of the best and most dramatic in Scotland. Then there is Aberdeen, a 20-minute train ride away from Stonehaven, with its lovely art gallery and striking granite architecture. Some day, I hope to go up for Hogmanay to experience the Stonehaven fireball festival.
Emma R

Shelter from a storm on Tiree

Camping on the island of Tiree amid Storm Dave, I needed an indoor activity to stay warm, so I went to Screen Argyll in Crossapol. This was the truest form of tourism; feeling like you’ve accidentally stumbled into someone’s living room where everyone knows everyone, and being welcomed in. As the snow storm raged outside, I laughed with 30 locals and watched a silly movie, for the price of a pint down south (£7.50). My outdoor adventures were cut short, but it meant I had the best evening of the trip.
Calum