The Highlands start closer to Edinburgh than most visitors expect. The Highland Boundary Fault runs through Aberfoyle, Callander and Dunkeld, all about an hour or a little more from the city. Glencoe and Loch Ness are a different matter: those are long days in the car.
When guests ask me for a Highlands tour from Edinburgh, my first question is how many hours they want to spend sitting down. Here is how the three main day trips compare, and when I suggest staying a night instead.
How far the Highlands are from Edinburgh
These are the rough one-way figures I plan around, before any stops.
| Destination | One way | Driving, there and back |
|---|---|---|
| Dunkeld and Pitlochry | 60 to 70 miles | About 3 hours |
| Callander and the Trossachs | About 55 miles | About 2.5 hours |
| Glencoe | About 115 miles | 5 to 6 hours |
| Loch Ness (Urquhart Castle) | About 170 to 180 miles | 7 hours or more |
| Isle of Skye (Portree) | About 230 miles | 10 hours or more |
Those times are for an empty road. Summer traffic on the A82, roadworks on the A9 and photo stops all add to them, so I treat every figure as a minimum.
Perthshire: the shortest drive
If you want to see Highland scenery and still spend most of the day out of the car, Perthshire is where I go. We cross the Queensferry Crossing, take the M90 to Perth and join the A9 north.
Dunkeld comes first. The cathedral sits on the bank of the Tay, and a few minutes up the road is The Hermitage, a woodland walk to a waterfall on the River Braan with tall Douglas firs on either side.
Pitlochry is twenty minutes further. From there I like Queen’s View above Loch Tummel, the Pass of Killiecrankie, and Blair Castle if you want a house and gardens to walk round. There are two distilleries in or near Pitlochry, Blair Athol and Edradour, if whisky is part of the plan.
On this route you are back in Edinburgh for dinner with time to spare. For a first visit to Scotland with jet lag still in the system, it is the day I would pick.
Glencoe: the big scenery day
Glencoe is the trip most people picture when they say “the Highlands”. The drive takes about two and a half to three hours each way, so it is a full day.
I head out past Stirling, through Callander and along Loch Lubnaig to Lochearnhead, then up Glen Dochart to Crianlarich and Tyndrum. After Bridge of Orchy the road climbs onto Rannoch Moor, and Buachaille Etive Mòr appears at the head of the glen. That first view is the reason for the whole drive.
In the glen we stop at the lay-bys below the Three Sisters, then carry on to the National Trust for Scotland visitor centre near Glencoe village. Coming home, I often go down Loch Lomond for a different view, which adds a little time.
Plan on 9 to 10 hours door to door. It works well for people who are happy in the car and want mountains more than towns.
Loch Ness: better over two days
You can reach Loch Ness and back in one day. Urquhart Castle is around three and a half hours from Edinburgh each way, and a loop that takes in Glencoe on the way up and the A9 on the way back runs to roughly 360 miles.
That makes for a 12-hour day, and most of it is spent looking through a window. My advice is to make Loch Ness the middle of a two-day trip. We drive up through Glencoe and Fort William on the first day, stay near the loch or in Inverness, and come home down the A9 through the Cairngorms and Pitlochry.
The second option gives you time at Urquhart Castle, a walk along the shore, and a proper dinner at the end of the day.
Skye is further again. Portree is about five hours each way, so I only plan it with at least two nights.
Daylight changes the plan
In June the light in the west Highlands lasts until after 10pm, and a long day trip feels relaxed. In December the sun rises around 9am at Fort William and sets before 4pm, which leaves under seven hours of daylight.
From November to February I steer guests to Perthshire or the Trossachs for a single day. Glencoe in winter is beautiful with snow on the tops, and I still go, but we leave early so the best part of the drive is in daylight.
Planning a private Highlands day with me
A private car means we stop where the view is, skip what does not interest you, and leave at a time that suits you. I can mix a Highlands day with a distillery or a castle so the drive has a purpose at each end.
You can see the kind of days I run on my private tours and sightseeing tours pages. If you would like help choosing between Perthshire, Glencoe and Loch Ness for your dates, send me a note and I will reply personally.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do a Highlands tour from Edinburgh in one day?
Yes. Perthshire, the Trossachs and Glencoe all work as day trips from Edinburgh. Perthshire needs about 3 hours of driving in total, and Glencoe needs 5 to 6. Loch Ness is possible in a day but takes around 12 hours, so I usually suggest staying a night.
Is Glencoe or Loch Ness better for a day trip from Edinburgh?
For a single day, Glencoe. It is about 115 miles from Edinburgh against 170 or more for Loch Ness, and the drive across Rannoch Moor is part of the experience. Loch Ness suits a two-day trip with a night near the loch or in Inverness.
Can you visit the Isle of Skye on a day trip from Edinburgh?
Not realistically. Portree is about 230 miles from Edinburgh and takes around five hours each way by car. Skye needs at least two nights to be worth the drive.
What is the best time of year for a Highlands day trip?
May to September gives the longest daylight, with sunset after 9pm in midsummer. From November to February the west Highlands have under seven hours of daylight, so shorter routes such as Perthshire or the Trossachs suit a single day better.
How early do Highlands day tours leave Edinburgh?
For Glencoe I usually suggest leaving between 8am and 8.30am, a little earlier in winter. Perthshire days can start later. With a private tour the start time is yours to choose.
