Scotland (Highlands)

Scotland (Highlands) – What you should know

The Highlands around Inverness are Scotland's cooler, wetter north. Daytime highs average 18°C (64°F) in July, around 25°C (77°F) on the warmest days; in January they are 6°C (43°F), with the coldest nights around -6°C (21°F). Rain falls all year, most in October at 90 mm (3.5 in) and December at 110 mm (4.3 in), on 13 to 14 rainy days. In the mountains and the west it rains considerably more than on the coast.

The best time is May to September, when the roads are clear and the days get very long — in June the sun does not set until around 10 pm. May is comparatively dry at around 60 mm (2.4 in) and often at its prettiest with the gorse in bloom; the heather does not flower until August. From late May into September expect midges, tiny biting flies that appear in swarms on still, damp evenings; repellent belongs in the rucksack.

For the classic road trip — Loch Ness, Glencoe, the Isle of Skye and the North Coast 500 coastal route — September is worth considering: at 16°C (61°F) with fewer visitors it is quieter, while in October the landscape turns red and brown but it rains noticeably more often. The North Sea reaches around 15°C (59°F) in August. In winter the Cairngorms are a small ski area, and individual mountain roads and ferry links can be cancelled in snow and storms.