The 10 greatest Scottish travel experiences

Scotland’s national bard certainly knew how to enjoy and celebrate life, renowned for both his love of revelry and for penning the world’s new year anthem – Auld Lang Syne. I’ve spent the last couple of decades travelling and writing my way around every nook and cranny of his beloved Scotland, finding spirit-soaring, life-affirming experiences all over. So raise a dram now as we toast 10 life-affirming experiences you can savour around Scotland.

Immerse yourself in Burns

I’ve met Muscovites who could recite swathes of Burns, but precious few Mancunians, so if you’ve never really got into Burns give Scotland’s bard another go: think an earthier Shakespeare with a cheeky glint in his gloriously poetic eye. Following in his footsteps the first stop is Alloway to the cottage where he was born; learn more at the brilliant Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. Ease south to Dumfries to the Burns Centre and stroll the Burns self-guided walk, before seeking succour at his favourite ‘howff’, the Globe Inn. Brilliantly revamped with chefs trained at Gleneagles brought in, you’ll dine more like a royal than a peasant farmer. Brush up beforehand on Burns – if you cannot recite any verse in his chair, tradition has it you shout the drinks. Last stop is the grand mausoleum the Wordsworths erected after being appalled at his poor grave. It’s a place to reflect and rejoice in your own life – Burns would have wanted that and for you to raise a defiant toast.

How to do it: For the Globe Inn, see globeinndumfries.co.uk. Stay at Trigony House and Garden Spa, close to the farm at Ellisland near Dumfries where Burns lived out his peasant farmer fantasies. Rooms from £143 per night.

Hike to the UK mainland’s most remote pub

This is a life-affirming experience for those who don’t mind getting their boots dirty. The Knoydart Peninsula is literally sandwiched between (the lochs of) heaven and hell (Nevis and Hourn). It often feels like hell on the tortuously boggy 14-mile yomp in from Kinlochhourn. An even tougher route is striking out across the ‘Rough Bounds’ from the Harry Potter viaduct at Glenfinnan. You’ll need at least a night for the former adventure; two for the longer hike. Bring a tent in case the bothies are full. The reward is a pint at the Old Forge, the UK mainland’s most remote pub, a whitewashed dame on the waterfront dating back to the 1880s. A pint of local ale and a plate of boat-fresh prawns (plump langoustines in these parts) is gloriously restorative. The local community have put together a crowdfunder to buy the pub. ‘Wild’ swimming outside is a joy – last time I did it the water was alive with bioluminescence.

How to do it: For the Old Forge, see theoldforge.co.uk. The local community gives advice on current conditions for both walks; see visitknoydart.co.uk. You can cheat your way there by cruising in from Mallaig; see westernislescruises.co.uk.

Sail off into the Hebridean sunset

Forget hulking floating cities, Scotland does cruise ships on a charmingly small scale, with a bijou flotilla of family-run operators out of Oban, Holy Loch and Mallaig. Rob Barlow is the skipper and owner behind Hebrides Cruises, whose two vessels spirit you off to some of the world’s most dramatic cruising waters from Oban. We’re talking hundreds of islands, starched white sands and hulking mountains; deer, dolphins and even killer whales too. The Elizabeth G is their sturdy marine steed, an ex-Norwegian rescue vessel with just four cabins. The Emma Jane sets her tone with plush leather seats in the – always open – bridge and an outdoor hot tub aft. They’ll drop you off in the wilds for a rough scramble around Skye’s Loch Coruisk, before welcoming you back with bubbles served in that outdoor hot tub. The Cabin Suite is the pick of the quintet of cabins.

How to do it: For Hebrides Cruises, see hebridescruises.co.uk. A six-night Inner Hebrides cruise on Elizabeth G in May 2022 starts from £2,080 per person.

Let the water of life revive you

Even if you don’t (yet) love whisky, Islay, the Queen of Hebrides, will surely convert you. Scotland’s whisky isle is alive with nine distilleries. Hunker down at the whitewashed waterfront Port Charlotte Hotel, which sports its own whisky bar. Gentler palates ease in with the sherry-tinged drams of Bunnahabhain and Bowmore, but for the real life-affirming peat fire deal it has to be Islay’s trio of southern Victorian dames. A new walkway and cycle path handily connects the wee village of Port Ellen with Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. All offer tastings – you won’t forget Laphroaig’s chocolate and whisky pairing in a hurry – and you can pick up a distillery-only bottle to share a dram with friends back home. Ardbeg also has a superb café where lunch is best rounded off with a spirit-soaring dessert drowned in whisky. Slainte!

How to do it: Stay at Port Charlotte Hotel. Settle into your waterfront room and check out that whisky bar. And a heaving seafood platter in the restaurant. Rooms from £168; see portcharlottehotel.co.uk. Distilleries include bunnahabhain.com, bowmore.com, ardbeg.com, laphroaig.com, and malts.com/en-gb/brands/lagavulin.

Escape to Cowal on a seaplane

Soar off from Glasgow in a seaplane following the sea lochs and hills to Loch Fyne. Within minutes of sploshing down you’re in the bubbling outdoor hot tubs at Portavadie, or swimming in their loch-side infinity pool. Lunch of Gigha halibut awaits, washed down with locally roasted coffee from Tighnabruaich, where you’re staying at The Hollies. This swish new self-catering escape sleeping up to 18 (it’s still cosy with far fewer guests) overlooks the water with bedrooms themed around Scottish bands – The Waterboys sports a bath peering out at the water. Snare a hamper filled with gorgeous foodie treats pooled from local artisan suppliers from Secret Coast Hampers. Your seaplane can pick you up outside The Hollies. If you can be persuaded to leave that is.

How to do it: For Loch Lomond Seaplanes, see lochlomondseaplanes.com. Stay at Portavadie, portavadie or The Hollies, theholliesargyll.co.uk. Order a picnic from Secret Coast Hampers, secretcoasthampers.co.uk.

Track Scotland’s ‘Big Five’ on an island safari

Arran is the only island with all of Scotland’s ‘Big Five’ wildlife. And the good news is that you won’t need a safari truck, nor a guide, for these encounters. First are the red squirrels in the grounds of Brodick Castle – if you struggle to find them head for the new hide to spot these bushy-tailed wonders. Just around the coast it’s the turn of seals, who sun themselves on the rocks at Merklands Point. Pushing up into the Highland massifs now we’re scanning the skyline in Glen Rosa for golden eagles soaring in the thermals above the crags. Below is number four: the UK’s largest wild land mammal, the mighty antler-bedecked red deer. Last – and most elusive – are otters, best spotted along Arran’s less-explored west coast. Just drive along the waterfront road and keep your eyes peeled. You may get more than you bargained for with porpoises, dolphins and whales too; even basking sharks in autumn.

How to do it: Stay at Kinloch Hotel. Look out for wildlife in the Kilbrannan Sound from your room. Rooms from £125, see kinloch-arran.com. Tourist information at visitarran.com.

Land on an Atlantic beach

Leave the world of traffic lights behind as you swoop off the runway at Glasgow International aboard Loganair’s Twin Otter propeller plane. A chart of islands unfold below until you reach your real-life Treasure Island – Barra. You won’t forget landing as the terminal overlooks Cockle Strand Beach and you bash down on the sands on the world’s only scheduled beach landing. Tuck into cockles foraged from Barra’s sands, then let an island that is an Outer Hebrides in miniature charm you. Think bracing strolls along white sand beaches, hill walks – just you and the sheep, the rugged embrace of Kisimul Castle, and – if you’re very lucky – a spirit-soaring live music session from the Vatersay Boys at the Castlebay Hotel.

How to do it: Stay at Castlebay Hotel, a welcoming pub in the eponymous island capital with local seafood and those live music sessions. Rooms from £130, see castlebayhotel.com. Return fares from £100, see loganair.co.uk.

Savour Scottish soul food

If world-class produce and cooking is your route to Nirvana, it’s the Isle of Skye for you. By the time you’ve been out foraging with the Skye Ghillie at Kinloch Lodge and dined on Jordan Webb’s superb creations at its restaurant you’ll be on the way to a higher culinary plane. In Skye’s north, experience the Michelin-star magic and sublime seafood of Michael Smith’s Loch Bay. Savvy Scots make a beeline too for the Three Chimneys – it may have lost a star, but not its culinary distinction. And the setting is quintessentially Skye in an old waterfront cottage. Plump lobsters, Skye crab and freshly-shucked oysters burst forth at the more basic Oyster Shed; handily the Talisker whisky distillery is nearby if you want to complete a toast with Skye’s famous dram.

How to do it: Stay at Kinloch Lodge, a former royal hunting lodge with rooms overlooking their own wee stretch of secluded coastline. Rooms from £319, see kinloch-lodge.co.uk. Restaurants include Loch Bay, lochbay-restaurant.co.uk. The Three Chimneys, threechimneys.co.uk and the Oyster Shed, theoysterman.co.uk.

Drive Scotland’s answer to Route 66

Who needs America’s Route 66 when Scotland has its own version? And no I’m not talking about the campervan-clogged North Coast 500. The Kintyre 66 is the real driving deal, a 66-mile adventure around the often-ignored Kintyre Peninsula in Argyll. Savour boat-fresh seafood in the fishing village of Tarbert, then head south under big skies, a ribbon of sandy beaches to yourself and isles winking back at you offshore. Nip over to wee Gigha, or push straight for Campbeltown with Paul McCartney’s ‘Mull of Kintyre’ swooning through your soul. Witness Scotland plunging into the ocean at the mull, before eking back up the single-track road on the east. The Beinn an Tuirc gin distillery and a solitary Gormley sculpture pepper the way north back to Tarbert.

How to do it: You’ll find a route map, stopping points, restaurants and places to stay all in one place on Wild About Argyll’s website: wildaboutargyll.co.uk/destinations/kintyre-and-gigha/the-kintyre-66.

Sail to the isles at the end of the world

The world’s first dual Unesco World Heritage site, the ultra-remote St Kilda archipelago, is on the bucket list of most Scots I know. You never forget your first sight of St Kilda as it looms improbably out of the Atlantic in a swathe of Tolkien-esque crags, a leviathan like nothing else in the British Isles. St Kilda is still the only place in the UK to be dual Unesco listed, both for its unique wildlife but also its remarkable human heritage: man eked out communal life here until 1930 without the use of money, shut off from the modern world. Today nature is back in control and it’s an oasis alive with birdlife, including puffins, much of the world’s gannet population and hulking sea eagles. Hike up the highest sea cliffs in the UK and peer back east 40 miles to Scotland, well the Outer Hebrides that is – you never see the mainland from this far all adrift in the Atlantic. You’ll feel small out here, but bursting with life.

How to do it: Day trips from the Outer Hebrides cost £260 with gotostkilda.co.uk. To sail to St Kilda in serious luxury, book a cruise with the Hebridean Princess, a plush ship Her Majesty, the Queen has chartered in lieu of Britannia. A seven-night all-inclusive voyage in May starts from £5,570, hebridean.co.uk.