Whisky and wilderness in Scotland

Scotland in summer means long days, unpredictable weather, and landscapes that look like they haven’t changed in centuries. I spent two weeks in the Highlands, hiking, visiting distilleries, and embracing the damp weather.

I started in Fort William, the outdoor capital. Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain, looms over the town. I climbed it on my second day, which was optimistic. The trail starts easy but turns into a slog up rocky switchbacks. At the top, thick fog meant I couldn’t see more than a few meters. I ate a sandwich, took a foggy photo to prove I’d been there, and headed back down.

The drive up the west coast to Torridon was stunning. Single-track roads with passing places, lochs reflecting mountains, the occasional village of a few houses. I stayed at a hostel in Torridon and hiked in the mountains there. The peaks are made of red Torridonian sandstone and quartzite, ancient rock that gives the landscape a harsh, prehistoric feel.

One day I hiked to the Bealach na Ba, one of Britain’s highest road passes. The views from the top, looking back across Applecross and out to the Isle of Skye, were incredible. The road down the other side is a series of hairpin turns that had me gripping the wheel.

The Isle of Skye deserved more time than I gave it. The Fairy Pools were touristy but beautiful, clear blue pools at the base of the Cuillin mountains. I hiked the Quiraing, a landscape of rocky pinnacles and hidden plateaus that looks otherworldly. The Old Man of Storr is a famous rock formation that you can hike to - challenging but worth it.

I made time for distillery visits. Talisker on Skye makes a peaty, maritime whisky that tastes like the sea and smoke. Back on the mainland, I visited Oban, a coastal distillery whose whisky has a hint of salt. And in Speyside, I toured Glenfiddich, where they walked us through the whole process from malting to aging.

The weather was exactly what you’d expect. I experienced horizontal rain driven by wind so strong it was hard to stand. But also brilliant sunshine that made the heather-covered mountains glow purple. And dramatic skies with light breaking through clouds in shafts. The weather is part of the experience.

What I loved about the Highlands was the emptiness. You can walk for hours and not see another person. The mountains aren’t as high as the Alps, but they’re wild and exposed. There are no cables cars or mountain restaurants. If you go into the hills, you’re on your own.

I finished in Edinburgh for a few days, which was a jarring return to civilization after the Highlands. The city is beautiful - the castle, the old town, the views from Arthur’s Seat - but I kept thinking about those empty mountains and wishing I was back there.

Scotland is for people who don’t mind bad weather, who appreciate whisky, and who want to walk in wild places. If that sounds like you, it’s one of the best places in Europe.