From Harry Potter To James Bond: Follow Us To 7 Magical Places In Scotland

Scotland. A mysterious country where men wear skirts – sorry – kilts and anyone who is a fan of the Highlands will feel home. Unlike Ireland whisky here is written without an “e” and though it may be just as popular, the inventor of the “water of life” remains a mystery. Jan, Josef, Lukas, Marcel, and Michi were on the road for Sixt in Scotland and came back to us with their seven favorite places in the wild lands of mountains and myths. Some of the pictures were taken with a DJI drone.

Below the story are some funny facts about the northern UK country, which shares a southern latitude with Copenhagen and a northern one with Oslo.

Scotland Road Trip Route

Driving Time	21 Hours and 49 Minutes
Distance	880 miles

STOP 1: CASTLE SINCLAIR

Sinclair Castle is located at the north-eastern end of Scotland. The picturesque coastal road to Sinclair Castle is itself enough reason to visit. Starting from Edinburgh, you drive past Scottish villages, herds of sheep and bizarre rock formations of the Duncansby Stacks. At the end, the castle awaits, shrouded in sea air and holding secrets of near-ancient history.

STOP 2: GLENCOE STREET

This famous street is located in Glen Coe and after appearing in the James Bond film, Skyfall, it’s now the most photographed street in Scotland. Under the right light while incorporating the Buachaille Etive Mor mountain there are some amazing picture opportunities. Beside the road are an abundance of deer and stags. With some carrots on hand, you can even get close enough to feed them!

 

STOP 3: OLD MAN OF STORR

The mystical Old Man of Storr is found on the Trotternish peninsula. It’s a bizarre rock formation, which rises up to 48m and is the island of Skye’s landmark. On a walkable path, you can reach the rock needle in about 45 minutes by foot. Once at the top, the wide view over the island to the sea delivers an unforgettable moment.

STOP 4: GLENFINNAN VIADUCT

The Glenfinnan Viaduct is a railway viaduct in southwest Scotland, located between Fort William and Mallaig on the beautiful Loch Shiel. 21 pillars support the 380-meter long and 30-meter high structure. It was built in the 19th century and was of great logistical importance for freight traffic and the fishing industry. Nowadays only the museum train “The Jacobite” runs on the line. A great number of scenes from many films and television series were shot at the Glenfinnan Viaduct. These include shots of Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter as well as parts of The Love of Charlotte Gray.

STOP 5: QUIRAING

Quiraing Viewpoint offers the most beautiful sights on the Isle of Skye. The road winds up along the steep massif. Arriving at the pass, there is a magnificent view over the Quiraing up to the bay of Staffin. The name Quiraing comes from old Norse, just one of the many Viking imprint on the Isle of Skye. If you arrive at the Quiraing Viewpoint by car, this grandiose scenery really opens up. That’s enough reason to visit, but if you bring some time and suitable hiking boots, you can explore the area even further and admire bizarre rock formations.

STOP 6: EILEAN DONAN CASTLE

Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most iconic in Scotland and sits on a small island, which cuts it from land at high tide. The island can be reached via a beautiful stone bridge. This bridge and the dark wall behind it made Eilean Donan famous, and it’s been used again and again in cinema. It’s notably in both “Highlander” and the James Bond classic “The world is not enough”. The castle is located on the A87 towards Skye. The Eilean Donan Castle alone is worth an excursion, but there are other attractions reachable by car for the perfect day trip. These include Otterhaven, the two Brochs at Glenelg, and the Five Sisters of Kintail.

STOP 7: STALKER CASTLE

Stalker Castle is the perfect stopover between Edinburgh and Skye. If you like medieval castles this one should definitely be on your list. At low tide, you can even walk to the castle and check out the small island. But we found the scenery more beautiful at high tide because then the surreal atmosphere really comes into its own.

	Quick Facts Scotland is divided into three regions: Highlands, Central Lowlands, and Midland Valley. Scotland has about 790 islands of which only 130 are inhabited. It has a population of over 5 million Scots. Glasgow is the biggest city.
	Funny Facts Red hair and freckles are common features– more than anywhere else in the world. Scots deep frying chocolate bars is no myth. Most other things, by the way… Harry Potter was filmed and written in Scotland, James Bond also originates here. The unicorn is an official heraldic animal. A traditional Scottish sport is tree trunk throwing.
	Traffic Facts In the Highlands there are very few two-lane roads, so drive slowly There are an incredible number of sheep in Scotland noted by special warning signs. Often the sheep are found standing next to the signs 🙂