Mainland Highland consists of a series of glaciated ancient plateau masses dissected by narrow glens and straths (valleys); in the Northeast (Caithness), old red sandstone rocks give a softer, lower topography; Ben Nevis (1,343 m / 4,406 ft) is Britain's highest mountain and offers some good skiing as does the Cairngorm Mountains.
Loch Ness famed for the Monster Nessie, is popular with tourists with a favourite stop being Urquhart Castle

There are 356 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, 27 National Nature Reserves, eight Ramsars (wetland sites), 16 Special Protection Areas, three Biosphere Reserves, and 16 National Scenic Areas.
The main tourist attraction in the Highlands & Islands is the spectacular scenery, most of which, when described as breathtaking, is an understatement. The area around Ben Nevis attracts most tourists but the North Western corner of Scotland is equally as beautiful. Just 36 miles from the Northern Coast is Unapool which sits in the shadow of Glas Bheinn mountain. Britain's highest waterfall, Eas a Chual Aluinn cascades 658 ft / 200m down the mountain.

Loch Ness
Forming part of the Caledonian Canal, it is 36 km / 22.5 mi long, 2 km / 1 mi wide (on average), 229 m / 754 ft deep, and is the greatest expanse of fresh water in Europe. There have been unconfirmed reports of a Loch Ness monster since the 15th century although St Columba is claimed to have first sighted the monster back in the 6th Century. There are many references to 'Nessie' in the local area and lots of tourist souvenirs can be purchased, the Loch Ness exhibition at Drumnadrochit is however, very interesting.
Loch Ness, Loch Lochy and Loch Oich are connected by the Caledonian Canal, and together provide the only navigable channel between the east and west coasts of Scotland. The Caledonian Canal links the Atlantic and the North Sea. Situated between the Moray Firth and Loch Linnhe, the canal was constructed as a transport route to save the long sail around Scotland. It is one of Scotland's largest marina facilities. Of its total length, only a 37 km / 22 mi stretch is artificial, the rest being composed of lochs Lochy, Oich, and Ness. Thomas Telford began construction of the canal in 1803 and it was completed by 1822.

Glencoe
Valley extending 16 km / 10 mi east from Rannoch Moor to Loch Leven. The mountains rise steeply on either side to over 1,000 m/3,300 ft, and the River Coe flows through the valley. Members of the Macdonald clan were massacred in
Glencoe on 13 February 1692. The area is popular for winter sports and rock-climbing.
The Glencoe chair-lift and ski area lies just beyond the glen on the western side of Rannoch Moor. Thirty-eight members of the Macdonald clan were slaughtered by government troops led by Robert Campbell of Glenlyon; 300 escaped.
Eilean Donan Castle

An absolute 'must visit' if heading towards the Isle of Skye. Eilean Donan Castle is at the meeting point of Loch Alsh and Loch Duich and not only is it in the most perfect of scenic locations, it is a very interesting visitor attraction. Used in the film 'Highlander' Eilean Donan Castle was built by Alexander II in 1230 and was virtually destroyed in 1719. It was restored in 1912 by Colonel MacRae. It is still family owned and is often used by the family for wedding receptions.

Skye
Largest island of the Inner Hebrides, Highland region, off the west coast of Scotland; area 1,740 sq km/672 sq mi; population (1991) 8,900. It is separated from the mainland to the southeast by the Sound of Sleat and by the islands of Raasay and Scalpay to the northeast. The chief port and town is Portree. The economy is based on crofting, craft industries, tourism, and livestock. The Skye Bridge, a privately financed toll bridge to Kyleakin on the island from the Kyle of Lochalsh, was completed in 1995.
Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart) took refuge here after the Battle of Culloden. Much of the island is underlain by Tertiary volcanic rocks, and the scenery of the central part is very mountainous, rising to over 1,000 m/ 3,280 ft. The coastline is deeply indented by numerous sea lochs, and most of the settlements are coastal. Large areas of the northern and central western parts of the island have now been planted as forest. The island is 75 km/47 mi long and 25 km /16 mi wide.
Numerous car ferries serve the island : Armadale is connected to Mallaig on the mainland; Uig to Tarbert (Harris); Uig to Lochmaddy (North Uist); and Sconser to Raasay.

Hebrides

Group of more than 500 islands (fewer than 100 inhabited) off the west coast of mainland Scotland; total area 2,900 sq km/1,120 sq mi. The Hebrides were settled by Scandinavians during the 6th-9th centuries and passed under Norwegian rule from about 890 to 1266.

The Inner Hebrides are divided between Highland and Argyll and Bute authorities, and include Raasay, Rum, Muck, Eigg, Scalpay, Skye (Highland) and Mull, Jura, Islay, Iona, Coll, Tiree, Colonsay, and uninhabited Staffa (Argyll and Bute). The Outer Hebrides form the islands area of the Western Isles authority, separated from the Inner Hebrides by the Little Minch. They include Harris/Lewis, North Uist, South Uist, Benbecula, Barra, and St Kilda.

The island of Eigg, which has been in private ownership since 1308, was bought by its residents in April 1997 after an eight-month ownership battle. In December 1996, an initial bid by the islanders of £1.2 million was rejected by the then owner, a German artist; a month later the Trustees of the Heritage Lottery Fund turned down their appeal for financial help. Finally, an English millionairess, who has remained anonymous, was believed to have given them around £900,000 - the bulk of the £1.5 million purchase price.

Trossachs `bristled terrain´
Woodland glen between lochs Katrine and Achray in Stirling unitary authority, Scotland, 3 km/2 mi long. Overlooking it
are Ben Venue (727 m/2,386 ft) and Ben A'an (369 m/ 1,211 ft), a popular climbing venue, which rests against Meall Gainmheich (564 m/1,851 ft). Featured in the novels of Walter Scott, it has become a favoured tourist spot.

Aviemore
All-year sports and tourist centre, in the Highland unitary authority, Scotland, 45 km/28 mi southeast of Inverness and adjacent to the Cairngorm Mountains. The centre specializes in winter sporting activities. Aviemore was extensively developed in the 1960s as Britain's first complete holiday and sports centre.

location of many key historical moments in Scottish history, including the `massacre´ of Glencoe, the Battle of Culloden and the Highland Clearances.Caledonian Canal; John O'Groats; Skye Road Bridge