If you’re planning a trip to Scotland and you’re reading this blog, then there’s a good chance that visiting a whisky distillery or two will be part of your itinerary! Notwithstanding the whisky aspect, most guides or books for Scottish tourism naturally focus on the attractions of Edinburgh and the usual historic sites beyond such as Stirling Castle, etc. Unfortunately, when it comes to tourist guides and even online resources, it would be fair to say that there’s not a lot that gets devoted to the far north and the Highlands. Which is a great shame, since it’s the far north that boasts some of Scotland’s most stunning and dramatic landscapes, scenery, and attractions. The Highland Coast 700 is a fantastic resource and journey that addresses this imbalance, and is a must-have for any serious whisky enthusiast exploring Scotland. If you’re embarking on the North Coast 500 (aka NC500), the Highland Coast 700 is the obvious extension and guidebook.
Despite Scotland’s relatively small size, it’s a challenging and difficult exercise for whisky tourists to fit everything into a short trip, and most enthusiasts find themselves making several visits to Scotland over the years in order to tick off the Edinburgh/Glasgow belt; the Lowlands; the Perthshire region; the big-hitters of Speyside; Islay; Campbelltown; the islands (e.g. Arran, Mull, Skye, the Orkneys); and the all-expansive Highlands. By virtue of sheer geography, the distilleries north of Inverness receive less visitors than their southern counterparts, and there’s an irony in that the distillery experiences, their remoteness, and the beauty of the land makes getting to these northern attractions all the more worthwhile. The Highland Coast 700 is your travel buddy for the journey, and for those travelling with a spouse/partner who may not quite share your enthusiasm for whisky, the Highland Coast 700 caters for your partner and will also open your eyes to the plethora of other activities, attractions, sights, dining, and accommodation on offer in this part of Scotland. So what’s it all about?…..
The book’s cover on the left, and the map & total route on the right.
The Highland Coast 700 – also styled the Highland Coast 700 Whisky Route – is a book by Alastair K. Rooney that explores this northern and north-west corner of Scotland with a series of day trips and itineraries that capture the best of what the region has to offer. It’s effectively an extension of the NC500, or the North Coast 500, which is a well-known road trip around this region of the mainland. The North Coast 500 – aptly named because it covers roughly 500 miles of driving – has been established for some time and even has its own website (www.northcoast500.com), however, the Highland Coast 700 Whisky Route extends the North Coast 500 to also incorporate Orkney, Skye, and the Great Glen / Loch Ness. (And extends the journey up to approximately 700 miles, if you were to drive the full course). As the name implies, it’s a route that builds whisky into the journey: Tomatin, Dalmore, Glenmorangie, Balblair, Clynelish, Pulteney, Highland Park, Scapa, Torabhaig, Talisker and Glen Ord make up the 11 “official” distilleries covered on the HC700 that have established visitor centres, although you’ll pass at least seven other distilleries on the route (most of which don’t or can’t readily cater for visitors, although the book still gives information on each).
The book – 90 pages long, and smaller than an iPad-Mini – is a one-stop guide that covers all you need to know, delving into each area’s history, geography, sites and sights, as well as giving great recommendations for accommodation, dining, and drinking options. The suggested route and itinerary is a six day affair that starts in Inverness and heads north, then up and around the Highlands in an east-to-west or counter-clockwise direction before returning back to Inverness. Obviously, you can follow as much or as little of the suggested route and itinerary as your time and interest will permit, but it’s a genuinely full and comprehensive journey that leaves little left unexplored. Even if you’re just travelling the regular North Coast 500 (aka NC500), this book should still definitely be packed in your glove box.
Make no mistake, the region – particularly the north-western run from Tongue down to Lochcarron – is stunning in its dramatic landscapes and coastal aspects. Whisky & Wisdom has driven through and around this area several times across multiple trips to Scotland, and the photographs rarely do justice to the beauty you take in.
In addition to the itinerary itself and attractions on the way, there are chapters dedicated to travel guidelines and Scotland’s road rules; planning tips; other spirit/distillery attractions en route (e.g. gin distilleries); a guide to Scottish slang; the history of Scotland; the history of Scotch whisky; the whisky making process; supplementary reading and recommended websites; a guide to Scottish cuisine; road safety and driving tips; and more. And, of course, useful maps!
For the whisky enthusiast, the HC700 also includes a Whisky Passport, which you can get stamped at the various participating distilleries, pubs, and hotels along the way. Once you’ve got your passport filled, you can send it into the publishers and redeem it for a special commemorative certificate of your travels.
For more information, and to get your copy of the book, swing by Amazon. Whisky & Wisdom is pleased to endorse and commend this publication. It’s more than just a tremendous travel guide, it’s a great whisky book in its own right.
[Update: The same author has now published his second book, styled similarly to the Highland Coast 700, which is called The Speyside Whisky Trail. You can read Whisky & Wisdom’s review and summary of that book here.]
And for one last bit of reading before you head off on your travels, you might like to check out this helpful article: 10 things every whisky lover should know before visiting Scotland
You might also like our article, The most beautiful distilleries in Scotland
Cheers,
AD
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