List of places in Highland (council area) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This article is a list of towns, villages, and small settlements in the Highland area of Scotland. The Highland council area is a special part of Scotland, but it's smaller than the larger region known as the Scottish Highlands. This list helps you discover all the amazing places found here.

For the Scottish Gaelic names of these places, you can check out the List of Scottish Gaelic place names.

Urquhart Castle, a famous landmark

The Glenfinnan Viaduct, known from movies

Mallaig, a busy port town

The Old Castle in Wick

Loch Watten, a beautiful lake

Dunnet Head, the most northerly point of mainland Great Britain

Armadale Castle on the Isle of Skye

The Skye Bridge near Kyle of Lochalsh

The lighthouse at Cromarty

Plockton Railway Station

Ullapool, a charming fishing village

Duncansby Head Lighthouse

Beauly Priory, an ancient ruin

Torridon village

Wick, a historic town

Glencoe, a stunning valley

Fort Augustus on Loch Ness

Loch Assynt, a scenic loch

The Jacobite Train crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct

An oil rig near Cromarty

Inverness, the capital of the Highlands

Loch Ness, home of the famous monster

St. Peter's Kirk in Thurso

Ullapool, a popular tourist spot

Exploring Highland's Towns and Villages

The Highland council area is the largest in Scotland. It is full of amazing places, from bustling towns to tiny, quiet hamlets. Many of these places are known for their stunning natural beauty, rich history, and unique culture.

A: Adventures in the Highlands

Alness: A town in Easter Ross, known for its beautiful floral displays.
Aviemore: A popular resort town in the Cairngorms National Park. It is a hub for outdoor activities like skiing and hiking.
Applecross: A remote village on the Applecross peninsula, famous for its scenic coastal road.
Arisaig: A small village on the west coast, a great spot for boat trips to the Small Isles.
Armadale (Skye): Home to Armadale Castle and the Clan Donald Centre.

B: Beautiful Bays and Bridges

Beauly: A charming village with a historic priory.
Bettyhill: A coastal village in Sutherland, offering great views of the North Sea.
Bonar Bridge: A village named after its bridge over the Kyle of Sutherland.
Broadford: The second-largest settlement on the Isle of Skye. It is a good base for exploring the island.
Brora: A coastal village with a lovely beach and a golf course.

C: Castles and Coastal Charm

Cannich: A village in Glen Cannich, close to beautiful glens and lochs.
Carrbridge: Known for its old packhorse bridge, built in 1717.
Castletown: A village in Caithness, famous for its flagstone industry.
Conon Bridge: A village on the River Conon, with good transport links.
Cromarty: A historic burgh on the Black Isle, known for its charming streets and harbour.

D: Discovering Dingwall and Dornoch

Dalwhinnie: A village in the Cairngorms, home to a famous whisky distillery.
Daviot: A small village south of Inverness.
Dingwall: A historic market town and the county town of Ross and Cromarty.
Dornoch: A beautiful cathedral town with a stunning beach and golf course.
Drumnadrochit: A village on the shores of Loch Ness, famous for its monster exhibitions.
Dunnet: A village in Caithness, near Dunnet Head, the most northerly point of mainland Great Britain.
Dunvegan: A village on the Isle of Skye, home to Dunvegan Castle, the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland.
Durness: A remote village in the far north-west, known for its stunning coastline and Smoo Cave.

E: Eastern Shores and Elphin

Edderton: A small village in Easter Ross.
Edinbane: A village on the Isle of Skye.
Elgol: A small village on Skye, offering incredible views of the Cuillin mountains.
Embo: A coastal village near Dornoch, with a lovely sandy beach.
Evanton: A village in Easter Ross, close to the Black Isle.

F: Forts and Forests

Fearn: A village in Easter Ross, home to Fearn Abbey.
Fort Augustus: A village at the southern end of Loch Ness, with a series of locks on the Caledonian Canal.
Fort George: A large 18th-century fortress near Inverness.
Fort William: The second-largest town in the Highlands. It is a major tourist centre at the foot of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain.
Fortrose: A historic town on the Black Isle, known for its ruined cathedral.
Foyers: A village on the eastern side of Loch Ness, famous for its waterfalls.

G: Glens and Gairloch

Gairloch: A village on the west coast, known for its beautiful beaches and views.
Garve: A small village in Ross-shire.
Glencoe: A famous valley known for its dramatic scenery and history.
Glenfinnan: A village known for its viaduct, featured in the Harry Potter films, and the Glenfinnan Monument.
Golspie: A coastal village in Sutherland, with a long sandy beach and Dunrobin Castle nearby.

H: Historic Hamlets and Hills

Halkirk: A village in Caithness, on the River Thurso.
Helmsdale: A fishing village in Sutherland, with a rich history of salmon fishing.
Hill of Fearn: A small settlement near Fearn.

I: Inverness and Island Gems

Invergordon: A town on the Cromarty Firth, known for its deep-water port and murals.
Inverness: The only city in the Highlands and its cultural capital. It is a busy centre for shopping, history, and exploring the region.
Invermoriston: A village on the western side of Loch Ness.
Isleornsay: A small village on the Isle of Skye, with a picturesque harbour.

J: Journey to John o' Groats

John o' Groats: A famous village in Caithness, often considered the most northerly point of mainland Great Britain (though Dunnet Head is technically further north). It is a popular tourist destination.

K: Kingussie and Kyle of Lochalsh

Keiss: A village in Caithness, known for its harbour and nearby castles.
Kilchoan: The most westerly village on the British mainland.
Kingussie: A small town in Badenoch and Strathspey, within the Cairngorms National Park.
Kinlochleven: A village at the head of Loch Leven, popular for outdoor activities.
Kirkhill: A village west of Inverness.
Kyle of Lochalsh: A village on the west coast, the gateway to the Isle of Skye via the Skye Bridge.
Kyleakin: A village on the Isle of Skye, just across the bridge from Kyle of Lochalsh.
Kylesku: A small hamlet in Sutherland, known for its modern bridge and beautiful loch.

L: Lochs and Lairg

Laggan: A village in Badenoch, known for its beautiful scenery.
Lairg: A village in Sutherland, often called the "Crossroads of the Highlands."
Latheron: A village in Caithness.
Lochcarron: A village on the shores of Loch Carron, a scenic sea loch.
Lochinver: A fishing village in Sutherland, a popular base for exploring Assynt.
Lybster: A coastal village in Caithness, with a small harbour.

M: Mallaig and Muir of Ord

Mallaig: A busy fishing port and ferry terminal on the west coast. It is the end point of the famous West Highland Line railway.
Marybank: A village in Ross-shire.
Melvich: A coastal village in Sutherland.
Mey: A small village in Caithness, famous for the Castle of Mey, once owned by the Queen Mother.
Morar: A village on the "Road to the Isles," known for its white sandy beaches.
Muir of Ord: A village in Ross-shire, known for its livestock market and distillery.
Munlochy: A village on the Black Isle.

N: Nairn and Newtonmore

Nairn: A seaside town and former fishing port on the Moray Firth. It is known for its sandy beaches and golf courses.
Nethy Bridge: A village in the Cairngorms National Park, popular for walking and wildlife.
Newtonmore: A village in Badenoch and Strathspey, home to the Highland Folk Museum.
Nigg: A village on the Cromarty Firth, known for its oil fabrication yard.
North Kessock: A village on the Black Isle, just north of Inverness.

O: Onich and Opinan

Ockle: A small settlement in Ardnamurchan.
Onich: A village on the shores of Loch Linnhe, near Fort William.

P: Plockton and Portree

Plockton: A picturesque village on Loch Carron, famous for its palm trees and charming houses.
Poolewe: A village at the head of Loch Ewe, known for the Inverewe Garden.
Portmahomack: A coastal village in Easter Ross, with a sandy beach and a Pictish museum.
Portree: The largest town on the Isle of Skye and its capital. It is a vibrant hub with a colourful harbour.

R: Raasay and Rogart

Raasay: An island off the east coast of Skye, known for its stunning landscapes.
Ratagan: A small settlement near the Five Sisters of Kintail mountains.
Reay: A village in Caithness, on the north coast.
Rhiconich: A remote hamlet in Sutherland.
Rogart: A village in Sutherland.
Rosemarkie: A village on the Black Isle, known for its beach and Groam House Museum.
Roybridge: A village in Lochaber, close to the Grey Corries mountain range.
Rùm: A large island in the Inner Hebrides, a national nature reserve.

S: Scourie and Spean Bridge

Salen (Ardnamurchan): A village on the Ardnamurchan peninsula.
Sanna: A small settlement on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, with beautiful white sand beaches.
Scourie: A village in Sutherland, a good base for exploring the north-west Highlands.
Shiel Bridge: A small settlement at the head of Loch Duich, near the Five Sisters of Kintail.
Shieldaig: A picturesque fishing village on Loch Shieldaig.
Sligachan: A small settlement on Skye, known for its bridge and views of the Cuillin mountains.
Smithton: A suburb of Inverness.
Spean Bridge: A village in Lochaber, known for the Commando Memorial.
Staffin: A village on the Trotternish peninsula of Skye, near the Old Man of Storr.
Stein: A small village on the Waternish peninsula of Skye.
Strathpeffer: A Victorian spa village in Ross-shire, known for its mineral waters.
Stromeferry: A village on Loch Carron, once an important ferry crossing.
Strontian: A village on Loch Sunart, known for the element Strontium, which was first discovered here.
Struan: A village on the Isle of Skye.
Syre: A small settlement in Sutherland.

T: Tain and Thurso

Tain: A historic royal burgh in Easter Ross, Scotland's oldest Royal Burgh.
Talmine: A small village in Sutherland.
Teangue: A village on the Sleat peninsula of Skye.
Thurso: The most northerly town on the Scottish mainland. It is a busy town with a harbour and links to the Orkney Islands.
Tomatin: A village in Inverness-shire, known for its whisky distillery.
Tongue: A village in Sutherland, with a beautiful setting overlooking the Kyle of Tongue.
Tore: A village on the Black Isle.
Torridon: A village in Wester Ross, surrounded by stunning mountains.

U: Uig and Ullapool

Uig (Duirinish): A village on the Trotternish peninsula of Skye, a ferry port for the Outer Hebrides.
Ullapool: A picturesque fishing village and ferry port on Loch Broom. It is a popular base for exploring the north-west Highlands.

V: Valtos and Vatten

Valtos: A small settlement on the Isle of Lewis, but also a name used for a place in Skye.
Vatten: A small settlement on the Isle of Skye.

W: Watten and Wick

Watten: A village in Caithness, near Loch Watten.
Whitebridge: A village on the south side of Loch Ness.
Wick: A historic royal burgh and major fishing port in Caithness. It is known for its harbour and heritage centre.