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Parkmore, Dufftown, makes a great base. Within easy distance you have castles and distilleries, a brilliant coastline and unspoilt countryside, as well as some of the biggest mountains in Scotland. Add in a good mix of cosy little towns, plus Inverness, the Highland capital, and it all falls into place on a series of day tours with lots to see and do. And there are some pretty quiet open roads as well. In short, you really can’t go wrong. Day 1: Head north-west via Elgin where the Culloden Visitor Centre – site of last battle fought on British soil - is on the eastern outskirts of the city of Inverness. You have your first views of Loch Ness soon after, heading south via Drumnadrochit – lots of monster information here – for Fort Augustus and lunch. Enjoy the activity by the Caledonian Canal locks, then return north – and here’s the clever bit – by the little roads on the other side of the loch. Superb open moorland views. Return to Parkmore via Inverness, Carrbridge and the River Spey. Day 2: Go north to Elgin, famous for its whisky shop, ruined cathedral and cashmere producer, Johnstons of Elgin – famous for morning coffee and scones as well. Continuing west, take in the impressive Brodie Castle, then go on to discover what happened after the Battle of Culloden – the government built the extraordinary fortification of Fort George, finest of its kind in Europe. It’s just west of Nairn. Cross the Kessock Bridge by Inverness to reach the Black Isle (really a peninsula) and continue up to the attractive and mellow little town of Dornoch. Great beaches, plus the cathedral where Madonna had her baby christened. Return to Parkmore. Day 3: Not so far today. Follow the River Spey upstream to the handsome granite town of Grantown-on-Spey. (Lots of red squirrel in the surrounding woods.) Then enjoy the Cairngorm views on the way to Aviemore. Return to Grantown area via Nethy Bridge – nesting ospreys nearby at Loch Garten – then go south-east across the moors for Tomintoul, turning north-east along attractive rural roads past Ben Rinnes back to Dufftown. Take in the Glenfiddich Distillery here. Day 4: Time or some sea air; but first, take the high road eastwards by the Cabrach and on past Kildrummy and Craigievar Castles for Banchory in Royal Deeside. Crathes Castle – brilliant gardens – lies to the east, then skirt Aberdeen for the coast road northwards. Superb dunes and beaches at Newburgh and Cruden Bay, then go cross-country through the farmlands of the Buchan, the north-east tip, to reach the coast at Pennan. This tiny village, with its dramatic setting below cliffs by a rocky shore, sets the scene for other colourful coastal communities: Crovie – superb viewpoint above village - then Gardenstown and, further west, Portsoy (ice-cream!) and Cullen. Return south to Parkmore via Keith. Day 5: A big loop in the heart of Scotland starts with the southward run via Tomintoul, then switchbacks over the high round Grampian hills to drop into Royal Deeside, where you can visit Balmoral Castle, the British royal family’s holiday home. Then another high pass takes you over Glenshee. You skirt the big hills by turning west for Pitlochry (shopping) via Kirkmichael, joining the fast A9 ‘the Highland Road’ for the north-bound leg. This takes you to Dalwhinnie Distillery. The homeward stretch continues up the valley of the River Spey, via Aviemore and Grantown for Dufftown.
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