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We’re excited to bring you another edition of ‘Hidden Scotland Weekly’. As always, we hope you enjoy reading and find inspiration for your next adventure.

Issue 10 of the Hidden Scotland Magazine is just around the corner. With a subscription, you’ll receive every issue delivered directly to your door, beautifully packaged and accompanied by a complimentary bookmark and cover print. To find out more, click here.

Enjoy this week’s edition, and have a fantastic Sunday!

The Best of Edinburgh: Curated by Hidden Scotland

Welcome to Hidden Scotland’s guide to Edinburgh, a city unlike any other. Scotland’s capital fits all manner of descriptions – time capsule, trendsetter, visitor magnet, festival heartland – but above all it simply is what it is: a place apart. Topped by a fortress and stuffed with big sights and mazy stories, it successfully straddles the last millennium and a half by somehow being both locked in the past and fixated on the future.

The Legend of Heather Ale

When the Picts still lived in Galloway, they possessed something that was highly sought after by Kings and Chieftains. They knew the secret to brewing Heather Ale, the sweetest and most delicious drink in the world. Knowledge like that breeds jealousy and greed so eventually a powerful King came to claim the secret for himself.

Battles raged but the Galloway tribe were massacred down to the very last father and son. They were chased to the very tip of the Mull of Galloway, with no chance of escape. The King demanded to know the coveted recipe in exchange for their lives. The father declared he had made a decision but needed a private word with the King first.

He agreed to give up the secret but on one condition. The father claimed that the son would be furious if he gave up the recipe. His life would have been spared by the King just to be murdered by his own son. He would only tell him how to make the Heather Ale if they killed his son first.

The son’s execution was swift. Then the King impatiently demanded to know everything about the secret recipe. The father gave a sad smile and shook his head. He wasn’t going to tell them a thing. He knew that his son would never have been able to withstand their torture so had to die before he could talk.

The father however was more than willing to take the secret to his grave. Suddenly, he ran towards the cliff and jumped towards the rocks below. No matter how hard the King tried to replicate it, the last of the Heather Ale was gone and the ability to make it had died with the Picts of Galloway.

The Perfect Day On The Isle of Skye

Graeme Johncock, the travel blogger and storyteller behind Scotland's Stories, is now bringing his adventures to us in a weekly column. He will journal about his explorations around Scotland, sharing fascinating stories and highlighting unique places to visit. Accompanied by his dog Molly, Graeme continues to uncover and share the rich history and beauty of Scotland.

The Isle of Skye is a magical place, rightly considered one of the best places to visit in Scotland. It’s much larger than many people first expect, but it can still get very busy at peak times. As somebody who shows a lot of people around the island, here’s how I avoid the crowds to spend the perfect day on Skye!

Sligachan Bridge

The first stop is always Old Sligachan Bridge with spectacular views of both the Red and Black Cuillin Mountains. It’s the perfect way to start the day thanks to an old legend that claims if you submerge your face in the water for 7 seconds, without wiping it dry after, then the Fairies of Skye will grant you everlasting beauty!

Fairy Pools

It takes around 25 minutes to drive from the Old Bridge to the Fairy Pools along a narrow, winding road. Aim to be there as close to 9am as possible to beat the crowds and enjoy the walk alongside the water towards the mountains. The river falls into a series of blue-green pools, perfect for an icy dip and taking around an hour to 90 minutes return trip. Just be aware that the final stretch to the car park feels far steeper than when you walked down!

Lunch In Carbost

Partly retrace your steps and then turn off for Carbost where you’ll find a perfect collection for a lunch stop. Caora Dubh for coffee, Talisker Distillery for a whisky and the Oystershed for lunch. My top recommendation is the Oak Smoked Salmon and chips!

Dunvegan Castle

Refuelled with Scottish seafood, it’s a 30 minute drive around the coast to Dunvegan Castle. Still home to the Chief of Clan Macleod, this ancient fortress is packed with history and legends. Keep your eyes open for the Fairy Flag hanging on the wall, the prized possession of the Macleods. It’s said that the flag was a gift from a Fairy Princess who had married an early Macleod chief and had to leave their son behind in the mortal realm. So far waving the flag has protected the clan from disease, war and fire!

Rha Waterfall

Another 30 minute drive with incredible coastal scenery takes you to Uig and a hidden spot of natural beauty. A few minutes’ walk from a small car park takes you to the Uig Community Woodland where the impressive Rha Waterfall crashes down amongst the trees. On warm days the pool is a popular swimming spot, but in stormy weather it’s even more impressive!

Kilmuir Cemetery

Just a 15 minute drive north around the Trotternish Peninsula takes you to Kilmuir Cemetery. That’s where you’ll find the soaring cross dedicated to Flora MacDonald, saviour of the Jacobite leader Bonnie Prince Charlie. Further into the graveyard, a mail-clad warrior marks the resting place of Angus Martin of the Wind! If you have spare time then the Skye Museum of Island Life is a brilliant way to see how people once lived right across the Hebrides. The Highland Deli is also a great spot to top up your caffeine level!

Duntulm Castle

Almost at the very tip of the peninsula, a 10 minute drive takes you to the ruins of Duntulm Castle. Once the main base of Clan MacDonald on Skye, it’s said to be one of the most haunted castles in Scotland. Margaret Macleod has been seen weeping as her husband Donald Gorm MacDonald stomps around looking for a fight. Listen carefully and you might hear Hugh MacDonald’s rasping voice looking for some water after he died of thirst in the dungeon. The views out to sea from Duntulm are incredible, but the walls are crumbling so extra care should be taken around the cliffs here!

Quiraing Viewpoint

20 minutes of driving through an increasingly dramatic landscape takes you up to the Quiraing viewpoint. The road is very steep, narrow and winding with hairpin bends, so should only be taken by confident drivers. The reward is one of the best views in all of Scotland! It only takes a minute to walk there from the large car park on a well- made path, but if you have the time and energy then a 3-4 hour walk will take you up amongst the rugged landscape itself. The Quiraing is actually a massive landslip that’s still moving, although by millimetres every couple of years so there’s nothing to be worried about!

Portree

Driving back south to finish your day around Skye, it takes 30 minutes to arrive in the main town Portree. It’s the perfect base to explore the island and the pretty coloured houses by the harbour are best viewed from beside the road across from the Scorrybreac Restaurant. Portree is packed with independent shops, eateries and pubs to reward yourself with a dram after a packed day.

Written by Graeme Johncock Greame has recently written a book called ‘Scotland's Stories by Graeme Johncock’ Grab a copy here.

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Spotlight: Lonach Coaching Inn

Lonach Coaching Inn emerges from the Cairngorms National Park like a time-worn relic reborn, its stone façade softened by centuries of Highland weather. Once a resting point for 18th-century travellers, the building retains the sturdy bones of its past—exposed beams, thick walls that hush the outside world—but steps inside reveal a thoughtful modernity. Original flagstones meet underfloor heating; aged timber frames enclose a kitchen fitted with sleek appliances. The scent of wood smoke lingers, drawn from twin stoves in the open-plan kitchen and the adjacent sitting room, where deep sofas invite evenings of board games or quiet reading.

Upstairs, bedrooms balance heritage charm with understated luxury. The box bed in the smallest room, a snug wooden nook, feels plucked from a storybook, while the super king suite offers space to sprawl. Practical touches abound: a boot room strewn with wellies, a utility area with washing machine and extra fridge, and thick towels piled beside the walk-in rainforest shower. Downstairs, the whisky snug—a dim, book-lined corner with a curated selection of local malts—whispers of peat and heather, a nod to Speyside’s distilleries just a short drive away.

Outside, the River Don murmurs beyond a wild garden dotted with seating and a firepit. The double garage, more playful than practical, houses a ping-pong table and dartboard, while the surrounding woods promise red squirrels darting through pines. Days here unfold to the rhythm of the Cairngorms: hikes along the Ladder Hills, trout fishing in nearby streams, or skiing at the Lecht, its slopes dusted white from November to April. Villages like Bellabeg, five minutes’ drive, supply essentials, but the inn’s seclusion is its allure—a place where lambs graze in spring meadows and starry nights are uninterrupted by streetlights.

Hosts anticipate needs without intrusion, leaving thoughtful gestures—a basket of kindling, a note on local walks. It’s a house that feels both grand and intimate, its history woven into creaking floorboards and windowpanes framing the ever-changing Highland light.

Follow Beautiful Holiday Homes Instagram @beautifulholidayhomes or find out more information from their website.

Barra Airport - By Sam Rogers

Cairn Candles Back in Shop!

Cairn Candle Co is a family business based in the Cairngorms National Park and drawing inspiration from nature and our beautiful surroundings. They hand craft luxury soy candles from their studio in Grantown-on-Spey.

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