One thing you will find a lot of in Scotland are dead-end roads. I am a massive fan of these because usually you’ll find something pretty special at the end.
Here are some of my favourites…
GLENELG – If you swing a left before Loch Duich on the way up towards Skye, you’ll find the road to Glenelg, Complete with a couple of marvellous viewpoints where you’ll see such sights as the Five Sisters of Kintail, from across the loch, you can travel down this road to get the tiny car ferry over to Skye during the summer months, while witnessing some dramatic views. Fun fact for you: Glenelg is twinned with Glenelg in Mars!
GLEN ETIVE – next to Glen Coe, Glen Etive is absolutely stunning to drive through, you’re extremely likely to witness some deer en route, and the loch at the road’s end is extremely photogenic.
KINLOCH HOURN – this is apparently the longest dead end road in the UK and there’s loads of beautiful sights on the way. This is also one of the best ways to start your walk to Knoydart, a part of the Scottish mainland which is not accessible by road (that blows my mind in this day and age!).
GLEN ROY – north of Fort William and a great choice if you want a trip that’s a bit less popular than, for example, Glen Etive. We stumbled across it by accident while having an overnight stay in Roybridge last year.
LOCH ARKAIG – another hidden gem near Fort William, this is a beautiful drive along the side of the loch, and also features a bonus waterfall at the side of the road en route.
LOWER DIABAIG – featuring a trip over the Bealach na Gaoithe (The Pass of the Wind) road from Torridon, this is probably one of my absolute favourite roads; the views are absolutely incredible and it’s also where my favourite bench view can be found. Lower Diabaig is one of the most peaceful destinations I have encountered too.
It’s worth noting that not only are these roads all fascinating to drive, there are also usually walking opportunities at the end of the roads. If you are a lot less lazy than me, you can use this post as a jumpstart to research what walks you can do in each of the areas and I’m sure you will find there’s even more to these roads than met MY eyes.
Do you have a favourite dead-end road?
The Lazy Gal's Guide to Scotland 