Drivelines
Scotland · Highlands/8 min read

The 10 best driving roads in the Scottish Highlands.

There is no driving destination in the UK quite like the Scottish Highlands. Between the major tourist arteries lies a network of coastal ribbons, moorland passes, and glen roads that demand your attention and reward your respect.

By Drivelines·Published 06 May 2026
REGION OVERVIEW

A landscape defined by geology and weather

The Scottish Highlands offer an intoxicating mix of terrain, from the brutalist glens of the interior to the crumbling coastal fringes of the west. For a driver, the appeal lies in the sheer variety. A single journey can take you from flowing, fast-sweeping dual-track arteries to punishing, single-track ribbons that demand absolute focus. The weather dictates the grip, the geography dictates the sightlines, and the locals dictate the pace. This is not a place for mindless speed, but a vast, natural proving ground that rewards rhythm, reading the road surface, and managing the weight of the car over endless crests and cambers.

Routes mapped
10
Total distance
351km
Avg curve idx
7.8/10
Map of all 10 routes in scotland-highlands
StartEnd
Plan a drive to B8073
10
B8073 · Isle of Mull · Expert
Single-trackRough surface

B8073

The B8073 around the northern edge of Mull is a gruelling but spectacular single-track gauntlet. With rough surfacing and a relentless density of sharp corners, it forces you to drop your pace and work the pedals with deliberate care. It is a harsh road that tests your suspension and your stamina, but the engagement is absolute.

The climb out from Calgary Bay gets incredibly slick after a rain shower, often catching out rear-wheel-drive cars on the steepest hairpins.

Distance
49.6km
Drive time
1h 38m
Curve idx
9.7/10
Climb
768m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to B887
09
B887 · Isle of Harris · Expert
Single-trackVaried surface

B887

Clinging to the rocky edges of the Isle of Harris, the B887 is a mesmerizing but taxing single-track run. The tarmac is varied and the layout is frantic, throwing sharp, technical corners at you with little breathing room between. It is a slow, methodical drive that rewards absolute focus and an appreciation for the island's raw topography.

Keep an eye on the mirrors near the Amhuinnsuidhe Castle stretch; local delivery drivers know every blind corner and will appreciate being let through.

Distance
21.2km
Drive time
0h 42m
Curve idx
8.7/10
Climb
419m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Glenbeg Road (B8007)
08
B8007 · Ardnamurchan · Expert
Single-trackRough surface

Glenbeg Road (B8007)

Running out to the furthest reaches of Ardnamurchan, the B8007 is uncompromising, rough, and exceptionally tight. It forces you to manage abrupt camber changes and sudden dips while navigating ancient, gnarled asphalt. There is zero margin for error here, requiring a driver who knows exactly where their near-side wheels are at all times.

The final miles past the distillery towards the lighthouse are heavily exposed to crosswinds that can genuinely push a lighter car offline.

Distance
30.7km
Drive time
0h 51m
Curve idx
9.8/10
Climb
533m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Applecross Coast Road (C1083)
07
C1083 · Applecross Coast · Expert
Single-trackVaried surface

Applecross Coast Road (C1083)

Despite the name, most of this route is the A896 along the south shore of Upper Loch Torridon from Annat past the Bridge of Balgy to Shieldaig: a narrow two-lane road with a centre line and Beinn Alligin across the water. It then turns onto the Applecross coast road for the climb under Ben Shieldaig's crags to Ardheslaig. That last section is the start of the road opened in 1970: single track with passing places and, unusually for the peninsula, fairly good visibility. It is dense, low-speed work: short straights, constant camber changes, gears rather than brakes.

A plaque near the Shieldaig junction records the coast road opening on 11 May 1970; beyond Ardheslaig, a scatter of crofts with no shop or services, it is another twenty-odd miles of single track round to Applecross.

Distance
15.4km
Drive time
0h 31m
Curve idx
10.0/10
Climb
403m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to B869
06
B869 · Lochinver · Expert
Single-trackVaried surface

B869

The B869 is the 22-mile single-track loop out of Lochinver past the Achmelvich and Clachtoll turnings, over the crests to Drumbeg and Nedd, and down to the A894 near Kylesku. It never gets above 132 m yet its ramps reach 25%, and it scores a full 10 for curvature: crest, blind bend, passing place, repeat. This is low-gear driving that rewards reading the road two corners ahead and stopping early for whatever is coming the other way.

The steepest pitches are all at the eastern end between Drumbeg and Kylesku, with a 25% drop to Loch Nedd; it is signed unsuitable for coaches and caravans, and in summer the beach traffic for Achmelvich and Clachtoll fills the western miles.

Distance
35.5km
Drive time
1h 09m
Curve idx
10.0/10
Climb
898m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Allt Mor Place (B846)
05
B846 · Kinloch Rannoch · Spirited
Mixed widthRough surface

Allt Mor Place (B846)

Thirty-two miles from Coshieville over the hill to Wade's 1730 crossing at Tummel Bridge, then west past Dunalastair Water to Kinloch Rannoch and the whole north shore of Loch Rannoch to the road's end at Rannoch Station. The lochside runs through birch woods on a surface that has never been smooth, and the last stretch past Bridge of Gaur onto the moor narrows to single track. It suits an unhurried rhythm: reading the surface and the dips matters more here than corner speed.

It is a dead end. The tarmac stops at Rannoch Station, 40 miles from the A9, and the nearest fuel is back in Pitlochry, Aberfeldy or Blair Atholl: fill up before you turn off.

Distance
51.9km
Drive time
1h 13m
Curve idx
5.6/10
Climb
937m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Cortachy Road (B955)
04
B955 · Angus Glens · Spirited
Mixed widthVaried surface

Cortachy Road (B955)

From Kirriemuir the B955 climbs past Cortachy and Dykehead into Glen Clova, then splits at Gella to run up both banks of the South Esk before rejoining at the Glen Clova Hotel. The lower half is proper two-lane road with open moorland corners. Inside the glen it narrows to single track with passing places, mostly wide enough for two cars to squeeze by, and the pleasure is in reading the flat valley floor's long sightlines rather than in anything quick.

Locals run the loop one way: the high road on the left going up, the low road on the east bank coming back. Follow it and you rarely meet anything head-on; the picnic spot at Gella Bridge is the natural halfway stop.

Distance
34.3km
Drive time
0h 52m
Curve idx
5.7/10
Climb
524m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Hope Bridge (A838)
03
A838 · Sutherland · Spirited
Mixed widthVaried surface

Hope Bridge (A838)

Carving through the desolate beauty of Sutherland, the A838 by Hope Bridge is a masterclass in flowing momentum. It mixes proper two-lane sections with narrower pinches, testing your ability to read the road ahead. The gradients are gentle but the sequence of corners is unceasing, demanding concentration over outright pace.

The transition onto the bridge itself can unsettle a stiffly sprung car if you don't square it off smoothly.

Distance
42km
Drive time
0h 58m
Curve idx
6.0/10
Climb
1198m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Drynie Hill (A861)
02
A861 · Loch Sunart · Spirited
Mixed widthVaried surface

Drynie Hill (A861)

From Strontian the A861 runs single track along the north shore of Loch Sunart to Salen, then turns inland through Acharacle, over Shiel Bridge and into Moidart, where it climbs Drynie Hill above Kinlochmoidart on the 1966 road to Lochailort. The character changes with the map: the loch-shore section is about reading passing places and the traffic on the only road west, the Moidart section about gradient and long crests. It rewards patience and a steady, well-judged pace.

The Drynie Hill picnic site above Kinlochmoidart is the one place on this stretch with proper parking and a view down Glen Moidart; campervans know it, so it fills early in summer.

Distance
42.8km
Drive time
0h 59m
Curve idx
6.5/10
Climb
623m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Achtercairn Brae (A832)
01
A832 · Gairloch · Spirited
Dual-trackVaried surface

Achtercairn Brae (A832)

The A832 around Gairloch is one of the most consistently rewarding stretches of tarmac on the west coast. It balances generous width with a sweeping, predictable rhythm, allowing you to settle into a proper cadence without the stop-start frustration of single-track bottlenecks. The surface holds up well against the weather, making it a joy to read the camber and carry momentum.

Traffic clears noticeably once you pass the Shieldaig Lodge turn-off; run it early to have the sweeping views down to the loch to yourself.

Distance
28km
Drive time
0h 39m
Curve idx
5.5/10
Climb
493m
// KEEP READING
Sibling guide · Scenic
Top 10 scenic drives in the Scottish Highlands
Parent region · Scotland
Top 10 driving roads in Scotland
Nearby · Central Scotland
Top 10 driving roads in central Scotland
Nearby · The Southern Uplands
Top 10 driving roads in the Southern Uplands
Index · Every region
All Top 10 Field Guides

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