Although you might not necessarily know the exact moment at which you crossed over the Highland Boundary Fault, if your holiday cottage in Scotland lies somewhere north of the Grampian Mountains, you can safely assume that it's well within the geographical region of the Scottish Highlands! This geological fault line runs roughly from Arran on the west coast to Stonehaven on the east coast of Scotland and is apparent only in terms of the topographical features that have resulted from ancient and monumental movement of the earth's crust, so if you're travelling north and mountains begin looming on the horizon, you'll be well on your way to your chosen holiday cottage in the Highlands of Scotland. Home to Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK and Loch Morar, Britain's deepest body of fresh water (although the legendary Loch Ness comes a close second!), the landscapes and environments of the Scottish Highlands are as diverse as they are extreme, and when you can expect near-Arctic conditions in the depths of winter as well as heat and humidity, particularly in some western areas during the summer, thanks to the Gulf Stream, the same could be said about the region's climate!

Taking into account the natural and cultural heritage of the islands of Orkney, Shetland and the Hebrides, the Highlands and Islands of Scotland is a more accurate title for the largest electoral and administrative region in the country, yet despite the vast total land mass of the district it is one of the most sparsely populated areas in the whole of Europe, so holiday cottages in the Scottish Highlands present the perfect opportunity to quite literally 'get away from it all' if 'remote', 'peaceful' and 'picturesque' are all deemed the essential basics of a vacation designed to promote relaxation. The abundance of mountains, lochs, rivers and moors across the Scottish Highlands (and, of course, its islands) provide an excellent solution to any outdoor activity holiday, with a wide variety of sporting and recreational pastimes on offer to people of all ages, interests, abilities and budgets. Skiing holidays in Scotland are a popular option, especially for those wanting to expand their global experience of winter sport, and where once royalty seemed to outnumber anyone else stalking deer, fishing for salmon or shooting grouse, the chance to enjoy these traditional country pursuits in landscapes of such spectacular scenic splendour have meant a steady increase in the number of cottages and crofts in the Highlands of Scotland being rented by visitors from all over the world.

Besides there being hundreds of castles and distilleries to explore, Hogmanay to consider in the winter and the Highland games in Summer, and so much breathtaking scenery to behold whichever way you turn, the fascinating and emotive history of the local communities in more remote Highland areas is often the real reason why many visitors return to the region each year. A unique and indescribable atmosphere being responsible for pulling them back, maybe to a croft in the Scottish Highlands that, if it could speak, could recall the infamous Highland Clearances of the 18th century when tenant crofters and their families were forced from their homes abruptly, brutally and without notice or legal guidance by the Duke of Sutherland, fleeing to the coast or abroad with little more than an unbroken patriotic pride. So, even though the 21st century has introduced a more cosmopolitan attitude to life in the cities, towns and even rural villages across the Highlands of Scotland, cottages and crofts can still be found in places where an enduring sense of the history and legend that has shaped the essential character of these wild and rugged lands north of the Great Glen is still very much alive and kicking!

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