Destination guide
Car hire in the Scottish Highlands for crew on a break
If you're routing through Edinburgh or Glasgow, the Highlands are where the real payoff is — lochs, single-track roads through empty glens, and the famous NC500 loop. None of it is realistic by train or bus; this is a car's whole reason for being.
Why bother with a car here
Edinburgh's Old Town is compact and walkable, so skip the car for the city itself. But the Highlands beyond — Loch Lomond, Glencoe, the Isle of Skye, or a slice of the North Coast 500 — are built for driving, with scenery that unfolds mile by mile in a way no train window matches.
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Search car hire →What to know about driving here
- Driving side: left-hand side.
- Single-track roads are common in the Highlands, with passing places marked by diamond signs — pull into one to let oncoming traffic through, and give way if you're closer to the last one.
- Weather shifts fast in the mountains — check conditions before longer routes, especially outside summer.
- Midges (small biting insects) are a summer evening nuisance near lochs — not a driving hazard, but worth knowing before you stop for a picnic.
Good use of a day off
From Edinburgh or Glasgow, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs make an achievable day loop. For something more dramatic, Glencoe's valley is a longer but spectacular drive — among the most photographed scenery in Scotland.
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Search car hire →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a car in Edinburgh itself?+
No — the Old and New Town are compact and walkable. A car is for reaching the Highlands and lochs beyond the city.
What are passing places on single-track roads?+
Marked pull-in spots on narrow Highland roads that let oncoming traffic pass — pull into one when you see oncoming traffic, or give way if you're closer to the last one.
What is the NC500?+
A roughly 500-mile scenic driving route looping the north coast of Scotland — a multi-day trip, though even a short section makes a memorable drive.