CAPTURE
MEMORIESGREAT SCOT
JUNE 2020 T3 19Travel
DRIVING AROUND THE
HIGHLANDS
Searching for the best roads and hotels in the UK?
We’ve found them in Scotland...Are you planning a staycation? We can’t
blame you – even after global travel bans
are lifted and local lockdowns have been
relaxed, the idea of hopping on an aeroplane
full of strangers doesn’t seem that
appealing. Instead, we’d suggest loading up
the car and heading to Scotland’s North
Coast 500, which offers the perfect blend
of nature, adventure and luxury.
As the name suggests, the North Coast
500 (or NC500, for short) is a 500-mile
stretch of jaw-droppingly beautiful road that
follows the northern coastline of Scotland.
It’s one of the most scenic roads in the
world, taking in long sandy beaches,
picturesque lochs, historic castles, and of
course, the odd mountain or two.
Every trip is unique and can be tailored to
your individual interests. If you’re travelling
with children, for example, the Loch Ness
seems like an open goal, or, if you’re looking
for a challenge, try climbing one of Scotland’s
many Munros. If you’re feeling particularly
adventurous, we’d suggest exploring
without a sat nav rather than meticulously
planning the trip. There are, however, a few
hotels which you absolutely must visit.
The Torridon (thetorridon.com) is a
classic hotel set at the end of a gorgeous
sea loch. It’s blessed with some amazing
driving roads nearby, and offers an outdoor
escape in the wilderness, luxury rooms, a
gourmet restaurant, and even a fully
stocked whisky and gin bar.
If you fancy venturing off the NC500 and
into the Cairngorms, a stay at The Fife Arms
(thefifearms.com) is a must. Nestled in the
heart of Braemar, the interior is filled with
specially designed tweed, tartan, hand-
printed wall coverings, rare specimens and
an extensive art collection (including works
by Picasso, Lucian Freud and Gerhard
Richter). The staff are exceptional and the
food is magnificent; you won’t want to leave.
Finally, you’ll want to end your trip at the
Trump Turnberry hotel (turnberry.co.uk) in
Ayrshire. This grand coastal hotel is home to
three fine golf courses, five superb bars/
restaurants and a newly renovated spa for a
relaxing end to your holiday.NIKON Z
Perhaps the ultimate travel
camera, with a full-frame
sensor in an extremely
portable body, the Nikon
Z6 is well-suited to a wide
range of shooting conditions.
Image quality is all but
guaranteed, with the 24-
70mm f/4 making for a great
walk-around lens.
£1,719, nikon.co.ukGOPRO HERO
BLACK
Planning an action-
packed holiday? Capable
of recording stabilised 4K
video, this GoPro is the
perfect companion for
watersports, mountain
biking, skiing, and all
manner of other exhausting
activities. It’s waterproof to
10 metres without a case and
is compatible with clever
new modules.
£379.99, gopro.comDJI MAVIC MINI
Add some aerial shots to
your scrapbook. This is the
most desirable little camera-
equipped drone ever to snap
from the air. It’s smooth,
fast, easily controllable and
stupefyingly small, shooting
exceptional 2.7K video and
12-megapixel stills.
£369, dji.comIMAGE^SOURCE:^ NIKONIMAGE^SOURCE:^ GOPROIMAGE^SOURCE:^ DJIIMAGE^SOURCE:^ BENADDY