Visiting Scotland in June is a fantastic time to start your visit. It is the beginning of real Summer, with the best weather and longer daylight hours to explore the treasure trove of Lochs, Castles, Coastlines, and Hiking Trails that Scotland offers. You might find such a treasure trove of activities that you may need to stay longer to fit them all in!
Traditional Highland Games are back in place, Festivals and Tattoos are happening again, and June is one of the warmest months in Scotland, with average maximum temperatures ranging from approximately 15°C (59°F) to 17°C (63 °F). Scotland’s high latitude means we enjoy lovely long summer days and often an extended twilight, giving all visitors the maximum opportunity to enjoy the Scottish Landscape. June is one of the best times to visit Scotland.
Guests often ask when the best time to visit Scotland is to avoid midges. Well, the good news is that June is one of the best times to visit Scotland and that we are virtually midge-free in this part of Scotland, notably east of the A9!
Visit Scotland in June for Special Events and Festivals.
The Royal Highland Show takes place in Edinburgh, so the Country comes to town. Scotland is an agricultural country and immensely proud of it, so you will find that the best of the best is on Show at this event. Fantastic livestock, both cattle and sheep, huge, smartly turned out Clydesdales, correctly turned out Highland Ponies, not to mention the Shetlands. It is interesting to note the influence of Scottish breeds throughout the world. The Show is a true spectacle and an accurate impression of Scottish Life, and it is well worth visiting if you are here in June.
However, if you miss the Highland Show, similar shows will be happening throughout the Country, and although on a smaller scale, they are still worth a visit.
The fantastic Moray Outdoor Walking Festival will occur here from June 14th. You don’t need to be super fit; you need to plan, be organised, and book one of the many special guided events throughout the week. Expect to choose from historical, evening, and wildlife walks, all of which will be scenic, so bring your camera. Considered one of the best walking Festivals in Britain, the range of activities and events showcase the exceptional Morayshire countryside.
If you are wondering what else to do when visiting Scotland in June, it is easy to make up your list depending on your interests. Here are some of my favourites:
We have long, short walks, rivers, beaches, forests, and mountains. Here are some ideas, or we can help your visit.
Castles – with over 2000 castles in Scotland, castles should always be on your visit list. Locally, we have several fabulous Castles that are available to visit. My local suggestion would be the ABCD tour, which includes Auchindoun, Ballindalloch, Balmoral or Brodie, Cawdor and Duffus. And, of course, further afield, you can consist of Dunnottar, Edinburgh, Eilean Donan, and Stirling.
Historic Sites – How far back into history would you like to go? For Neolithic, try Clava Cairns; for Pictish, try Burghead or Suenos Stone; for more recent history, try Culloden Battlefield or Fort George and make a whole day of it.
Special Tasting at a Distillery – part of being on holiday is treating yourself, so instead of just booking a standard Distillery tour, why not visit a Distillery and enjoy a specialist tasting of premium whiskies? These will need to be booked in advance, and some only occur on certain days, but if you have a particular distillery or Whisky in mind, this might be the year to try it.
Combine a Munro and Distillery visit into one day. If you are not into Whisky but feel you are in Speyside and ought to visit a Distillery, why not book a VIP experience at Glenrinnes Distillery? Spend time learning about their prize-winning gin and vodka production, then be driven around the organic Estate and head to the top of Ben Rinnes mountain for exceptional views of Eight Lands—the opinions of the gin and mountain sound like a perfect combination.
Daytrip—Driving in Scotland is the best option for me. Since we are a small country, it is easy to find a comfortable base and then plan a day out exploring the scenery. Blervie House makes a great base to explore the Cairngorms, Loch Ness, and Applecross or venture further afield into the Highlands by absorbing the scenery.
Shopping – This has to be done when you are away from home so that you can treat yourself to a bottle of Whisky or a specialist whisky product. Perhaps a memorable piece of tweed or cashmere. Take the time to explore the local shops. Planning a mixture of the above is easy so that you can absorb Scotland’s history and heritage.
Food – Scotland’s fresh produce is available in various formats, from fresh seafood to Highland Beef or Venison and delicious soft fruits to scones, cakes and more. Scones, for some reason known as wee scones, are never wee and will be featured highly on the Jubilee menu with delicious cream and jam. Adding more walking to your list might be an idea to work off the calories!
Guest Blogger this Month is Rosie Horse
Rosie thought it was an appropriate time to contribute to this blog. She feels that as she meets, many guests are keen to explore Scotland, but since many of these guests are from different countries, they are unfamiliar with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, otherwise known as the right to roam.
Effectively, this access law means people have the right to walk, cycle, or horse ride anywhere in Scotland so long as it is not a private garden or commercial property. So this means avoiding fenced gardens and many cropped fields at certain times of the year. However, if you are a keen walker, enthusiastic cyclist or horse rider, exploring Scotland can become an absolute dream come true.
Or, as one guest said this week, they had intended to hire a bike and cycle on the roads, but now that they understand the access law and have seen how fabulous some of the tracks are, they will hire an off-road bike and join Rosie on the trails next time.
Depending upon how long you are staying in Scotland and which areas you visit, how about picking three suggestions from above and making up your reasons for visiting Scotland in June?
We have more availability this June and July, so we have added an extra discount to our two- or more-night stays. The prices are all on our website, subject to availability. Give us a call, and we can arrange it for you.