The remoter corners of the Scottish Highlands and Islands are dotted with the remains of long deserted settlements. Some of them were victims of the Highland Clearances, when whole populations were forcibly evicted to make way for sheep; others actually became villages due to the Clearances, with people being forced to move there from more fertile ground. Still others were abandoned due to changing economics, the decline of hill-farming, the shift to towns and cities, or the sheer difficulty of making a living in remote and sometimes inhospitable locations. All are eerie places to visit, remembering the cruelty and hardships…

Beyond the obvious attractions, Scotland has some more curious treasures to discover… Achmelvich Castle, Assynt Scotland has hundreds of castles – we’ve already offered in a previous gallery a pick of 10 of the best. But those wandering the magnificent Assynt coastline have this strange structure to discover. This tiny ‘castle’ was constructed in concrete in the 1960s by a newly qualified architect… After completing the castle and making local friends, it is thought he spent only one night in it before leaving never to return. You can find it on our Achmelvich Beach walk. MacCulloch’s Fossil Tree, Isle of…

Walkhighlands features over 2,100 walks in all corners of Scotland, as well as more than 3,000 places to stay. Here’s our quick pick of some of Scotland’s most beautiful villages. Killin, Loch Tay The popular village of Killin lies at the western end of mighty Loch Tay, but as if that isn’t enough it also has the beautiful Falls of Dochart, where the road crosses the bridge over the cascading rapids of the river. The village has plenty of pubs and B&Bs and is a popular place for holiday cottages. Other attractive villages in the area include Kenmore at the…

Scotland is renowned for its magnificent castles, with some authorities having counted more than 1,200 of them. They offer tremendous variety, ranging from romantic, craggy ruins to luxurious stately homes for the wealthiest landowners, here’s our personal pick of 10 of the best – including both some of the most celebrated, and some very little known. We’ve included the walks from which they can be seen. Edinburgh Castle Where else to start but with what must be the most famous of them all? Sitting atop its magnificent rock at the heart of Scotland’s capital, the site has been occupied since the…