The Highlands of Scotland felt familiar. It wasn't my imagination.
The Highlands were once part of the same mountain range that makes up Appalachia, hundreds of millions of years ago. The serpentine backroads, the foothills and their autumnal shades of orange and yellow and the mist rolling through the grassy fields drew me in constantly throughout our Highlands journey, reminiscent of scenes I'd seen countless times growing up.
I spent a few days journeying through the Highlands with Luxury Gold, previewing the tour operator's Spectacular Scotland itinerary, which is debuting next year. We were on a condensed five-day version of the itinerary; the full one lasts 10 days, giving travelers even more time in the sleepy villages and quaint bed-and-breakfasts that dot the region.
Prickly Thistle, a woman-owned tartan weaving mill. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman
I was pleased that the majority of our short trip was focused on the Highlands, an area of Scotland I missed when I was last there. And to be clear: the Highlands are not to be missed. The scenery is breathtaking, especially during fall, and the beauty shines through the gloomy weather. Here, in a land where flocks of sheep and "hairy coos" (Scottish Highland cows) pepper the landscape, staring out the window of the bus is never boring, as the scenery changes, from pastures to steep mountains.
A highlight of the tour was our Make Travel Matter experience at Prickly Thistle, a woman-owned tartan weaving mill. The founder, Clare Campbell, enthralled us with her story of launching what she says is the only tartan mill in the Highlands, and perhaps the first woman-owned tartan enterprise, Campbell said. Prickly Thistle is also the first B corp-certified mill in the country, to boot.
Tartan, the horizontal and vertical-lined cloth most commonly observed on kilts, was banned in Scotland after the Jacobite uprising and the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The British government banned "Highland dress," including kilts (unless a man wore one while serving in the British army), severing the Highlanders' connection to the fabric for nearly 40 years, until the law was repealed.
Today, Campbell -- and four traditional looms, one nicknamed Martha -- have brought tartan back to the Highlands, where, despite the deep cultural connection between the design and region, no other mills exist.
Glencoe's striking scenery in the Scottish Highlands. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman
After leaving the Prickly Thistle, we drove deeper into the Highlands, stopping briefly at Loch Ness to stretch our legs and embark on amateur monster hunting (our efforts were fruitless) and then visiting Glencoe. Famous for its striking scenery, Glencoe proved to be a group favorite, offering timeless beauty.
Here in the Highlands, time seems to slow, begging you to enjoy the moment and nature surrounding you. I was happy to oblige.