There are many reasons to visit Scotland, and one of them has to be the National Trusts. Scotland is home to 100 diverse heritage sites spread across our beautiful, diverse landscapes. If you’re renting a motorhome and travelling around, we’d definitely recommend going to more than one – they’re National Trust sites for a reason.
If you didn’t know, the National Trust for Scotland is the primary conservation charity that awards and cares for these areas. In Scotland, that includes:
- 38 gardens
- 27 castles and historic houses
- 8 National Nature Reserves
- 46 Munros
You’ve got plenty of choice, but here are our top recommended National Trust Heritage sites to visit in Scotland.
Glencoe National Nature Reserve
Glencoe is arguably Scotland’s most dramatic glen, with towering mountains and sweeping hills that seem to never end. And considering it was the filming location of Braveheart and Skyfall, how can you not visit?
The nature reserve itself is stunning, with plenty of walking trails, including gentle loch paths that take minimal effort or more rugged hill routes.
You don’t need to pay to enter the nature reserve, and all of the trails you could take are well signposted. The best time of year to visit is definitely summer, but Glencoe Nature Reserve is beautiful in any season (even when it’s raining).
Craigievar Castle — Pink Fairytale Castle
Known as the pink fairytale castle, this beautiful structure really does look like it came straight out of a fairytale book. And technically, it did, with the castle said to have been inspired by Walt Disney’s Cinderella design.
It’s definitely visually stunning from the outside, but the inside is just as spectacular. The rich interiors have endless artefacts and art, and the peaceful gardens are perfect for a stroll. It really is a castle that brings Scottish history to life, and we couldn’t recommend it more to you.
You do have to pay to get into the castle, with prices in 2026 being:
- Adult: £17.00
- Concession: £13.50
- Family: £38.50
- One adult family: £33.00
- Young Scot: £1.00
Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve
Another nature reserve for you; some might even say the Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve is better than Glencoe’s, but you’d have to go to see them both for yourself.
Located near Loch Tay in Perthshire, central Scotland, the reserve is famous for its rare mountain plants and panoramic Highland views. Some of the endangered mountain plants you might see include:
- Snow pearlwort
- Drooping saxifrage
- Mountain sandwort
- Alpine gentian
- Woolly willow
- Alpine fleabane
Spend the day enjoying one of the hiking trails, but do your research before you go because they’re not all necessarily easy. The Kiltyrie Hidden History Trail is probably one of the easiest. It only takes one hour and is one mile long.
4. Inverewe Garden
Inverewe Garden sits on the west coast of Scotland in remote Wester Ross (Game of Thrones fans, put your hands up), near Loch Ewe.
This one is truly spectacular. The 54-acre botanical garden is always flourishing thanks to the warm breeze and weather influences of the Gulf Stream. The exotic plants like tree ferns and pines constantly thrive, and in our opinion, it’s one of the most remarkable garden landscapes in the world, let alone in Scotland.
Any time of the year is good to go, but we would recommend going in late spring to early autumn to see the flowers and trees blooming at their peak.
Adults only need to pay £5 to get in, and children can go free.
Culloden Battlefield — Jacobite History Immersive Experience
Home to the Jacobite history immersive experience, if you love history, you’ll love the Culloden Battlefield. Located on the outskirts of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, what a better setting for it.
Most people who visit the Culloden Battlefield are doing so because it’s the site of the 1745 Jacobite Rising’s final battle, where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s forces were defeated. When you walk the battlefield, it really does give you goosebumps, with the interactive exhibits bringing the battle to life around you.
The current costs for 2026 are:
- Adult: £12.50
- Concession: £11.00
- Child: £8.00
- Family: £33.00
- One adult family: £26.00
It’s a deeply moving slice of Scottish history for adults and families.
If you’re not necessarily someone with a love for visiting National Trust sites, we wouldn’t recommend getting the membership. You can pay on the day for these. And there are plenty more for you to explore throughout Scotland, but for us, these are some of the best.