The Moray Coast sits north of the Highlands and takes in the northern coast between Nairn and Aberdeen. There is much to be seen along this coastline including traditional coastal villages, lovely sandy beaches, historic castles and ruins, and beautiful woodlands. Inland, you will find lots of lovely countryside to explore and the Cairngorms National Park which reaches into Moray, with Glenlivet and Tomintoul being great towns to visit — this is proper whisky country!
Grab your blanket and hip flasks and make an event of aurora watching. You can usually rely on a national park to serve up remote and peaceful areas in which you can be sure of high levels of dark skies. With lots of wilderness to explore, the Cairngorms National Park is a popular spot for those into outdoor activity and adventure. A huge outdoor playground, all year round it is busy with families and friends enjoying the seasons, and getting out and about on all sorts of explorations.
It settles down at night time though, making this a relaxing spot to try and experience the northern lights in Scotland. Read more about this amazing area in our guide to the Cairngorms National Park. Have we inspired you to come on a Scotland northern lights holiday? We have some great holiday cottages in the north of Scotland that can act as lovely bases for adventurous holidays. Many of them have gardens in which you can spend long evenings in with the comfort of your kitchen and living room close by.
View our coastal collection if you want to stay near the sea while our large houses can offer great accommodation for groups wanting to get into the wilderness together and experience this extraordinary phenomenon. More from News. Long Reads The secret court case 50 years ago that robbed transgender people of their rights ever since. UK Care home bosses fear they won't be able to replace staff sacked for refusing covid jabs. News Exclusive 1 in 8 MPs use loophole to employ close family members after rule change.
News Full list of NHS and social care staff needing mandatory jabs and how many could be affected. In January , experience the Up Helly Aa fire festival in honour of Viking traditions that celebrated the rebirth of the sun each winter.
Or visit Shetland in early autumn, September and October , to enjoy longer daylight hours and milder weather. You could combine your tour of the Shetland Islands with a visit to the Orkney Isles , which are also located north of the Scottish mainland. Another cluster of islands you should consider for northern lights viewing in Scotland is the Outer Hebrides.
This northwestern archipelago is scattered in the Atlantic Ocean and flaunts breathtaking, secluded islands set away from light pollution. Spend your days exploring gorgeous white sand beaches, characterful towns like Stornoway , and Neolithic monuments such as the Calanais Standing Stones.
The untouched landscapes provide a wonderful backdrop to the northern lights, should they appear. This is one of the most iconic destinations in Scotland — and for good reason. When the aurora occasionally flickers in the sky, it makes for a magical experience. The great thing about touring Skye in the autumn or winter is that there are fewer visitors compared to the popular summer months. On a trip to northeast Scotland, you could try your luck searching for the northern lights and enjoy some quintessential Scottish experiences too.
This part of Scotland tends to have less rain compared to the west, so that means you might get clear night skies to see the northern lights. Of course, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to weather and northern lights.
Go whisky tasting in the acclaimed Speyside region, home to more than 50 whisky distilleries. Look for dolphins, seals and otters on the Moray Coast and wander along rolling sand dunes. Very occasionally, you might see the northern lights from the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.
This is a rare scenario but when it happens, it is pretty special! Taking a great shot of the night sky is quite a skill - both a sturdy tripod and a wide-angle lens will improve your image quality. For more tips, check out this photography guide. Named after Aurora the Roman goddess of dawn and Boreas the Greek name for north wind , this amazing spectacle is caused by charged particles accelerated into the Earth's upper atmosphere along magnetic field lines.
The energy to drive this display is provided by the sun, in the form of a 'solar wind'. The sun may be millions and millions of miles away, but it is the reason we see this extraordinary sight. Aurorae come in all colours, shapes and patterns, setting the night sky alive with rainbows of light. The variations in colour are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding, from yellowish-greens, blues and purples, to fiery reds and oranges.
The playful streaks that snake across the night sky evolve and change constantly, and can last minutes or merely seconds. One thing is for certain, the end result is always truly spectacular.
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