The Highlands

Living in the Highlands of Scotland is a unique experience, however if you are used to bustling city life, you should think carefully about whether the Skibo lifestyle is for you.

There are plenty of outdoor activities in the local area, such as hill walking, cycling and canoeing, as well as some of the best mountain bike trails in the country.

Inverness

Scotland's northernmost city lies some forty miles south of Skibo and enjoys a stunning setting on the banks of the River Ness.

You can indulge in a bit of retail therapy before wandering around the city centre, or taking a stroll along the riverside. And after you've done all that, the wealth of restaurants serving world famous Highland ingredients like venison and salmon offers the ideal launch pad for a night experiencing all the music, pubs, bars and nightclubs that Inverness has to offer.

If you fancy a night at the theatre or movies, you can visit either the Vue cinema complex at Inverness Retail Park, or Eden Court Theatre in the city centre. See http://www.myvue.com/ and http://www.eden-court.co.uk/ for the very latest showings.

For sporting activities, Inverness has a wealth of facilities. The Inverness Leisure Centre offers everything from swimming to climbing walls and a running track. See www.invernessleisure.com for further details.

More information about the city of Inverness can be found on www.inverness-scotland.com

Dornoch and Tain

The two villages nearest to Skibo offer a range of bars, restaurants and cafes as well as local shops for groceries. Dornoch boasts a wonderful sandy beach, as well as the famous Royal Dornoch Golf Club. Tain has a wide range of sporting facilities, including a swimming pool, tennis courts, outdoor sports field and golf course.

Getting Around

There are various transport options in and around the Highlands. Dalcross Airport has links to Edinburgh, East Midlands, London Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham. Trains operate between Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen to Inverness and then North again to Tain. You can also catch a bus from either Dornoch or Tain that will take you to Inverness and from there on to all major cities and towns.

For flight timetables visit www.hial.co.uk/inverness-airport.html
For train timetables, visit www.firstgroup.com/scotrail
For bus timetables, visit http://www.stagecoachbus.com/ (the main service between Dornoch and Tain to Inverness is the 25X)