About Highlands by Design
About
Local knowledge. Personal planning. Your Highlands.
I’m Susan, founder of Highlands by Design, and although the Highlands weren’t always my home, they were a place I fell in love with long before I lived here.
Originally from Cheshire in England, I spent many holidays exploring the Scottish Highlands with my husband. Like so many people who visit, we found ourselves drawn back time and again — to the landscapes, the history, the sense of space and the completely different pace of life.
Eventually, visiting simply wasn’t enough.
We took the leap, bought a plot of land here in the Highlands and built our own home. What had once been our favourite place to escape to became the place we were lucky enough to call home.
And in many ways, Highlands by Design grew from that same feeling.
I know what it is like to arrive here as a visitor and be completely captivated by this place. Now, living here, I get to experience another side of the Highlands — discovering the places, people, stories and little details that aren't always obvious when you're planning a trip from hundreds or thousands of miles away.
Travel
The Highlands I love
What I love most about the Highlands is its variety.
I love being outdoors — walking, exploring, discovering new places and experiencing the landscape through the seasons. I'm fascinated by Highland history and the stories behind its castles, clans and communities.
But my perfect trip isn't only about history or the outdoors.
I love wonderful hotels and memorable experiences. I love discovering great restaurants and local food, whether that's somewhere exceptional for a special dinner or a tiny independent place serving something fantastic. I love finding the places that aren't necessarily the most obvious and sharing the ones that are genuinely worth knowing about.
And I think that's how most of us really like to travel.
One day might involve a castle, a beautiful drive and dinner somewhere special. The next could be a whisky distillery, a walk beside a loch and an evening in a traditional Highland pub.
The best journeys aren't defined by one interest. They're a collection of experiences that feel right for you.
A love of travel — and of planning it
Travel has always been something I love, but I enjoy the planning almost as much as the journey itself.
I’m naturally meticulous. I’m the person who researches the hotel, finds the restaurant worth making a detour for, works out the most beautiful route and discovers what else is hiding just around the corner.
I love creating a journey where everything works together — not because every minute has been scheduled, but because it has been thought about.
The right hotel in the right location. A wonderful lunch on the way rather than an unnecessary two-hour detour. A castle that genuinely interests you. A beautiful walk that suits how active you want to be. A restaurant you’d never have discovered yourself. And, just as importantly, enough space in the itinerary to slow down and enjoy where you are.
For me, meticulous planning isn't about creating a rigid schedule. It's about making travel feel effortless.
Why I created Highlands by Design
Planning a trip to the Highlands from afar can be surprisingly difficult.
There is an enormous amount of information available, but knowing what is actually worth your time, how far apart places really are, where to stay and how to create a route that doesn't leave you spending your holiday rushing from one attraction to another is another matter entirely.
Highlands by Design brings together the two things I love: this extraordinary place and the art of planning a really good journey.
I take the time to understand what you want from your visit — your interests, your travel style, your pace and the experiences you've always imagined having here — and then thoughtfully bring those individual pieces together.
Because I don't believe there is one perfect Highland itinerary.
There is only the one that's perfect for you.
A personal approach
Highlands by Design is intentionally personal.
I'm building relationships with hotels, restaurants, guides, distilleries, golf courses, estates, attractions and independent businesses throughout the Highlands, while continually exploring and expanding my own knowledge of the region.
Some of the places I recommend may be iconic Highland experiences you've dreamed about for years. Others might be somewhere you'd never have known to look for.
Whether you simply want a beautifully researched itinerary or would like help coordinating hotels, restaurants, private drivers, tours and experiences, the level of support can be tailored around you.
But whatever you choose, your journey receives the same thing:
Thought, care, curiosity and attention to detail.
Quote
“The Highlands and islands are probably still my favourite places on the planet.”
— Billy Connolly