There’s an Ireland beyond Temple Bar. A Scotland beyond the Royal Mile gift shops. And if you’re willing to step off the well-worn path, you’ll find places so beautiful they almost feel like a secret someone forgot to keep.
At Celtic RnR, we’ve spent years building tours that go where the big coaches don’t. Our guides grew up in these places, and they take genuine pleasure in watching a visitor’s face when they see them for the first time. Here are seven of our favourites — the destinations we recommend when someone says, “Show me the real Ireland and Scotland.”
1. Inishmaan, Aran Islands, Ireland
Everyone visits Inishmore. Almost nobody takes the ferry to Inishmaan, the middle island — and that’s exactly why you should. The landscape is stark and stunning: ancient stone walls carving the hillside into a patchwork of tiny fields, cliffs dropping into churning Atlantic, and a silence so complete it rings in your ears. The playwright J.M. Synge spent his summers here, and the island that inspired The Playboy of the Western World hasn’t changed much since. There’s one pub. A handful of B&Bs. And views that will rearrange your priorities.
2. The Trossachs, Scotland
Ask ten tourists where to go in Scotland and nine will say “the Highlands.” The tenth, if they know what they’re doing, will say “the Trossachs.” Just an hour north of Glasgow, this national park delivers everything the Highlands promise — lochs, forests, mountains, and drama — but with a fraction of the visitors. Loch Katrine alone, with its Victorian steamship still running, is worth the trip.
3. The Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland
C.S. Lewis grew up in Belfast, and when he looked south he saw the Mournes — a sweeping granite range that he later admitted was the landscape behind Narnia. Slieve Donard, the highest peak in Northern Ireland, is a manageable day hike that rewards you with views across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man and, on clear days, the Welsh coast. The Silent Valley reservoir at the mountains’ heart is one of the most photogenic spots on the island.
4. Dunmore East, County Waterford, Ireland
While the Wild Atlantic Way gets all the attention, Ireland’s southeastern coast has its own quiet magic. Dunmore East is a fishing village built into sandstone cliffs, with thatched pubs, a working harbour, and some of the best seafood in the country. The cliff walk to Councillors’ Strand feels like a scene from a period drama — minus the drama.
5. The Isle of Kerrera, Scotland
You can see Kerrera from the Oban waterfront, but hardly anyone makes the five-minute ferry crossing. The island is a walker’s paradise: ruined castles, seal colonies, and a single tearoom that serves what may be the finest scones in Scotland. The walk to Gylen Castle, perched on its cliff at the island’s southern tip, is unforgettable.
6. Inis Meáin Knitting Culture, Aran Islands
Returning to Inishmaan — but this time for a different reason. The island is home to Inis Meáin Knitting Company, a world-renowned knitwear brand that designs and produces everything on the island. Their restaurant and suites, built into the landscape itself, are a masterclass in modern Irish design meeting ancient terrain. It’s a destination for people who appreciate craft, silence, and beauty in equal measure.
7. The Applecross Peninsula, Scottish Highlands
Getting to Applecross means driving the Bealach na Bà — one of the highest roads in Britain, climbing through hairpin bends with views that will make you pull over every few minutes. The village on the other side is tiny, peaceful, and home to the Applecross Inn, where the seafood platter is legendary and the sunset over the Isle of Skye across the water is free.
The common thread
These are places you’ll never find on a standard bus tour. But they’re exactly the kind of destinations Celtic RnR builds into our group itineraries — because the soul of Ireland and Scotland doesn’t live in the tourist centres. It lives in the places where the land still speaks for itself.
Ready to go beyond the postcards? Explore our destinations or inquire about a custom group itinerary.
— Mike Healy, Celtic RnR Tours
