Highland Tour Pt. 1 – Borders vs Highlands (We’re Not Biased… Honest )

First Impressions: Wow Factor Everywhere

There’s no denying it — the Highlands are ridiculously beautiful. Towering cliffs, waterfall-laced glens, brooding skies. Every bend in the road is another postcard.

As I explored a misty, waterfall-draped valley (somewhere between myth and a rockslide), it hit me — the Highlands win for drama. Visually, it’s off the charts.

And yet…

But What About the History?

That’s where things start to turn.

Sure, there’s history here — Jacobite uprisings, the bridge where the first shots might have been fired in 1745. But it’s patchy, spread out, and not always easy to find unless you’re following a guidebook.

Meanwhile in the Borders? You trip over it.

Reiver towers, Roman roads, abbeys, castles, battlefield scars… we’ve got layers of story. History in every hedgerow.

So, point to the Borders.

Tour Buses & Traffic vs. Solitude & Space

The Highlands? Busy.

Even on a weekday, every scenic layby is jammed. Crowds clambering for shots of waterfalls, drone operators fighting midges (more on those soon…).

The Borders? Quiet, serene, peaceful. You can wander for hours and see no one — except the occasional sheep.

Another win for the Borders: accessible solitude.

Enter: The Highland Midges

This is where it all fell apart.

Let me say this loud and clear: I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE MIDGES.

By the end of the day, I was absolutely eaten alive. Covered in bites. Head itching. Swearing like a man who’s just been swarmed by tiny flying vampires.

We’ve got flies in the Borders, sure. But we don’t have this.

Final score: Borders – 3 | Highlands – 1 (plus 1 plague)

Final Thoughts: Highlands vs Borders

So here’s my completely unbiased conclusion:

• The Highlands are visually stunning. Truly epic.

• But the Borders are rich with untold stories, uncrowded trails, and blissful silence.

• And also — NO MIDGES.

So which is better?

Let’s just say… if you’re after solitude, history, and some very underrated scenery — come to the Borders. Just don’t tell too many people.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Highland Tour — and more poetic pondering on the great Scottish rivalry no one talks about…