Elgin Escape Whisky Farm

The Moray Malt Whisky Trail begins in Forres. There are seven distilleries on the route, beginning with Benromach Distillery (next door to the site) and ending with Glen Moray Distillery (20 minutes’ drive). Aside from whisky, Forres is known for being a short drive from Brodie Castle and Estate (10 minutes), a National Trust castle with gorgeous gardens, daffodils (in season) and an art collection. From Forres train station (10 minutes’ walk), there’s a direct 30-minute train to Inverness (otherwise 45 minutes’ drive). Browse around the old town, which has a 19th-century cathedral and a Victorian market, or take a dolphin-spotting trip out onto the Moray Firth. There are stunning coastal walks from Lossiemouth East Beach (half an hour). Nairn (15 minutes) also has more pretty seaside scenes, with three beaches. Golfers might want to visit Nairn’s two championship golf courses for some putting with a view. Whether or not you’ve already seen the cathedral in Inverness, a visit to Elgin Cathedral (20 minutes) should still be worthwhile. The 13th-century cathedral is over 600 years older than the one in Inverness.