What's July Really Like in the Scottish Highlands

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Prawns from the Green Shack, Oban, Argyll, Scottish Highlands

Whilst the rest of the world enjoys beautiful sunny days during the height of summer, the same can't always be said for the Scottish Highlands. So far this July, we have had an incredibly high amount of rain (even for the West Coast of Scotland). It's reasons like this that are the reason I always tell people to pack for whatever weather possiblities, especially in the summer months. I shared a blogpost a few years ago with my list of five things I'd pack on a trip to the Scottish Highlands, so be sure to check it out with some ideas for any future trips.

One of my favourite things to enjoy in the month of July is fresh Scottish seafood, preferably by the beautiful Scottish coast. One of my favourite places that I regularly visit in July is Oban, a beautiful town in Argyll that gets called the home of Scottish Seafood. My favourite seafood spot in Oban is the Green Shack down by the Cal Mac Ferry Terminal. This unassuming spot serves some of the most incredible seafood right next to the sea. Another spot I love (and one of my favourite local lunches) is Fisherman's Kitchen in Kyle of Lochalsh. You can read about both these spots (and some more) in this blogpost.

Another part of July I love is the oppurtunity to spend some time at some of the Scottish Highlands most beautiful beaches. One beach with a rich history I visited in July 2025 is Sandaig Beach, just outside one of my favourite villages in the Scottish Highlands, Glenelg. You might have never heard of this beach, but it's actually incredibly famous from a series of nature writings by Gavin Maxwell about his life with otters on this stretch of the West Coast. It's maybe not the most well known story now, but this beach is such a beautiful spot (even if the trek to the beach is a bit of an adventure).

Point of Sleat Walk, Isle of Skye, Scottish Highlands

Another spot I visited in July 2024 was the Point of Sleat Walk on the Sleat Peninsula on the Isle of Skye. This is another tough walk, but one that is so worth it for the most incredible sea views over the Small Isles, Morar and Knoydart.

Overall July is a fairly changeable month. The weather might be awful one day, and beautiful the next. One thing about living in the Scottish Highlands is that you have to take the moments when the sun is shining with both hands and really make the most of it. So I hope you do get that chance if you are visiting the Scottish Highlands in July.