What's November Really Like in the Scottish Highlands

November really feels like the moment when winter really starts in the Scottish Highlands. The tempreture really dips at the start of November and the darker days draw in, making it a really wintery feeling month.

November is a month of fairly changeable weather. In 2023, November was still fairly autumnal, with weather staying fairly mild for most of the month. That was the year we went to Coral Beach on the Isle of Skye. It was a beautiful autumnal day, when you didn't need a jacket and you could wander along the beach for a couple of hours with no one else around.

That trip to Coral Beach was during our weekend when we stayed at the Bracken Hide in Portree. That was the first time I've ever stayed overnight on the Isle of Skye and I loved having the oppurtunity to slow down and really enjoy the island, especially during these wintery months.

In November 2024, we had an incredibly heavy fall of snow, resulting in a lot of road closures and business closures. Having such a big snowfall in November is fairly unusual here, but not completely uncommon. I'd recommmend checking weather forecasts if you are planning on visiting at this time of year, and make sure you pack accordingly. I shared a blogpost with my Scottish Highlands Packing tips earlier this year, so be sure to check it out if you're looking for any helpful tips about this.

November is also a time that a lot of small businesses in the Scottish Highlands start gettting ready for the Christmas season. My husband and I run a small business here in Lochalsh, so we often spend our weekends at local Christmas fayres throughout the Scottish Highlands (and even more further afield). For me, one of the best things about this time of year is the oppurtunity to try new products and support other small businesses. We have some really incredible businesses here in the Scottish Highlands.

Some events happening this November in the Scottish Highlands:

• 2nd-4th November: Northern Skies: Stargazing and Aurora Experience, Dornoch

• 6th-13th November: Inverness Film Festival

• 14th November: Face the West at Las, Portree, Isle of Skye

• 14th-16th: November Markets at Eden Court, Inverness

• 15th November: Glen Spean Market, Spean Bridge

• 15th November: Dundreggan Nocturnal Adventure

• 28th-30th November: Christmas Market at Eden Court, Inverness

• 29th November: Wreath Making Workshop at Culloden Battlefield, Inverness