The Highland area covers a large part of northern Scotland, running from the Moray Firth to the west coast and including islands such as Skye. The landscape is shaped by the Great Glen fault, which contains lochs including Loch Ness, and by glaciation that left corries, ridges and peatlands. The Caledonian Canal links Loch Linnhe at Fort William to the sea at Inverness, following the gorge of the Great Glen and passing through a series of locks built by engineers including Thomas Telford. Ben Nevis, at 1,345 metres, is the highest point in the UK and sits at the western edge of the area.
Communities in the Highlands include crofting townships, fishing villages and the city of Inverness, which functions as a regional centre. Scottish Gaelic remains in use alongside English, and place names preserve Norse and Gaelic history. Archaeology appears across the landscape, from Bronze Age cairns near Inverness to Iron Age brochs on coastal headlands. Transport routes include the A9 and rail links north from Perth, which follow river corridors and glens through the region.
