Seeing the Northern Lights appears on many people’s ‘bucket lists’, with hordes of tourists flocking to Iceland each year hoping to catch the magical sight.
But Scottish people probably won’t have to travel so far this autumn and winter, as the solar activity that creates the perfect conditions to see the phenomenon is at its maximum point in 2025.
The sun reaching the peak of its 11 year ‘activity cycle’, when it ejects huge numbers of electrically charged particles towards our planet.
Some of these particles collide with the Earth, with some becoming caught in the planet’s magnetic field, where they are attracted to the north and south poles.
This collection of particles collide with atoms and molecules already present in the atmosphere, heating them up and causing them to glow – creating the Northern Lights.
You’ll have to wait until 2036 for the next time it’ll be as likely to see the Aurora Borealis.
As if to prove the point, they were visible in skies across the UK on the first day of autumn, on the evening of Monday, September 1.
The closer you are to the North Pole, the higher your chance of seeing them, and Scotland is far north enough to offer plenty of opportunities.
There are also plenty of great Scottish locations where the skies are dark enough for the lights to shine - away fom the glare of cities and towns.
Of course you need to be lucky, but a regular check of the Aurora Watch website, which measures the amount of solar activity each day, will let you know when it’s worth heading out to try your luck. If you get a red warning then hop in the car and drive somewhere dark.
Here are 11 of the best places in Scotland to go aurora hunting.
9. The Cairngorms
When it comes to getting away from artificial light, there are few better places than the vast Cairngorms - the UK's largest National Park. Just make sure to pick a spot where as much of the sky is visible as possible - away from trees and the steep inclines of the area's many mountains. | Canva/Getty Images
10. Orkney
Another island group in the far north of Scotland, Orkney has the added bonus of being relatively flat, meaning you can see more of the sky, meaning there's even more of a chance to see the aurora. | Canva/Getty Images
11. Caithness
Caithness and the north coast of Sutherland offers a large area of unspoilt scenery in the far north of mainland Scotland. With little light pollution, there are plenty of places to go aurora hunting in this area, including the picturesque lighthouse at Noss Head. | Canva/Getty Images