Scotland does not ease you in gently. The weather is confrontational, the roads are narrow, and the light — when it appears — is unlike anywhere in Europe. We drove the North Coast 500 in February (not for the thin-blooded), watched the Harry Potter train cross Glenfinnan Viaduct on a grey morning, and explored Skye in the off-season. Honest logistics: what time the Jacobite passes, what the NC500 looks like in winter, which parts of Skye deserve the drive. Cold, wild, worth it.