Try classic Scottish dishes during a stay in the Highlands

One of the great things about going on holiday is trying new food - and a trip to the Highlands in Scotland could be an ideal choice for budding gastronomes.

Once you've chosen from the many Highland hotels available, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to where to go for fine dining, as well as in terms of the dishes you can try.

Haggis is possibly the most famous of all Scottish delicacies and is similar to a large, round sausage stuffed full of spiced sheep's innards. It is typically eaten with neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes).

Thanks to Robert Burns' poem Address to a Haggis, written in 1787, haggis became the national dish of Scotland and is normally served alongside a dram of Scotch whisky as the main course of a Burns supper.

Another delicacy you should try is grouse, which is one of the prized game birds to be found in Scotland. This dark meat is usually roasted and comes served with homemade bread sauce.

Alternatively, you might be taken with the idea of trying stovies, which is a mix of beef, onions and potatoes cooked in the dripping from a Sunday roast.

For breakfast, you may well be tempted to give kippers a try. These are fresh herrings that have been split open, smoked and salted. Arbroath smokies - which consists of haddock instead of herring - are also a common breakfast option.

If you have a fondness for soup, you should sample some Cullen skink during your Scottish break. This is similar to chowder and is made from milk, mashed potato and smoked haddock, and is absolutely delicious.

Or, you could tantalise your taste buds with cock-a-leekie soup, which consists of prunes, rice, leeks and chicken boiled up in a chicken stock.

There is also Scotch broth to sample, which is a very light soup made from beef or mutton stock, vegetables like leeks and carrots, and pearl barley.

Whatever you decide to eat while on a holiday in Scotland, you are sure to go home feeling very satisfied indeed - with lots of new recipes to try out once you get back to your own kitchen!

Make sure you book accommodation in a venue that has a good restaurant to really make the most of your foodie break, such as the Inverlochy Castle Hotel.