It faces east, away from the prevailing winds; this, together with the North Atlantic Drift, gives it a mild climate despite the far-north latitude, allowing the Cordyline australis cabbage tree to prosper.

[full citation needed] A local laird transformed the community into a prosperous fishery, and in the process, funded the planned village.

Situated on a sheltered inlet of Loch Carron, and due to the series of New Zealand cabbage trees which have dominated Harbour Street since the 1960s, Plockton has been described as having a distinctive "sub-tropical appearance".

Since 1991 Plockton Primary School has accommodated a Gaelic-medium education unit (GMU), where instruction is through the medium of Gaelic.

24.4% of the population in the catchment area of Plockton Primary School reports being able to speak Gaelic – the highest incidence of Gaelic-speaking on the mainland of Scotland.

Plockton FC played at the Alasdair Ross Memorial Park and competed in yellow and black strips - reflected in their "Bumble Bees" nickname.

As with the rest of the British Isles, Plockton experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters.