Scotland – Nation of Magnificent Mountains, Scenery and Culture

SCOTLAND INTRODUCTION
If one includes the Orkney and Shetland Islands off Scotland’s cliff-edged northern coast, it comes somewhat as a surprise to find out that Scotland is as large as England in its north-south dimension. It is a country of amazing diversity, especially where the climate is concerned. It can be positively arctic and perfect for skiing in the Cairngorms whilst at the same time somewhere in the south-west, like Arran, might bask in warm air produced by the North Atlantic Drift extension of the Stream which tempers the climate of the whole west coast. Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, rises directly from the sea, like a huge loaf behind Fort William while, not far away, ‘Nessie’, the famous Loch Ness Monster, boosts Scotland’s tourist industry in the longest and deepest area of water in Britain – Loch Ness. The Central Lowlands cut an extinct volcano-backed swathe to provide a setting for the two fabulous cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. To the north and west are the true highlands and islands, whilst to the south are the lonely, hauntingly beautiful hills of the Southern Uplands which melt into the long fought-over border with England.

HISTORY & HERITAGE
Carvings found in ancient tombs on the Orkney Islands are similar to those found from ancient civilisations of the eastern Mediterranean and it was long thought that these northern isles were first populated by peoples from the south. However, and quite amazingly, current research is ‘throwing up’ dates for these carvings which pre-date those of the Mediterranean and scholars are forced to the opinion that the reverse is true! What is known for certain is that Celtic and later Scandinavian influences are very much alive and well all over Scotland. A certain romanticism surrounds much of the history of Scotland but this belies a hard, dour, bloodied heritage which survives still in allegiance to clan and tartan. This heritage has resulted in some of the finest castles – nearly all in breathtaking locations – to be found anywhere in the world amongst grand, wild and most haunting scenery.

CUSTOMS & CULTURE
Today our perceptions of the ‘North’ are firmly based in industry – the early dominance of the wool towns of Yorkshire, ‘King Cotton’ in Lancashire, shipbuilding on the Tyne, steel in Sheffield – but these images no longer hold true. The stereotype of flat cap and racing pigeons can still be found, but black pudding is now a delicacy rather than a cheap sausage. If there is a northern culture it is probably one of invention; Stevenson, Armstrong, Arkwright, amongst many, were all men of the north, and all changed the face of the human world , probably forever. The Yorkshire, Lancashire and Durham coalfields powered vast industries which in turn supplied the world , now these are all but worked out leaving a bond of community as strong as anywhere on earth. It is a region with a diverse culture extending back several thousand years and with a variety of agricultural, industrial and innovative characteristics inexorably woven together.

LANDSCAPES & LANDFORMS
The view from Elgol across the immense blue foreground of Loch Scavaig towards the Black Cuillins of Skye is considered by connoisseurs as one of the finest in the world. The sight of Suilven from Lochinver is wonderfully dramatic as this fabulous peak rises above its incredibly old pedestal of metamorphic rocks. Mountains, moorlands and stunningly beautiful lakes abound. Long, sinuous fingers of sea, reflecting dramatic rocky heights, probe ceaselessly into the heart of the land along much of the western coast making this area one of the great places of the entire world. The ‘bonnie banks’ of Loch Lomond provide a magnificent gateway to the Highlands but don’t rush by too quickly or you might miss the ever-changing kaleidoscope of colour which is the gorgeous, softly wooded area of the Trossachs to the east of the loch. This is merely a snapshot of the rich treasure chest that is Scotland.

PLACES TO VISIT & EVENTS
No tour of Scotland would be complete without a visit to its capital city of Edinburgh with its great castle and palace of Holyrood House. Princes Street is justly famous for its architecture and fabulous shopping. The annual Arts Festival has a world-wide reputation and the Edinburgh Tattoo is one of Scotland’s finest spectacles. The immense and brilliantly engineered bridges across the Firth of Forth lead towards the cities of Perth and Dundee, famous for its marmalade. The setting of the town of Stirling is, without doubt, one of the grandest in Scotland and the castle is an absolute ‘must’. At the southernmost point of the border with England is the village of Gretna Green. Not one of the most beautiful places in Scotland, but it is nevertheless the most romantic, with wedding ceremonies performed for many an eloping couple ‘over the anvil’. Oban, on the west coast is lovely but, almost without exception, so is the rest of Scotland!

SPORTS & LEISURE
The walker and climber are in their element and the waters around the Western Isles are reputed to offer better sailing than the Aegean , but not all is huff and puff. The artist can find wonderful inspiration – who does not know the ‘Monarch of the Glen’? The fisherman can find rivers full of salmon and sea-trout, while streams and lochs abound in brown trout, pike and other coarse fish. And remember that this is Scotland and so there are plenty of golf courses of both championship standard and for the less serious ‘holiday’ rounds.