Scotland is famous primarily for its
spectacular scenery, but it also offers a rich historical and cultural heritage, together with a wide range of activities. The populous central belt is the focus of most economic activity, centered primarily on the major cities,
Glasgow and the Scottish capital
Edinburgh.
Scotland’s landscape is as varied as it is beautiful.
Rugged peaks sweep down to breathtaking
lochs, glistening in remote
glens like Glen Affric near
Inverness and Loch Trool in
Galloway. A straggling coastline, with
white sandy beaches, sheltered bays
and rocky cliffs, looks out to the remote islands in the Atlantic. To the south, the rolling hills of the
Borders, lush lowland pastures and extensive
woodlands present a softer beauty.
Edinburgh is among the outstanding cities of the world, where the
medieval Old Town contrasts with the elegant
Georgian New Town. Other towns, notably Glasgow, display a wealth of
Victorian architecture. Everywhere you can find ancient castles and houses.
Prehistoric forts, stone circles and burial mounds can be explored, particularly at the Neolithic
Heart of Orkney, Scotland’s latest UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Scotland’s rich
musical heritage has feet tapping to
bagpipes, fiddles and accordions. The best
Celtic music can be heard at either the Girvan Traditional Folk Festival in May or the Newcastleton Festival in July. While the
Edinburgh Festival in August is of course an unmissable event on the calendar.
A paradise for
outdoor enthusiasts, play
golf on the world’s most famous course at
St Andrews; go fishing, sailing, diving or join the walkers, cyclists and climbers on the hills, in woodlands and on deserted country lanes.
Finally, at the end of the day, relax with Scotland’s greatest export, a dram of
fine malt whisky.
GeographyThe country consists of the southern Lowland area, a region of moorland and pastoral scenery – where most of the population is concentrated – and the northern Highlands, dominated by the Grampian Mountains and Ben Nevis (1,344m/4,140ft), the highest peak in the British Isles. The whole of the exceedingly beautiful coastline is indented with lochs (particularly in the north and west). Off the west coast there are many islands, the largest of which are Skye and Lewis, the latter being part of the Outer Hebrides. The Orkney and Shetland Islands lie to the northeast of the Scottish mainland, across the Pentland Firth from John O’Groats.
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