As well as information about the area, here are some tourist attractions and places of interest to visit with direct links to their websites.
Useful website for a full selection are:
SCOTTISH NATIONAL TRUST SCOTTISH GARDEN SCHEME SCOTTISH NATURAL HERITAGE
ASSOCIATION OF SCOTTISH VISITOR ATTRACTIONS
or for more specific places:
CASTLES AND HISTORIC HOMESBack to top
CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE The epitome of the medieval stronghold with its moat and twin towered gatehouse
CRAIGIEVAR CASTLE An iconic tower house, amongst the best preserved and most loved in Scotland
CULZEAN CASTLE Romantic 18th century castle with superb panoramic views over the Forth of Clyde
DUART CASTLE The oldest lived in castle on Mull, home of the Chief of Clan Maclean
DUNVEGAN CASTLE Oldest continually inhabited castle in Scotland; the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for 800 years
EDINBURGH CASTLE Home to the Scottish crown jewels – “The Honours of Scotland” and the famous Stone of Destiny
EILEAN DONAN CASTLE Situated on an island where three great sea lochs meet, the castle is one of the most visited and important attractions in the Scottish Highlands
FYVIE CASTLE Ghosts, legends and folklore are woven into the tapestry of Fyvies 800 year old history
GLAMIS CASTLE The childhood home of HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the legendary setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth
INVERARAY CASTLE Unique piece of architecture blending Baroque, Palladian and Gothic
STIRLING CASTLE Without a doubt one of the grandest castles and a jewel in Scotland’s crown
ARDUAINE GARDEN, OBAN. Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty and historical interest
BENMORE BOTANIC GARDENS, COWAL PENINSULA
BRANKLYN GARDEN, PERTH. Outstanding rhododendrons, alpines, herbaceous and peat garden plants
CRARAE GARDEN, ARGYLL & BUTE. A unique 100 acre Himalayan garden planted around a steep sided Crarae burn
DAWYCK BOTANIC GARDENS, PEEBLES. One of the world’s finest arboreta
GEILSTON GARDEN, DUMBARTON. Walled garden, woodland and new experimental plantings such as Geilston prairies
GREENBANK GARDEN, GLASGOW. A wide collection of 447 different narcissus
INVERESKE LODGE GARDEN, EDINBURGH. Secluded garden with wooded and wildlife areas
INVEREWE GARDEN, POOLEWE. One of the world’s greatest gardens
LOGAN BOTANIC GARDENS, STRANRAER. Scotland’s most exotic garden
MALLENY GARDEN, EDINBURGH. Collection of 19th century shrub roses and 400 year old yew trees
PITMEDDEN GARDEN, ELLON. Extensive herbaceous borders and over 40,000 plants in summer months
PRIORWOOD GARDEN, MELROSE. Orchard containing historic apple trees and the only dedicated dried flower garden in Scotland
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, EDINBURGH
THREAVE HOUSE, CASTLE DOUGLAS. 64 acre ornamental garden
GLASGOW SCIENCE CENTRE
EDINBURGH ZOO
THE HARRY POTTER STEAM TRAIN Travel on one of the trains and along the line used in the films, over the Glenfinnan Viaduct to Mallaig
SCOTTISH SEA LIFE SANCTUARY, OBAN
STRATOSPHERE, ABERDEEN Science and discovery centre with over 50 hands on interactive exhibits
HIGHLAND WILDLIFE PARK, KINGUSSIE Discover Scotland’s wildlife and endangered animals of the world’s mountains and tundra
DEEP SEA WORLD, NORTH QUEESNFERRY Scotland’s national aquarium
THE FALKIRK WHEEL The world’s only rotating boat lift
From its untamed, lowering mountains of the oldest rock on earth, through the secret glens, across crystal clear lochs to its rich, rolling hills, the landscape of Scotland mirrors the passion and rugged independence of its people.
We’ll start our tour in the Lowlands, which, despite its name, includes plenty of wild upland country. It is the land south of a line from Loch Lomond to Stonehaven, with fertile, wooded valleys, winding rivers and stern hills.
The Border Country’s sheep-dotted hills look peaceful now but its past has been savage and turbulent. The ruins of medieval abbeys at Melrose, Dryburgh, Kelso and Jedburgh bear witness to centuries of turmoil.
On to one of the great cities of the world. Edinburgh has been described as pure theatre with its sweep of spires and battlements, crags and classical architecture. Keeping watch over the city, clinging to its volcanic ledge, is Edinburgh Castle. It is home to Scotland’s crown jewels, which include the oldest crown in Europe, and also the Stone of Destiny, the ancient crowning seat of the Scottish monarchs. The Royal Mile leads through the Old Town to the Palace of Holyrood House. On to the elegant ‘New Town’ of handsome Georgian houses and into the ravine to Dean village, a community apart. If you visit Edinburgh in late summer you’ll share it with one of the world’s most important arts festivals.
Down the River Clyde to Glasgow, once known as the Second City of the Empire – after London – because of its industrial past. Stunning Victorian architecture reflects its era of prosperity with its shipbuilding, ironworks and cotton mills. The People’s Palace gives an insight to the fascinating social history of the city, while the Burrell Collection and the Science Centre are foils to Glasgow’s rebirth.
Dating back at least to the 12th century is another of Scotland’s great castles rising high above the town it protects. Stirling Castle, on its rocky crag, is one of the country’s finest examples of Renaissance architecture.
Further into wild Caledonia and on to Inverness – the capital of the Highlands. It’s an ideal base for exploring the Cairngorms, which make up the highest landmass in Britain. The horror of the battle of Culloden and its aftermath is best appreciated on a misty morning. As the sun burns through, see Loch Ness at its finest…you might even spot Nessie taking in the view! On down the Great Glen and the Caledonian Canal to Fort William, then a deep breath and up Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain…all 4,408 feet of it.
The awesome scenery around Glencoe, compared by Charles Dickens to “a burial ground of a race of giants”, masks another Highland horror. The Massacre of Glencoe was part of the bloody aftermath of the failed Jacobite Rebellion and saw the glen named the Glen of Weeping.
Let’s enter the wilderness of Wester Ross and share with red deer, wild cats and goats and golden eagles some of the oldest mountains on earth. The rocks used to build the abandoned crofts – another sad testament to the Highland Clearances – are more than 600 million years old.
More gentle is the refined Victorian spa town of Strathpeffer, not far from the Falls of Rogie. Thousands of wealthy visitors, joined by royalty, would take the waters, which were believed to ward off or even cure tuberculosis.
Northwards to Cape Wrath, standing guard against the worst the North Atlantic can summon up, and on to John O’Groats…876 miles from Land’s End. Just east of the village are the spectacular cliffs and rock stacks of Duncansby Head. John O’Groats is Britain’s most northeasterly mainland village and looks across the Pentland Firth towards Orkney. The isles of Orkney are among Europe’s most important archaeological sites, featuring Skara Brae, a complete Stone Age village. Further north, just six degrees south of the Arctic Circle, are the rugged Shetland islands. Shetland’s midwinter festival, Up Helly Aa, celebrates its Norse heritage with the burning of a replica Viking longship.
We turn back southwest to the stunningly beautiful sea lochs and isle of Jura, and Mull, Tobermory and Mallaig, then over the sea to Skye and the Western Isles.
The Cuillins dominate Skye, and the fleeing Bonnie Prince Charlie said of these ice-ravaged mountains: “Even the Devil shall not follow me here”. A road bridge links the island to the mainland at Kyle of Lochalsh.
Still beckoning westward are the isle of Lewis and Harris, divided by a range of mountains offering first rate hill walking and views. To the south, the Uists, Benbecula and Barra, have long, white, sandy beaches facing the Atlantic.
Fore! We cannot forget Scotland is widely recognised as the home of golf, with its shrine at St Andrews. Its history and culture can be traced back to 1457, with the 550 courses offering challenges galore.
And a wee dram afore ye go. Follow the various whisky trails around the mainland and the isles and learn a great deal of history…and why the brew – the water of life – has travelled the world. Slainte mhath!
SCOTLAND
FIND A B&B IN THIS AREA
As well as information about the area, here are some tourist attractions and places of interest to visit with direct links to their websites.
Useful website for a full selection are:
SCOTTISH NATIONAL TRUST SCOTTISH GARDEN SCHEME SCOTTISH NATURAL HERITAGE
ASSOCIATION OF SCOTTISH VISITOR ATTRACTIONS
or for more specific places:
CASTLES AND HISTORIC HOMESBack to top
CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE The epitome of the medieval stronghold with its moat and twin towered gatehouse
CRAIGIEVAR CASTLE An iconic tower house, amongst the best preserved and most loved in Scotland
CULZEAN CASTLE Romantic 18th century castle with superb panoramic views over the Forth of Clyde
DUART CASTLE The oldest lived in castle on Mull, home of the Chief of Clan Maclean
DUNVEGAN CASTLE Oldest continually inhabited castle in Scotland; the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for 800 years
EDINBURGH CASTLE Home to the Scottish crown jewels – “The Honours of Scotland” and the famous Stone of Destiny
EILEAN DONAN CASTLE Situated on an island where three great sea lochs meet, the castle is one of the most visited and important attractions in the Scottish Highlands
FYVIE CASTLE Ghosts, legends and folklore are woven into the tapestry of Fyvies 800 year old history
GLAMIS CASTLE The childhood home of HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the legendary setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth
INVERARAY CASTLE Unique piece of architecture blending Baroque, Palladian and Gothic
STIRLING CASTLE Without a doubt one of the grandest castles and a jewel in Scotland’s crown
GARDENSBack to top
ARDUAINE GARDEN, OBAN. Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty and historical interest
BENMORE BOTANIC GARDENS, COWAL PENINSULA
BRANKLYN GARDEN, PERTH. Outstanding rhododendrons, alpines, herbaceous and peat garden plants
CRARAE GARDEN, ARGYLL & BUTE. A unique 100 acre Himalayan garden planted around a steep sided Crarae burn
DAWYCK BOTANIC GARDENS, PEEBLES. One of the world’s finest arboreta
GEILSTON GARDEN, DUMBARTON. Walled garden, woodland and new experimental plantings such as Geilston prairies
GREENBANK GARDEN, GLASGOW. A wide collection of 447 different narcissus
INVERESKE LODGE GARDEN, EDINBURGH. Secluded garden with wooded and wildlife areas
INVEREWE GARDEN, POOLEWE. One of the world’s greatest gardens
LOGAN BOTANIC GARDENS, STRANRAER. Scotland’s most exotic garden
MALLENY GARDEN, EDINBURGH. Collection of 19th century shrub roses and 400 year old yew trees
PITMEDDEN GARDEN, ELLON. Extensive herbaceous borders and over 40,000 plants in summer months
PRIORWOOD GARDEN, MELROSE. Orchard containing historic apple trees and the only dedicated dried flower garden in Scotland
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, EDINBURGH
THREAVE HOUSE, CASTLE DOUGLAS. 64 acre ornamental garden
FAMILY ATTRACTIONSBack to top
GLASGOW SCIENCE CENTRE
EDINBURGH ZOO
THE HARRY POTTER STEAM TRAIN Travel on one of the trains and along the line used in the films, over the Glenfinnan Viaduct to Mallaig
SCOTTISH SEA LIFE SANCTUARY, OBAN
STRATOSPHERE, ABERDEEN Science and discovery centre with over 50 hands on interactive exhibits
HIGHLAND WILDLIFE PARK, KINGUSSIE Discover Scotland’s wildlife and endangered animals of the world’s mountains and tundra
DEEP SEA WORLD, NORTH QUEESNFERRY Scotland’s national aquarium
THE FALKIRK WHEEL The world’s only rotating boat lift
INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE AREABack to top
From its untamed, lowering mountains of the oldest rock on earth, through the secret glens, across crystal clear lochs to its rich, rolling hills, the landscape of Scotland mirrors the passion and rugged independence of its people.
We’ll start our tour in the Lowlands, which, despite its name, includes plenty of wild upland country. It is the land south of a line from Loch Lomond to Stonehaven, with fertile, wooded valleys, winding rivers and stern hills.
The Border Country’s sheep-dotted hills look peaceful now but its past has been savage and turbulent. The ruins of medieval abbeys at Melrose, Dryburgh, Kelso and Jedburgh bear witness to centuries of turmoil.
On to one of the great cities of the world. Edinburgh has been described as pure theatre with its sweep of spires and battlements, crags and classical architecture. Keeping watch over the city, clinging to its volcanic ledge, is Edinburgh Castle. It is home to Scotland’s crown jewels, which include the oldest crown in Europe, and also the Stone of Destiny, the ancient crowning seat of the Scottish monarchs. The Royal Mile leads through the Old Town to the Palace of Holyrood House. On to the elegant ‘New Town’ of handsome Georgian houses and into the ravine to Dean village, a community apart. If you visit Edinburgh in late summer you’ll share it with one of the world’s most important arts festivals.
Down the River Clyde to Glasgow, once known as the Second City of the Empire – after London – because of its industrial past. Stunning Victorian architecture reflects its era of prosperity with its shipbuilding, ironworks and cotton mills. The People’s Palace gives an insight to the fascinating social history of the city, while the Burrell Collection and the Science Centre are foils to Glasgow’s rebirth.
Dating back at least to the 12th century is another of Scotland’s great castles rising high above the town it protects. Stirling Castle, on its rocky crag, is one of the country’s finest examples of Renaissance architecture.
Further into wild Caledonia and on to Inverness – the capital of the Highlands. It’s an ideal base for exploring the Cairngorms, which make up the highest landmass in Britain. The horror of the battle of Culloden and its aftermath is best appreciated on a misty morning. As the sun burns through, see Loch Ness at its finest…you might even spot Nessie taking in the view! On down the Great Glen and the Caledonian Canal to Fort William, then a deep breath and up Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain…all 4,408 feet of it.
The awesome scenery around Glencoe, compared by Charles Dickens to “a burial ground of a race of giants”, masks another Highland horror. The Massacre of Glencoe was part of the bloody aftermath of the failed Jacobite Rebellion and saw the glen named the Glen of Weeping.
Let’s enter the wilderness of Wester Ross and share with red deer, wild cats and goats and golden eagles some of the oldest mountains on earth. The rocks used to build the abandoned crofts – another sad testament to the Highland Clearances – are more than 600 million years old.
More gentle is the refined Victorian spa town of Strathpeffer, not far from the Falls of Rogie. Thousands of wealthy visitors, joined by royalty, would take the waters, which were believed to ward off or even cure tuberculosis.
Northwards to Cape Wrath, standing guard against the worst the North Atlantic can summon up, and on to John O’Groats…876 miles from Land’s End. Just east of the village are the spectacular cliffs and rock stacks of Duncansby Head. John O’Groats is Britain’s most northeasterly mainland village and looks across the Pentland Firth towards Orkney. The isles of Orkney are among Europe’s most important archaeological sites, featuring Skara Brae, a complete Stone Age village. Further north, just six degrees south of the Arctic Circle, are the rugged Shetland islands. Shetland’s midwinter festival, Up Helly Aa, celebrates its Norse heritage with the burning of a replica Viking longship.
We turn back southwest to the stunningly beautiful sea lochs and isle of Jura, and Mull, Tobermory and Mallaig, then over the sea to Skye and the Western Isles.
The Cuillins dominate Skye, and the fleeing Bonnie Prince Charlie said of these ice-ravaged mountains: “Even the Devil shall not follow me here”. A road bridge links the island to the mainland at Kyle of Lochalsh.
Still beckoning westward are the isle of Lewis and Harris, divided by a range of mountains offering first rate hill walking and views. To the south, the Uists, Benbecula and Barra, have long, white, sandy beaches facing the Atlantic.
Fore! We cannot forget Scotland is widely recognised as the home of golf, with its shrine at St Andrews. Its history and culture can be traced back to 1457, with the 550 courses offering challenges galore.
And a wee dram afore ye go. Follow the various whisky trails around the mainland and the isles and learn a great deal of history…and why the brew – the water of life – has travelled the world. Slainte mhath!