Ben Nevis
This mountain, which is only 1,344 m high, is the highest mountain in Great Britain and therefore also Scotland. It is located near Fort William in the west of the country. In good weather, the climb is just a bit of a strenuous excursion. But because of the frequent fog, the climb can become dangerous very quickly. There have been a number of fatal accidents. The mountain consists of magma rock from 400 million years ago – in the Devonian. The mountain has a very steep 300 m high cliff, the highest on the British Isles.
Loch Ness
The narrow but almost 40 km long and a maximum of 800 feet = 344 m deep lake divides the Scottish highlands from Inverness to Fort Williams. The lake is shrouded in legend and world famous thanks to the legend of the Loch Ness lake monster “Nessie”, which has been causing new scientific speculations since the 6th century. Those curious can obtain more detailed information on this from the Loch Ness Exhibition Center. As shown above, when asked whether the monster actually exists, a local Scot replied: “With enough whiskey, anyone can see the monster.”
Loch Tay
The Loch Tay lies in the central highlands and winds narrowly and bent twice around the mountains. On the Tay is Croftna-Caber, one of the largest water sports centers in Scotland. The north shore of the lake is dominated by the Ben Lawers massif, which consists of six munros, which are extremely popular with hikers.
Loch Awe
Loch Awe is the longest lake in Scotland at 39 km. At the head end it silts up to a reed swamp, here are the ruins of the picturesque Kilchurn Castle from the middle of the 15th century. The view extends inland to the wild mountains of Glens Strae, Orchy and Lochy. From Lochawe a steamer sails to the castle in summer. At the 1126 m high Ben Cruachan you can drive into the hollow mountain: A storage hydropower plant works here, which lets water plunge from a reservoir through turbines into Loch Awe.
East Lothian
The rolling landscape of East Lothian to the east of Edinburgh is bordered by the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills. The seaside resorts of North Berwick and Dunbar are also located here. There are many castle ruins like the famous Tantallon Castle, which in itself is worth a detour.
First it goes to the spacious suburb of Musselburgh, where you can enjoy the beautiful views of the East Loathian Coastal Trail. The Prestongrange Industrial Heritage Museum vividly documents Scotland’s industrial past. In Seton you can visit the late Gothic collegiate church, and the kilometer-long, dune-lined sandy beaches around the seaside resort of Gullane are ideal for long walks. In addition, the traditional Muirfield Course is located in Gullane and attracts golfers from all over the world. In the village of Dirleton you can visit impressive castle ruins from the 13th century.
In the seaside resort of North Berwick there is a marina, many sandy beaches and also a renowned golf course, and from here you can take a boat trip to Bass Rock and watch sea birds there. The ruin of Tantallon Castle towers sandstone red over the rugged rocky coast. There are 20 picturesque cottages on the main street of the Tyninghame manor village; the road leads to Dunbar, which is especially charming because of the harbor area.
In the hinterland, the untouched Lammermuir Hills lie in vast heathland and are ideal for a hike. Medieval Hailes Castle sits above the River Tyne.
In the small town of Haddington, the ensemble of riverside, St. Mary’s Collegiate Church and the three-arched pedestrian bridge is convincing. At the gates of Haddington is Lennoxlove, a 14th century tower house that owes its name to the beauty Frances Teresa Stewart, Duchess of Lennox.
At the foot of the Lammermuir Hills lies the picturesque village of Gifford with its white plastered houses. The only distillery in the area is located in Glenkinchie near Pencaitland, while the Scottish Mining Museum is well worth a visit in Newtongrange. It is located in the middle of a desolate miners’ settlement that was created for the Victorian Lady Victoria colliery. The late medieval Rosslyn with its Portuguese-style chapel offers a complete contrast.
Firth of Forth
A trip to the banks of the Firth of Forth and its surroundings is extremely worthwhile. The agricultural and industrial landscape is not very spectacular at first, but includes palaces such as the ruins of Linlithgow, one of the most magnificent castles in Scotland, Hopetoun House, and historic churches such as Dunfermline, where Robert the Bruce was buried.
In Dalmeny there is the parish church, built in the 1st century, which, with its richly decorated south portal and the precious wood carvings inside, is one of the most beautiful Norman sacred buildings in Scotland.
The pretty town of South Queensferry lies modestly between the two gigantic Forth Bridges, the 2529 m long Forth Railway Bridge and the much more delicate suspension bridge Street Bridge. In town is the historic Hawes Inn, where Scott and Stevenson wrote their immortal stories. Go on an underwater safari in North Queensferry’s Deep Sea World to see sharks, squid, lobsters and coral reefs. The prestigious Hopetoun House palace was built just under five kilometers west of the city at the beginning of the 18th century: on both sides of the baroque manor house there are semicircular colonnades and pavilions, inside the magnificent rooms overwhelm with stucco ceilings and furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries. Century. The castle’s collection of paintings includes paintings by Canaletto and Gainsborough. On Inchcolm Island there is a well-preserved abbey from the 13th – 15th centuries.
Andrew Carnegie was born in 1835 in the town of Dunfermline, which had been a royal residence since the Middle Ages. He later shared his fortune with his hometown, for example by creating the spacious Pittencrief Park, which has nature trails and formal gardens as well as several bird houses. The abbey church, founded by Queen Margaret in 1072 and towering over this green valley, houses the tombs of the Scottish kings from many centuries.
The picture-book town of Culross is located on the Fife peninsula and features an ensemble of picture-book houses from the 16th century. On the east coast of the peninsula, a coastal road leads through the enchanting landscape and the beautiful fishing villages. The offshore Isle of May is a nature reserve.
A few kilometers east of Dunfermline is the former Stuarts hunting lodge, Falkland Palace. It was built in the 15th century.
Shetland Islands
This group of over one hundred islands is located in the north of Scotland and belonged to Norway until 1946, which has strongly shaped the culture of its residents. The Shetland Museum in the capital Lerwick is a testament to cultural and scenic features, and the Iron Age stone fort Mousa Broch is another worthwhile attraction.
Western Isles
The Orkney Islands were part of the Kingdom of Norway until the middle of the last century. Due to the abundance of prehistoric treasures from different epochs that are on the islands, they have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In addition to the 12th century St Magnus Cathedral, there are Maes Howe, Britain’s most imposing Stone Age grave, the Standing Stones of Stenness, the Bronze Age Ring of Brodgar and the Stone Age village of Skara Brae.
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
Loch Lomond is considered the most beautiful of Scotland’s lakes and its beauty has been celebrated in numerous Scottish folk songs. At the southern end of the lake, in Balloch, is the National Park Gateway Center, which is the gateway to the national park. The visitor center provides information about the flora and fauna of the national park. You can also take walks on the shore or canoe and boat tours on the lake, which is 40 km long and 8 km wide.
On the east bank is the small sports port of Balmaha, followed by a beautiful little pebble beach from which you have a good view of the mountains of the Highland Line, which runs through the middle of the lake at this height. Several small islands lie at this point of the lake, which is very wide here in the south, for example Inchcailloch, the “island of the old women”. On this island you can see a ruin from the 14th century. From Balmaha, a road along the shore leads to the foot of the 974 m high Ben Lomond. It is one of the Scots’ absolute favorite mountains and is therefore climbed by many hikers, which is a massive threat to the environment. The steep path that goes up and down the summit in about four hours is wide and visible to everyone,
From Inversnaid a road leads along the small Loch Arklet to Loch Katrine on the Trossachs. Behind the tourist town of Aberfoyle is the visitor center of the huge Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. The Trossachs Pier is located in the south of Loch Katrine, but it is teeming with tourists and facilities. On the other hand, it is worth visiting the beautiful little Loch Achrey, on the banks of which there is a small neo-Gothic castle. From Loch Venachar you can get to the 463 m high Ben A’an.
It looks wonderful when the fishermen drive north of Callandar onto Loch Lubnaig in the evening light. The legendary Rob Roy and his family are buried in the Balquhidder cemetery. Menteith is the only Scottish lake called a lake, not a hole. In the middle of the lake is a small island that is approached by boats. On the island are the ruins of Inchmahome Priory; Mary Stuart fled to this abbey before Henry VIII’s wooing.
The train runs from Queen Street Station to Balloch about every 30 minutes, there are also shuttle buses.
Tourist Information
Loch Lomond Visitor Center
Tel. 0044- (0) 1389-722199
Website: www.visitscottishheartlands.org
Isle of Bute
Bute can be reached from Glasgow by ship, train or even with your own vehicle. In summer even the PS Waverley, one of the last paddle steamers in the world, sometimes sets off and on its round trip also drives to the island’s capital Rothesay, a beautiful Victorian place that is reminiscent of times long past. The buildings are colorful and nestle picturesquely in the shallow bay. Rothesay Castle dates back to the 13th century and is idyllically situated on a small hill in the middle of a moat.
South of Rothesay is the magnificent Mount Stuart Castle, which is approached by bus every 45 minutes from Rothesay. The third Marquess of Bute had the castle furnished at the beginning of the 20th century and there are, among other things, magnificent ceiling paintings.
Isle of Bute Discovery Center
Tel. 0044- (0) 700-502151
Website: www.isle-of-bute.com
The Cairngorn Mountains
The Cairngorn Mountains are Britain’s most popular ski area. At an altitude of up to 1,300 m, the total of 28 pistes can be accessed mainly with chair lifts. The adjacent valley of the river Spey, originally mainly used for agriculture, has now developed into a well-known whiskey region.
