Scotland Eyewitness Travel

SCOTLAND THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU EYEWITNESS TRAVEL MOUNTAINS RESTAURANTS WILDLIFE • HOTELS F ISHING • WHISKY • MAPS ISLANDS • GOLF • ABBEYS m o r a y p l Scotland Region by Region T HE HIGHLANDS AND I S LAND S Pages 12 6 –1 63 C ENTRAL SCO TLAND Pages 110 – 125 SOU THERN SCO TLAND Pa g es 80 – 93 0 kilometre s 0 mil es 5 0 50 G LA SGOW Pa g es 9 4 –10 9 E DINB U R G H S ee pp52 –7 9 0 kilometre s 75 50 ORKNEY A ND SHETLAND ISLANDS THE HIGHLANDS E HI H H AND ISLANDS A ND C ENTRA L SCOTLAND AND SC AND S GLASGOW GLA OW OW EDINBURGH NB RG E RG E SOUTHERN OUT S OU S SCOTLAND T T SCOTL A N D EYEWITNESS TRAVEL [...]...INTRODUCING SCOTLAND DISCOVERING SCOTLAND 89 PUTTING SCOTLAND ON THE MAP 1011 A PORTRAIT OF SCOTLAND 1235 SCOTLAND THROUGH THE YEAR 3639 THE HISTORY OF SCOTLAND 4047 I N T R O D U C I N G 8 S C O T L A N D DISCOVERING SCOTLAND S cotland is home to some of th UK’s most impressive areas of true wilderness Mountains... Agriculture retains its importance but Scotland and England into one gov- has become beleaguered by disastrous erning body convening in Westminster markets Fishing remains an important (London), Scotland has felt estranged industry, though there is increasing from the mechanisms of government, competition for dwindling stocks and short-changed by the small allo- Scotland s level of unemployment is cation... R O D U C I N G 18 S C O T L A N D The Landscape and Wildlife of Scotland Scotland is a land of contrasts, from the austere majesty of the mountains to the subtle undulations of the Lowland valleys, and from dramatic coastal cliffs to dense forests It is in the wilds of the Highlands and islands that you are most likely to encounter Scotland s wealth of wildlife Many once prolific species are slowly... ANIMALS There are no large or dangerous wild animals in Scotland, but there are a few which are rarely found living wild elsewhere in the British Isles Shetland ponies and Highland cattle, by their names alone, are instantly associated with Scotland, and you are unlikely to see a golden eagle outside of the Scottish Highlands LOCHS AND RIVERS Scotland has an abundance of sea lochs, fresh water lochs... a wonderful opportunity for fishermen to catch salmon and trout Wild otters breed along many parts of Scotland s coast and in its sea lochs Unlike their Asian cousins, they have webbed feet with which they catch and eat their prey Salmon swim into Scotland s lochs and rivers every year to breed They travel miles upstream and up steep waterfalls in order to spawn A P O R T R A I T O F S C O T L A N... From medieval poets through Robert Burns to Irvine Welsh, writers in the three literary languages of Scotland – Scots, English and Gaelic – have created a body of literature expressing both their place in the European mainstream and the diversity within Scotland In 1999 a new parliament was established in Scotland, three centuries after the dissolution of the last one Political devolution follows three... Isles (see pp162–3), where Gaelic is still widely spoken The snowy peaks of the Cairngorms, in the Scottish Highlands 9 I N T R O D U C I N G S C O T L A N D Putting Scotland on the Map Separated from Continental Europe by the North Sea, Scotland forms the northern part of Great Britain It is a mountainous, sparsely populated land The highest peak is Ben Nevis, at 1,344 m (4,406 ft) The coastline is... largest city with a population of 569,000 The country has good road, rail and ferry connections lfa st Satellite Image of Scotland The high, rugged mountains of the Highlands and the many islands off the Scottish coast are visible from this satellite image Be 10 Location within Europe Scotland is situated in the northwest corner of Europe, bordering England Its nearest neighbours are Ireland to the west,... 10 = Distance in miles 10 = Distance in kilometres 150 241 74 119 372 599 389 INVERNESS MANCHESTER I N T R O D U C I N G S C O T L A N D 13 A PORTRAIT OF SCOTLAND W ith such a distinctive national dress, drink, bagpipe music, landscape and folklore, Scotland has shaped an identity recognizable the world over It is a land of astonishing contrasts and possesses a magical quality, whether seen shrouded... as does the varied, island-strewn coastline If you are not a fan of the great outdoors, Scotland s Wild thistle, the hospitable towns and cities national flower proclaim the legacies of an intensely enterprising people In architecture and engineering, arts and crafts, and thriving cultural traditions, the pirit of Scotland is as distinctive e other national spirit, the malt whisky distilled from the . ISLANDS A ND C ENTRA L SCOTLAND AND SC AND S GLASGOW GLA OW OW EDINBURGH NB RG E RG E SOUTHERN OUT S OU S SCOTLAND T T SCOTL A N D EYEWITNESS TRAVEL