Throughout all seven of Scotland’s lively cities; nature can be discovered all around from historical monuments to picture-perfect landscapes, miles of tranquil coastline to star-filled skies and from natural cooking ingredients to the famous Scottish Whiskey.
No matter where abouts in Scotland you are; you can find nature all around and driving from place to place lets you take in the stunning views. 2013 is the year of Natural Scotland; with that in mind here are a few ways you can witness the natural beauty if you are visiting the country.
Natural Scotland in 2013 : Stunning Landscapes
A diverse range of landscapes are ready to be witnessed all across Scotland. In the Edinburgh area are the unspoilt views of Loch Lomond, with the woodland areas in Galloway Forest Park being equally picturesque. The forest is also famous for its clear skies allowing the Milky Way and Northern Lights to be seen. They say January and the late autumn months are perfect for this.
Scotland is home to a massive 47 nature reserves; full with wildlife and an array of plant species from around the world. Stunning coastline is in no shortage with a vast marine environment including dolphins and whales.
Fresh Food and the Wonder of Whiskey
Many famous dishes originate in Scotland, Aberdeen Angus Beef, Arbroath Smokies and Haggis are among some of the favourites and can be tried all over the country.
If fine dining with the freshest local produce sounds like your thing; there are 16 Michelin starred restaurants in Scotland with Edinburgh being home to 5 of them. On the west coast you can even experience the Seafood trail, a unique way to learn about local seafood and sample the produce.
It’s commonly known as ‘the water of life’, Whiskey distilleries all over Scotland are each unique in flavour and offer guided tours to how the famous drink is produced. Visitors to Speyside can even participate in the Malt Whiskey Trail; which happens to be the only one of its kind in the world!
Mesmerising Monuments
Throughout Scotland are examples of history that represent the country through the ages. Aberfeldy is home to Iron Age dwellings, Edinburgh Castle attracts thousands of visitors to witness its historic beauty and if you are near Aberdeenshire then the Castle Trail is a must see.
Sporting Scotland
For thrill-seekers then Europe’s first long distance sea kayak trail is situated along the Scottish coastline; or the River Tummel in Perthshire is the place to be for some adrenaline-filled white water rafting.
Scottish Surprises
There is a flourishing range of wildlife in Scotland; with the marine life along the coast and one of the largest collections of seabirds in Europe. 20% of the world’s pink-footed geese reside in Scotland.
Over 70 acres of Scottish land is covered with beautiful blooming snowdrops. There is even an annual Snowdrop Festival. Many beautiful flowers and fauna originate from the natural gem that is Scotland.
Endless natural beauty is to be found and awed over throughout Scotland. The community emphasise on the importance of these beauties and the need to preserve them. The Green Tourism Business Scheme celebrates businesses who work hard to reduce their impact to the environment and celebrations such as the Glasgow Film Festival praise local productions.
Explore for yourself the natural wonders Scotland has to offer.
(Photos taken from Flickr – please see image for author credit)