Scotland is a land of contrasts combining the old and the new, the rural with the urban. A land of unspoilt and unrivaled landscapes, of rugged mountains and lochs, yet possessing vibrant and modern cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow, it manages to successfully combine these two contrasting sides. It holds a rural backdrop of awe inspiring scenery, villages and towns of unique local history and culture all the while possessing a modern and young urban landscape with cities of the calibre of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen that can rival the best in Europe. Scotland is a land for many tastes, both young and old. From the intrepid trekker, the nature enthusiast, the history buff to the young trendsetter and music fan, Scotland holds a bit of everything.
With that in mind here are some of the Top 10 reasons to holiday or vacation in Scotland:
1. The festivals – Edinburgh festival
For three weeks each August, Edinburgh is taken over by a selection of festivals running concurrently celebrating and promoting all sectors of the Arts. During this month there are a host of activities and events designed in part to both endorse and engage the population in the Arts, from music to theatre (classical to contemporary), from dance to comedy, to pantomime and children’s shows, art displays and the visual arts, free street theatre and caberet, musicals and opera there is something for everyone of all ages and budgets.
During the day the streets are filled with free street entertainment, art exhibitions and events for all the family, while at night Edinburgh comes alive with theatre, opera, shows, acts and parties held across various venues while the pubs are often filled with live music and some comedy acts.
2. The cities – Nightlife
As well as magnificent and unspoiled countryside, Scotland has a trio of large cities in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow that in terms of shopping and, most importantly, nightlife can rival the cities of it’s counterpart over the border England. Of the three, Glasgow is the largest, most bustling and vibrant of all with a busy nightlife, consisting of earthy, traditional pubs, trendy cafe bars and a range of all night discos and super-clubs.
As evidenced by the strength of the Edinburgh festival, Edinburgh, the capital, is a city renowned for the Arts and classical entertainment whilst hosting a range of cool designer bars and restaurants. Aberdeen, the third largest city, is a university city with a wealth of art galleries, museums and a thriving youth scene, and is well known as being the centre of live music in Scotland with live music of all types being catered for in many music bars and venues.
Also of special note in these cities is the Scottish celebration of Hogmanay (or New Year’s Eve) a party that combines tradition with modern hedonism. Starting early on New Years Eve people take to the streets to celebrate with live bands, dancing, and street theatre. As the countdown to the New Year begins, the street celebrations descend into a flurry of wild parties and revelry that last long after the ringing in of the New Year, the singing of Auld Langs Syne and the fireworks. Overall it is a party not to be missed.
3. Scenery and Wildlife– the lochs and the highlands
While the cities of Scotland are a-buzz with activity, by contrast the countryside and rural communities have for the most part remained unspoiled by time and industrialisation, still retaining the wild mysticism of old. With the most spectacular scenery in the UK and a magical variety of flora and fauna, the rugged, uncompromising Scottish landscape is a nature lovers’ haven. As well as a stunning landscape Scotland possess a wealth of undisturbed wildlife such as eagles and osprey, mountain goats, hares and deer. Along the coast and on the Scottish islands, particularly Mull and Skye, there are many opportunities to observe various species of birds and puffins, seals, whales and dolphins whether on foot or on whale watching excursions along the coast. With this range of scenery and wildlife it is no wonder that Scotland is one of the most photographed countries in Europe, a point proven with the 2009 landscape of the year photograph being awarded to a picture taken of the Old man of Storr on the Isle of Skye.
4. Loch Ness – mystery of the monster
Mention Loch Ness and the first thing that comes to mind is “Nessie” the legendary Loch Ness Monster that is said to lurk in the dark depths of this vast loch. Since the controversial “surgeons photograph” appeared showing a plesiosaur–type creature (ancient underwater dinosaur) emerging out of the loch in the 30’s the legend of Nessie has continued to baffle and intrigue visitors to the loch to this day inspiring a string of stories and film. If you want to check out the story of Nessie and the Loch for yourselves, why not visit The Original Loch Ness Monster Exhibition Centre. There you will find a wealth of documented sightings and facts, reports from respected investigative search expeditions such as Operation Deep-scan and audio-visual displays that show the history and the main sightings of the monster, hints that there may be more to this legend than what you may have thought.
Alternatively for those with no interest in the legend one can also avail of a Jacobite cruise into the heart of the loch and witness the stunning panoramic views it offers of the surrounds including the majestic Urquhart Castle and the surrounding mountains. Whether a believer or a sceptic one cannot deny nonetheless that there is a haunting beauty to be found in this vast mysterious loch.
5. Castles – Edinburgh, Stirling, Eilean Donean
6. Chapels and CathedralsWith its bloodied and romantic history it is no wonder that the Scottish landscape is dotted throughout with castles of varying quality steeped in legend. From the iconic castle of Eilean Donan Castle on the Isle of Skye, famous for its appearance in many films and photos worldwide, the elegance of the now manor residence Culzean Castle to the dominating spectacle of Stirling castle with views to the highlands, lowlands and the capital, castles dominate Scottish landscape and history. Of all the castles in Scotland, however, the most famous and best loved is, of course, Edinburgh Castle perched on an ancient volcanic rock and overlooking the capital. Inside, it is a living reminder of Scottish history where Scottish kings and Queens reigned and where the Scottish crown jewels reside to this day. It is a must see for visitors to Edinburgh offering both a wealth of history and legend and holds stunning views over the entire domain of Edinburgh from its man-made urban skyline to the north to it’s geological landscape to the south.
While maybe not as romantic as castles, Scottish cathedrals and chapels carry their own tale of history as most were the scenes of as many battles as worship. They can be found throughout the Scottish landscape and islands, for the most part in a state of ruin. Some of the most noteworthy are Melrose Abbey, a Cistercian Abbey said to be the place where Robert the Bruces heart is buried, and Dryburgh Abbey, the resting place of Sir Walter Scott, Scotland’s most famous writer. Perhaps one of the most intriguing abbeys and one of the few fully standing intact is Rosslyn chapel brought to public attention recently with the worldwide success of the book and film the “Da Vinci Code” in which it plays a central role to the plot of the story. Whether or not the allusions to freemasonry, the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail are true or not, there is no denying that the intricate architecture and carvings sculpted inside Rosslyn Chapel are fascinating. All of the details involved in the chapel appear to be steeped in symbolism from many different sources, biblical, pagan, and Masonic, all of which appear to add to the legend of its position in the tales of the Knights Templar and freemasonry
7. History
As evidenced by the various castles and cathedrals situated across the landscape Scotland is a land steeped in history made famous on film through the film Braveheart. All the castles and ruins are open to the public. Also of considerable note are some of Scotland’s famous battle sites such as Stirling and Bannockburn of William Wallace legend and the desolate moors of Culloden where Bonnie Prince Charlies highland armies met their end at the hands of English forces. On each of these sites one will find monuments in honour of the brave souls who died for their country and nearby visitor centres at Culloden and Bannockburn provide more detailed accounts of these events which helped to shape Scotland’s history.
For those of us whose idea of history is more ancient there are many examples of prehistoric landmarks around the country and, in particular, on the Scottish Islands. The most noted of these is Orkney Island with its World Heritage sites such as the Neolithic dwellings of Skara Brae (predating the Egyptian Pyramids) the ancient tomb of Maes Howe and the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar all built long before Stonehenge.
8. Cultural festivals – Highland Games, EE
Scotland has a distinctive and unique culture and nowhere is this better highlighted than in traditional festivals such as the Highland Games. Although considered on first glance as a festival for tourists, the highland games are actually a range of festivals held in Scotland and Scottish communities worldwide that celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture & heritage, especially that of the highlands.
Certain aspects of the games have in turn come to epitomize the worldwide view of Scottish culture, such as the bagpipes, the kilt, and the Scottish dancing. In the these games, which take place in Scotland throughout the summer, one will find a variety of events ranging from the actual games themselves (involving the cable toss and Scottish hammer throw to name just two) to Scottish dance competitions highlighting the Scottish country dances and highland dances to the country fairs and cattle shows. At the end of these local festivals the rendition of traditionally favorite songs are played by the pipe bands creating a sound that has come to symbolize the games and Scotland.
Another event where one can hear the music of the bagpipes and especially the haunting lament of the lone piper is at the Edinburgh military tattoo held in Edinburgh castle grounds in August during the height of the Edinburgh Arts Festival, where the history of Scotland is played out in a spectacular and colorful array of music and dance.
9. Food and Drink– haggis and beyond, the whisky distilleries
For a country with a rich rural and coastal landscape and temperate climate it is not surprising that Scotland has a reputation as a food producer of quality foods such as beef, lamb, game, dairy produce, fruit and vegetables all of which can be found in various recipes in the finest eateries in Scotland and worldwide. And that is forgetting its traditional foods such as Haggis, neeps & tatties and Abroath Smokies (famous local haddock specially smoked over woodchips for a distinctive flavour). Haggis from it’s description (a sheep’s heart, liver and lungs, minced and mixed with oatmeal, onion and salt and served encased in a sheep’s stomach lining) sounds more stomach curdling than mouthwatering but description aside it’s actually a delicious treat while tatties and neeps which are often served with Haggis may sound likewise unappetizing but they are actually Scottish names for mashed potatoes (tatties) and mashed turnip (neeps).
But Scotland is more famous as a producer of fine Whisky with a plethora of distilleries around the country. These distilleries are now well known as tourist attractions which give the visitor a guided tour and a complimentary taste of the produce, while shops on the distillery grounds provide a nice sample to take home.
10 Sport – Home of Golf
Scotland is known as the ancestral home of golf with the first recorded game of golf being originally played at St Andrews (allegedly by shepherds knocking stones into rabbit holes in their spare time) and developed from there into the game it is today. Today, St Andrews holds the seat of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the game’s governing body and its old golf course is one of Scotland’s most famous links courses, the others being Royal Troon, the Old Course, Muirfield, Carnoustie and Turnberry all of which often hold the British Open Championship. As well as the above, Scotland has a variety of golf courses across the countryside making golf a sport accessible to everyone and if you’re a golf buff the British Golf Museum at St Andrews holds information on the roots and history of the game.
Other than golf, Soccer and Rugby are the other main components in the Scottish sporting calendar. In soccer old-firm rival Glaswegian clubs, Celtic and Rangers and to a lesser extent Aberdeen, dominate the sport having reached international acclaim and watching the matches can be a lively event in itself. The main soccer stadiums are mainly situated in the Glasgow homes of Celtic (matches held at Celtic Fc) and Rangers (matches held at Ibrox). Also in Glasgow, Hampdon Park is the venue for the Scottish national team. As for Scottish Rugby, Murrayfield stadium in Edinburgh is where one can find most of the action with the main rugby events to look out for being the Six Nations Championship and European (Heineken) Cup.
All of the above reasons are just the basics, for more in-depth analysis of Scotland one has to go there and see it for themselves.
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