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Scotland offers so much more as a tourist attraction and even though the iconic destinations such as Loch Ness continue to be a magnet for visitors, there are many stunningly beautiful areas that the locals don’t mind sharing with you when you discover them.
Here are five of the most beautiful locations to explore when you are next in Scotland.
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Quinag
Located in Sutherland, this somewhat remote ice-scoured peak is a perfect destination for walkers and the relatively easy climb over the steep cliffs and spineback ridge is rewarded with a stunning view when you reach the peak. There is actually a car park situated about 250m up so you get a fair bit of help in completing the journey if you need it and the climb reaches 800m in total, giving you a perfect sight of what is essentially a very ancient landscape below.
Dun da Lamh
Many of these beautiful locations have some delightful holiday parks that you can base your stay from and you can get a list of suitable venues by using a web site such as Holiday-Parks.co.uk to plan your trip. Dun da Lamh is in Inverness-shire and this low-level walk through the Cairngorms leads you to an Iron Age fort, from which you can get some beautiful views over Loch Spey.
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Iona
Wild, windswept, walkable with wonderful views would be a good way to describe Iona. The place was a chosen burial place for Scottish kings for many centuries and is only one mile by three and a half miles across, sitting just one mile away from Mull. There is a delightful and historic church called Iona Abbey to see when you visit and at the front of this tiny church sits one of the best preserved Celtic crosses in Britain, the 9th century St Martin’s Cross. Also don’t forget to check out the picturesque Abbey House Gardens.
Portmahomack
Situated in Easter Ross, Portmahomack started out life as a humble fishing village in the 1700’s and today it is a perfect location for spending a pleasant day taking in the local sights, including a 6th century church, along with easy on the eye landscapes and ending a pleasurable and relaxing day by tasting one of several local whisky’s on offer in one of the excellent pubs in the area.
Arthur’s Seat
Edinburgh is obviously a popular tourist destination and is a city of great culture and interesting architecture amongst other positive features to recommend it. The locals are proud of the fact that they play host to Scotland’s own parliament, and if you to climb Arthur’s Seat, which is an extinct volcanic plug right in the centre of Edinburgh, you will get the opportunity to look down on the current Scottish seat of power from your vantage point above the city. There is a road that takes you to within 20 minutes of the summit for a shorter walk but many people enjoy the challenge of hiking up the mound from the city, which will normally take and extra hour or so to complete.
Wherever you go or stay in Scotland, you are guaranteed to be lifted by the historic landscapes and landmarks that form part of the rich heritage of this beautiful country.
Author: Lydia Clarke is a travel consultant with a penchant for Scotland. Her articles mainly appear on travel websites.
