Posted by Maris on 15th Jan 2024
Why Scotland’s Nature and Culture Is Good for the Soul
Whisky's moniker as the "water of life" is not for nothing; there's something invigorating about Scotland's myriad attractions that draws tourists in year after year.
Whatever ails you, Scotland's sea air, wide open spaces, and excellent live music scene will heal it. Its 30,000 square mile (80,000 square kilometer) boundaries contain an amazing array of natural and cultural attractions. Despite its small size, one can experience thrilling rock music concerts one evening and summit mountains the next. Here are just a few of instances of encounters that can truly affirm your life.
Highland Munros to conquer
Jocks in Scotland play rugby and climb mountains, not cheer for baseball or softball teams. Since Sir Hugh Munro was the first to identify every munro in the Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal, the 282 munros in Scotland bear his name. Local outdoor enthusiasts find them quite appealing and attempt to bag as many as they can in the summer. While certain peaks are more well-known than others, they all offer a chance to escape the city and take advantage of the health advantages, exercise, and beautiful scenery that come with being outside.
While on holiday in Scotland, you won't become a compleator (someone who has climbed all 282), but you will witness some of the most breathtaking scenery. The two munros on Glencoe's Buachaille Etive Mór Ridge and the three on Kintail's Five Sisters Ridge are the most impressive routes.
For a less strenuous journey with fantastic views, climb Ben Lomond, which stands watch over the aptly named Loch Lomond.
Celebrate like a Glaswegian.
While Edinburgh is the romantic destination for outside visitors, Glasgow is the live music hotspot for Scots. The second-biggest city in Scotland is the birthplace of bands like Simple Minds and Lewis Capaldi, but the true joy is finding your own passion. When they're not tearing up the stage at Ronnie Scott's in London, Scottish jazz luminaries congregate at the Blue Arrow basement pub; folk and indie aficionados should check the Drygate brewery, one of many venues hosting the January Celtic Connections festival. There are traveling artists and local legends at King Tut's, the Barrowland Ballroom, and ran Mór.
After brunch in the eastern suburb of Dennistoun, take part in the cultural activities until midday. See art nouveau in Charles Rennie Mackintosh's House for an Art Lover, Dutch masters at Kelvingrove Art Gallery, and Degas and Rodin at the Burrell Collection. But among all the sights in Glasgow, the Necropolis is arguably the most stunning; it honors the grandeur of Victorian Glasgow next to the similarly enormous gothic church.
Take a trip by car.
The best way to see the mountains, coastline, culture, and food that Scotland has to offer is on a road trip. The North Coast 500, a 516-mile (830-kilometer) loop that starts and ends in the Highland capital of Inverness, is the most well-known, and with good reason. Black Rock Gorge, close to Evanton, was used for filming scenes in Harry Potter, and the 2007 movie Stardust was filmed against the backdrop of Lochs Maree and Coulin.
But as the song Loch Lomond puts it, a lot of tourists "take the high road," while some choose the low road. Scotland's most overlooked area is the south-western Dumfries and Galloway, with its rugged shores and woods blanketed in bluebells drawing much fewer visitors than other parts of the nation. Here, the South Coastal 300 route skirts the shore, with stops at ruins such as Sweetheart Abbey, a red-brick Cistercian abbey dating back to the 13th century, and astronomical opportunities at Galloway Forest Park, the first Dark Sky Sanctuary in the United Kingdom.
Another off-the-beaten-path route is the North East 250, which circles around Speyside, the region known for producing whiskey. However, you might want to hire a driver for some of the route. In addition to the distilleries, there are photo opportunities at Bow Fiddle Rock and Gordon Castle with its walled garden, one of Scotland's largest.
In Dundee, you can learn about Scottish design.
In the Victorian era, Dundee was scarcely livable, much less a popular tourist attraction. This east coast city's rapid advancement may be attributed to its unbridled leap into the future, which resulted in the flattening of its historic shoreline and its reconstruction with modern architecture, earning it recognition as a Unesco City of Design.
One obvious feature is the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Design Museum, created by famed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Temporary exhibitions and the magnificent Mackintosh Tea Room, which was recreated using the original oak paneling, may be found inside. After that, take a quick peek at the RRS Discovery, a moving tribute to Scotland's shipbuilding heritage, which is located next door. Enjoy a drink at Bird & Bear to cap off your cultural day, where they specialize in whisky, Irn-Bru, and Scottish gin.