Aberdeen

Aberdeen is the third largest city in Scotland. It is known as the Granite City or the Oil Capital of Europe. With settlements dating back thousands of years this historic city has some fine examples of architecture and a long sandy beach that has not been extensively developed as a tourist attraction.

Aberdeen with its international airport also has one of the busiest heliports in the world. With so many offshore oil  rigs this is often the only way of transporting much needed supplies and personnel from sea to shore and back. Aberdeen has won the Britain in Bloom contest ten times. 

With plenty of good restaurants and an interesting city centre Aberdeen has much to offer in terms of places to visit and good shops and facilities. If you are planning a visit make sure you book your hotel early as hotel prices can be higher here due to demand. 

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Moffat

Moffat is a former spa town near the River Annan in Dumfries and Galloway. It has some fairly impressive shopping facilities and due to its proximity to the English border it is a popular stopping point for travellers.

This town once relied upon the wool trade hence the statue of a ram shown here on the right and which is situated in the town's marketplace.

The Moffat toffee shop is worth a visit and the town has some excellent restaurants and craft shops. Excellent walking facilities and beautiful countryside make this a great place to stop. The Camping and Caravanning Club have a site here which is open all year round.

More details can be found at:  www.visitmoffat.co.uk/

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Mallaig

Mallaig is a small fishing town on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. The Jacobite Steam Railway run a service from Fort William to Mallaig, a route which passes through some absolutely wondeful scenery and which is also known for the filming of various scenes from the Harry Potter films.

In the 1970's this was one of the main herring ports in Europe and famous for smoked kippers. Today only one smokehouse is still in operation but there is an abundance of fresh fish and fish merchants in Mallaig. There is even a postal service and you can order over the internet via the website of Andy Race Fish Merchants.

Mallaig Heritage Centre is definately worth a visit. From here you can find out about the history and culture of the West Highlands of Scotland.

More details can be found at: www.mallaigheritage.org.uk/


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Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond is situated in Dunbartonshire. It is a large freshwater Scottish Loch ( Loch Laomaine in Gaelic ). It is the largest lake in the UK. and one of Scotland's main tourist attractions.

There are said to be around 60 islands on the loch. Some of them are quite large. One in particular, Inchmurrin, is the largest island of any lake or loch in Great Britain.

There is plenty to do at Loch Lomond for those that like the outdoor life. The scenery is spectacular and the loch provides a valuable facility for wind surfers, sailing, jetskis, kayaks and even large cruisers which take the tourists around the loch.

For those that like camping there are several campsites around the loch with fantastic views. This is also a walkers paradise. A wonderful place to stop on any tour of Scotland.

Loch Lomond is probably one of the most famous lochs in the world and has had much written about it both in poetry and song. The natural beauty of this area is legendry and it is a popular destination for anyone visiting Scotland or for those escaping from Glasgow for a long weekend.

More details can be found at: www.visit-lochlomond.com/

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The Jacobite Steam Train

The Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig runs from mid May to October and is very popular with tourists due to its connection with the filming of Harry Potter.

The brochure advertises the journey as one of the ' Great Rail Journeys of the World' and the 42 mile excursion is certainly impressive. Passing past Ben Nevis the train passes through mountains and beautiful lochs, stopping for a short break at Glenfinnan Station.

The scenery is diverse and the train route eventually passes along the sea edge. This is an old train and it captures the essence of a long gone era in much the same way as the filming of Harry Potter where the Hogwarts Express carriages came from this very same company and where the Glenfinnan viaduct and parts of this route were featured extensively in the films.

The 21 arched Glenfinnan viaduct overlooks Loch Shiel and the Jacobite monument.Depending on whether there is sufficient time the train may stop here.

The Jacobite Steam Train is operated by West Coast Railways and you are advised to book in advance for this service in peak season.

More details can be found at: www.steamtrain.info

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Gretna Green

Gretna Green is famous as a border town where shotgun marriages were performed for couples who either did not have permission or did not wish to wait. It is still famous today for its marriages although the laws on age of consent are now the same across the whole of the UK.

Gretna Green is in Dumfries and Galloway. It lies along an old coach route from London to Edinburgh. It is easy to confuse Gretna Green with the nearby town of Gretna since they are both near the motorway and close to the border with England. However, you will know when you are at the right place just by the tourist attractions and signposting. You really can't miss it.

The Blacksmith shops of Gretna Green will have witnessed the marriages of thousands of elopers over the years. This is one of the worlds most popular wedding venues and many people still come from overseas just to be married at Gretna Green.

On the downside Gretna Green is becoming something of a tourist trap in its attempt to capture revenue through its new shops and commercial enterprises which unfortunately take away some of the real value of this historic town as a worthwhile tourist attraction.

Gretna Green is also famous for being near the location of the Quintinshill railway crash in 1915 which goes down in history as the worst rail crash in the UK with 227 deaths.

More details can be found at: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/ 


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Glencoe

Glencoe in the highlands is a spectacular mountain range with panoramic views. A ramblers paradise there are local camping facilities and some good restaurants.

The actual village of Glencoe near Glencoe valley is renowned for the massacre of the MacDonalds by the Campbells in the 1690's. The Glencoe visitor centre is certainly worth a visit to find out about the local history of the area and the best walks and hill climbs.

The visitor centre is just past the village along the A82. It is operated by the National Trust for Scotland and features a coffee house and shop as well as an exhibition area and small film presentation area.

The A82 is a very scenic route, taking the traveller through mountain passes, lochs and craggy moorland.

Glencoe village was the home of Hagrid in the Harry Potter film Prisoner of Azkaban.

More details can be found at: www.glencoescotland.com/

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Fort William

Fort William is the largest town in the highlands of Scotland. It is near Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the UK and it is a well known tourist centre.

Glencoe is also close to Fort William. The Jacobite Steam Train runs from the main station at Fort William and the town is known for its excellent hill walking and climbing activities.

Fort William is situated on the shore of Loch Linnhe which consists of sea water and not fresh water. It is also beside the mouth of the rivers of Nevis and Lochy.

Visitors are more likely to have lasting memories of the lochs, rivers and mountain views rather than of the town. There is plenty to see and do around this area of Lochaber.

More details can be found at:  www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/

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Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis is the largest mountain in the UK and it is situated at the end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of Scotland near Fort William. This is a walkers and climbers paradise.

For those that reach the high cliffs of the north face - spectacular views await. Rock climbing is popular here as well as ice climbing.

Ben Nevis is 1,344 metres above sea level ( 4,409 feet ).

This ancient and beautiful landscape features a mountain gondola which whisks people 2150 feet up Aonach Mor near Bean Nevis. The views from here are breathtaking.

A journey on the gondolas takes about 15 minutes for you to reach the Nevis Range with its restaurant, bar and shop. From here you can take a fairly leisurely walk to Ben Nevis and take in the sheer magnitude of the environment.

During the winter months the slopes of Aonach Mor are packed with skiers and boarders. There is an excellent ski-school and winter climbing.

More details can be found at:  www.nevisrange.co.uk

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Ardgarten

 Ardgarten campsite is right on the banks of Loch Long. A forestry commission campsite it is well organised and has its own shop and breathtaking views from every angle.

The Forestry Commission's first Forest Park, the Argyll Forest Park surrounds the camp site. Their is also a visitor centre with information about the local area which is excellent for walking and hiking.

The woodland and hill walks here are breathtaking. There are so many woodland and mountain paths but any of them will provide a memorable experience.

To reach the campsite just follow the A82 along the western shore of Loch Lomond, through Tarbet, entering the park at Arrochar and then follow the A83 for 3 miles to Ardgarten.

More details can be found at: www.forestry.gov.uk

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