Pictorial Guide to Scotland
I have to admit to feeling a bit homesick of late. I live in a beautiful country, which has many similarities to the beautiful country I grew up in. Having recently been to Adelaide in South Australia, a state which feels it has been left out of the tourist stakes by its flashier cousins to the east, it got me thinking about my home country of Scotland, an amazing country that is often overlooked. In some parts of the world, Scotland is considered as nothing more than a state of England, or a country of little significance in the world, or one not worth making the effort to visit. Worst still, is that many people who do visit go nowhere other than Edinburgh and maybe Loch Ness to try and spot a mythical creature that doesn’t even exist. The amount of people I’ve met on my many travels who regale me with their trip to Scotland when in actual fact they saw little more than the capital city is astounding. Certainly, being a Glaswegian, I can’t deny my biased preference for the country’s largest city, but the beauty of Scotland lies in its myriad of islands scattered all up the west coast and to the north, and in the ruggedness of the mainland’s west coast and stark isolation, as well as the endearing draw of the National Parks. Whilst I could write multiple posts about this amazing country, I’m going to let the pictures speak for themselves.
NATIONAL PARKS:
Cairngorm National Park.
Loch An Eilein in the Rothiemurchus forest
Cairngorm Mountains
Glen Clova in Cairngorm National Park
Heather in bloom in Glen Muick
Loch Muick
Old boathouse at Loch Muick
Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park.
Loch Lomond
CITIES & TOWNS:
Glasgow.
Flying over the suburbs of Glasgow
Strathclyde Park in Glasgow
Edinburgh.
Forth Rail Bridge across the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh
Edinburgh Castle as viewed from the back
The city of Edinburgh viewed from Arthur’s Seat
Aberdeen.
Union Square Gardens, Aberdeen
River Dee frozen in winter
Aberdeen promenade
Inverness.
The river Ness passing through Inverness
Kessock Bridge spanning the Beauly Firth near Inverness
Fort William.
Crinnan Canal outside Fort William
Perth.
Flying over Perth
ISLANDS:
Isle of Arran – Firth of Clyde.
Goatfell on Arran
Barra – Outer Hebrides.
Traigh Sgurabhal with Beinn Sgurabhal in the background
Cidhe Eolaigearraidh, with Fuday across the bay
On Barra, looking towards Orosaigh
Benbecula – Outer Hebrides.
Benbecula
Benbecula
Rueval summit, Benbecula
Berneray – Outer Hebrides.
Berneray
Sandy beach on Berneray
Looking across to Ensay & Killegray from Beinn Shleibhe on Berneray
Looking towards Ensay & Killegray from a beach on Berneray
Sand dunes on Berneray
Bute – Firth of Clyde.
Cows on the Isle of Bute
Looking towards Isle of Arran from Isle of Bute
Cumbrae – Firth of Clyde.
Millport on Cumbrae
Eriskay – Outer Hebrides.
Eriskay
Flodda – Outer Hebrides.
Flodda
Gigha – Inner Hebrides.
Achamore House on Gigha
Looking towards Islay from Gigha
Beautiful Gigha coastline
Grimsay – Outer Hebrides.
Grimsay
Iona – Inner Hebrides.
Iona
Iona Abbey
Isle of May – Firth of Forth.
Looking towards the lighthouse on Isle of May
Lismore – Inner Hebrides.
Flying over Lismore Island
Isle of Mull – Inner Hebrides.
Tobermory, Isle of Mull
The barren west of Mull
West coast of Mull
Abandoned boats on the Mull coastline
North Uist – Outer Hebrides.
North Uist
North Uist
Triagh Iar, North Uist
Oitir Mhor, North Uist
Orkney Mainland
Papa Westray
Isle of Skye – Inner Hebrides.
Uig bay
Quiraing
Waternish
Point of Ness, Durnish
Loch Slaplin
Loch Slaplin with the Cuillins Range behind
South Uist – Outer Hebrides.
Road sign at the South Uist to Eriskay causeway
Looking towards Eriskay from South Uist
Ludag, South Uist
Beautiful, secluded, white sandy beach
South Uist
Staffa – Inner Hebrides.
Fingall’s Cave, Staffa
Ulva – Inner Hebrides.
Ulva
Vatersay – Outer Hebrides.
Vatersay beach
Westray.
MAINLAND REGIONS:
Highlands.
Kyle of Loch Alsh with the Skye bridge
Loch Duich in the lowering sun
Gairloch
Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness
Flying over the mountains to the east of Oban
Loch Etive
Ben More & Loch Lubhair
Grampian.
Near Loch Kinnord
Loch Kinnord
Loch Lee
Invermark Castle
Balmedie beach north of Aberdeen
Slain’s Castle
North Sea coastline at Slain’s Castle
Ythan Estuary at Newburgh
Sand dune near Newburgh
Beach south of Collieston
Perthshire.
Loch Turret reservoir
Queen’s View, Loch Tummel
St Fillans on the bank of Loch Earn
Stirlingshire.
Fife.
St Andrews
South-eastern corner of the Kingdom of Fife
Patchwork quilt of farmland in Fife
Argyll.
Inveraray bridge
Loch Awe
MistyNites 
Oh my gosh. Scotland is one of my dream destinations and I think it just shot up to #1 on the bucket list with these photos. I am actually considering taking the sleeper from London to Fort William. However, for several reasons, I might have to go in October. Do you think that’s a good idea, weather-wise?
When it comes to weather in Scotland, it’s best to pack for all eventualities. It can be a bit hit and miss at any time of the year. The best months for dryness and sunshine are usually May and September. In October, the nights are already drawing in quite a bit, and the temperature is sitting around 10-14oC. In some regions, the first snow of winter arrives on the mountains in October, and the nights can be cold.
Away from the cities, you’ll need your own transport to have the best chance of seeing much. Fort William is quite isolated if you don’t have the means to get out and explore.
I hope you have a great time if you manage to get up there.
Thanks so much for the advice! The thought of going to Fort William occurred to me because I’d heard a lot about the sleeper train going there from London. I want to take the West Highland Line from Fort William to Mallaig too, maybe even visit the Isle of Skye. I just don’t know how smart it is to do all that in October, although it may be the only time I can go there really.
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