Place of interest Archive

Fortrose Cathedral – The Cathedral of the Black Isle

Fortrose Cathedral on the Black Isle in the east of Scotland is a ruin today. Yet once its power reached across to the west coast. Its history, and why a visit is worthwhile. It’s almost a pitiful sight. Not much remains today of the former beauty of Fortrose Cathedral. The nave of the church is […]

An Garradh Mòr – The Last Old Garden of the Outer Hebrides

Harsh Atlantic winds and acidic peat soil make South Uist almost infertile. Yet An Garradh Mòr, the great garden, has defied the elements for over 300 years. A visit. His house and his garden mattered more to Alexander MacDonald I. of Boisdale than the backward-looking rebellion of an upstart prince who had never before set […]

Sanna Beach and Bay – the Beautiful Side of an Ancient Crater

At the far edge of Ardnamurchan’s last great wilderness awaits the dreamlike Sanna Beach. To reach it, you first have to cross a crater. Feet in the sand of Sanna Beach, the turquoise water in the bay rolling in in waves, the wind cooling your forehead. Inland, a rocky ridge shields the beach; the view […]

Falkland in Fife – 300-Year-Old Houses and a Royal Palace

The village of Falkland in the region of Fife sits picturesquely at the foot of a hill. Its old houses are so well preserved that they served as a backdrop for the TV series “Outlander”. A visit. Silence. As evening falls, the village of Falkland in Fife slips back into a kind of sleeping-beauty slumber. […]

Rannoch Station – the Beauty of Solitude in the Wild Highland Moors

A touch of railway romance right in the middle of the moor: Rannoch Station marks the beginning of the trackless wilderness of the western Highlands. Solitude has never looked more beautiful. Right in the wild middle-of-nowhere of the Scottish Highlands lies Rannoch Station. A vast landscape of ferns, heather and grasses, speckled with small pools […]

Dunyvaig Castle – Ancient Guardian of Lagavulin Bay on Islay

Today, a whisky distillery dominates the bay of Lagavulin on Islay. But long before that, one of Scotland’s most important castles stood here: Dunyvaig Castle. A sheltered bay, where the sea embraces a green meadow. And although the white distillery draws almost all the attention, another structure still stands here too. As if guarding the […]

Grey Mare’s Tail – Impressive Waterfall with a View into a Wide Valley

The Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall plunges dramatically into the depths. A viewpoint also opens up a view into the green Moffat valley. The road from Selkirk to Moffat is considered one of the finest driving and motorcycling routes in the south of Scotland. It’s no wonder, since alongside the scenic St Mary’s Loch and the […]

Victorian Toilets on the Isle of Bute – A Noble Scottish Pissoir

Seriously? Toilets as a tourist attraction? Oh yes. Why the Victorian Toilets on the Isle of Bute are worth a visit – even without needing to go. After the long sea crossing, gentlemen at the pier deserved the chance to relieve themselves first. After all, most of them had arrived by paddle steamer, sailing down […]

Caerlaverock Castle – Scotland’s Impressive Moated Castle in the South

Even as a ruin, the moated castle of Caerlaverock still radiates strength. It was meant as a defence against the English. Fate had other plans. It’s hard to stand out among all of Scotland’s impressive castles. Yet Caerlaverock Castle, in the south of the country, manages it thanks to its distinctive appearance. There simply aren’t […]

Mull of Galloway – Scotland’s Southernmost Point

At the southern end of Scotland, at the Mull of Galloway, plenty of what makes the country special awaits you once more: green hills, steep cliffs, a wild sea and, above it all, a lighthouse. If you wanted to travel the length of the Scottish mainland from north to south, you’d need to start at […]