Städte und Orte Archive

North Ronaldsay – Sheep, Lighthouses and Birdlife at the Edge of Orkney

Black-and-white striped North Ronaldsay lighthouse in warm evening light

Seaweed-eating sheep, two lighthouses and rare migrant birds: the best things to do on North Ronaldsay, plus walking and travel tips.

Pennan – A Bay With a Film Legend

A bay, a village, a legendary film – the little settlement of Pennan is surely one of the most idyllic spots in Scotland, and famous for its role in the film Local Hero. The phone in the red telephone box outside the pub is ringing. It’s night. Nobody picks up. The caller’s longing goes unanswered […]

Fort Augustus – Locks on Loch Ness

If Loch Ness has a beginning, it’s probably Fort Augustus. Because here, every boat heading for Inverness has to pass through a magnificent flight of locks. Nothing remains today of the old fort that gave the village its name. A far more interesting structure has taken its place: this is where a stretch of the […]

Isle of Iona – The Sacred Island of the Scots

It is considered a spiritual centre of Scotland – the place from which Christianity spread into the Highlands. The small island of Iona is geographically little more than an appendage of Mull. And yet it is so much more important than that. Emerald green, the isle sits on a turquoise sea as the small ferry […]

Applecross – A Refuge in Scotland’s Beautiful Wilderness

A remote peninsula in the west of Scotland, with overwhelming nature and a wild mountain backdrop. Right in the middle: the small village of Applecross. The drive there is one of the most impressive experiences of a trip to Scotland. Lonely lochs, wind-swept bays with turquoise sea, steeply rising mountains – Applecross is one of […]

Luss – Scotland’s loveliest village on Loch Lomond

Ein typisches Haus in Luss am Loch Lomond

Small houses line the road leading to the loch. All around them lies a stunning landscape. A visit to Luss on Loch Lomond.

Kilchoman – an Abandoned Place Steeped in History on Islay

Kilchoman was once a thriving community on Islay – today, only the eerie graveyard, the ruined church and the old stone cross remain to remind us of the people who once lived here. That alone makes it worth a visit – that, and of course the distillery and the glorious beach nearby. Kilchoman’s handful of […]

Tobermory – a Picture-Perfect Harbour Town on Mull

A colourful row of houses nestles against a stunning sea bay – this is Tobermory, the capital of Mull. The word “picturesque” really does fit here, since the buildings gleam in a range of colours that’s rather unusual for Scotland. Strolling along the harbour front is well worth it, though it won’t fill a whole […]

Ullapool – Harbour Town and Gateway to the Wilderness

A row of white houses along the shore of Loch Broom – Ullapool has all the romantic charm of a fishing harbour, but offers plenty more besides. It’s the last sizeable settlement before you head into the solitude of the North Highlands, and it’s also the ferry port for the crossing to Stornoway on the […]

John o’ Groats – From an Unattractive Town to a Tourist Attraction

“Most Desolate Place of the Year 2010″—there are certainly more desirable awards that John o’ Groats would have preferred to win. But the town has changed since then. When it rains – and that’s certainly not uncommon in Scotland – there are actually few places that seem more desolate. Lower John o’ Groats, by the […]