Scotland
Houses and cottages throughout Scotland.
T: +44 (0) 1556 504030
e: discover.scotland@virgin.net
w: www.discoverscotland.net
As one of Scotland’s premier holiday accommodation specialists, Discover Scotland offers a first class, friendly service to ensure that you have a great holiday or short break. Discover Scotland offer a range of over 200 self catering holiday cottages and holiday homes across Scotland. Whether you are looking for dog friendly holiday cottages, cottages for couples or large groups, or prestige and luxury cottages, Discover Scotland are here to help your with your holiday plans
About the Region
Wigtownshire:
Wigtownshire is the southwest corner of Scotland and the Mull of Galloway (wonderful scenery - well worth a visit) is the southernmost point of Scotland.
The surrounding sea is warmed by the Gulf Stream so the water is warm for swimmers. The fish in the warm sea attract seals, otters and a great variety of sea birds (RSBP reserve with puffins, gannets, etc.), and the warm, almost frost-free air allows spectacular gardens to flourish - Glenwhan, Castle Kennedy, and the Logan Botanic Garden with spectacular plants normally found in the sub tropics.
The south western area is know as The Machars, and consists mostly of un-spoilt farm land, enlivened by outcrops of rock and little woods. In the sea cliffs near Whithorn is St Ninian's cave, Here he first brought Christianity to Britain, In Whithorn is an archaeological exhibition detailing the history of the Abbey, where there has been worship for 16 centuries.
Stewartry:
The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright (so called because in the Middle Ages it was administered by a Steward, whereas the Shires had sheriffs) is a real "Scotland in Miniature".
Its land is varied and beautiful with the highest hills of the Southern Uplands (over 2500 feet) with alpine flora and fauna, hillsides of heather and forests - rapidly becoming things of beauty with variety of species, open spaces and conserved special groups of trees - farmland interspersed with traditional broadleaved woods, lochs, fast flowing rivers and areas of hard or steep uncultivated ground made beautiful by wild flowers. The Solway coast with high cliffs - the home of many seabirds - rocky shores ideal for sea fishing and sandy beaches - the sea warmed by the Gulf Stream.
Dumfriesshire:
The gateway to Scotland, Dumfriesshire offers much of the beauty and variety that can be found in Scotland's countryside, towns and villages. Entering from the English border, you pass through the fertile farmland along the shores of the Solway Firth and to the north you can see the rounded Border hills with the valleys clothed in the forests of Eskdalemuir. Then to the north-west are the Lowther hills, heather clad and steep with the swift flowing bums and rivers like the Annan and the Nith, both renowned for salmon and sea trout fishing.
The Scottish Borders:
The Scottish Borders with their rolling hills, woodlands, river valleys and characterful towns are a holiday setting with plenty of appeal. In olden times, this Border country was a place of warfare and skirmishing. Its legacy today is a wealth of historic sites, notably abbeys, castles and stately homes. This area is also strongly associated with horses - it is said that the annual Selkirk Common Riding is the largest mounted gathering anywhere in Europe. As a result, the area has an excellent choice of riding and trekking centres.
Though angling on the River Tweed is justly famed, there are many other angling opportunities, with permits availably locally at very reasonable cost. There are also many walks for all abilities in the area, from sheltered woodland trails to all-day excursions. The signposted long-distance footpath, the Southern Upland Way, also crosses the area and can be enjoyed in easy day stages. With extensive forests as well as quiet byways, the Scottish Borders is excellent cycling country. The Glentress Forest near Peebles is just one of the places with waymarked trails for mountain biking. Sports facilities and swimming pools can be found in most towns in the area, for example Duns, Galashiels, Hawick and Jedburgh.
Ayrshire:
Ayrshire and Arran, mainland and island, are old-established holiday areas. The wide Firth of Clyde is the foreground to the westward views to the distinctive profile of the island of Arran. Looking eastwards, Ayrshire's coastal strip, with its vivid green pastures and characteristic hawthorn hedges, is crossed by wooded river valleys and backed by moors and tranquil uplands.
Arran is sometimes called 'Scotland in Miniature' because it has both Highland and Lowland landscapes. It also has had a special pace in the affections of generations of holidaymakers. The keenest and fittest explore the granite ridges of the Goat Fell range, while the majority enjoy the wide range of activity options the island offers.
Ayrshire is noted as a golfing centre, with a superb choice of twenty coastal links courses in particular. The old county town of Ayr is associated with Scotland's national poet Robert Burns and is a starting point for the many places associated with him, first the Burns National Heritage Park at his Alloway birthplace. Ayrshire has many historic castles, the most famous of which is Culzean Castle.
West Highlands & Islands:
If any part of Scotland could claim to be where tourism began, then it is here that visitors crossed the Highland line more than two centuries ago in search of the picturesque - and found it in the Trossachs. The trip to the east bank of Loch Lomond, at lnversnaid, via the Trossachs is still a magnificent celebration of scenic Scotland - though, arguably, even better is to take to Loch Katrine on the SS Sir Walter Scott, which has sailed the loch for a century. Much of the area is now Scotland's first National Park and its gateway and orientation centre, Loch Lomond Shores, is at Balloch on the south end of Loch Lomond. Visit to discover the story of Scotland's largest inland body of water (by surface area). Walking, sailing, cruising, angling and lots more are popular ways of making the most of this loch straddling Highland and Lowland, and overlooked by the sentinel peak of Ben Lomond.
Perthshire & Kingdom of Fife:
Both the Lowland, salty air of the old fishing villages of the East Neuk of Fife, and the wide-open spaces of the upper Angus Glens, are included in this area offering contrasts in plenty on both sides of the Highland line.
Typical Perthshire scenery takes in long and picturesque lochs in steep-sided glens, with big grey-green mountains above - explore around Rannoch or Tummel for adventures and water-based activities or long days on the hill. A little string of Highland-edge towns like Dunkeld and Blairgowrie have one foot in the hills and another in the gentler lands below. The major centre of Perth offers an excellent range of places to visit, from gardens to distilleries. It also makes a good centre for exploring 'Big Tree Country', with both the tallest tree in Britain (near Dunkeld) and the highest hedge (near Blairgowrie) within easy reach.
From the empty silent spaces on the edge of the Grampian mountains, down to a coastline of red sandstone cliffs and long beaches, Angus is an area full of surprises, from Scotland's own Niagara Falls - the Reekie Linn waterfall near Alyth - to Macbeth connections at Glamis Castle. Kirriemuir is the gateway to the Angus Glens, and noted for its associations with JM Barrie, creator of Peter Pan. Between hill and coast lies gentler country with Forfar and Brechin as the main centres. East again, Carnoustie is a reminder that the quality of golf on offer hereabouts has few parallels. As well as fine coastal golf links, Angus offers a coastline worth exploring for its beaches and coves, especially around Auchmithie, north of Arbroath, and Lunan Bay.
Royal Deeside & Speyside:
Scotland's north-east, between the Rivers Dee and Spey is classic secret country. It lies not just in the hills, but partly beyond them. The rolling plains of Moray and the old counties of Banff and Aberdeen stretch down to a peerless coastline where dolphins roll in the tides of the Moray Firth.
This is a holiday experience for those who enjoy the sense of somewhere different. Some say that because this corner of Scotland was bypassed by some of the main events in Scotland's stormy history, many of its castles survived. Whatever the truth, the "Castles of Mar" - the many castles built to the west and north of Aberdeen, around the Rivers Dee and Don - represent the finest flowering of Scotland's castle building tradition. And the very best of those lie on a signposted trail, which leads to such gems as 16th -century Crathes Castle, with its painted ceilings and colourful garden, or Fyvie Castle with it superb collection of paintings.
The malt whiskies of the valley of the River Spey are drinks of rare subtlety and lightness. Some taste a sweetness, almost a honey flavour - but it is the sort of discussion you should have round a well-stocked gantry at any one of a number of pubs while travelling in Moray. Better still, a signposted trail takes you round distilleries open for visitors to take a tour (and, usually a sample dram). There you can gain an insight into how yeast, peat-smoke, meltwater from the Cairngorms and barley from the sunny coastal plain of Moray combine in a magical way into one of Scotland's most distinctive products.
Choose this area for its sense of authenticity. This a real Scotland of fishing, farming and distilling, of true tastes and flavours and a natural, down to earth friendliness. A good choice of heritage centres and local museums, plus a wide variety of outdoor pursuits such as riding, trekking and angling (with skiing in season), mean there is certainly plenty to do.
Highlands & Skye:
The highest mountain, the deepest loch - this is the area for superlatives as well as great contrasts. Nairn's golf courses or Dornoch Cathedral are as much a part of the area as the soaring rock walls of Ben Nevis or the trackless grandeur of Knoydart.
This is big country - even at Inverness, there is still some way to go to the top of Scotland! With Inverness a natural route centre, the roads go off like wheel-spokes. The Laidhay Croft Centre by Dunbeath, or Timespan at Helmsdale portray Caithness and Sutherland life. Along the seaboard of the north-west, curiously-shaped and oddly-named mountains - Arkle, Foinaven, Canisp, Stac Polly - stream white quartz down their slopes like snow. The north-west has special atmosphere all of its own.
At the south end of the Great Glen lies Fort William, like Inverness a natural route centre offering everything for visitors, including its nearness to Ben Nevis and also the Nevis Range ski centre, with its year-round gondolas sweeping up for views of 'The Ben' and around Lochaber. (Nevis Range also has Britain's longest downhill mountain bike track.)
Peerless sea views out to the Small Isles, a softness in the air and some of the remotest tracts of land in all of the UK, are typical of the West Highlands. Ardnamurchan Point is the most westerly point in mainland Scotland and getting there is a scenic delight. Its lighthouse visitor centre is a good place to go whale-watching. Moidart to the north is Bonnie Prince Charlie country, adding further romance with the tale of the Jacobite adventurer who came 'Over the Sea to Skye'.
Houses and cottages throughout Scotland.
T: +44 (0) 1556 504030
e: discover.scotland@virgin.net
w: www.discoverscotland.net
