Today's tourists to this most northerly part of the British Isles usually have definite expectations as to what they will find. Mention of Scotland conjures up images of kilted Highlanders, skirling bagpipes, the cult of clan and tartan, the Loch Ness Monster, lonely castles, woollens, golf, and tossing the caber at spectacular Highland
gatherings, not to mention magnificent scenery, sheep grazing amid heather and gorse, shaggy Highland cattle like overgrown cuddly toys, and seemingly endless drizzle. And of course all this is indeed part of the Scottish scene. There is though a great deal more besides, and the weather is seldom as bad as its reputation.
Scotland lends itself to exploration in countless different ways, each a unique journey of discovery rich in unforgettable experiences. You can tour the many castles and fabled battlefields where clans fought fiercely, so bringing to life the country's eventful history; you can trace the footsteps of Mary Stuart, the queen who was a legend in her own lifetime, or follow a literary trail through the land of Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott. You can take the Woollen Route through the Scottish Borders and admire the kiltmaker's art, visit Harris, famous for its tweeds, or the Shetlands, equally famous for their knitwear.
One of Scotland's special charms is its delightful mixture of richly contrasting heritages including Norse, Celtic, Anglo-Saxon and Norman, from Maes Howe in the Orkneys -- the best preserved prehistoric chamber tomb in Europe -- to medieval fortified castles, splendid baronial mansions, turf-roofed crofts and the much-imitated Art Nouveau architecture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Another of Scotland's great attractions is its solitude. Even today there are remote stretches of heather-covered moorland where it is possible to wander for days without meeting another soul. Complementing the wild romantic beauty of the lonely Scottish mountains with their deep glens and lochs teeming with fish, are breathtaking rocky coasts, gently undulating hills, mile upon mile of white sandy beaches, lush parks and enchanting gardens.
Although since 1707 Scotland has been part, the most northerly part, of Great Britain, this has done little to diminish the contrast between the Scottish and English identities. North of the border the country has its own face, at once familiar yet also fascinatingly different. Scottish cooking, for example, at its best approaches the excellence of French cuisine, from which, thanks to the "Auld Alliance", it has borrowed much. And where but in Scotland could persistent drizzle be so easily forgiven -- what ghost, after all, would haunt a castle perennially bathed in sunshine! Last but by no means least there is the extraordinary hospitality of the people. No other quality of the gregarious Scots more belies their reputation for meanness, a myth originating in the Scottish habit of countering hardship with humor. That their own jokes so often allude to miserliness shows just how much the Scots enjoy laughing at themselves. Discover Scotland in all its intriguing variety and you may come to look on this as one of the most delightful journeys of your life.
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