Sightseeing in the Highlands of Scotland

By Graeme Knights

The Scottish highlands are a beautiful place to visit. The scenery is spectacular, and there are so many things to do. Scotland's highlands offer mountains, castles, distilleries, and an unforgettable coastline. You will find everything from hiking and fishing to shopping and dining to keep you busy. Or you might enjoy a chance to sit back and relax while taking in the wonderful surroundings.

A popular destination in the Scottish highlands is Loch Ness. This area has become famous worldwide for the sightings of their mystical creature, the Loch Ness Monster. He or she is known as Nessie to the groups of people who have made a sport out of trying to catch a glimpse of this mythical sea animal.

Putting the legends aside, Loch Ness is a beautiful area. The Loch is 20 miles long and 700 feet deep. The city of Loch Ness and Inverness have excellent lodging. You can find bed and breakfasts, hotels, and cottages to stay in. They even have a few castles you can rent for weddings and large parties. Loch Ness is perfect for water sports. You can go canoeing or sailing on your own. Boat cruises are available to give tours around the water. A lot of people come for the fishing. Trout, sea trout, salmon, and pike can all be found here. The Great Glen Way has several walking trails. They have long distance trails and hillside trails. They also offer easier trails that are perfect for families to enjoy together. For those looking for a bigger challenge, Loch Ness is great for wind surfing, paragliding, mountain biking, and skiing.

Another good place to see while in the highlands is Whisky Country. Speyside's Whisky Trail takes you along a beautiful tour of the country. It includes seven distilleries and a cooperage. Half of the distilleries in Scotland are in this area. Benromach is one in Forres. It is marked by a tall red brick chimney among small white buildings. This one is the smallest distillery. Dallas Dhu shows you the art of making malt whisky. They have been making their whisky since 1898. Glen Grant still uses a copper still and old fashioned wooden vats. Here you can enjoy a tasting pavilion under a heather-thatched roof, surrounded by Victorian gardens. Don't forget a stop at the cooperage. Coopers here can be seen making oak casks.

No sightseeing trip to Scotland would be complete without driving along the Highland Coast. You will find 7,000 miles of amazing beaches and cliffs. This is a wonderful area to see Scotland's wildlife. Bike trips and self guided car trips can be arranged ahead of time. You are sure to leave Scotland wanting to come back again.

So whether you are driving yourself across the border, or looking for coach breaks to the highlands, give it a go, there is something special just waiting to be discovered.....maybe Nessie!

Graeme supplies his wizardry to http://oneagency.co, an SEO Agency - writing on behalf of Grand UK Coach Tour Holidays.

Rent a Castle for a Unique Holiday in Perth

By Dipika Patel

Choosing to rent a castle in Scotland can provide you with the perfect luxury base from which to explore a little more of this historic country - and there is no better place to start than Perth.

If you are a history enthusiast then you will find so much to see and do here, including exploring one of the many castles to see how your own accommodation fares against it.

One of the most famous is Scone Palace. Once the place where the King of Scotland - including Bonnie Prince Charlie and Robert the Bruce - was crowned, today you can find out more about its past while browsing a host of interesting artefacts.

If this has sparked your interest then next on the agenda should be a trip to the centre of town, where you will find St John's Kirk. This is the oldest building in the market town and dates back to 1159, making it significantly older than the nearby St Ninian's Cathedral.

Elcho Castle or Huntingtower Castle are nearby heritage centres you may wish to check out, while art enthusiasts can see a collection of paintings by the celebrated colourist John Duncan Fergusson at the Fergusson Gallery, or head to Perth Museum and Art Gallery for a more varied affair.

Meanwhile, shopaholics will not be disappointed - many of the streets are lined with boutiques and stores where you can get stuck into a spot of retail therapy, before relaxing with a coffee at the cafe corner of St John's Place.

And if you are looking to sample some traditional Scottish fare during your stay, you're in luck. The sights and sounds of the weekend Perth Farmers Market are likely to whet your appetite and in the evening you can choose from a range of modern bistros or luxury restaurants, before relaxing with a moonlit walk down the banks of the River Tay.

One of the best things about choosing Perth when you rent castles in Scotland is that you are also ideally situated to enjoy the beautiful surrounding countryside, or play a few rounds of golf.

When your holiday does draw to an end, do not be surprised if you soon find yourself planning your next castle break.

Scotts Castle Holidays specialises in large properties, mansions and castles for rent in Scotland. If you want to rent a castle, then we can find the best castles in Scotland for you that will perfectly suit your holiday.

Brodick Castle - A Place to Explore During a Scotland Holiday Stay

By Dipika Patel

If you are planning a getaway to the Isle of Arran in Scotland, you won't want to miss a trip to historic Brodick Castle. Dating back to the late 16th century, this red sandstone structure is currently owned by the National Trust for Scotland and has been the site of a stronghold in this area since the fifth century AD.

Located at the foot of Goatfell Mountain, Brodick Castle is open to the public on select days from April until October. Inside, you'll find a collection of artwork formerly owned by 18th century author William Beckford, as well as numerous paintings, porcelain and furniture owned by the castle's previous residents. You can also pay a visit to the picturesque surrounding gardens, which are open year-round from 09:30 GMT to sunset, as well as the castle's unique walled garden, the Bavarian Summer House - which dates back to 1845 - and the ice house, where ice would be packed underground during the winter months to be used in the summertime.

During your stay in Scottish holiday homes, you'll want to take some time to explore the Isle of Arran. The island has something to offer everyone, whether you're keen to hike the diverse landscape, cycle the coastline, play a round of golf, explore its centuries-old history or simply relax with friends over a delicious meal in one of the many fine local establishments.

Despite its small size - measuring ten miles by 19 miles - the Isle of Arran boasts a unique terrain, including stunning coastline, a mountainous interior and lush green forests and rolling hills. Situated in the Firth of Clyde between Ayrshire and Kintyre, it is one of Scotland's most southerly islands and is the perfect place to take a weekend break. You may want to pay a visit to one of the island's pretty coastal towns or get back to nature in its remarkable terrain - the choice is yours!

However you plan to spend your time on the Isle of Arran, you're sure to have an enjoyable and relaxing getaway when you stay in holiday homes in Scotland.

If you are looking to rent holiday homes in Scotland, Scotts Castles can help. We specialise in helping you find large holiday homes in Scotland.

Golf in Scotland ~ Golfing Holiday

By Keith George

Golf in Scotland is a historical phenomenon. According to records the game was first played in 1457 after which it was banned by King James II.
Golf is a national pastime for Scots since 1502!

The Stewart monarchs were themselves keen to develop golf in Scotland. The reputed Scottish golf courses lie in parkland, moorland, pasture or heathland.
If you are a golf lover, Scotland can be an ideal place to spend your vacation.

You can engage yourself in thrilling activities like - shoot game, fishing on a river or Scottish loch, play golf, visit a Scottish castle, hunt deer and dream of our Braveheart "William Wallace". Walking, boating, cycling and watersports are for everyone.

With traditional warm Scottish hospitality you can relax here, listen to pipes and transcend in the world of history.

Golf courses

Dalmunzie Golf Club
This club is located in the heart of Perthshire, near Spittal of Glenshee. Dalmunzie Golf Club is a nine hole moorland course. This is the first choice for beginners and golfers who want to increase their skills. The golf course at Dalmunzie is not long - actually it is only 2100 yards. The Golf course is surrounded by mountains on three sides with an abundant of wildlife on the course. Grouse, deers and even rabbits run wild on the moors.

Rosemount Golf Course
This golf course exists in history of golf in Scotland since 1889. Greg Norman have to be fond of this Perthshire peach, as he was the first Australian to win his first European Tour event here.

No doubt, it is one of the best inland courses. Fairways are bordered with troublesome trees and patches of heather. Accuracy is the key to play golf in Scotland.

Lansdowne Course
Near to Rosemount course, there is Lansdowne Golf Course which was opened in 1977. It is the first priority for visitors who come to Blairgowrie to see Lansdowne.

Gleneagles - Kings Course
At Gleneagles, there are 3 golf courses. All golf courses are great but King's Course is the best of all. Throughout the year, it is kept in perfect condition and it also shares the reputation of being the best inland course in Scotland.

There are 18 holes at Kings Course, each of them offer different type of golf - from drives to approach shots to elevated greens, elevated tees to cambered fairways, wickedly angled greens, sweeping plateau doglegs and much more.

Add present wildlife and the majestic scenery if you are residing at Gleneagles Hotel. With all these excellence and experience in Scotland - playing golf in Scotland will live long in your memories.

If you haven't been there don't delay, plan your next vacation for Scotland.

Keith George always writes about valuable news & reviews. A related resource is Golf In Scotland. Further information can be found at Home Mortgage Cycling.

Touring Through Invermoriston, Highlands, Scotland

By Simon Haughtone

Touring through Invermoriston, Highlands, Scotland offers a fine opportunity to see Loch Ness - rumored to be home to the legendary sea monster - and the surrounding region. The areas around the village, and Invermoriston itself, are a noted tourist destination for many traveling in the Highland local government area. This is because of its history and wild natural beauty.

Invermoriston sits on the western shore of Loch Ness, and life today mainly centers on the tourism industry, though this wasn't always so. As in many areas of Highland, the population once relied on forestry-type activities. Evidence of this is shown in the fact that there once was an active local sawmill, first established around 1640.

It is not surprising, though, that tourism supplanted forestry in Highland, because there are certainly plenty of things to see and do in a region famous for the scenic nature of its geography and natural resources. Exploring is made all the easier due to the fact of Invermoriston's location near the A82 motorway and it only being around 26 miles from Inverness, the capital of Highland.

The village also offers a good base camp from which to start out on a hike along the Great Glen Way, a 73 mile long hiking trail. Most tourists travel along the trail in a west-to-east direction, owing to the strong winds which blow in from the nearby North Sea. Invermoriston also boasts a couple of items of interest, including a well supposedly rid of demons by Columba, a Catholic saint of the 6th century.

The village also resides in Highland, the local government area of Scotland responsible for this part of the country. It's also the largest government area in not only Scotland but also the whole United Kingdom. It has a population of around 218,000 people. Highland is the result of reorganization in structure of government areas which first began in 1973, leading to its own reclassification in 1975. The village of Invermoriston and Highland make fine examples of what typical Scottish living can be.