The country of Scotland makes up about a third of Britain’s geographical area (30,400 square miles), but has less than a tenth of its population (just over five million). This sparsely populated chunk of land stretches to Norwegian latitudes. Its Shetland Islands, at about 60°N (similar to Anchorage, Alaska), are the northernmost point in Britain.
The southern part of Scotland, called the Lowlands, is relatively flat and urbanized. The northern area—the Highlands—features a wild, severely undulating terrain, punctuated by lochs (lakes) and fringed by sea lochs (inlets) and islands. The Highland Boundary Fault that divides Scotland geologically also divides it culturally. Historically, there was a big difference between grizzled, kilt-wearing Highlanders in the northern wilderness and the more refined Lowlanders in the southern flatlands and cities. The Highlanders spoke and acted like “true Scots,” while the Lowlanders often seemed more “British” than Scottish. Although this division has faded over time, some Scots still cling to it today—city slickers down south think that Highlanders are crude and unrefined, and those who live at higher latitudes grumble about the soft, pampered urbanites in the Lowlands.
The Lowlands are dominated by a pair of rival cities: Edinburgh, the old royal capital, teems with Scottish history and is the country’s best tourist attraction. Glasgow, once a gloomy industrial city, is becoming a hip, laid-back city of today, known for its modern architecture. The medieval university town and golf mecca of St. Andrews, the whisky village of Pitlochry, and the historic city of Stirling are my picks as the Lowlands’ highlights.
The Highlands provide your best look at traditional Scotland. The sights are subtle, but the warm culture and friendly people are engaging. There are a lot of miles, but they’re scenic, the roads are good, and the traffic is light. Generally, the Highlands are hungry for the tourist dollar, and everything overtly Scottish is exploited to the kilt. You’ll need more than a quick visit to get away from that. But if you only have two days, you can get a feel for the area with a quick drive to Oban, through Glencoe, then up the Caledonian Canal to Inverness. With more time, the Isles of Iona and Mull (an easy day trip from Oban), the Isle of Skye, and countless brooding countryside castles will flesh out your Highlands experience.
The Highlands are more rocky and harsh than other parts of the British Isles. It’s no wonder that most of the scenes around Hogwarts in the Harry Potter movies were filmed in this moody, sometimes spooky landscape. Though Scotland’s “hills” are technically too short to be called “mountains,” they do a convincing imitation. Scotland has 284 hills over 3,000 feet. A list of these was compiled in 1891 by Sir Hugh Munro, and to this day the Scots still call their high hills “Munros.” According to the Scottish Mountaineering Club, more than 4,300 intrepid hikers can brag that they’ve climbed all of the Munros.
In this northern climate, cold and drizzly weather isn’t uncommon—even in midsummer. The blazing sun can quickly be covered over by black clouds and howling wind. Scots warn visitors to prepare for “four seasons in one day.” Because Scots feel personally responsible for bad weather, they tend to be overly optimistic about forecasts. Take any Scottish promise of “sun by the afternoon” with a grain of salt—and bring your raincoat.
In the summer, the Highlands swarm with tourists...and midges. These tiny biting insects—like “no-see-ums” in some parts of North America—are bloodthirsty and determined. They can be an annoyance from late May through September, depending on the weather. Hot sun or a stiff breeze blows the tiny buggers away, but they thrive in damp, shady areas. Locals suggest blowing or brushing them off, rather than swatting them—since killing them only seems to attract more (likely because of the smell of fresh blood). Scots say, “If you kill one midge, a million more will come to his funeral.” Even if you don’t usually travel with bug spray, consider bringing or buying some for a summer visit—or your most vivid memory of your Scottish vacation might be itchy arms and legs.
Keep an eye out for another Scottish animal: shaggy Highland cattle—those adorable “hairy coos” with their hair falling in their eyes. With a heavy coat to keep them insulated, hairy coos graze on sparse vegetation that other animals ignore. And of course, Scotland’s not short on sheep.
The major theme of Scottish history is the drive for independence, especially from England. (Scotland’s rabble-rousing national motto is Nemo me impune lacessit—“No one provokes me with impunity.”) Like Wales, Scotland is a country of ragtag Celts sharing an island with wealthy and powerful Anglo-Saxons. Scotland’s Celtic culture is a result of its remoteness—the invading Romans were never able to conquer this rough-and-tumble people, and even built Hadrian’s Wall to lock off this distant corner of their empire. The Anglo-Saxons, and their descendants the English, fared little better than the Romans did. Even King Edward I—who so successfully dominated Wales—was unable to hold on to Scotland for long, largely thanks to the relentlessly rebellious William Wallace (a.k.a. “Braveheart”).
Failing to conquer Scotland by the blade, England eventually absorbed it politically. In 1603, England’s Queen Elizabeth I died without an heir, so Scotland’s King James VI took the throne, becoming King James I of England. It took another century or so of battles, both military and diplomatic, but the Act of Union in 1707 definitively (and controversially) unified the Kingdom of Great Britain. In 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie attempted to reclaim the Scottish throne on behalf of the deposed Stuarts, but his army was slaughtered at the Battle of Culloden (described in the Inverness and the Northern Highlands chapter). This cemented English rule over Scotland, and is seen by many Scots as the last gasp of the traditional Highlands clan system.
Scotland has been joined—however unwillingly—to England ever since, and the Scots have often felt oppressed by their English countrymen (see the sidebar on here). During the Highland Clearances in the 18th and 19th centuries, landowners (mostly English) decided that vast tracks of land were more profitable as grazing land for sheep than as farmland for people. Many Highlanders were forced to abandon their traditional homes and lifestyles and seek employment elsewhere. Large numbers ended up in North America, especially parts of eastern Canada, such as Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia (literally, “New Scotland”).
Today, Americans and Canadians of Scottish descent enjoy coming “home” to Scotland. If you’re Scottish, your surname will tell you which clan your ancestors likely belonged to. The prefix “Mac” (or “Mc”) means “son of”—so “MacDonald” means the same thing as “Donaldson.” Tourist shops everywhere are happy to help you track down your clan’s tartan, or distinctive plaid pattern—many clans have several.
Is Scotland really a country? It’s not a sovereign state, but it is a “nation” in that it has its own traditions, ethnic identity, languages (Gaelic and Scots), and football league. To some extent, it even has its own government: Recently, Scotland has enjoyed its greatest measure of political autonomy in centuries—a trend called “devolution.” In 1999, the Scottish parliament opened its doors in Edinburgh for the first time in almost 300 years. Though the Scottish parliament’s powers are limited (most major decisions are still made in London), the Scots are enjoying the refreshing breeze of increased independence. Today, some politicians are poised to ask the EU to recognize Scotland as a separate country.
Scotland even has its own currency. While Scots use the same coins as England, Scotland also prints its own bills (with Scottish rather than English people and landmarks). Just to confuse tourists, three different banks print Scottish pound notes, each with a different design. In the Lowlands (around Edinburgh and Glasgow), you’ll receive both Scottish and English pounds from ATMs and in change. But in the Highlands, you’ll almost never see English pounds. Though most merchants in England accept Scottish pound notes, a few might balk—especially at the rare one-pound note, which their cash registers don’t have a slot for. (They are, however, legally required to accept your Scottish currency.)
The Scottish flag—a diagonal, X-shaped white cross on a blue field—represents the cross of Scotland’s patron saint, the Apostle Andrew (who was crucified on an X-shaped cross). You may not realize it, but you see the Scottish flag every time you look at the Union Jack: England’s flag (the red St. George’s cross on a white field) superimposed on Scotland’s (a blue field with a white diagonal cross). The diagonal red cross (St. Patrick’s cross) over Scotland’s white one represents Northern Ireland. (Wales gets no love on the Union Jack.)
Scots are known for their inimitable burr, but they are also proud of their old Celtic language, Scottish Gaelic (pronounced “gallic”; Ireland’s closely related Celtic language is spelled the same but pronounced “gaylic”). Gaelic thrives only in the remotest corners of Scotland. In major towns and cities, virtually nobody speaks Gaelic every day, but the language is kept on life-support by a Scottish population keen to remember their heritage. New Gaelic schools are opening all the time, and Scotland has passed a law to replace road signs with new ones listing both English and Gaelic spellings (e.g., Edinburgh/Dùn Èideann).
Scotland has another language of its own, called Scots (a.k.a. “Lowland Scots,” to distinguish it from Gaelic). Aye, you’re likely already a wee bit familiar with a few Scots words, ye lads and lassies. As you travel, you’re sure to pick up a bit more (see sidebar) and enjoy the lovely musical lilt as well. Many linguists argue that Scots is technically an ancient dialect of English, rather than a distinct language. These linguists have clearly never heard a Scot read aloud the poetry of Robert Burns, who wrote in unfiltered (and often unintelligible) Scots. (Opening line of “To a Louse”: “Ha! Whaur ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie?”) Fortunately, you’re unlikely to meet anyone quite that hard to understand; most Scots speak Scottish-accented standard English, peppered with their favorite Scots phrases. If you have a hard time understanding someone, ask them to translate—you may take home some new words as souvenirs.
Scottish cuisine is down-to-earth, often with an emphasis on local produce. Both seafood and “land food” (beef and chicken) are common. One Scottish mainstay—eaten more by tourists than by Scots these days—is the famous haggis, a rich assortment of oats and sheep organs stuffed into a chunk of sheep intestine, liberally seasoned and boiled. Usually served with “neeps and tatties” (turnips and potatoes), it’s tastier than it sounds and worth trying...even before you’ve tucked into the whisky.
The “Scottish Breakfast” is similar to the English version, but they add a potato scone (like a flavorless, soggy potato pancake) and occasionally haggis (which is hard enough to get down at dinnertime).
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the Scots love their whisky—and touring one of the country’s many distilleries is a sightseeing treat. The Scots are fiercely competitive with the Irish when it comes to this peaty spirit. Scottish “whisky” is distilled twice, whereas Irish “whiskey” adds a third distillation (and an extra e). Grain here is roasted over peat fires, giving it a smokier flavor than its Irish cousin. Also note that what we call “scotch”—short for “scotch whisky”—is just “whisky” here. I’ve listed several of the most convenient and interesting distilleries to visit, but if you’re a whisky connoisseur, make a point of tracking down and touring your favorite.
Another unique Scottish flavor to sample is the soft drink called Irn-Bru (pronounced “Iron Brew”). This bright-orange beverage tastes not like orange soda, but like bubblegum with a slightly bitter aftertaste. (The diet version is even more bitter.) While Irn-Bru’s appeal eludes non-Scots, it’s hugely popular here, even outselling Coke. Be cautious sipping it—as the label understates, “If spilt, this product may stain.”
Whether toasting with beer, whisky, or Irn-Bru, enjoy meeting the Scottish people. Many travelers fall in love with the irrepressible spirit and beautiful landscape of this faraway corner of Britain.