Scotland has a wealth of natural beauty that is rightly famous the world over. When many people think of Scotland, they think of the Highlands, the Lochs and the windswept, thistle-dotted terrain. Blessed with incredible geography, Scotland is a first-class destination for nature lovers and in this short article we will pick out five of the most beautiful natural environments in the country.
Whereas in England, certain landscapes are designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in Scotland they speak of National Scenic Areas (NSAs). These are designated and administered by Scottish National Heritage, an independent public body with the task of protecting Scotland's natural environment from development and preserving its biodiversity.
1. Cairngorms National Park
Rising up from the East Highlands, the Cairngorms mountain range consist of a large plateau studded with rounded glacial mountains. The geology of the area is spectacular, and the rocks found here are the product of volcanic processes dating back billions of years. This makes for stunning rocky escarpments that rise forbiddingly from the surrounding hills. Truly a mystical landscape, the Cairngorms promise to transport the visitor into a place of communion with nature at its most awe-inspiring.
2. Loch Lomond
With a surface area of 27 square miles, the freshwater Loch Lomond, studded with about 60 islands, is the largest lake in the British Isles by surface area. At its deepest, it plunges about 190 metres down. The avid motorhome driver can skirt the lake and simply enjoy the scenery, or for the more active the loch offers a wide range of watersports activities including kayaking, jetskiing, water-skiing and canoeing.
3. Loch Ness
Arguably Scotland's most famous export after whiskey, the legendary Loch Ness is Britain's largest lake by water volume. At its deepest, the loch is 230 metres. Plenty of water in which to conceal an underwater remnant of the Jurassic Age, perhaps. But don't hold your breath for a sighting of the elusive Loch Ness Monster. Instead, drive the perimeter of the lake and soak up the incredible natural scenery.
4. The Trossachs
Encompassing the area to the north-east of Loch Lomond and often thought of as the Lake District of Scotland, the Trossachs offer splendid natural beauty in the form of rolling uplands, miles of heather and stunning lakes. It is the picture postcard vision of the Scottish Highlands.
5. The Isle of Mull
The islands off the west coast of Scotland are inhospitable in the winter months, but in spring and summer the weather improves and of all the islands, the Isle of Mull is arguably the most beautiful and unspoilt natural habitat. It boasts a wide range of wildlife including sea eagles and wildcats. The north of the island is mountainous and very wet, while the south is very sunny. Ferry crossings are available three times a day with a return ticket for a motorhome up to 5m long available for around £20.
Author details:
Michael D. Hall is a consultant at erento, the world's largest online rental marketplace. erento lists over 1 million rental items in 2,200 categories such as Truck hire, Motorhome hire, Trailer hire and many others.
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