An introduction to Scotland
Discover a land of mountains, mirror like lochs, castles and the whiskey trail...
What is the story.?
The first inhabitants of Scotland were the Picts, a Celtic tribe. Between A.D. 82 and A.D. 208, the Romans invaded Scotland, naming it Caledonia. Roman influence over the land, however, was minimal.
The Scots, a Celtic tribe from Ireland, migrated to the west coast of Scotland in about 500. Kenneth McAlpin, king of the Scots, ascended the throne of the Pictish kingdom in about 843, thereby uniting the various Scots and Pictish tribes under one kingdom called Dal Riada.
English influence in the region expanded when Malcolm III, King of Scotland from 1057–1093, married an English princess. England's appetite for Scottish land began to grow over the 12th and 13th centuries, and in 1296 King Edward I of England successfully invaded Scotland. The following year Robert the Bruce led a revolt for independence, was crowned king of Scotland (Robert I) in 1306, and after years of war defeated the English in 1314 at the Battle of Bannockburn. In 1328 the English finally recognized Scottish independence.
In the 16th century John Knox introduced the Scottish reformation, and the Presbyterian Church replaced Catholicism as the official religion. In 1567, Mary, queen of Scots, a Catholic, was forced to abdicate the Scottish throne and was later executed by Elizabeth I of England. Mary's son, James VI, was raised as a Protestant, and in 1603 he succeeded Elizabeth on the English throne as King James I of England. James thus became ruler of both Scotland and England, though the countries remained separate. In 1707, after a century of turmoil, Scotland and England passed the Act of Union, which united Scotland, England, and Wales under one rule as the Kingdom of Great Britain. The House of Hanover replaced the Stuart lineage on the throne in 1714, which caused a rebellion among Scots who still supported the Stuart's. The Jacobites, as the rebels were called, led two uprisings, in 1715 and again in 1745.
Scotland today...
With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, Scotland, whose chief product had been textiles, began developing the industries of shipbuilding, coal mining, iron, and steel. In the late 20th century Scotland concentrated on electronics and high-tech industries. The North Sea has also become an important source of oil and gas.
In May 1999, Scotland elected its first separate Parliament in three centuries. Labour won the largest number of seats, defeating the Scottish National Party (SNP), which supports Scotland's independence from Britain.
The facts about the weather...
Generally, Scotland is more cloudy than England, due mainly to the hilly nature of the terrain and the proximity of low-pressure systems from the Atlantic. Even so, parts of Angus, Fife, the Lothians, Ayrshire, and Dumfries and Galloway average over 1,400 hours of sunshine per year. This compares favourably with the coastal areas of Northern Ireland and the north of England, though not perhaps with the annual totals of over 1,700 hours achieved along the south coast of England.
Rainfall... There is a general misconception that the whole of Scotland experiences high rainfall. In fact, rainfall in Scotland varies widely, with a distribution closely related to the topography, ranging from over 3,000 mm per year in the western Highlands to under 800 mm per year near the east coast (comparable with the Midlands of England). (Note that rainfall also includes snow, which is melted and measured as rainfall.) In summer, the effect of latitude on the amount of heat received from the sun plays a major role in determining the temperature. Thus, temperatures in Scotland are generally a few degrees cooler than in England. For example, the average daily maximum temperature at Glasgow in July is 19 °C compared with 22 °C in London.
Castles, wildlife, mountains and whiskey...
These are lands where you can glimpse an eagle, an osprey, a wildcat, a fine antlered stag or even whales and dolphins. And if the fancy takes you, you can enjoy the spectacle of a Highland Games, the warmth of a traditional folk night or the flavour of a local food festival.
Whiskey... acknowledged as Scotland's national drink, whisky - in the Gaelic, uisge beatha (pronounced oosh-ga beh-huh), meaning water of life - has been produced here for longer than anyone can remember. The whiskey trail region of Scotland is blessed with outstanding scenery.
The Scottish Highlands have so much to offer - spectacular mountains, majestic glens and mirror-like lochs form the perfect backdrop to picturesque towns, isolated crofts, towering castles and pagoda-topped distilleries. History, legend, romance and the great outdoors combine seamlessly here to guarantee visitors a warm Highland welcome and a truly memorable holiday. We can even explore further, to the outlying islands on the very edge of Europe.
Scotland, important facts:
Status: Part of United Kingdom. First Minister: Jack McConnell (2001) Area: 30,414 sq mi (78,772 sq km) Population (1996 est.): 5,128,000; density per sq mi: 168.6. Capital (2003 est.): Edinburgh, 663,700 (metro. area), 460,000 (city proper) Largest city: Glasgow, 1,361,000 (metro. area), 1,099,400 (city proper) Monetary unit: British pound sterling (£) Languages: English, Scots Gaelic. Religions: Church of Scotland (established church—Presbyterian), Roman Catholic, Scottish Episcopal Church, Baptist, Methodist.