Scotland - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 05:27 PM

Perched on the outer rim of Europe, Scotland forms the northern part of Great Britain and is about two-thirds the size of England and Wales which occupy the remaining portion. It is surrounded by sea on three sides: to the west and north by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by the North Sea. Its only land border, that with England, runs for approximately 60 miles (96 km) along the line of the Cheviot Hills.

Scotland's geography has been integral to its political, social, economic and cultural development, themes which are explored elsewhere on the site. In this section, you can discover more about the physical make-up of the country, together with some facts and figures about its people.

Physical Characteristics

Geographically, Scotland can be divided into three distinct areas: the Southern Uplands, the Central Lowlands and the northern Highlands and Islands.

The Southern Uplands
The Southern Uplands are the fertile plains and hills bordering England. The region boasts magnificent scenery, albeit of a gentler nature than that found in the Highlands: the highest peak in the area is only 2763 feet (815 m) high.

The Central Lowlands
The Central Lowlands stretch from the Firth of Forth in the east to the Firth of Clyde in the west. This area contains the nation's main industrial belt and the country's two largest cities, Glasgow in the west and Edinburgh, the capital, in the east. Most of the Scotland's population lives in this area.

The Highlands and Islands
The Highlands comprise dramatic mountain ranges of sandstone and granite, which rise to their greatest height at Ben Nevis, which at 4406 feet (1343 m) is Britain's highest mountain. Although this region accounts for more than half the total area of Scotland, it has few major population centres apart from the cities of Aberdeen, Inverness and Dundee.

Of Scotland's 790 islands, 130 or so are inhabited. The major groups include the Inner and Outer Hebrides off the west coast, the Orkneys and the Shetland isles which lie to the northeast of the mainland.

Scotland's highest mountains are known as Munros, named after Sir Hugh T. Munro who in 1891 surveyed all the country's mountains above 3000 feet (914.4 metres) and produced his Tables which catalogued 236 peaks that he deemed to be individual mountains. Over the years and with advances in surveying methods, there have been several revisions to Munro's original listing, the latest being in 1997. Currently, there are 284 Munros and a further 511 'Tops' (those peaks above 3000 feet which are part of a range or ridge but which are judged not to be a separate mountain). Climbing all the Munros, or Munro-bagging as it's usually called, is a very popular pursuit amongst the climbing and hillwalking fraternity. The first recorded Munro-bagger to climb all the 3000-feet peaks was the Rev. A. E. Robertson in 1901 and since then, the Scottish Mountaineering Club has recorded over 2800 intrepid souls who have 'compleated'.

The Corbetts is the collective name given to the 221 distinct mountains in Scotland which are between 2500 (762 m) feet and 2999 (914 m) feet, and which have a re-ascent of 500 feet on all sides. They are named after John Rooke Corbett who in 1930 became the first person to climb all the 2000-feet-high peaks in Scotland. (He was also only the second person ever to complete all the Munros and Tops and the fourth to complete only the Munros). Like Munro-bagging, Corbett-bagging is a very popular pursuit. It has its own dedicated followers who claim that, in general, the Corbetts provide a better day's walking than the higher peaks.

The Grahams are those mountains in Scotland with heights between 2000 m (610 m) and 2499 m (761 m). Originally known as Elsies ('LCs' or Lower Corbetts), the 224 peaks were renamed in memory of Fiona Torbet (nee Graham) who published her own list of these peaks in the early 1990s.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 05:28 PM

Rivers & Lochs

The ten longest rivers in Scotland are:

1. River Tay 120 miles 193 km 2. River Spey 107 miles 172 km 3. River Clyde 106 miles 171 km 4. River Tweed 97 miles 156 km 5. River Dee 85 miles 137 km 6. River Don 82 miles 132 km 7. River Forth 65 miles 105 km 8. River Findhorn 63 miles 101 km 9. River Deveron 61 miles 98 km 10. River Annan 49 miles 79 km The ten largest freshwater lochs in Scotland by area are:

1. Loch Lomond 27.5 miles² 71.1 km² 2. Loch Ness 21.8 miles²56.4 km² 3. Loch Awe/Etive14.9 miles²38.5 km² 4. Loch Maree 11.0 miles²28.6 km² 5. Loch Morar 10.3 miles² 26.7 km² 6. Loch Tay 10.2 miles² 26.4 km² 7. Loch Shin 8.7 miles²22.5 km² 8. Loch Shiel 7.6 miles²19.6 km² 9. Loch Rannoch7.4 miles²19.1 km² 10. Loch Ericht 7.2 miles²18.7 km²

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 05:29 PM

Geology

While the Earth is estimated to be about 4600 million years old, Scotland's oldest rocks are only about 3000 million years old. Most, in fact, are less than 1000 million years old. The theory of plate tectonics (whereby the earth's crust floats on top of the denser mantle below, divided into huge plates) helps to explain Scotland's geology. For example, sections of current day Scotland were originally believed to have been positioned 30 degrees south of the equator but have now moved up to their present position of 55-60 degrees north over the course of about 600 million years. Along with this move in time, the sections also moved through different climatic zones and today there is evidence of both glacial and tropical conditions in Scottish rock formations.

Around 550 million years ago Scotland and England were both in the southern hemisphere, separated by a vast ocean called the Lapetus. (There are oceanic fossils in existence that support this theory). To the south of the Lapetus Ocean lay the North American continent. 5,000 kilometres to the north lay the American continent, and the rocks of Scotland. About 500 million years ago both European and American continents started to close in on each other. Underneath the ocean, the cold dense oceanic crust was diving down under the lighter continental crust, moving the continents ever closer. As this happened, the ocean began to shrink. Around 430 million years ago, the ocean had been squeezed out and the continents collided. Scotland and England were fused together in a seamless join which can be found not far from the current line of Hadrian's Wall.

Few countries in the world offer a more diverse and extraordinary landscape than Scotland. Rocky islands, rugged mountains, and breathtaking glens are all part of the unique experience awaiting the visitor. What we see today has been moulded and transformed by erosion, glacial movement and more recently, by humans.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 05:30 PM

Geological Curiosities

Glencoe
The rocks surrounding the glen are folded and thrust Dalradian schists, limestone, slate and quartzite. The glen has a long history of volcanic activity, which resulted in a build-up of andesite and rhyolite lavas some 1500 metres thick. These subsequently collapsed creating a ring fault, seen today in Clachaig Gully. Ice Age erosion created the glen, removing large volumes of rock. The surrounding mountains, Three Sisters, Buachaille Etive Mor and Bidean nam Bian show the height of the historical lavas.

Old Man of Hoy
This is a tall red sandstone sea stack, 137m high situated on the west coast of Hoy, one of the Orkney Islands. The stack's stability comes from the lava base.

Arthur's Seat
Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags are instantly identified with the city of Edinburgh. Around 340 million years ago, the site was once an active volcanic. It is a significant structure and is well renowned as a site of global significance to geological research.

Bass Rock
The Bass Rock is another volcanic plug situated about 3 miles off shore from North Berwick. The pale colour visible from the shoreline is not geological but caused by the resident bird colonies.

The Falls of Lora
During the active glacial era, a deep valley was carved in the upper reaches of Loch Etive. Simultaneously, a lateral glacial expansion at a lower level to the west reduce the effects of erosion and created a rock barrier at the mouth of the current loch. As the sea levels rose and the valley flooded to create Loch Etive. However, the rock barrier remained, only partially submerged. On an ebb tide, the loch drains out into Loch Linnhe into a series of cataracts and when the tide turns, a reverse waterfall occurs - the Falls of Lora.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 05:31 PM

Aurora Borealis

The Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights are nature's own gigantic light show. The phenomenon occurs when electrically charged particles from the Sun are driven against the Earth by solar winds at roughly 11-year intervals. When the particles enter the Earth's upper atmosphere, they are drawn by the Earth's magnetic field to the polar region in the northern hemisphere. Here the particles react with gases in the atmosphere and begin to glow in bands of various colours - red, green, blue and violet - thus creating a beautiful aerial blaze.

The Aurora is most visible at latitudes higher than 65 degrees north. In Scotland, this would be the most northerly points on the mainland, as well as in Orkney and Shetland. There have, however, been many smaller 'light showers' in various areas around Scotland, including some southerly parts of the country. These generally occur in the intervening years between its 11-year cycle, and are most frequent in the autumn, winter and spring.

It is best seen on a crisp, clear evening, when the nights are longer and darker. Country areas are best since if you are in urban areas, you will have to contend with the glow of the streetlights, which can diminish the spectacle. The Aurora can occur in the summer as well.

As the Aurora Borealis are now at the end of their current 11-year cycle, the next best time to view the 'Northern Lights' will be during 2012/2013.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 05:32 PM

The Six Cities of Scotland

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness and Stirling are all modern, dynamic and thriving centres which encapsulate all that is best about Scotland as it moves into the new century.

Each has a distinctive character of its own but all guarantee their visitors a vibrant mix of history, culture and entertainment, stirred together with some of the best retail therapy in the UK! But if the cosmopolitan pace gets too much, then an escape to the tranquility of Scotland's breathtaking landscape is never more than a short trip from each.

So whether you opt for a dedicated city-break or use them as a base to explore the surrounding countryside, Scotland's cities offer a truly memorable experience.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 05:32 PM

City of Glasgow

Right at the beginning of the 1990s, Glasgow celebrated its status as European 'City of Culture', and in 1999, its dazzling architecture won it the accolade of 'UK City of Architecture and Design'. Since then, the city has gone from strength to strength, building a reputation as a destination where a great experience is guaranteed if the visitor seeks culture, entertainment, good food and drink, an all-day shopping experience - or a taste of all of these.

Glasgow is home to Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The Burrell collection is a haven for culture lovers, a wonderful display of art objects from across the world. The Lighthouse, right in the heart of Glasgow, is where a Charles Rennie Mackintosh conversion houses a variety of dynamic exhibitions on art and architecture. The Gallery of Modern Art, set in the neo-classical elegance of the former Royal Exchange displays the work of living artists from across the world.

Shops range from High Street chains to the exclusive chic boutiques. Wander down the pedestrian shopping zones on Sauchiehall Street, Buchanan Street and Argyll Street, or the covered malls like Buchanan Galleries and the St Enoch Centre. Exclusivity is the theme of Princes Square, with its glass-roofed airy ambience, while the nearby Italian Centre is another parade of top fashion and designer labels. In between lies the Merchant City, trading on its solid reputation for innovative retailing, while its bars and cafes earn its description as the city's 'Left Bank'. At the other end of the shopping scale, the Barras offers the flea-market experience, with the chance of a bargain always at the next stall.

Eating your way round Glasgow is going to take time. Look at any listing of bars, bistros and brasseries at the informal end of the eating spectrum and you will find pages and pages to choose from. Glasgow's restaurants offer the best in international cuisine and the freshest of local Scottish produce.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 05:34 PM

Edinburgh, the inspiring capital of Scotland, is a historic, cosmopolitan and cultured city.

The setting is wonderfully striking; the city is perched on a series of extinct volcanoes and rocky crags which rise from the generally flat landscape of the Lothians, with the sheltered shoreline of the Firth of Forth to the north.

Edinburgh Castle dominates the city-centre skyline and from its ramparts you can look down on medieval lanes and elegant, sweeping terraces that hold over a thousand years of history, mystery and tradition. Yet you will also see a modern, dynamic capital where international festivals attract the world's leading performers, galleries display cutting-edge art, and bars, restaurants and clubs create a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere with a distinctly Scottish twist.

'Edinburgh,' said writer Robert Louis Stevenson, 'is what Paris ought to be'.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 05:35 PM

City of Aberdeen

Aberdeen is Scotland's third largest city, a prosperous cosmopolitan city with an international well-travelled population. The city has a wide variety of arts and culture to tempt visitors, with venues including His Majesty's Theatre, the Music Hall, the Lemon Tree (said to be Aberdeen's all year festival fringe) and the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre. Aberdeen's famous 'Granite Mile' - Union Street - is the gateway to over 800 shops, restaurants and bars. Aberdeen is 13 times winner of Britain in Bloom, and has its own golden sandy beach.

Uncover the history of Old Aberdeen by visiting King's College and St Machar's Cathedral. In the city centre, discover Aberdeen's oldest private town house, the 16th-century Provost Skene's House, now a museum. The collection at the Aberdeen Art Gallery includes impressionists to modern Scottish artists.

A coastal walk, over the River Dee to Torry, puts Aberdeen in context. At the end of Victoria Road, a circular route passes Nigg Bay, Girdle Ness Lighthouse and Torry Battery, a ruined 19th-century fort. The views of the harbour, beach and city sum up Aberdeen's enduring dependency on the assorted riches offshore. Aberdeen's relationship with the North Sea, culturally and economically: is told at the 5 Star Maritime Museum on the Shiprow, exhibitions cover everything from early fishing boats to hi-tech oil exploration.

Aberdeen is known to many as the City of Roses. Around 12,000 different types of roses cover every square inch of Duthie Park's Rose Hill, enthusiasts say it's as colourful as an artists paint box in the height of summer. Nearby Hazelhead Sculpture Park, will captivate you with its beautiful scents and colours, and mixture of traditional and modern art sculptures. The Piper Alpha Memorial, a rose garden, in Hazelhead Park, is dedicated to the memory of the 167 oil workers lost to the North Sea in 1988.

From the latest designer fashions to traditional Scottish crafts, Aberdeen's shops will have something in store for you. Aberdeen's famous 'Granite Mile' - Union Street - is the gateway to over 800 shops, restaurants and bars. The city centre boasts three large indoor shopping malls packed with all the well known high street names, the award winning Bon Accord Centre, which is fronted by the smaller but equally interesting St Nicholas Centre, and the recently refurbished Trinity Centre. There are also three smaller specialist centres - the stunning Academy Centre with its Italian style central Piazza, the Galleria Centre in the West-end and the indoor Market Hall.

The scenery throughout Aberdeen is stunning and varied with a wealth of natural features. For those outdoor types who wish to experience 'Natural Aberdeen' discover some fantastic scenic spots found off the beaten track.

Aberdeen celebrates its cultural heritage throughout the year by entertaining both tourist and locals with excellent traditional entertainment. From galas and ceilidhs to world-renowned festivals and Highland Games.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 05:36 PM

City of Dundee

Scotland's fourth largest city, Dundee offers a warm welcome and a fascinating range of things to see and do.

City breaks in Dundee are increasingly popular, and passing through this vibrant and bustling city you can easily build in a stopover or short break to take in all the city has to offer.

Amongst visitor attractions, cinemas and theatres, restaurants and nightclubs, sports and leisure activities, there is much to see and do. You could bump into Desperate Dan, circle around a dragon, become a polar explorer, or shop 'til you drop.

You could also become part of the lively arts scene in the West End of the city where the Cultural Quarter brings thought-provoking art and literature alongside cosmopolitan cinema and theatre.

With a wealth of award-winning family-friendly visitor attractions within easy reach from the city centre, there is something for everyone to discover in the city of Dundee.