St Kilda

St Kilda, a volcanic archipelago, with its spectacular landscapes, is situated off the coast of the Hebrides and comprises the islands of Hirta, Dun, Soay and Boreray. It has some of the highest cliffs in Europe, which have large colonies of rare and endangered species of birds, especially puffins and gannets. The archipelago, uninhabited since 1930, bears the evidence of more than 2,000 years of human occupation in the extreme conditions prevalent in the Hebrides. Human vestiges include built structures and field systems, the cleits and the traditional Highland stone houses. They feature the vulnerable remains of a subsistence economy based on the products of birds, agriculture and sheep farming.

Unesco: St Kilda
RR: Unesco RR
Date: June 3

Dunnet Head

Dunnet Head is a peninsula in Caithness, on the north coast of Scotland. Dunnet Head includes the most northerly point of both mainland Scotland and the island of Great Britain. Dunnet Head Lighthouse is an active 19th century lighthouse that stands on the 300-foot cliff top of Easter Head on Dunnet Head. The lighthouse is 66 feet tall and was built in 1831. Overlooking the lighthouse are several buildings from the Second World War, used as observation points, now abandoned they do make interesting viewing for historical purposes. The observation point near the Lighthouse is popular with people watching for whales and dolphins as well as seabirds. Orca can sometimes be seen in small packs around this area of the Caithness coastline. 

Many thanks Agnieszka!
Date: May 22

New Lanark

New Lanark World Heritage Site is a unique 18th century Mill Village sitting alongside the picturesque River Clyde, less than one hour from Glasgow and Edinburgh. Founded in 1785 with a focus on philanthropy, education and the welfare of the mill workers, New Lanark became a model for industrial communities that was to spread across the world in the 19th and 20th centuries. New Lanark was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 as an exceptional example of a purpose-built 18th century mill village. Thanks to an ongoing process of conservation and rehabilition spanning almost half a century, the appearance of the village today is close to that of the early nineteenth century, when the mill buildings formed one of the largest industrial groups in the world.

Unesco: New Lanark
RR: Unesco RR
Date: March 26

Edinburgh

Dawn sunlight on Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town viewed from Salisbury Crags.

The Old Town is Edinburgh's medieval heart. It is centred on the Royal Mile which runs along the crag-and-tail from the Castle down to Holyrood Palace, and it is packed with notable architecture and fascinating history, being home to some of the world's earliest 'high rise' buildings. The street layout, typical of the old quarters of many northern European cities, is made especially picturesque in Edinburgh, where the castle perches on top of a rocky crag, the remnants of an extinct volcano, and the main street runs down the crest of a ridge from it.

Unesco: Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
Tag: Favourites tag
Date: Jan 23

Ben Lomond

Ben Lomond, 974 metres, is a mountain in the Scottish Highlands. Situated on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, it is the most southerly of the Munros. Ben Lomond lies within the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park and the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, property of the National Trust for Scotland. 

Thanks a lot Jackie!
Date: Sept 24

Queen's View

Queen's View over Loch Tummel to Shiehallion and the mountains of Glencoe, Perthshire, Scotland.

Queen's View lies at the heart of Highland Perthshire and is the area's most popular visitor attraction. From Queen's View, you can see 50 miles on a clear day, taking in some of Scotland's best scenery. Queen's View is part of Tay Forest Park, cared for by the Forestry Commission Scotland. The Commission provides numerous walking trails through the surrounding woodland. Just west of Queen's View is Allean Forest, where trails lead through lovely woodland offering excellent views of Loch Tummel. This is Perthshire's 'Big Tree Country', known for its tall trees and wonderfully scenic forest parks.

Many thanks Monika!
Date: May 11

Shetland Ponies

Fivla and Vitamin, Shetland ponies in Fair Isle cardigans, Shetland Isles, Scotland.
RR: Weekly RR
Date: Nov 14

The Royal Mile

Edinburgh's Royal Mile is the heart of Scotland's historic capital.  The Royal Mile runs through the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, connecting the magnificent Edinburgh Castle, perched high on a base of volcanic rock, with the splendorous Palace of Holyroodhouse, resting in the shadow of Arthur's Seat. The Mile is overlooked by impressive, towering tenements, between which cobbled closes and narrow stairways interlock to create a secret underground world. Its name comes from its tradition as a processional route for kings and queens for the last 500 years.

Unesco: Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
RR: Weekly RR
Date: April 18

Skara Brae

Skara Brae is a stone-built Neolithic settlement, located on the Bay of Skaill on the west coast of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney archipelago of Scotland. Consisting of ten clustered houses, made of flagstones, in earthen dams that provided support for the walls, the houses included stone hearths, beds, and cupboards.  The site was occupied from roughly 3180 BC to about 2500 BC and is Europe's most complete Neolithic village.  Skara Brae gained UNESCO World Heritage Site status as one of four sites making up The Heart of Neolithic Orkney.  Older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza, it has been called the Scottish Pompeii because of its excellent preservation.

Unesco: Heart of Neolithic Orkney
RR: Unesco RR
Date: March 15

The Fairy Pools

The Fairy Pools are located at Glenbrittle on the Isle of Skye. The Fairy Pools are beautiful rock pools of crystal clear spring water fed by a series of waterfalls from the Cuillin Mountains. The physical landscape is predominantly rocky, with some boggy areas here and there. The water in the area is typically cold, as the pools are fed by mountain streams. The Fairy Pools are one of the Isle of Skye’s Big Five attractions, along with the Old Man of Storr, Fairy Glen, Quiraing and Neist Point.

Thanks a lot Brigitta!
Date: Jan 20

Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle, Princess Street Gardens & The National Gallery of Scotland.
Edinburgh is Scotland's compact, hilly capital. It has a medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town with gardens and neoclassical buildings. Looming over the city is Edinburgh Castle, home to Scotland’s crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny, used in the coronation of Scottish rulers.

Unesco: Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
RR: 10 Countries RR (20)
Date: July 1

The Forth Bridge

The Forth Bridge is widely acknowledged as one of the most iconic feats of engineering in Great Britain. It was completed in 1889 and was the first major structure to be built of steel in the country. It is 2.5 km long and carries trains across the River Forth Estuary between Queensferry near Edinburgh and the south shore and North Queensferry on the Fife shore.

Unesco: The Forth Bridge
RR: 10 Countries RR
Date: May 12