Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Introduction to
Scotland
As befits a nation that produces infinite variations on tartan and whisky,
simple definitions don't really suit Scotland. Clichéd images of the place
abound - postcards of wee Highland terriers, tartan tins of shortbread,
diamond-patterned golf jerseys - and they drive many Scots apoplectic. Yet
Scotland has a habit of delivering on its classic images. In some parts ruined
castles really do perch on almost every hilltop. In summer the glens really do
turn purple with heather and if you end up in a village on gala day, the
chances are a formation of bagpipers will come marching down the street.
he complexity of Scotland can be hard to unravel: somewhere deep in its genes a generous
dose of romantic
Celtic
hedonism blends (somehow) with stern
Calvinist
prudence. It's a
country where the losers of battles (and football games) are more romanticized than the
winners. here's little more splendid here than the scenery, yet half the time it's hidden under
a pall of drizzle. he country's major contribution to medieval warfare was the chaotic charge
of the half-naked Highlander, yet in modern times it has given the world steam power, the
television and penicillin. Chefs throughout Europe rhapsodize over Scottish langoustine and
Aberdeen Angus steaks, while back at home there is still a solid market for deep-fried pizza.
Naturally, the tourist industry tends to play up the heritage, but beyond the nostalgia
lies a modern, dynamic nation.
Oil
and
nanotechnology
now matter more to the
Scottish economy than fishing or Harris tweed. Edinburgh still has its medieval Royal
Mile, but just as many folk are drawn by its
nightclubs
and modern restaurants, while
out in the Hebrides, the locals are more likely to be building websites than shearing
sheep. Even the Highland huntin' shootin' fishin' set are outnumbered these days by
mountain bikers
and wide-eyed whale-watchers.
Outdoor music festivals
draw thousands
of revellers, but the folk band rocking the ceilidh tent with accordions and an electric
fiddle are usually just as popular as the pop stars on the main stage.
Stuck in the far northwest corner of Europe, Scotland is remote, but it's not isolated.
he inspiring emptiness of the wild northwest coast lies barely three hours from
ABOVE
GLEN COE
RIGHT
T IN THE PARK
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