Edinburgh

77,933 km²
(1.8x the Netherlands)

UTC +0

Scottish Gaelic, English

Ben Nevis - 1,343 m

Legend has it that the Christian apostle and martyr Saint Andrew was nailed to an X-shaped cross. On the early flag, St. Andreas was still depicted but in the 16th century only the white cross remained on a blue background.

The flag of England and Scotland were combined in 1606 after King James VI of Scotland also became King James I of England. The red cross on a white background of Saint George, the patron saint of England, on top of the blue with a white cross of Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. This flag became the national flag. In 1801 the red cross of the flag of Saint Patrick (Northern Ireland) was added to the flag of Great Britain. This flag is the current flag.

The English pound comes from the Troy Pound unit of weight.     The Sterling was introduced in 1158 by Henry II of England.     Sterling is derived from the old French Esterlin and means 'strong' or 'steadfast'. The pound sterling was used as a key currency in the world during the 18th and 19th centuries, until about the end of the First World War. Queen Elizabeth is depicted on the banknote.

The town of Moffat in the southwest of Scotland is a good starting point for a ride on the beautiful route A708. The route is about 33 km long and leads to Selkirk. On the way you can hike along the waterfall Gray Mare's Tail up to Loch Skeen. I recommend a night in an old mansion called Hartfell house in Moffat with the excellent Limetree restaurant.

Isle of Skye (An t-Eilean Sgitheanach) is the largest island of the Inner Hebrides. Portree is the largest settlement with about 2,000 inhabitants. The hikes on the island are fantastic. South of Portree are the Cuillin hills, a mountain range that mainly consists of basalt and gabbro. On the southern edge of it you can take a nice short walk along the Fairy Pools, a series of pools and waterfalls in the Allt Coir a Mhadaidh. Only option to leave the car is paid parking. Ten minutes down the road is a tiny parking lot at the white Glenbrittle cabin. From here a path leads up to the Eas Mòr waterfall (approx. 20 minutes). On the peninsula north of Portree you can take some fantastic hikes. The northernmost is the Quiraing circuit. The hike starts in the parking lot at the highest point of the road. Make sure to get there early so you can park your car. The views are fantastic. Most day-trippers turn back at a narrow section with a sharp turn to the right in the rocks. Further south is the old man of Storr. This is a steep ascend, about 300 meter. You have the best view of these bizarre rock formations from a ledge at the right of the formation. This is also the most touristic spot on the Isle of Skye. The cars are parked along the road for hundreds of meters.

Eilean Donan castle is located on a small tidal island at the confluence of three lakes: Loch Duich, Loch Long and Loch Alsh. The castle was used in films like James Bond and Highlander. The bridge was restored during the renovation of the castle in the 20th century. The island is named after the canonized Celtic martyr Donnán or Eigg. The castle was built in the 13th century and became a fortress for the Clan Mackenzie and their allies, clan MacRae. After their participation in the first Jacobite rebellion, the castle was razed to the ground by ships of the government in 1719. The Jacobite movement arose when the Protestant William III of Orange took reign over England from Roman Catholic King James II. Many scotsmen didn't support that move. In 1917, he Jacobites found new aid from Spain who already fought against the British and French. In April 300 Spanish troops occupied the castle. The main force of the Spaniards would never arrive. The British Navy sent three ships to the castle. The three ships bombarded the castle for about an hour. An attack followed with little opposition. According to the log, there was an Irishman, a captain, a Spanish lieutenant, a sergeant, a Scottish rebel and 39 Spanish soldiers. With 27 barrels of gunpowder, already persent in the castle, it was completely destroyed. A few weeks later the main force of the Jacobites and the other Spanish soldiers were defeated about 20 km from the castle at Glen Shiel. The castle was rebuilt between 1919 and 1932. It is one of the most photographed monuments in Scotland

The Cairngorms (Am Monadh Ruadh) became the second national park in Scotland in 2003. It includes the Cairngorms, the Angus glens, Monadhliath and Strathspey. It has a arctic alpine environment with a tundra character. There are many remnants of the Caledonian forest around the central massif. The rivers Dee and Spey and the two tributaries of the Spey, Feshie and Avon, originate in the central massif. It is the highest and coldest plateau and has the most snow. Five of the six highest mountains in Scotland are found here. Ben Macdhui (1,309 meters), Braeriach (1,296 meters), Cairn Toul (1,293 meters), Sgor an Lochain Uaine (1,258 meters) and the Cairn Gorm (1,245 meters).

Dunnotar castle (Dùn Fhoithear) is located 3 km south from Stonehaven. The buildings date from the 15th and 16th centuries. It played a major role in the history of Scotland. The Scottish crown jewels were hidden here when Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland in 1650. During a blockade they were smuggled out of the castle by women. There is already mention of a castle on this site from 681. Dunnottar lost fame when the last count wasted its title by participating in the Jacobite rebellion in 1715. The castle stands on a rock with steep walls, 50 meters above sea level.

Rosslyn chapel, in the town of Roslin, is located just south of Edinburgh. The chapel was built in 1446 by William Sinclair, the 1st count of Caithness. It is dedicated to the Apostle Matthew. After the the Scottish Reformation in 1650, Oliver Cromwell's troops attacked a nearby castle and used the chapel as a horse stable. In 1688, just after the Protestant William III of Orange had invaded England, a Protestant crowd from Edinburgh destroyed the interior of the chapel. The chapel was abandoned until 1736 when James St Clair had the roof, floors andstained glass windows repaired. Further restoration work was carried out at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Sunday services were resumed in the chapel in 1861. In 1862 the chapel was rededicated by the Bishop of Edinburgh. The chapel played a role in Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. Rosslyn Chapel was intended as a cross-shaped chapel with a central tower. Excavations in the Nineteenth Century showed that the foundations of the ship were extended 27.7 meters from the west entrance, underneath the later baptistery and cemetery. Taking pictures in the chapel is forbidden. Take a folder in the visitor center where all special images are listed. Without it you don't see that many special details. You can also take a guided tour.

Edinburgh (Dùn Èideann) has been the capital of Scotland since 1437. The city, on the south side of the Firth of Forth, is the seat of the Scottish Parliament which was re-established in 1999. The city is surpassed in size only by Glasgow. Edinburgh started out as a fortress on Castle Rock. Around the 1st century, the fortress din eidyn of the celtic Votadini tribe was built on the rock. In the 7th century, the fortress and all of South Scotland was conquered by the English (Northumbrians). The The English called the fort Eiden's burgh. In the 10th century, the fort was reconquered by the Scots. In 1070, King Malcolm III of Scotland built the first castle on the rock. Most of the buildings of the contemporary castle date from the 17th century. You can admire the Scottish crown jewels and the Stone of Scone, the stone seat on which all Kings of Scotland were crowned. In 1329, Robert the Bruce appointed Edinburgh as royal city. The most beautiful parts of the city include the Royal Mile, Cockburn St. and Victoria St. Visit the museum of Scotland (free) where a replica of the tomb of Mary, queen of Scots, is locate3d.

The main attraction of Linlithgow is the Palace. It was the birthplace of James V (1512) and Mary, Queen of Scots (1542). The palace was one of the main residences of the Scottish monarchy in the 15th and 16th centuries. The monarchy left for England in 1603. In 1607 the north side collapsed and in 1746 the interior was destroyed by fire. In 1538, James V build the beautiful fountain in the courtyard.

Stirling (Sruighlea) was a market town on the River forth and is known as the border between the lowlands and the highlands. The rock where Stirling castle now stands was already of strategic importance in Roman times. Almost all current buildings were built between 1490 and 1600 under the rule of the Stuart kings James IV, V and VI. The buildings are a mix between English, French and German architecture. A few parts from the 14th century remain and the outer defenses towards the city date from the beginning of the 18th century. It was also the most used royal residence before the union with England. There have been at least 8 sieges at the castle. Stirling is also the lowest point of the River Forth. The bridge was of strategic importance and in time of peace, taxes were levied on passage. In the 12th century, Stirling was declared a royal fortification by King David. A ferry, and later a bridge brought prosperity and strategic importance. In 1297, William Wallace fought against the English at the bridge. This was a wooden bridge. The current old bridge dates from 1415 and it was built 160 meters downstream from the wooden bridge. In 1314, Robert the Bruce also fought against the English, at Bannockburn. The church of the holy rude is the second oldest building in Stirling. It was founded in 1129 and rebuilt after a fire in 1405. Besides Westminster Abbey, it is the only surviving church in the UK where a coronation took place.

Glen Coe (Gleann Comhann) is a valley in the western highlands. The valley (glen) is carved by a glacier and is about 12.5 km long and the narrowest part of the valley is less than 700 meters wide. A beautiful hike is to the lost valley (Coire Gabhail). The name refers to the time that the valley was used by the MacDonald clan to hide cattle. The narrow entrance to the valley is 230 meters above the valley (invisible from that point) of Glen Coe and part of the access to the valley is by a path that runs close to a deep gorge with a river.

Abbotsford house was the home of Sir Walter Scott. The country house is located on the Tweed and was the home of the Scottish writer and poet Sir Walter Scott. At first, there was a small 100-acre farm called Cartleyhole. It was bought by Scott in 1811 when his lease of the nearby country house Ashetiel ended. He first built a small villa that he named Abbotsford after a ford, the place in the tweed where the abbots of the monastery of Melrose crossed the river. Later he processed many stones from ruins of castles and abbeys in his country house. The new house was completed in 1824. In 1825 he suffered financial setbacks. In 1830 he received the library and the museum as a free gift from the creditors. The publisher Robert Cadell paid off the creditors in 1847 in exchange for the share of the family of the copyright of Sir Walter's work. Sir Walter Scott died of Typhus in 1832 and is buried, together with his wife, in Dryburgh Abbey. His works include Ivanhoe, Rob Roy and the lady of the lake. He was a lawyer, judge and legal administrator.