Beautiful island Ailsa Craig in Scotland

Ailsa Craig is an island in the outer Firth of Clyde, Scotland where granite was quarried to make curling stones. "Ailsa" is pronounced "ale-sa", with the first syllable stressed.

The island is located approximately 16 km (10 miles) west of Girvan. 2 miles in circumference and rising to 338 metres, the island consists entirely of a volcanic plug of an extinct volcano that might have been active about 500 million years ago.. It belongs to the administrative district of South Ayrshire, in the ancient parish of Dailly.

There is a lighthouse on the east coast facing the mainland and a ruined keep of uncertain origins perched on the hillside above.

Ailsa Craig is a 1,114 feet high volcanic rock that protrudes from middle of the Firth of Clyde. With the Ayrshire town of Girvan being only ten miles east of the Craig, some local boat owners offer trips around the rock.

credited to wikipedia

Great Glen - Scotland

The Great Glen (Scottish Gaelic: An Gleann Mòr), also known as Glen Albyn or Glen More is a series of valleys in Scotland running 100 kilometres from Inverness on the Moray Firth to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe.

The Great Glen follows a large geological fault known as the Great Glen Fault. It bisects the Scottish Highlands into the Grampian Mountains to the southeast and Inverness to the northwest.

The Glen is a natural travelling route in the Highlands of Scotland, which is used by both the Caledonian Canal and A82 road, which link the city of Inverness on the east coast with Fort William on the West.

Its strategic importance in controlling the Highland Scottish clans, particularly around the time of the Jacobite uprisings of the 18th century, is recognised by the presence of the towns of Fort William in the south, Fort Augustus in the middle of the Glen, and Fort George, just to the north of Inverness.

Much of the Glen is taken up with a series of lochs, with rivers connecting them. The Caledonian Canal also uses the lochs as part of the route, but the rivers are not navigable.

From northeast to southwest, the natural water features along the Great Glen are: River Ness, Loch Dochfour, Loch Ness, River Oich, Loch Oich, Loch Lochy, River Lochy, Loch Linnhe.

The watershed, or water-divide, lies between Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. Loch Linnhe to the south of Fort William is a sea-loch into which both the River Lochy and Caledonian Canal emerge. At the north end, the River Ness empties into the Moray Firth.

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The Old Man of Storr - Scotland

The Storr is a rocky hill on the Trotternish peninsula of the Isle of Skye. The hill presents a steep rocky eastern face overlooking the Sound of Raasay, contrasting with gentler grassy slopes to the west.

The Storr is prime example of the Trotternish landslip, the longest such feature in Great Britain.

The area in front of the cliffs of The Storr is known as The Sanctuary. This has a number of weirdly shaped rock pinnacles, the remains of ancient volcanic plugs. One of the most famous of these is known as The Old Man of Storr.

A well constructed path, used by many sightseers, leaves the A855 just north of Loch Leathan. It heads up through an area of forestry, with glimpses of the scenery beyond. After about 1.5 km the walker emerges from the trees, into a spectacular, almost lunar, landscape.

Most day-trippers are content simply to wander around The Sanctuary, admiring the pinnacles and gazing up at cliffs of The Storr. Walkers can easily ascend to the summit however by skirting below the cliffs whilst heading north. After passing over a fence and climbing a brief steep section of loose rock, the main ridge is reached. This can then be followed by doubling back and heading southwards, climbing towards the summit.

The Storr is often climbed as part of a much longer expedition, following the full length of the Trotternish landslip.

From 1 August to 17 September 2005 one of Britain's single largest environmental artworks was staged on the walk up to Coire Faoin at the base of The Old Man of Storr and the Storr cliffs. Created by NVA, a Scottish environmental arts company directed by Angus Farquhar (formerly of Test Dept) and designed by a team including "" and David Bryant, the work contained music by Geir Jenssen, Paul Mounsey, live performance by Gaelic singer Anne Martin and recordings of the works of Gaelic poet Somhairle MacGill-Eain (Sorley MacLean).

credited to wikipedia and flickr users: schlaeger, smthng, trekkingbritain.com, Casa De Queso, Scott Denham, doug.irvine, StartAgain, pschwarz, Gabe Racz, fotonick123

Loch Ness Lake

Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland, one of the most celebrated holiday destinations in the UK. Wild and beautiful, the surrounding countryside isn’t just scenic, it’s teeming with wildlife and yet a host of visitor attractions and Inverness, Scotland’s fastest growing city, are all within easy reach.

The area boasts a great range of activities and accommodation to suit all tastes. In fact, it’s the perfect base for exploring the Highlands and provides a natural link to Skye and the West Coast. And at the loch itself, of course, there’s always a chance to glimpse ‘Nessie’, the world-famous Loch Ness Monster.

No holiday in Scotland is complete without a visit to Loch Ness. Over 20 miles long, a mile wide and 700 feet at its deepest, Loch Ness is the largest body of water in Scotland by volume. The surrounding area is filled with historic attractions, natural wonders, cosy places to stay, and superb eateries. And the Loch Ness Monster is just one of the many myths and legends to be discovered in this particularly mysterious corner of Scotland.

Loch Ness is a holiday destination full of surprises – whether you want to sit back and take in the landscape, explore the history of the area, visit the charming towns and villages like Fort Augustus, Cannich, Strathglass and Drumnadrochit. Or why not enjoy the fresh highland air on a walk along the South Loch Ness shore or for a bigger challenge take the majestic Great Glen Way through some 70 miles of Scotland’s finest scenery.

This website guide will help you find all the information you need to plan your trip to Loch Ness, with suggestions on how to get there, where to stay and what to do. You’ll also find plenty of background information on Loch Ness: its history, its myths, its wildlife, its attractions and its most famous resident, the Loch Ness Monster.,

So, if you’re planning a break in Scotland, or planning to visit the UK put Loch Ness at the top of your list of UK holiday destinations. And remember – there’s something in the water…