DK Travel : Scotland : Outdoor

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Great Glen Way

The newest route to open and the one that probably packs in more dramatic scenery per mile than any other. The walk connects Fort William with Inverness. The southern half offers easier gradients along the banks of lochs Lochy and Oich. After Fort Augustus it climbs high above Loch Ness – if that doesn’t take your breath, the views will.
Gullane

Almost every blade of grass in this corner of East Lothian is dedicated to golf. Muirfield is the elite course but a private club. Gullane No. 1 is open to anyone (handicap certificate required), while Nos 2 and 3 have no restrictions. If Gullane’s crowded then it’s a short drive (by car) to North Berwick, Haddington or Aberlady, and seven more top courses.
Hydroponicum

A totally revolutionary place, the “garden of the future” has no soil but uses water to carry nutrients to the plants. Within this immense greenhouse they grow everything from tropical flowers to bananas (see Hydroponicum, Achiltibuie) .
Inverewe Gardens

These world-famous gardens were nurtured into astonishing fertility in 1862 by Osgood Mackenzie, and became his life’s work. Exotic plants, shrubs and trees from all over the world, in a stunning location on Loch Ewe (see Inverewe Gardens) .
Kailzie Gardens

This formal walled garden is an outstanding example of what was once more common on family estates. Marvellous roses fill the air with fragrance, and there’s a pond stocked with trout where you can try your luck at fishing.

Kailzie Gardens
Liathach

You could pick any of the famous Torridon mountains and guarantee not to be disappointed, but this is a beauty. A massive mound of red sandstone topped with white quartzite, Liathach has distinctive parallel bands of escarpments. At 1,053 m (3,456 ft) this is a relatively difficult and strenuous mountain to climb, but worth every bit of effort.
Loch Awe

A long sliver of a loch, twisting sinuously through forested hills. The magnificent ruins of Kilchurn Castle (begun 1440) stand at one end and testify to the stormy past of clan Campbell. Take the southern road for the best scenery, and don’t be in a hurry. Close by is the defunct but preserved Bonawe Iron Foundry.
Loch Fitty

You can catch salmon here, but this well-stocked loch is best known for its trout (rainbow and brown). Fish from the bank or from a boat every day of the week during the season. There are B&Bs and a caravan park nearby, and The Halfway House Hotel – (01383) 731661 – is especially welcoming to anglers.
Loch Katrine

Famous as the inspiration for Sir Walter Scott’s Lady of the Lake , this loch is the pearl of the area known as the Trossachs. Now incorporated into the National Park with Loch Lomond, it is sheer tranquillity compared with the other’s bustle. The must-do here is to take a boat tour – the SS Sir Walter Scott(naturally) has been doing the job for over a century.
Loch Lomond

The largest surface of fresh water in Scotland, Loch Lomond’s beauty is celebrated in literature, song and legend. Now the country’s first National Park, in conjunction with the Trossachs, the loch is revered for its islands, lofty hills and shoreside leisure facilities.