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Outside the busy cities lies some of the most stunning natural scenery in Scotland including the coastline of Aryshire, Bute and the Firths of Clyde and Forth; the tranquil beauty of Lochs Lomond, Long and Fyne; and the highland landscapes of the Trossachs and Breadalbane. The region has loads on offer for adventure seekers. There's great walking in the highlands of Perthshire, in the mountains around Loch Lomond and Arrochar and the gentler Campsie Fells and Ochil Hills to the east. Cycling routes include the 21-mile Glasgow to Loch Lomond cycleway, the Glasgow to Greenock and Irvine cycleway, the Highland Lowland trail from Loch Lomond to Loch Tay and the Clyde to Forth Cycle route between Edinburgh and Gourock. Scotland is renowned for its golf courses and the central area is no exception - there are two championship courses in Ayrshire alone, at Troon and Turnberry. The rivers and lochs of the central belt provide ample opportunity to catch salmon, brown trout and pike and the Firth of Clyde has great sea angling - you could even be lucky and spot seals or the occasional porpoise or basking shark! To the very south of the region lies the Galloway Forest Park. There's great walking in the surrounding hills and fishing for brown trout, perch and the rare arctic char in the deep waters of Loch Doon. On the edge of the Carrick Forest, seven miles south east of Girvan, is the beautiful conservation village of Barr.
The coastal road between Turnberry and Ayr is among the most beautiful in Scotland, with views to Ailsa Craig, Arran and Kintyre. Turnberry Castle was the birthplace of Robert the Bruce, the 14th century King who united Scotland in the fight to free the country from the English. At Maybole you'll discover Culzean Castle, perched on a cliff top looking out towards Arran. It has a country park with walks, a swan pond and a deer park. The town of Alloway is where Scottish national poet Rabbie Burns was born in a tiny cottage on January 25th 1759. Little did he know that 250 years on his birth would be celebrated all over the world at Burns suppers! Ayr is where the first Scottish parliament sat after the Battle of Bannockburn. There's a spectacular flower show each year in August and breathtaking views across the Firth of Clyde to the Isle of Arran. Inland at Darvel you can climb the 316m Loudoun Hill to enjoy views of the Ayrshire countryside. The hill was the scene of some of both William Wallace and Robert the Bruce's most famous victories over England in the 13th and early 14th centuries. Largs is home to the National Sailing Academy. You can also catch the ferry to Great Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae islands, which are popular with cyclists. From the Glaidstane there are excellent views to Arran, Bute and the Arrochar Alps to the north. Renfrewshire was the birthplace William Wallace and also of the world famous Paisley pattern. The 800-year old town of Paisley has a rich history of weaving, dying and cotton spinning.
The Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park covers 120 square miles and extends north to Greenock and inland almost to Paisley. There are vast areas of woodland and moorland to be discovered as well as an RSPB nature reserve and Castle Semple Country Park, where you can canoe, row and mountain bike. The great city of Glasgow grew from its association with tobacco, sugar and cotton in the 18th century. Today many of the old warehouses have been converted into trendy bars, restaurants and nightclubs. The city is also famous for its associations with ship and locomotive building and of course Charles Rennie Mackintosh - the Glasgow born architect and designer.
The fantastic city of Edinburgh has two parts - the medieval Old Town and the gracious 18th century New Town. The two are separated by the Princes Street gardens which run along the city's main shopping area. Edinburgh Castle dominates the skyline overlooking the city. The Royal Mile is a cobbled street stretching from the castle to Holyrood Palace. In Greyfriars Churchyard there stands a statue a dog called Bobby - no ordinary mutt, this one kept guard over his master's grave for 14 years! In the summer the city attracts visitors from all around the world for its military tatto and the Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe. To the north lies the university town of Stirling, dominated by Stirling Castle which sits atop a volcanic outcrop outside the town. It was here that the efforts of Sir William Wallace and King Robert the Bruce secured Scotland its independence. To the east of Stirling lie the Ochil Hills, with their picturesque villages, and to the north are the Victorian spa town of Bridge of Allan and pretty Dunblane with its 13th century cathedral. The rolling countryside and rocky outcrops of the Campsie Fells are to the west. There's great walking and plenty of pretty villages such as Fintry, Balfron and Kippen to explore. The breathtaking scenery of the Scottish Highlands and the Trossachs starts at pretty Callender. Climb the Crags to get a good view of the bustling town. A string of lochs lie to the west and the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, with its miles of walks and cycle trails, is just above Aberfoyle. The tranquil town of Balquhidder, to the north, is where Rob Roy is buried. Even further north are the majestic mountain ranges of the Crianlarich and Ben Lawers. There's endless walking and the horse riding is also great. From the countless high ridges there are great views down to the secluded villages and lochs below. The pretty village of Killin, to the north, is a real Highland getaway and Lochearnhead, on Loch Earn, has a great watersports centre. The tranquil waters of Loch Lomond and the mighty peaks of Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps are world famous. There are pretty loch-side villages, sandy bays, leafy woodlands and romantic inns with logside fires! You can walk, take a cruise, water ski, sail or fish to your hearts content. Loch Long, to the west, has great sea angling. The picturesque village of Arrochar, nestled between the impressive peaks of the Arrochar Alps, is a good base. To the south again lies the tranquil Cowral Peninsula with its tiny villages on pebble shores. There are secluded bays and quiet villages on the west coast along Loch Fyne and to the north lie the mountains and walking trails of the Argyll Forest Park.
The lush Isle of Bute is popular with walkers, sailors, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts. To the north of the island there's good walking on heather-clad hills and moorlands and the picturesque Kyles of Bute is popular for sailing. The west coast is good for wildlife - you can even spot seals!
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