Scotland's natural landscapes
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Bow Fiddle Rock, Portknockie, Moray Coast
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Huisinis beach, North Harris
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Loch Carron, near Stromeferry, north-west Highlands
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Loch Morlich and the Queen's Forest, Glenmore Forest Park
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The Northern Lights in the night skies above Loch of Lintrathen, Dundee & Angus © Michael White.
Experience Scotland's great outdoors and enjoy its stunning and diverse natural landscapes, including mountainous peaks, national parks, nature reserves and thousands of miles of coastline.
National Nature Reserves
There are no fewer than 47 National Nature Reserves across Scotland, each teeming with an abundance of wildlife and natural beauty
National Nature Reserves
Scotland's National Nature Reserves (NNR) stretch from Caerlaverock in Dumfries & Galloway to Hermaness on the northern tip of Shetland. There are also over 1,400 Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI), which include the NNRs. Together these conservation areas and diverse habitats are ideal for spotting a range of endangered wildlife and plant life.
For more information about the SSSIs, visit the Scottish Natural Heritage website.
Natural environments
Explore the fascinating routes through Scotland's hills and mountains and acres of forests and woodlands to uncover an unrivalled picturesque landscape, bursting with flora and wildlife.The country is home to two National Parks, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs and the largest of its kind in Britain, Cairngorms, which provide great opportunities to experience Scotland's unspoilt wilderness throughout the year.
Discover the beauty of the woodland areas, from Galloway Forest Park and Perthshire's Big Tree Country, to the remnants of the ancient Caledonian Forest in the Highlands. They can be enjoyed along the hundreds of waymarked paths.
By the waters' edge
Scotland has thousands of miles of coastline, which is home to a fantastic marine environment, including dolphins and whales, and some of the most the largest collections of seabirds anywhere in Europe. This landscape is incredibly diverse, from the white sands of Kiloran Bay on the Isle of Colonsay, to the iconic Old Man of Hoy seacliff on Orkney.
The Moray Firth coastline was recently voted one of the world's top coastlines by National Geographic
Inland, there are many rivers, lochs and waterways to explore, including the UK's largest freshwater stretch of water, Loch Lomond.
Clear skies
Discover the beauty of the clear night's sky in the Galloway Forest Park, named the UK's first Dark Sky Park in 2009, and one of only two in Europe. It's a great spot to stargaze with the naked eye, so look out for the Milky Way and over 7,000 stars. For a quick overview of stargazing, as well as hints and tips, download the handy Dark Sky Park visitor guide, Scotland's Stellar Spectacular.
