Kayakers on Camusdarach Beach near Arisaig, Highlands

Year of Coasts & Waters 2020

Splash into Scotland in 2020 as we celebrate our remarkable coasts and waters. Water is the life-blood of our green and pleasant country.

It's what makes the landscape so special and loved. Explore some of our magnificent 10,000 km coastline by kayak or yacht, enjoy some delicious seafood and a wee dram from our seas and streams, uncover the secrets of a coastal fortress, or relax with a spot of fishing in our lochs and rivers. Plan your trip now and come and join our 2020 Year of Coasts & Waters celebrations.

Coasts & Waters Events

Alongside our wealth of wonderful attractions, scenery and wildlife, Scotland hosts an exciting array of events that put our coasts and waters in the spotlight.

In 2020, annual gems such as the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival at Portsoy and Crail Food Festival will be joined by The Fife Regatta, an expanded Clydebuilt Festival, and Edinburgh International Film Festival will present Scotland's Shores, featuring classic film screenings and a special outdoor coastal experience.

RSPB will celebrate Aberdeen's status as the only city in Europe where dolphins can regularly be seen from the shore at DolphinFest 2020. Scotland's Boat Show and Kip Marina will make a splash with a brand new special event 'River of Light' and The National Theatre of Scotland will deliver, Ferry Tales, an exciting new production, celebrating Scotland's surrounding waters and the journeys over them made by thousands of residents and tourists.

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Water is the life-blood that keeps our valleys green and our rivers flowing. Most of our much-loved natural attractions and landscape have been sculpted by the force of waves and water and are a real sight to see up close. So what are you waiting for? Taste the salty spray in the wind, feel the crisp sea air on your face, watch the shimmering reflections of a still Scottish loch, or wander peacefully along a tumbling river. Join us in 2020 as we celebrate our Year of Coasts & Waters.

Where will your journey take you?

Lochan Urr in Glen Etive with the Buachaille Etive Beag and Buachaille Etive Mor in the background

Lochan Urr, Glen Etive

Glen Etive is one of Scotland's most striking glens. Take the single-track road off the A82 in Glen Coe, which follows the River Etive, a popular waterway with paddlers. You'll find lovely Lochan Urr about halfway down the glen and the views of Glen Coe's mountains from here are stunning. You might also recognise Loch Etive from the movie Skyfall.

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Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeenshire

Just a stone's throw from pretty Stonehaven harbour, Dunnottar Castle perched impressively above the North Sea is one of Scotland's most distinctive castles. This coastal fortress holds many historic secrets, has welcomed royalty and nobles and once withstood a Cromwellian seige for eight months.

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A delicious plate of Scottish seafood from Ee-Usk seafood restaurant, Oban

Stunning Scottish Seafood

Did you know that over two-thirds of the world's langoustines are landed here in Scotland? The clear, clean seas, lochs and rivers around and across Scotland are brimming with delicous fish and seafood and there are lots of tempting traditional and contemporary fish dishes to tantalise those tastebuds.

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Ben A'an, The Trossachs

Standing just 454 metres tall, Ben A'an is not a high mountain, which makes it all the more accessible, but what it might lack in stature, it more than makes up for in views! It's a great first hillwalk for younger legs and the views over Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park are spectacular.

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Yachts moored in the shadow of historic Dunstaffnage Castle, near Oban

Sailing in Scotland

See Scotland from a different perspective - from the deck of a yacht. Exploring some of our vast coastline and myriad islands by boat is an incredible experience that will stay with you for years, whether you charter a skippered vessel or captain your own. Discover Dunstaffnage Castle with a stop off at Dunstaffnage Marina, near Oban for instance.

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The Kelpies, Falkirk

A trip to Scotland during our Year of Coasts and Waters 2020 would not be complete without spending some time around our fabulous canals. Journey from the west coast to the east coast along the mighty Caledonian Canal, or head for Falkirk and admire the impressive Kelpies at The Helix or the remarkable Falkirk Wheel.

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Year of Coasts & Waters 2020

Coasts & Waters Events

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