This year the eyes of the world are on Scotland. It has always been a popular place to visit, and with good reason. It has some of the best areas of unspoilt natural landscape in the United Kingdom, along with fascinating cities, friendly residents and excellent whiskey. This year, though, Scotland has even more to offer.
Commonwealth Games
This year the city of Glasgow is hosting one of the most exciting sporting events in the world — the Commonwealth Games. Unlike many events, the Games incorporate numerous different sports, so whatever sport you enjoy you will be able to go along and watch some of the best athletes in the world competing. There will be 17 sports across three site clusters within the city of Glasgow, allowing spectators to travel quickly and easily between the sites. Volunteers from across the UK will flock to Glasgow to support the event and make sure that everything runs smoothly.
New Tourist Attractions
The Commonwealth Games are not the only thing attracting tourists to Scotland this year. According to the Herald Scotland newspaper two new attractions opened over the Easter weekend that will be enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. The Kelpie sculptures between Falkirk and Grangemouth took their inspiration from the horses of the Industrial Revolution. They are two horse’s head sculptures standing an incredible 30 metres high, forming a gateway to the Forth and Clyde Canal. The other new attraction opening over the Easter weekend was the Helensburgh to Dunbar walking route, stretching 134 miles and named the John Muir Way after the famous naturalist.
Old Favourites
Despite all the great sporting events, significant political decisions and new tourist attractions that are drawing the eyes of the world towards Scotland this year, it is still the old favourites that most people will journey to see: the spectacular natural features, the rare wildlife, the lochs (and their monsters) and the mountains. There is so much to see in this beautiful country that it would be a travesty to stay in one place rather than travelling around and taking in all the sights. Whether you decide to take your own vehicle or book on a coach tour such as those available at www.lochsandglens.com, it is important to do your research and decide what you want to see before travelling.
Scotland is a vast country that easily absorbs any number of tourists. If you like the idea of a remote destination, you could check out the Hebridean Islands, where you could spend days without seeing a single soul. If you prefer to be around people, why not check out the cities, towns and distilleries that Scotland is so famous for? If you are interested in sport but don’t fancy fighting through crowds to watch the Commonwealth Games, Scotland is a great place to both watch and participate in a wide range of sports and outdoor activities. Wherever you go, you will receive a friendly reception, and by the time you leave you’ll be ready to book your next trip.
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