Amazing & Extraordinary Facts: The Scottish Countryside

Season by season – and whatever the weather – Scotland’s countryside is an endless source of wonder, enjoyment and discovery, whether on mountains or heather clad moorlands, in glens, rivers and lochs, or its myriad islands. In landscapes that can even light up at night with spectacular auroras, there is something to admire, not least because Scotland is home to many animals and plants rare or absent in other parts of Britain. Here you’ll find capercaille, pine martens and mountain hares, golden eagles and leaping salmon. Scotland even has its own rainforest.

As well as its unique natural history, Scotland’s countryside has engrossing tales to tell. It has megaliths as old as Stonehenge, treasured remnants from Roman invasions and cairns with vivid histories. So many places still echo to victory and heartbreak, myth and mystery, and to the deeds of kelpies and selkies. Here you’ll discover why it has inspired so many artists, poets and film makers over the centuries.

As you explore Scotland’s countryside, you’ll find the answers to these intriguing questions.

• How much carbon is stored in Scotland’s precious peatlands?
• As well as Loch Ness, which other lochs are home to mysterious creatures?
• What is airglow and how does it form in the Highlands?
• How, according to legend, did midges prevent Scotland from invasion?
• Why were red deer once called ‘fairy cattle’?
• What attributes make red squirrels so active?
• Where can you find reindeer, ancient horses, jelly lichens and the world’s oldest fossil?