Introducing Central Scotland
The country’s historical roots are deeply embedded in the sandy soils of Central Scotland. Significant ruins and castles that chronicle the region’s charismatic history pepper the landscape. Key battlegrounds shaped the country’s fortunes around Stirling, and Perth is the former capital where kings were crowned on the Stone of Destiny.
Arriving from the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, visitors begin to get a sense of the country further north as the lowland belt gives way to Highland splendour. It is here that the majesty of Scotland’s landscape unfolds in deep, dark steely blue lochs that hold the shimmering silhouettes of soaring, sentinel-like craggy peaks on a still day.
This part of Scotland is big-tree country, with pockets of ancient woodlands thriving side by side with regrowth forests, some planted by visionary landowners 300 years ago. Opportunities to enjoy the landscape abound and walking, cycling, mountaineering and wildlife safaris are all easy possibilities. Capping off the exhaustingly fresh outdoors are some of the country’s best pubs and eateries, which greet weary visitors at the end of the day.
It’s also the variety in the region that pulls the punters – learn all about crannogs, have a drink in an ancient pub that holds scrawlings from Robert Burns, throw a line into a picture-perfect loch and explore one of the country’s most stunning wooded glens all in a day.
The coastline along the ‘kingdom’ of Fife offers quaint fishing villages along East Neuk and one of Scotland’s most enjoyable towns – St Andrews. The township, touched with a gentle dignity, has a medieval shell that belies the sophistication and dynamism of a student population drawn from around the globe.
Activities in Central Scotland
Fife
Protruding like a serpent's head from Scotland's east coast, Fife (www.
Tours in Central Scotland
Stirling Region
Covering Scotland's wasplike waist, this region has always been a crucial strategic point dividing the Lowlands from the Highlands.
Central Scotland destination guides
Perthshire & Kinross
For sheer scenic variety, Perthshire is the pick of Scotland's regions and a place where everyone will find a special, personal spot − whether it's a bleak moor, snaking loch, postcard-perfect village or magnificent forest.
Hotels in Central Scotland
Budget Hotels & Hostels in Central Scotland
Guesthouses and B&Bs in Central Scotland
St Andrews
For a small place, St Andrews made a big name for itself, firstly as religious centre, then as Scotland's oldest university town.
Need to know
Entertainment in Central Scotland
Stirling
With an utterly impregnable position atop a mighty wooded crag (the plug of an extinct volcano), Stirling's beautifully preserved Old Town is a treasure trove of noble buildings and cobbled streets winding up to the ramparts of its dominant...
Shopping in Central Scotland