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History & Cultures

Scotland: The Land & People

The land itself influenced where and how the people of Scotland have lived throughout history.  Scotland is also a country of many peoples, their ancestors bringing their own cultures and ways of life to shape events which have led to the modern Scotland of today.

Where is Scotland?

Scotland is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain.  On the map, you can see England, the Republic of Ireland, and Scotland clumped together.  Despite their geographical location, each country can be viewed as separate yet connected through history and migrating cultures.  

Scotland is the northern section of Great Britain and is approximately 30,000 square miles.  Ireland's mainland is only 12 miles at the nearest southeastern point of the country.  Separated from the rest of Europe by the North Sea, Scotland has over 6,000 miles of coastline.  Hundreds of islands dot the coastline, the farthest northern islands being the Shetland Islands.  

The waters around Scotland are relatively warm, even during the winter season.  The majority of the land can be classified as "moor, rough pasture, or otherwise uncultivable ground."  

Well-known, of course, are the Highlands because of its association with the clans.  The hills and mountains dominate the landscape, only a fifth of the land being suited for agriculture.  The Highlands are the center and western part of Scotland.  The highest mountain is Ben Nevis in the Grampian Mountains and reaches 4,406 miles.

The other location of special interest is the Isle of Skye, "the most romantic and best known of the Western Isles."

Scotland - Distinguishable Geographic Regions

We can review the different regions of Scotland in more detail at this point.  The geographic regions are 

Southern region
The Lowlands
The Highlands
Northern Isles

Southern Region
The southern portion of Scotland borders England.  The region is wild moorland country with hills.  The border is identified by the Cheviot Hills. Throughout history, either the Scottish kings attempted to push the border further south while the English wanted to alter the border, too.  In history, the "borderers" were a "hardy fighting people who guarded Scotland's frontier with England..."  The family names associated with the borderers were Armstrong, Elliot, Kerr, Scott,  Douglas, Hepburn, Bruce and Johnston.

The Lowlands
The Lowlands run east/west across the center of Scotland and follows upward to the east coast.  

The Highlands
The Highlands was aptly named since it is the great mountainous region.  The Highlands is dominated by two mountain ranges, one which is the Grampian Mountains. 

Northern Isles
The Northern Isles are the islands of Shetland and Orkney.

Wildlife in Scotland

The wildlife in Scotland is as varied as the land.  Unlike other countries, there are no dangerous wild animals living among the mountains, Lowland valleys or coastal areas. 

The coastal areas are home to seabirds such as the puffins, guillemots and kittiwakes.  Seals, dolphins, and whales also live on the coast.  Scotland has many lochs and rivers where an abundance of insect life flourish.  Salmon, trout, and otters are among other wildlife that exist in the sea lochs and fresh water lochs.

While heather and grasses may cover the Lowlands, the hills and mountains are home to birds of prey (golden eagles and kestrels).  Sheep, red deer, pine marten, red squirrels and wildcats are among the wildlife that reside in different areas of Scotland.  The  well-known indigenous Shetland ponies of the northern Shetland Islands are the small, cute ponies that have thick wiry coats. 

    
"The history of Scotland is like its landscape - full of peaks and valleys, of ruggedness and grandeur, of gentleness and calm splendor."  "Scotland," by Nigel Blundell

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