SCOTLAND: THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Scotland possesses some of the worlds finest walking and climbing terrain; indeed, if we had the weather of the Mediterranean, we would 'clean up' in terms of tourism.

Tne of the benefits of rambling in Scotland is the moral freedom to roam the hills, a concept absent in England.
Scotland does have a law of trespass, but there si a de facto right to walk unimpeded which, if removed, would result in an unprecedented public outcry.
Ramblers and hillwalkers, however, have a duty to observe the country code-to shut gates properly, to keep dogs on a leash if there are sheep around, and to stay away from shooting areas during the season. Dropping litter, especially glass, is a senseless thing to do.

Scotland has some of Europe's most precious wildlife havens and walkers should be sensitive to the needs of flora and fauna. In particular, St. Kilda is of global ecological importance, and the Nature Conservancy Council operates some 40 National Nature Reserves where wildlife is conserved.

The Roman Poet Horace wrote that you could drive Nature out with a pitchfork, but it would keep coming back. The NCC, wary of this thinking, shielded animals and such majestic birds as the golden eagle and the osprey from the 'pitchforks' of human encroachment.

Beinn Eighe was declared Britain's first National Nature Reserve in 1951 and is of great geological, scenic and natural history interest. The reserve covers over 10,000 acres of spectacular moorland and mountains, natural pine and birchwoods. The pines along Loch Maree is a remnant of the Caledonian forest. There are many birds to be seen, including eagles, peregrines, ptarmigan, black grouse, crossbills and red and black throated divers. There is a visitor centre at Aultroy Cottage on the A832; a car park, toilets and nature trails, as well as partial wheelchair access. Access to the reserve is restricted during Autumn.

Ben Lomond is one of Scotland's best-known, and most popular, mountains. It rises to 3194 ft from the eastern shore of Loch Lomond. Not surprisingly it offers the climber picture-postcard panoramas of Ayrshire, Arran and Ailsa Craig, the Arrochar alps, Ben Nevis and Loch Katrine. The summits of Sron Aonaich, Bennin Uird and Ptarmigan are all within 5423 acres bought by the Trust in 1984. Ramblers are warned to keep any dogs on leads, for this is sheep-farming country. There is no ranger services; nor is there a visitor centre-simply hills to climb, roam and contemplate.

LOCATION  - B725 S OF DUMFRIES, DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY
GRID REF - NY051656

STATUS  - NCC
ADMISSION  - FREE
WILDFOWL REFUGE: NOMINAL CHARGE, REDUCED RATE FOR CHILDREN AND SENIOR CITIZENS.
PHONE  - 0138 777 275

This salt marsh on the Solway coast is one of Britain's most important wintering grounds for wildfowl and plays host each year to the entire world population of Spitzbergen barnacle geese. The reserve stretches over 14,000 acres of land once owned by the Duke of Norfolk, and was the location of Scotland's first national wildfowl refuge-and the first in Britain to allow conservation and shooting to run hand in hand. A refuge and visitor centre is run by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust on 100 acres of the reserve, at Eastpark farm. The refuge boasts some of the best facilities in the country for viewing birds close at hand. There are excellent observation towers and hide facilities. Children can see swans coming in to land gracefully in the pool. There is wheelchair access on the ground floor.

STATUS - DOBBIES' GARDEN CENTRE
ADMISSION  - NOMINAL CHARGE, REDUCED RATE FOR CHILDREN AND SENIOR CITIZENS
PHONE  - 0131 663 4932

Whatever the weather, visitors will enjoy strolling through Scotland's largest garden centre. There is a reconstruction of a tropical rainforest landscaped with exotic plants, cascading waterfalls and lily-ponds. Butterflies from many countries flutter around in this artificial habitat. They are spectacular and very colourful.  At close quarters, but in safety, visitors can observe praying mantis and stick insects. The place is, understandably, a hit with the children. There is an adventure playground, as well as a tropical fish shop and a picnic area.

The skyline which travellers on the Arran Ferry are privileged to witness on a clear evening probably represents the most awe-inspiring approach to any Scottish island. The vista-minus the sea-would not be out of place in Switzerland, even Afghanistan. Goat Fell, the highest mountain, is flanked by the jagged peaks of Ben Nuis, Cir Mhor, Ben Tarsuinn and the Sleeping Warrior. Although Goat Fell is not a Munro, it sprouts from sea level and is a fair climb. A visitor could spend a week of happy exploring in the range, which provides some marvellously daunting ascents and great ridge walks. Goat Fell is something of an institution, perhaps because of its dominance of the skyline over Brodick, perhaps because of its accessibility. The Trust owns 6603 acres, including part of Glen Rosa and Cir Mhor. There is a visitor centre at the adjacent Brodick Castle, and a good ranger service.

The Grey Mare's Tail is a spectacular waterfall, and one of the main attractions in Dumfriesshire's most rugged tract of countryside, the Moffat Hills. The surrounding hills are dramatic moorland, which were once a place of refuge for fugitive covenanters, and the stamping ground of Sir Walter Scott and James Hogg, 'the Ettrick Shepherd'. The 'tail' cascades over 200 feet from a superb example of a hanging valley at Loch Skeen, at 1700 feet one of Scotland's highest Lochs. This is an area beloved by hill-walkers, but many people just park their cars in the park at the foot of the hill and take the pleasant walk up to the waterfall. The area also has rare plants and is a mecca for geologists and ornithologists. The Trust owns over 2500 acres, including Dobb's Linn, which was purchased in 1972. There are information boards about the geological effects of glaciation and so on in the car park. Feral goats can be seen on the hills, but the Trust advises walkers to keep to the path, since there have been several deaths here. A ranger service operates during July and August.

This is a magnificent swathe of beautiful highland countryside, dominated by the spectacular Beinn Fhada and the equally impressive Five Sisters of Kintail, all but one a gnarled Munro rising to around 3500 feet. The 'Sisters' form the western side of a 20-mile ridge running from Loch Duich to Glen Moriston. The ridge attracts many climbers and the corries are home to herds of red deer and feral goats. The Trust owns 15,000 acres including a countryside centre at the Morvich farm, off the A87. Access to the mountains is best from this point. The site of the battle Glen Shiel, which was fought in 1719, is situated five miles east of the village beside the main road. There is a Trust caravan site at Morvich, which is open between 3 March and 8 October. Fishing is available and, there is a ranger service.

Loch Garten is famous as a breeding sanctuary for ospreys, which were re-introduced to Scotland in 1959 after becoming extinct. Visitors can view the tree-top eyrie through fixed binoculars at an observation hut. The reserve is blessed with one of only three surviving tracts of Caledonian pine forest, which provides a habitat for crested tits, Scottish Crossbills, capercallies, goldeneyes and other threatened species. Ospreys can be spotted from the end of April until August, but the surrounding landscapes can be appreciated at any time of year, particularly in February and March. At this time visitors are often fortunate enough to observe the eccentric courting ritual of the male capercallie, or see some of the rarer visitors such as waxwings and great grey shrikes. Facilities on the reserve include a shop and hide. Naturally access to the reserve is regulated during certain crucial periods.

Scotland's first country park of its kind-an eight mile stretch of coastline-is named after John Muir, the native of Dunbar who emigrated to America and became a pioneering conservationist. He also founded the Yosemite and Sequoia Parks, which were the basis of the American National Park system. John Muir Coutry Park includes a large area of attractive sandy beach and foreshore, and the estuary of the River Tyne. Most of the area, which takes in Belhaven Bay and Ravensheugh Sands, is designated a Site of the Special Scientific Interest. There is a good clifftop nature trail commanding views of the Isle of May and Bass Rock. The area has considerable conservation value, although it has a golf course and a caravan site. There is a wide variety of habitats, attracting wild flowers, common blue and meadow brown butterflies, migrant whimbrels and greenshank. There is a ranger service. Access points are off the north side of the A1087 at West Barns and off the east side of the A198 half a mile north of the village of Tyringhame.

This rugged and stimulating coastal headland near Eyemouth has cliffs rising to 300 feet and is an important migration observation point well-known for its breeding and migrating seabirds. It is the most important site for cliff-nesting seabirds in south-east Scotland. Guillemots, Kittewakes, razorbills, shags, fulmars and hirring gulls crowd the promontory of lava between May and October, while Manx shearwaters can be spotted in the Autumn. Puffins are often seen-as are purple sandpipers and turnstones. Notable migrants are the red-backed shrike, the red-breasted flycatcher and the wryneck. Facilities include a ranger service, a car park and tea-room. There are official viewpoints, and partial wheelchair access.

A visit to this remarkable group of islands on the edge of Europe is the experience of a lifetime.

The remote archipelago has the highest cliffs in Britain and the World's largest gannetry.

The islands comprising the first place in Scotland to be designated by UNESCO A World Heritage Site are Berneray, Dun, Hirta, Soay, Stac Lee and Stac an Armin.

St Kilda was evacuated on Friday, 29 August 1930, her inhabitants having lived on seabirds and their eggs for centuries.

The Nature Conservancy Council declared the islands a National Nature Reserve in 1957, and UNESCO accepted them as being of global importance in 1986.

Ornithologists travel to St Kilda in great numbers because its one of Britain's most important breeding grounds for a number of species. There are thousands of gannets, fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and puffins. The fulmar colony is Britain's oldest, and the 300,000 puffins represent by far the majority of the British total. St Kilda has its own species of wren and mouse. There are 125 pairs of wrens, although there were only 15 in 1894.

LOCATION - ROSS AND CROMARTY, HIGHLAND
GRID REF - NG9056

STATUS  - NTS
ADMISSION - DEER MUSEUM: NOMINAL CHARGE, REDUCED RATE FOR CHILDREN
AUDIO VISUAL DISPLAY - BY DONATION.
VISITOR CENTRE (UNATTENDED) - OPEN: 25 MAY-30 SEP, MON- SAT 1000-1800, SUN 1400-1800
PHONE  - 0144 587 221

This majestic geological masterpiece is one of Scotland's greatest wildernesses, and the Trust owns 16,100 acres of the quartz and sandstone stacks, which form the country's most frightening mountain scenery. Torridonian sandstone is up to 750 million years old, and Torridon used to lie south of the equator. It is now a lot colder. Replete with several munro's including Liathach and Beinn Alligin, it is, nevertheless, one of the greatest spiritual homes of moutaineers and naturalists in Scotland. Facilities include a deer museum, open all year, and an unmanned visitor centre. A good ranger service is headed by Lea Macnally BEM, one of the leading authorities on red deer and golden eagles.