If the recent vote in Scotland has made think you ought to visit Scotland then Scotland The Best 100 Places by Peter Irvine is the ideal book to help you decide where exactly to touch down in England’s northern neighbour. An early photo of Glen Coe by Russell Bain sets the standard for the glossy images of places including castles, sculptures, rivers, mountains and art galleries. Each has been placed in one of three categories – Magnificent, Reflective or Human. Glorious scenery we gaze at, beautiful places we become part of and public places where other people add to the experience.
Some of the suggestions are very precise (Calton Hill on December 30th). Some are still growing (Crarae Garden), some might fly away if you’re too noisy (Puffins on the Treshnish Islands). Highlights include Rob Roy’s Bathtub (p.178), a pool carved out by a waterfall on the Falloch river. You need to be hardy, but swimming in front of the falls looks an adventure. Glasgow’s Kelvingrove museum looks impressive (p.162) and is Britain’s most visited attraction outside London. Lock Awe (p.166) seems well named. Gourock Pool looks fun. Drummond Castle gardens are well-laid out. If you’re making a list of places to visit on your next trip north you’ll find it gets quite long.
This is not just a coffee-table photo book. Each place mentioned has directions to find it, local walks, and a recommended nearby hotel. The photos have their greens and blues turned up full volume and the sea looks inviting. In fact if this book was your only experience of Scotland you might think there is never any need of an umbrella and there’s certainly no need for a coat. In this you would be mistaken, but Scotland The Best 100 Places shows that there’s an awful lot to see in Scotland. The tourist board will be glad it’s been published.
Scotland The Best 100 Places: Extraordinary places and where best to walk, eat and sleep
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