Project Discovering Britain: Scotland

2008

Scotland

We are welcome you to Scotland, the land of mountain lost in clouds, wild moorlands, narrow valleys and plains, famous lakes, called lochs and no end of large and small islands off the coast

I. Scotland What does it look like?

Geographical position

Scotland is the most northern of the four countries constituting Great Britain. It occupies the territory of about 80 thousand square kilometers and is not so densely populated as England.

Geographical position

As a geopolitical entity Scotland includes 186 nearby islands, among them The Western Islands, the Orkney Islands and the Shetlands Islands

Geographical position

The country is characterized by an abundance of streams and lakes. The most famous of them are Loch Lomond, Loch Ness, Loch Tay and Loch Katrine

The longest river of Scotland is the Tay; the Clyde, however, is the principle navigation stream, site of the port of Glasgow

Climate and Vegetation

In its climate and

vegetation, its mountain and valley structure, Scotland resembles other regions of north-west Europe that look out towards the Atlantic.

Here you can see oaks, pines and larches

You can find deer, hares, ermines, otters, pine martens

II. Who are the Scots?

The Scots are not English nor are the Scots British. The nation of modern Scotland derived from 3 main racial sources: the Celts, the Scandinavians or Teutons and mysterious Picts

These Picts were the first inhabitants of what we now call Scotland. They were a small tough people. They were conquered by the invading Celts from Ireland who incidentally were called Scots and from whom the name of the modern nation comes. It is from the Celts that there comes the more colourful, exciting and extravagant strain in the Scots

III. The Six Main Cities of Scotland

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, Dundee and Stirling are the six main cities of Scotland. Each has a distinctive character of its own but all guarantee their visitors a vibrant mix of history, culture and entertainment

Aberdeen

The Granite City of Aberdeen is a prosperous, cosmopolitan city with an international population and a booming oil industry.

Aberdeen

The city boasts spectacular architecture and captivating museums, fascinating history, a wealth of art and culture and a lively social scene

Aberdeen

The city famous Granite Mile, Union Street, is the gateway to over 800 shops, restaurants and bars

Dundee

Dundee, Scotlands fourth largest city, has transformed itself in recent years into a lively, cosmopolitan centre thats an increasingly popular choice as a short city-break destination or for a great family day out.

Inverness

Inverness has plenty of shops, places to eat and drink, peaceful areas close to the centre for relaxing, and a good variety of places to stay. There are also many attractions around the city such as Culloden battlefield and dolphins!

Inverness

Stirling

Stirling is the countrys youngest city, only gaining the status in 2002. This is the centre of Braveheart country and nowadays you can literally touch and feel the sense of history and nationhood which is Stirlings trademark. Gaze out from the ramparts of the spectacular cliff-top castle or meander along the compact heritage mile that links the Old Town with its bustling city centre and boasts the finest concentration of historic buildings in Scotland

An old castle in Stirling

Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is Scotlands largest city, and is the third largest in population in the British Isles, after London and Birmingham. It grew from being a pleasant burgh in pretty countryside into a great city, starting first in the 17th century as a major seaport to which sugar and tobacco were imported from America

Glasgow

Glasgow with its fine buildings, excellent shopping, beautiful parks, museums and art galleries attracts thousands of visitors each year from every corner of the globe

Glasgow

The city is an ideal centre. There is plenty to see and do and it is within each reach of many other holyday spots.

Kelvingrove

Glasgows galleries and museums attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The most popular in the city is Kelvingrove which contains the countrys finest civic collection of British pictures

Museum of Transport

A popular place for young and old is the citys Museum of Transport which has a fascinating collection of tram cars, a reconstructed subway station complete with carriages, model ships, horse drawn and early motor vehicles, pedal cycles and steam locomotives

The Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow

The Theatre Royal in Glasgow

Glasgow also boasts Scotlands only opera house the Theatre Royal. This is the home of Scottish Opera and host performances by Scottish Ballet. The Scottish National Orchestra performs in Glasgow

Glasgow is famous for its beautiful parks

Glasgow

Scotlands beautiful capital

Edinburgh

But nothing compares to Edinburgh, the old capital of Scotland. Edinburgh today is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe of half a million inhabitants. The city is popularly known as the Athens of the North because it is situated on the seven hills and goes down those hills to the bay Firth or Forth. The highest hill, called King Arthurs Chair, is 300 metres above sea level

Princess Street

The main street, the Princess Street, a mile long, is modern and bright, with beautiful houses, elegant shops and restaurants, cinemas and cafes, - all on one side of the street. The other side borders a deep valley filled with trees, flowers and lawns

Edinburgh Castle

The opposite side of the valley is a steep slope. There is the old Edinburgh. The old town is climbing up towards the ancient Edinburgh Castle standing high on the grey massive Castle Rock

Edinburgh Castle

The Royal Castle of Edinburgh is the most powerful symbol of Scotland. For centuries, this mighty fortress has dominated its surroundings with a majesty, which has deeply impressed many generations

The Scottish Crown Jewels

Edinburgh Castle is the home of the Scottish Crown Jewels, the oldest Royal Regalia in Britain. The Honours of Scotland the Crown, Sword and Sceptre were shaped in Italy and Scotland during the reigns of King James IV and King James V and were first used together as coronation regalia in 1543

Mons Meg

Edinburgh Castle boasts having the giant siege gun Mons Meg in its military collection. Mons Meg was made at Mons (in presentday Belgium) in 1449. It was at the leading edge of artillery technology at the time: it weights 6040 kg and its firing gunstones weigh 150 kg

The Military Tattoo

For many visitors the Castle means nothing without the Edinburgh Military Tattoo which is taking place at the Castle Esplanade. The signal (Tattoo) indicated that soldiers should return to their quarters and that the beer in the taverns should be turned off. This signal was transmitted by drum beat each evening. Eventually this developed into a ceremonial performance of military music by massed bands

The Palace of Holyroodhouse

Royal Mile is the name given to the ancient street which runs eastwards from castle Hill to the gate of the Holyroodhouse. The Palace of Holyroodhouse, Her Majesty The Queens official residence in Scotland. The home from 1561 to 1568 of Mary, Queen the Scots and occupied during 1745 by Prince Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie

The Palace of Holyroodhouse

According to legend, David 1 founded the Palace as an Augustinian monastery in 1128. It is said that the king had a vision in which cross, or rood, belonging to his mother St Margaret appeared between the antlers of an attacking stag. Hence the Abbeys symbol a stags head, with its horns framing a cross. Over many of the most turbulent centuries Scotland has Holyrood developed into a palace, a powerful symbol of the Church and monarchy

Edinburghs Museums
In the field of arts, Edinburgh has a host of

outstanding attractions for different tastes and interests. You can visit The Scottish National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Museum and The Museum of Scotland

Edinburgh National Gallery of Scotland & Royal Scottish Academy

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

The Museum of Childhood

Described as the noisiest museum in the world, the Museum of Childhood is a favourite with adults and children alike. It is a treasure house, full of objects telling of childhood, past and present

But whenever you go a strong feeling of Scottishness will never leave you

IV Scottishness
Oh Scotia! My dear, my native soil! Robert Burns

A wee dram

Scots have their own national drink, and you need only ask for Scotch, and thats quite enough, you get what you wanted. More than half of Scotlands malt whisky distilleries are in the Grampian Highlands

A wee dram
The Scots are fond of the following joke about scotch: A young man arrives in a small village situated near Loch Ness. There he meets an old man and asks him: - When does the Loch Ness Monster usually appear? - Usually it appears after the third glass of Scotch,answered the man

Scottish national dress

There is also a distinctive national dress, the kilt. Strictly speaking it should be warned only by men; it is made of wool and looks like a pleated skirt. The kilt is a relic of the time when the clan system existed in the Highlands. But its origin is very ancient. The Celtic tribes who fought Ceasar wore kilt. When the Celts moved north up through Cornwall, and Wales, and Ireland, and eventually to Scotland, they brought the

A few words about tartan

Every Scottish clan had its own tartan. People in Highlands were very good weavers. They died wool before weaving it; the dyes were made from various roots and plants which grew in this or that bit of land. Therefore one clan dyed wool in reddish colours, another in green, and so on. And they decorated them differently so as distinguish the clansmen in battle (especially between neighboring clans which happened rather often)

The national musical instrument of the Scots

Scotland has its own typical musical instrument, the pipes (sometimes called the bagpipes). The bagpipe was known to the ancient civilizations of the Near East. It was probably introduced to Britain by the Romans. In Scotland the bagpipe was first recorded in the 16th century during the reign of James 1, who was a very good player, and probably did much to make it popular. For long it has been considered a national Scottish instrument. Even now it is still associated with Scotland

Highlands dances and games

You can also find in Scotland its own national dances, Highland dances and Scottish country dances; its own songs and sports.

Highlands dances and games

Speaking about sports we cant but mention Highland Gathering Games held in Braemar. They have been held there since 1832. The Game consist of piping competitions, tugs-ofwar, highland wrestling and dancing and tossing the caber

The famous Loch Ness

Fact or fiction, the Loch Ness monster is part of Loch Nesss magnetic appeal to visitors. The story of Nessiterras Rhombopteryx or Nessie for short in Loch Ness has persistent down the centuries. The monster was first mentioned in AD 565 when St Columba allegedly persuaded it not to eat someone. Since records began, in 1933, more than 3000 people have claimed to have seen it, but others are skeptical. They point out that no good photographs exist of the monster, that there have been no eggs found, no dead monsters nor any other compelling evidence. Believers think the monster is a plesiosaur, an otherwise extinct sea dwelling reptile

Saint Andrews Cross

St. Andrews Cross is the national flag of Scotland. St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. He was a New testament apostle who was martyred on an X-shaped cross. He was said to have given the Pictish army a vision of this cross at the battle of Athenstoneford between King Angus of the Picts and King Authelstan of the Angles

Scotland for every season

If you hunt for the real Scotland, there will be many times when you know you have found it: when you hear your first Highland Piper with the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle; on some late evening on a far northern beach as the sun sets into a midsummer sea; or with your first taste of a malt whisky, peat-smoked and tangy; or when you sit in a car with the real Scots

The real Scotland is not found in a single moment nor is it contained in a single season. Though the moorlands turn purple in summer, Scotland in spring is famed for its clear light and distant horizons, while autumns colours transform the woodlands and what could be more picturesque than snow-capped hills seen from the warmth of your hotel room?

Scenery, history, humor, climate, traditions are offered throughout the year !

Authors: Kamartdinova Dinara 10th form Mishin Konstantin 11th form Papysheva Tatiana 10th form Teacher: Chepel Olga Vyacheslavovna