Scottish population growth in the Middle Ages. Restoration and Glorious Revolution. Scotland after the union

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SCOTLAND, country that occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It is separated from England mainly by the Cheviot Hills and the Tweed River. To the west of Scotland, on the other side of the North Channel (St. Patrick's Sound), is Northern Ireland. South coast Scotland faces the Irish Sea and the Solway Firth. Scotland's borders have remained unchanged for almost 500 years.

Scotland is an integral part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. However, the political status of Scotland is not noted in this title. Although Scotland has never been an autonomous or federal unit of Great Britain and is no longer a kingdom, it is not just a geographical or administrative area. Scotland can be considered as a separate country. The Scots defend their national identity and retain many institutions that are not found in England and other English-speaking countries. They have their own capital, Edinburgh, their own church, laws and courts, their own banks and banknotes. In Scotland, cities are called burghs (as opposed to boroughs in England), and their mayors are called provosts (in England, mayors), sheriffs there are judges who receive a salary, and not honorary dignitaries, as in England.

Peculiar institutions have been preserved in Scotland since ancient times, when it was a sovereign state. For a long time there have been attempts to unite Scotland and England. Many of them were acts of armed aggression on the part of England. The Scots for a long time successfully repulsed the invaders, which contributed to the strengthening of national identity. In 1603, when, after the death of Elizabeth I, the Scottish king James VI peacefully established himself on the English throne, both countries found themselves under the rule of one monarch, but each retained its own parliament and its own governing bodies. Then, in accordance with the Act of Union 1707, Scotland and England joined the United Kingdom of Great Britain with a single parliament and central government.

However, even after 1707, Scotland retained its identity, as some of its institutions were clearly specified by the Act of Union, and in the most recent years there has been a trend towards decentralization of government, with many government functions transferred to individual Scottish departments.

Although in terms of area (78,772 sq. km) Scotland is more than half the area of ​​England and Wales combined (151,126 thousand sq. km), its population in 1991 totaled only 4,989 thousand people compared to 49,890 thousand in England and Wales . In the 20th century In Scotland, there have been significant changes in the distribution of the population: migration to the cities has increased, where 9 out of every 10 Scots now live. In the mountains and on the islands, the population density does not exceed 12 people per 1 sq. km. km. However, at present, the centers of population growth are not large cities, but their suburban areas.

Nature.

The character of the Scottish people and their way of life were largely influenced by the natural environment: due to the predominance of mountains and uplands, only 1/5 of the territory was suitable for agriculture. In the south, the South Scottish Highlands are bordered on almost all sides by coastal lowlands and river valleys. The Mid-Scottish Lowland, which crosses the country between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde, is highly industrialized. To the north of this belt, almost along the entire eastern coast, a wide plain can be traced, and agriculture is developed in several large river valleys. Only in the most fertile lands to the south and east - in the Tweeda Valley, Ayr, Lothian, the county north of the Firth of Tay, partly in Aberdeen and along both banks of the Moray Firth - intensive farming brings very high incomes.

Rocky hills and swamps are widespread in Scotland, and mountains dominate in its central and western regions. The highest point, Mount Ben Nevis in the Grampian Mountains, reaches only 1343 m, several other peaks rise above 1200 m. However, there are approx. 300 peaks exceeding 900 m and many mountains make an impressive impression, rising almost from the seashore. There are no clearly defined ridges in the mountains of Scotland; when viewed from above, a mass of randomly dispersed peaks opens up, separated by deep narrow valleys called glens, or elongated narrow lochs. The valley of Glen More, containing three lakes (Loch Ness, Loch Loch and Loch Lynn) and continuing in underwater valleys at both ends, is distinguished by its rectilinear outlines; it stretches from the southwest to the northeast and divides the entire highlands of Scotland into two parts. Throughout this dissected territory, outcrops of bedrock are often found, and only in the lower parts of the slopes of the mountains and in the glen there are pastures and arable lands. In the last quarter of the 20th century Scotland carried out extensive afforestation.

The coasts of Scotland are heavily dissected. In the west, fjord-like bays-lohas penetrate deeply into the central part of the mountainous country. Off the coast of Scotland is approx. 500 islands united in archipelagos. The most significant of them is Hebrides, which includes such large islands as Lewis (1990 sq. Km) and Skye (1417 sq. Km), along with grass-covered rocks suitable for grazing a few sheep. The northern archipelagos - Orkney and Shetland - have 150 islands of various sizes. Both the western and northern islands are distinguished by a variety of landscapes; there are very fertile areas along with completely barren outcrops of bedrock. In contrast, there are very few large islands off the east coast of Scotland. Here, steep ledges, alternating with sandy beaches, go out to the North Sea. In the past, in the days of small sailing ships, there were many small ports on the east coast, mainly at the mouths of the rivers. Through these ports, trade relations between Scotland and neighboring countries Northern Europe. In the 18th century, when Scotland began to trade with America, the deep-water estuary of the Clyde River became the main trading artery of the country.

Transport problems have always largely depended on the relief. Until good roads were built (end of the 18th century), small loads were transported on horseback, while heavy or bulky goods had to be transported by sea from one port to another. Soon the era of railways began, which greatly facilitated transportation in more populated areas located at low altitudes. However, in the highlands in the west and north of Scotland, the construction of railways was difficult, and the main mode of transport remained steamboat traffic along the coast and along the lochs. Currently, road transport is dominant. Many railway lines were dismantled and steamboat services were cancelled. Air traffic plays a minor role, it is maintained only between the UK and some islands, but its development is hindered by fogs and strong winds.

The climate of Scotland is typical maritime. The average January temperature is approx. 4° C, July - 14° C. There are differences between the open west coast and the more sheltered east coast, the latter characterized by colder winters and warmer summers. Much more precipitation falls in the west. The average annual rate for the whole of Scotland is 1300 mm per year, but on some exposed western slopes it rises to 3800 mm.

population and lifestyle.

The population of Scotland occurred as a result of mixing of several races. The earliest inhabitants of the country were the Caledonians, or Picts, who inhabited most of the territory north of the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. In the southwest lived the Britons, related to the Welsh. Argyll ca. 500 AD an Irish colony was founded, and at the same time the Angles left European continent and landed in the southeast of Great Britain. In the 8th-11th centuries. the Scandinavians visited almost the entire coast of Scotland, but settled in the north and west. In the 12th century Normans and Flemings appeared there. Many Irish immigrants arrived in the 19th century. Proceeded in a similar way migration processes between England and Scotland.

Plains dwellers and highlanders.

The main difference is between the plains people, who are of mixed ethnogenesis and have spoken English for centuries, and the highlanders, who are mostly of Celtic origin and who until recently spoke Gaelic. In the 11th century Gaelic was spoken in almost all parts of Scotland, but subsequently the area of ​​​​its distribution narrowed significantly. In the 1960s, there were no more than 80,000 Gaelic speakers, almost all of whom lived in the western highlands and islands, and also knew English.

There were more than just linguistic differences between the Highlanders and the Lowland Scots. Important differences persisted between a predominantly agricultural (later predominantly industrial) economy in the plains and a predominantly pastoral economy in the mountains. In addition, the specificity of land use with the concentration of the population in the glen, separated by mountains, apparently favored the cohesion of some clans. As a result, until the 18th century. the highlanders could not be completely turned into law-abiding subjects of the kingdom.

Religion.

Many Scots are Presbyterians and their religious life takes place within the Scottish Church. The adherents of this church make up 2/3 of all believers, it enjoys strong influence almost everywhere. The heresies and schisms that plagued Scottish Presbyterians in the 18th and 19th centuries have for the most part been overcome. The two surviving Presbyterian minorities, the Free Church and the Free Presbyterian Church, have their adherents predominantly in certain mountainous regions and on the western islands, where their highly conservative teachings retain their appeal to the populace.

The Reformation won over most of the country, and at the end of the 17th century. only about 12 thousand Catholics remained in Scotland, who lived mainly in the mountains, in the west of the main island and on one or two small islands. Until the 19th century The Roman Catholic Church sought only to strengthen its influence in these areas. However, Irish immigration, especially during the famine years of the 1840s, contributed to the growth of the Catholic population in industrial areas, mainly around Glasgow. Currently, there are about 800,000 Catholics in the country. In the 18th century positions Anglican Church strengthened in areas located north of the river Tei. Now its role has weakened, with the exception of the petty nobility, whose authority outside the cities is not great.

Culture.

In Scotland, education has long been under the control of the church. During the Middle Ages, schools were established at cathedrals or other temples, which were managed by city councils. At the same time, the church organized three universities in Scotland - in St. Andrews (1410), Glasgow (1451) and Aberdeen (1494). The University of Edinburgh was founded shortly after the Reformation (1583); four more universities were added in the 1960s - Strathclyde in Glasgow, Heriot-Watt in Edinburgh, Dundee and Stirling. Several parliamentary acts of the 17th century. schools were called for in every parish, but in remote areas this idea was put into practice without much haste. In the 18th - early 19th centuries. in addition to the parish system, schools were established by voluntary societies until the whole country was completely covered by educational institutions. In 1872 the old order was replaced by a state system and schooling became compulsory. The Scottish tradition did not encourage the establishment of private schools under the direction of school boards, however, schools in the country were very diverse until the late 1800s.

Sport.

The national sport in Scotland is football, but it is played mostly by professionals. Scotland is the birthplace of golf, and the sandy east coast has good golf courses. In the mountains they play children's hockey, similar to the usual one. Highlander costumes give color to sports competitions, which, together with bagpipe competitions, are regularly held in mountainous areas.

Economy.

Scotland is predominantly an industrial country. Businesses are concentrated in the Lowlands between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. In the same strip are the main industrial centers - Edinburgh and Glasgow. Both old (steel, printing and brewing) and relatively new industries (petrochemical, electronics and automotive) are represented here. In addition, shipbuilding and general engineering are developed in the Clydeside area, which includes Glasgow and its suburbs.

Light industry is partly concentrated in the cities of Dundee and Aberdeen, located on the east coast north of the Firth of Forth. Aberdeen refines oil from fields in the North Sea. Industry Dundee specializes in the production of jute, clocks, refrigerators and electronic equipment. Most of the famous whiskey distilleries are located in northeastern Scotland. For many years clothing and fabrics, especially tweed, have been produced in the valleys of the South Scottish Highlands, in the northern highlands and on the islands. There are nuclear power plants on the banks of the Firth of Clyde and the Solway Firth and on the north coast.

Agriculture is predominantly concentrated on the eastern coastal plain. Among the main crops there stand out barley, oats, wheat, potatoes, turnips and sugar beets. 3/4 of the agricultural area of ​​Scotland is used for pasture. Sheep are bred in the hilly regions of the northwest, and cattle are bred in the plains of the northeast. The southwest is an important area for dairy farming.

State structure and politics.

Administratively, Scotland has been subdivided into 12 regions since 1975, including 53 districts and 3 island territories (Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland). Districts usually correspond to the former counties, or shires, that existed before 1975. Councils are elected to govern districts, districts, and island territories.

The Scottish Parliament is missing some of the laws that are permanently in place throughout the UK. Other laws are partly relevant to Scotland, while others are wholly relevant to Scotland, when they are discussed, differences in legal proceedings, administrative procedures, etc. are taken into account.

Until the 1970s, the idea of ​​local government had little success in Scotland. However, in the early 1970s, the discovery of oil fields in the North Sea stimulated Scottish nationalism, and in the 1974 general election the Scottish National Party won a third of the vote in Scotland and 11 seats in the British House of Commons. In 1978, Parliament passed a bill for direct elections to the Scottish Assembly in Edinburgh, giving it greater powers in internal affairs. However, in a referendum in 1979, this project did not receive the support of the population.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Scotland continued to struggle for its place in the overall political context of the United Kingdom. The country retains national characteristics in religion, legal structure, language (called Scottish) and education system. Scotland has its own original culture, a highly developed and recently expanded university system, and its own press.

Despite the existence of the Ministry of Scotland, headed by the Secretary of State for Scotland in Edinburgh, and two reorganizations of local government, in 1973 and 1995, this integral part of the UK leads a rather isolated political life, which, in turn, has internal regional features. First, there is the area of ​​Glasgow and the Clyde Estuary to the southeast. About 40% of the total five million population of Scotland lives in this developed industrial area, a significant part of heavy industry is located and there are quite a lot of social problems associated with lack of housing, rising crime, poverty and unemployment. Trade unions are traditionally developed, Catholics, mainly Irish, form an influential minority in Glasgow and the Strathclyde area. The combination of these socio-demographic features fuels a strong and consistent Labor Party electorate.

The rest of Scotland is politically distinct from this region. In most constituencies three or four parties—Labour, the Conservatives, the Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats—are vying for the popular vote, although the Labor Party has traditionally been strong in urban areas such as Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

In London, Scotland is represented by 72 members of the House of Commons, but they are considered to have little influence in the 659-member Parliament. In the May 1997 general election, all major parties, except the Conservatives, were in favor of a significant change in the position of Scotland in the United Kingdom. Labor won 56, the Liberal Democrats 10, the Scottish National Party 6 votes, while the Conservatives won no seats, although 17.5% of the population voted for them.

After that, in a referendum, 70.4% of the Scots voted in favor of the formation of a Scottish Assembly with limited powers, which will be convened in Edinburgh in July 1999. A slightly smaller number of Scots who took part in the referendum (but also a majority) supported the proposal to give the Assembly some rights in tax area.

Labor supported the idea of ​​the Assembly in the hope of putting an end to the discontent of the Scots in connection with the existing constitutional status their countries. The measures put to a referendum were also approved by the Scottish National Party, which regarded them as the first step towards full independence. It should be noted that Scottish nationalists are in favor of continued membership in the European Union and are not as radical in matters of preserving culture and language as their counterparts in Wales.

STORY

Roman period.

For thirty years after 80 AD. and again around 140–180 AD. Roman troops occupied southern Scotland. They defended the line through Fort Clyde against the Caledonians, or Picts, a warlike people who inhabited the northern territories. For this, the Romans built fortifications during the first occupation and a defensive rampart during the second occupation. About 84 and again about 208 they penetrated north to the Moray Firth, but beyond the Firth of Forth they left no military settlements. Having lost control of southern Scotland for the first time, they built the so-called. Hadrian's Wall, built after 120 between the River Tyne and the Solway Firth, which for a long time served as the frontier of the Roman Empire in Britain. However, the rampart could not hold back the Picts, who repeatedly invaded territories in southern Britain. In the 3rd–4th centuries many tribes of southern Scotland became allies of Rome.

Christianization.

St. Ninian began his missionary work in the southwest of the island c. 400; other missionaries are said to have preached among the Picts as far north as the Moray Firth, but the Christianization of Scotland is generally dated to the arrival of St. Columba in 563. The conversion took place during the migration of the Scots from northern Ireland, where Christianity had dominated since the beginning of the 5th century, to the Hebrides and the western part of Scotland. Columba himself settled in a monastery on the island of Iona near the southwestern tip of the island of Malla. Not limited to the brothers in faith - the Scots in the west - Columba eventually managed to convert the king of the Picts in Inverness to the Christian faith. Over time, the Irish form of Christianity, with its special rites and organization, came into direct conflict with Roman Christianity, which was spreading north from Kent. At the Synod of Whitby (663 or 664), the King of Northumbria, after hearing the adversarial rites, decided in favor of Rome, and his verdict was later adopted in all the territory north of the Cheviot Hills; Iona eventually capitulated c. 720. The replacement of Irish rites by Roman ones had a profound effect on the history of Scotland, for the country was thus joined to the general stream of the history of European civilization.

Other influences.

With the end of the Roman occupation of Britain, the rampart along the Tyne-Solway line ceased to be an insurmountable obstacle, and eventually two kingdoms were formed, which were located on both sides of the rampart - Strathclyde in the west and Northumbria in the east. To the north lay the kingdoms of the Picts and Scots, the former occupying most of the country north of the Clyde Fort, and the latter part of the west coast and the Hebrides. The northward expansion of the Anglian kingdom of Northumbria, reaching as far as the River Forth, met with strong resistance from the Picts, who defeated the Northumbrian army in 685 at the Battle of Nechtansmeer. The danger of invasion was somewhat reduced after the place of the Angles was occupied in the 8th century. Scandinavians, as the new settlers in Northumbria were more concerned with expanding south and west than north. However, the capture of the northern territories became the goal of the Scandinavian tribes who arrived by sea. The Normans conquered island after island, first in Shetland and Orkney, and then in the Hebrides; after they spread throughout the north and west of Scotland. Traces of the Norman conquest are still visible, especially in Orkney, Shetland Islands and on Caithness, which served as the center of concentration of the forces of the conquerors. During the 11th and 12th centuries. the power of the Normans gradually decreased, and the power of the kingdom of the Scots increased. Nevertheless, the Normans retained dominance over the western islands until 1266, and only in 1468–1469 Orkney and Shetland were returned to Scotland after the marriage between Princess Margaret and James III.

Scottish kingdom.

Meanwhile, in 844, the Scots and Picts were formally united under King Kenneth MacAlpin. During the 10th century the rulers of this united kingdom tried, and not without success, to retake Lothian from Northumbria and establish complete dominion over Strathclyde. The implementation of these claims fell on the reign of Malcolm II (1005-1034). However, as soon as Malcolm's grandson Duncan I took the throne in 1034, Macbeth of Moray seized the throne and held it until he was put to death in 1057 by Malcolm III. Duncan I's son Malcolm III was in exile in England and later married the Anglo-Saxon Princess Margaret. They and their sons brought the English way of life to Scotland. The system of monasteries and parishes was developed, a feudal system of the Norman type was established. This caused resistance in the Highlands, where opposition forces rallied around Moray. However, time passed, and the kingdom continued to exist, cities grew, trade developed, and England's attempts to subjugate Scotland met with resistance and were successfully repulsed. The period from 1153 to 1286 is called the golden age of Scotland.

Fight with England.

A long and relatively calm and fruitful period came to an abrupt end with the death in 1290 of Margaret, the "Maiden of Norway", who became heir to the Scottish throne. She was to marry the son and heir of Edward I, King of England. To avoid a civil war for the throne, Edward was asked to act as an arbitrator. He chose John Baliol, who was crowned in 1292, but only after he recognized Edward as his overlord. Repentant for what he had done, Baliol, with the help of the French, tried to get rid of his dependence, but the uprising was crushed. In 1297, William Wallace challenged the British at Stirling Bridge, and this time the Scots were victorious. However, Wallace, unable to reconcile conflicting interests, was eventually deceived and handed over to Edward. The banner of rebellion was again raised by Robert I (Bruce) in 1306. For several years he led the policy of exhausting the troops of Edward II, and then, in 1314, at Bannockburn, dealt the most crushing blow ever received by English troops on Scottish soil. In 1320, in a letter to the pope, the Scots stated; "As long as there are at least a hundred Scots left alive, we will not submit to the English king." Despite this declaration of independence, it was only in 1328 that England, by the peace treaty at Northampton, agreed to recognize King Robert, and in 1329 the pope finally recognized the sovereignty of the Scottish kingdom.

instability and war.

The war with England did not stop, and this led to the impoverishment of the population of Scotland. In addition to this, the country suffered from ineffective rule by kings that were either too young or too old, and periods of strong rule did not last too long for stability to be established during this time. The chiefs of the Highlands and the barons of the Lowlands, and the Church, having all the wealth and influence in Scotland, were the enemies of the monarchy. Although the citizens of cities have held seats in parliament since the reign of Robert I, there has been nothing like the English House of Commons in the country to counterbalance the lords and prelates. During the Hundred Years' War, Scotland became an ally of the French. The result was important cultural ties to the Continent, but this involved Scotland in a series of military adventures. The economic, administrative and intellectual development of the country under James IV ended after his invasion of England and his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

The Reformation and the End of the Anglo-Scottish Wars.

One of the lessons of the defeat at Flodden was that traditional ties with France posed no small danger to Scotland. At the same time, the advent of the Reformation added yet another reason for revisiting foreign policy countries. The Scots, influenced by Lutheranism, believed that Scotland should ally with Henry VIII after he rejected papal authority and dissolved the monasteries. James V, however, did not follow Henry's example. Instead, he took advantage of the situation and received financial benefits in exchange for loyalty to the pope. In addition, he strengthened relations with France by successively marrying two French women, the second of whom was Marie of Guise. The result of his policy was the war with England and the defeat of the Scots in the battle of Solway Moss in 1542, after which Jacob soon died.

Until the coming of age of Mary, who succeeded to the throne at the age of one week, the dominion of Scotland was contested by a Frenchman and an Englishman, each of whom had many supporters among the Scots. Henry VIII supported the Scottish reformers and plotted to assassinate Cardinal David Beaton, who favored an alliance with France. George Wishart, a Protestant preacher associated with the English, was burned at the stake as a heretic by Beaton, who was soon also killed. The British, unable to secure the engagement of the Queen of Scots to Prince Edward (later Edward VI), carried out devastating raids in the south of Scotland and, as a result, ensured that Scotland fell into the hands of the French. Mary was sent to France (1548) and betrothed to the Dauphin. She married him in 1558, and he became king of France under the name of Francis II. In Scotland, Mary of Guise became regent in 1554 and ruled the country, respecting the interests of France and relying on French troops.

The Reformation movement in Scotland was now combined with patriotic resistance to French dominance and the fear that Scotland would henceforth be ruled by a dynasty of French monarchs. In 1559, upon the return of John Knox from Geneva, an uprising broke out, directed both against the French and against Rome. Troops sent by Elizabeth prevented the suppression of the rebels by the French, and the death of Mary of Guise (June 1560) opened the way for a treaty by which English and French soldiers were to leave Scotland.

Mary, Queen of Scots.

The Reformers were in power in 1560, but in August 1561 Queen Mary, who had lost her husband Francis in December 1560, returned to Scotland. As a Catholic, she initially had no animosity towards the reformed church. However, Mary could not be the head of a new church, the leadership of which was mainly in the hands of the governors, or new bishops, and the supreme power was in the General Assembly, which was practically a Protestant parliament. Mary claimed more claim to the English throne than Elizabeth, and after marrying her cousin, Lord Darnley, who followed her in succession to the English throne and whose claims were recognized by the English Catholics, the reformed church ceased to enjoy her favor. After the murder of Darnley, Mary married the Earl of Bothwell, who was believed to be the murderer of her second husband. A rebellion broke out and Mary was deposed. The crown passed to her minor son James VI. Mary fled to England in 1568 under the protection of Elizabeth. She was imprisoned until the Queen of England ordered her execution in 1587.

James VI.

The period before the coming of age of James VI is marked by the civil war waged by his regents against his mother's supporters, and by the intrigues of Rome, supported by the European powers. In addition, a Presbyterian movement arose within the reformed church, demanding the abolition of bishops and the transfer of church government to the elders. The Presbyterians denied any authority over the church to the king and parliament, and argued that high presbyters should determine the policy of the state. Jacob pursued a cunning, flexible and consistent policy in his dealings with rival factions. For some time he had to rely on the Presbyterians and in 1592 agreed to the proclamation of Presbyterianism as the state church. However, after the defeat of the last Catholic uprising in 1594, he began to insist on the preservation and strengthening of the posts of bishops along with church courts. James forced Andrew Melville into exile and established tight control over the church, but did not interfere in the theological issues proper, which had been discussed since the beginning of the Reformation. This compromise was generally accepted, especially after James reconciled the nobles and landowners and found a foothold in the relatively conservative northern territories, where Presbyterianism had not yet taken deep roots. When James sat on the English throne in 1603, it did not unify the parliaments or government of the two countries, but strengthened his own position, whereby he made the Scots respect the law and was able to rule more effectively than any of his predecessors.

Charles I.

Charles I lacked the tact that his father had; his actions were not distinguished by patience and flexibility and led to the fact that many subjects turned away from him. Jacob did not dispute the rights to the former church property seized after the beginning of the Reformation. Charles began his reign (1625-1649) by questioning these rights, and in later years nurtured plans to restore the income of the old church. He went even further than his father in manipulating Parliament by means that were considered unconstitutional; established taxes that were considered exorbitant, and gave bishops political functions. Finally, ignoring criticism and opposition, Charles introduced new ecclesiastical canons that threatened to replace the existing compromise with a system identical to that of the Anglicans, and a new liturgical service, which was rejected as Roman Catholic by already inflamed public opinion. As a result, the National Covenant (1638) was signed, which stated that the king acted illegally, and soon the Presbyterian church was again accepted as official.

Civil War and Oliver Cromwell.

Charles resisted the increasing influence of the Scots, but he did not have enough strength to bring them into obedience. The return of the Scots to arms and their occupation of northern England forced him to convene the Long Parliament. After the start of the civil war, the Covenantors, who had power over Scotland, following the Solemn League and Covenant (1643), agreed to help the English Parliament in the fight against the king on the condition that Presbyterianism become the state church not only in Scotland, but also in England. However, when the royal forces were defeated, power in England passed not to Parliament, but to Cromwell and the army, who shared not the Presbyterian, but the Independent views on church government. Then the Scots, or rather some of the Scots, tried to restore the reign of Charles I, and after his execution they put Charles II on their throne on the condition that he sign the covenants. The result was the defeat of the Scots at Dunbar (1650) and Worcester (1651) and the conquest of the country by the British. During the period of the republic and the protectorate, Scotland was united with England, sent deputies to the English parliaments and conducted free trade with England and the English colonies.

Restoration and Glorious Revolution.

The Restoration of the Stuarts (1660) was intended to restore the pre-war system of government and the terms of the religious compromise reached under James VI. There was some political opposition in the country, as Scottish politicians and parliament were no longer as obedient as they had been before 1648. Although the restoration was accepted in the country, serious discontent was brewing in some areas, especially in the southwest, among those strict Presbyterians who advocated the implementation of the National Covenant and the Solemn League. A policy of alternating reconciliation and suppression lessened the degree of discontent, and the rebellion at Bothwell Bridge (1679) was brutally suppressed, but a handful of extremists still survived and eventually refused to recognize the English king.

James VII (James II of England) was mainly occupied with resolving the issue of restoring the status of Roman Catholicism. His principle of religious tolerance extended not only to Catholics, but also to Presbyterians, which undermined the official status of the Episcopal Church, preserved by his predecessors. The policy of toleration was so unpopular that Parliament refused to sanction it, and it had to be carried out solely by the will of the king. The result was a general aversion to royalty. Thus, when the English Revolution of 1688 led to the flight of James and the rise of William of Orange, James had little chance of remaining on the Scottish throne. In 1689 he was declared ineligible for the crown. The campaign of John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, ended at Killecranky, and William's rule was established in Scotland. The bishops and the majority of the clergy were loyal to Jacob, so William relied on the Presbyterians, whose church was finally declared state (1690). One of the results of William's determination to break the resistance of the Highlanders was the famous massacre at Glencoe in 1692.

Darien.

In the 17th century The country was going through a period of transformation. Since the reign of James VI, Scotland has increasingly become an advanced country with a developed economy and culture; economic projects aroused the enthusiasm of the population, there were new incentives for production and commerce; attempts were made to colonize new lands - in Nova Scotia, in eastern New Jersey and in South Carolina. The economic interests of Scotland differed from those of England. The regime of free trade with England ended with the beginning of the Restoration, when, according to the Navigation Act, the Scots were excommunicated from trade with the English colonies. As a result, serious tensions arose between the countries. Up until the revolution of 1688, crises were avoided because the king was able to keep the Scottish parliament under control. After the revolution, Parliament gained independence and showed its freedom-loving character precisely when the power of the English Parliament also increased. Under these conditions, the Scots conceived an ambitious project to establish their own colony in Darien, and this project was widely supported and financed. Darien nominally belonged to Spain, with which at that time Wilhelm was in difficult negotiations. For this reason, he refused to support the idea of ​​a Scottish colony and forbade English subjects to give the Scots any help in this enterprise. The colony venture ended in disaster, partly because of the epidemic, and partly because of the resistance of the Spaniards. The Scots blamed William for everything, and the attitude towards England became even more hostile. It became clear that the only hope for progress in trade lay with Scotland's entry into the markets of England and the English colonies.

Union with England.

William understood that the difficulties that were inevitable under the circumstances could be overcome with the help of the union of the two kingdoms and the creation of a single parliament, but the Scots did not like the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bsubordinating England, and the British did not at all want to give the rights of trade to the Scots. Nevertheless, after 1701, England entered the War of the Spanish Succession with France, and the Scots took advantage of the situation by threatening to pursue an independent foreign policy and even choose their own monarch. Under the threat of the emergence of an independent Scotland with the support of France, the British were forced to yield, and in 1707 an act of union was adopted, according to which the Scots renounced their political independence. Scotland received representation in London - 45 seats in the lower house and 16 peers in the House of Lords; it was also decided that after the death of Queen Anne, the countries would receive a monarch from the House of Hanover. In return, the Scots received equal trading rights with the British, the Presbyterian Church of Scotland was declared inviolable, and Scottish laws and the judiciary remained independent of the English. In practice, appeals in civil cases could be brought, after hearings in the Scottish High Court, to the British House of Lords. In all other cases, the decisions of the Scottish courts were final.

Jacobite uprisings.

For more than 40 years after the conclusion of the union in Scotland, there was a serious dissatisfaction with the state of affairs, it seemed to the Scots that their interests were being ignored by the British Parliament, and the expected economic benefits were not bearing such rich fruits. However, the Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745, aimed at restoring the descendants of James VII and James II, cannot in any way be considered a proper Scottish national resistance movement; they received almost no attention from the people of central Scotland, receiving a response only from adherents of the Episcopal Church and Catholics. In the north, where economic and social development was not as vigorous as in other areas, and the situation was determined by the rivalry of the clans and the willingness to join in any occupation that provided an opportunity for robbery, a sufficient number of chiefs attracted their clans to the side of the Jacobites, who as a result were replenished in 5-10 thousand soldiers. The uprising of 1715, led by Count Mar, ended in failure; the "senior pretender" James VIII joined him at the moment when it was already suppressed. During the uprising of 1745, the "junior pretender" Charles Edward landed in Scotland, proclaimed his father king, took Edinburgh and invaded England, reaching Derby. There, however, he did not receive any support and withdrew to the north, where he was finally defeated at Culloden (1746), which put an end to the claims of the Stuarts. The defeat of the Highlanders was applauded by the inhabitants of central Scotland. Dissatisfaction with the union faded, and over the next century it was welcomed by almost the entire population of the country.

Scotland after the union.

Economic development.

Over time, the union brought obvious economic benefits. Scottish ports, especially along the banks of the Clyde, imported tobacco from America; to meet the needs of the colonists in industrial products, enterprises were formed, primarily flax-spinning manufactories. The British monopoly on the tobacco trade ended with the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, but industrial development in Scotland continued. From the end of the 18th century the most important industry in the west of the country was cotton spinning and cotton weaving, which flourished until the American Civil War cut off the supply of raw cotton. Since then, the cotton industry in Scotland has not recovered, but heavy industry began to develop, based on the country's coal and iron reserves. The invention of the hot blast method (1828) revolutionized Scottish metallurgy, and Scotland became the center of engineering, shipbuilding and transport engineering. By the end of the 19th century iron was replaced by steel. Scotland, which throughout the 17th century. was mainly an agricultural country, acquired an industrial belt stretching across the whole country from the southwest to the northeast, where most of the population lived. Agriculture also received significant development after the Union, its level remained high, although in the second half of the 19th century, when Britain began to pursue a policy of free trade, food imports had a very negative impact on local agricultural production. The development of industry, bringing with it employment and prosperity, proceeded so rapidly that housing construction, urban expansion, and health systems lagged behind, and for a time living conditions in some cities remained extremely poor.

The predominant development of heavy industry began to bring losses after the Second World War, when the processes of industrialization in other countries deprived Scottish industry of markets. Within Great Britain itself, production was centralized, and industry moved farther south, leaving Scotland in the position of an industrial outskirts. As a result, the entire interwar period was a time of depression, and the world crisis of 1931 was only its most acute phase. After the Second World War, the old heavy industries fell into decay, and the government provided financial assistance to new industries - from nuclear power plants and oil refineries to light industry.

Public administration.

The unification of parliaments was followed a few years later by an almost complete unification of government systems. With the strengthening of the role of the state in the 19th century. Separate Scottish councils for the poor, education, health, agriculture and fisheries were formed. In 1885, the post of Secretary for Scotland was formed, and when the Scottish Office was established in 1926, most of the former councils replaced the departments that were part of it. After 1850 there was occasional dissatisfaction with union, at least in its current form, and proposals were made for a separate Scottish Parliament and a reorganization of Great Britain on the basis of federalism. Currently, the Scottish National Party, which emerged in the 1970s, exists and is actively operating. The government's proposal for a Scottish Parliament with the right to decide local issues was put to a referendum in Scotland in September 1997. The vast majority of citizens participating in the vote (74%) approved the proposal, and 63% of those who voted - the right of Parliament to raise or lower taxes within 3%.

Church.

The Scottish Church retained its Presbyterian organization, guaranteed by the Act of Union. The problem of reconciling the Presbyterian claim to independence from Parliament with the legitimate authority of the British Parliament caused constant difficulties and led to splits and the formation of sects. The controversy culminated in the schism of 1843 when the Free Scottish Church was formed. In the late 19th century, however, a reunification trend emerged, and from 1929 the Church of Scotland had a very small minority of Presbyterians in its ranks. The episcopal church, which lost official status in 1690, continued to exist in difficult conditions throughout the 18th century. and still represents a separate religious organization. Roman Catholicism practically disappeared in the early 17th century. and throughout the 18th century. enjoyed influence only in a few mountainous areas, but the influx of the Irish and Scotland in the 19th century. caused a serious strengthening of the position of Catholics.

Education reforms.

The reformers hatched plans for a comprehensive system of education, involving the establishment of schools at all levels, including in all parishes. From 1616 there was a legislative basis for parochial schools, but despite significant progress, the new education laws were never implemented. Schools funded by local landlords were under the control of the church. In addition, efforts were made independently of the church, thanks to which, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Scotland had more opportunities for education than any other country of that time (even before the 1872 obligatory visit schools). Universities opened their doors to young men from all social classes and at the end of the 18th century. won great fame. People who were educated in Scotland achieved the highest positions in England, and the Scots managed to achieve the heights of intellectual and cultural development in the work of such outstanding people as David Hume, Adam Smith and Walter Scott.

Anglicization.

In the course of nearly three centuries of political union, many factors have brought the Scots closer to the British in their way of life. At the end of the 18th century, when the interests of the Scots were first affected by the American War of Independence and then by the French Revolution, the country's political awakening took place, and the Scots began to take an active part in British parliamentary politics. From the period of the Napoleonic Wars, the Scots not only fought in the British army, but were loyal to Britain, and later fully shared the goals of British foreign policy and British military campaigns. The important role played by the Scots in the colonization and administration of the lands that made up the British Empire strengthened the partnership with England.

Delegation of power.

In the UK, the establishment and empowerment of state bodies subordinate to Parliament at the level of the whole country as a whole or at the level of regions is called delegation of power (devolution). Although Scottish voters in 1979 rejected the government's proposal for the formation of a Scottish legislature to which power over local affairs would be transferred, in 1997 they overwhelmingly approved such a proposal. The reasons for the change of view lay not in any rise of Scottish nationalism, but in the excessive concentration of power in the hands of the cabinet in London.

Scotland (Scotland) is now an administrative and political part of Great Britain, its historical province, whose inhabitants cannot forget that over a huge historical period it was an independent country. The area of ​​Scotland is 78.8 thousand km 2. Population 5 million 54 thousand (2002). Since 1999, the country has had its own parliament. Most believers belong to the Presbyterian Church.

Scotland. foothills.

Scotland occupies the northern part of the island on which Great Britain is located, as well as smaller islands in the neighborhood: the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. The main territory of Scotland is surrounded from the west and north by the Atlantic Ocean, from the east by the North Sea, and from the south the territory of England adjoins it. by the most high mountains are the Grampian Mountains, stretching in the north of Scotland, where the highest peak of Scotland, and of Great Britain in general, Ben Nevis (height 1343 m) is located. There are a lot of mountain lakes in Scotland, among which are such famous ones as Loch Lomond and Loch Ness. It is simply impossible not to hear about the latter - this is how the legend of Nessie glorified him. I must say that in Scotland, just like in Ireland, there are countless legends about various local monsters. Nessie, on the other hand, managed to become famous in those days when dinosaurs had just begun to be discovered, so the story about her acquired a “scientific” connotation. That is why this lake still attracts crowds of those interested. Other lakes are in no way inferior to it in beauty.

Scotland. Loch Ness.

Scotland is a rather harsh land compared to England. There are many corners of untouched nature, mountains, groves. Numerous islands are scattered among lakes and bays. Ancient castles have also been preserved. In Orkney and Shetland, thanks to the Gulf Stream washing them, the climate is relatively mild. The Shetland Islands are rightfully famous for their woolen clothes (especially the sweaters and shawls from Fair Isle, a small island at the southern tip of the Shetland Range).

Scotland. Ayrshire. Neo-Gothic Kalzin Castle.

Scotland. Fountains in Kalzin Castle Park.

Scotland has become for many Europeans a real discovery of the 20th century. Tourism is one of the main sources of income here. In just one year, over 30 million tourists visit Scotland, which is 6 times the number of all inhabitants of Scotland. Scotland is no less popular than England as a country of educational tourism. The most visited are Edinburgh, Aberdeen, St. Andrews, Stirling, castle tours. Dundee and Glasgow are major industrial centers. A unique monument is the village of New Lanark.

Scotland. Edinburgh.

Scotland. Lochleven Castle. Here, in 1567, Mary Stuart signed her abdication.

The history of Scotland is closely connected with the English and yet it is the history of another people and another country. Most ancient population- Picts, a mysterious ethnic group, whose representatives were, apparently, of small stature. The legends about the Picts are known to us from the ballad of Robert Stevenson "Heather Honey" translated by S.Ya. Marshak. The Picts as a people disappeared after the spread of Christianity, most likely, they simply assimilated. Later, the Picts were settled here by the Gaels - the Celtic people. The Gaels and Picts successfully defended themselves from the Romans, but the Roman Empire did not extend its power here, mainly due to the fact that these places were too cold and harsh for the Romans. In the 5th-6th centuries. the Celtic tribe of Scots came here, displacing the Gaels into the mountainous regions. The Gaels (now their language is spoken by no more than 80 thousand people in the Highlands and the Hebrides) are called Highlanders or simply Highlanders in a different way. And if you immediately remembered the series about the "immortal" highlander Duncan MacLeod, then you are right - he originates from the mountain Gaelic clans.

Scotland. Glemis Castle (17th century), built on the site of the old one, whose ruler in the 11th century. was Macbeth. A striking example of the so-called "baronial castles".

Scotland. Braemar Castle. 1628.

The Scotts, who gave their name to the country, converted to Christianity and actively carried out missionary activities. There was a clan structure of society. The clans, named after their semi-legendary founders, jointly owned land, were responsible for their members according to the rules of mutual responsibility, and fought wars according to the rules of feudal allegiance (i.e. if the head of the clan swore allegiance to someone, then all members of the clan had to support). Each clan had its own colors of clothing. Homespun wool - tartan - from which the outfits of clan members are sewn, usually has a checkered pattern. In modern Scotland, a men's suit with a skirt (kilt) is preserved, which is worn by members of the clan on solemn occasions, as well as soldiers of Her Majesty's Scottish regiments. Despite the clan system, kingdoms also formed in Scotland. The oldest Pictish kingdom had its center in Scone. From here comes the coronation stone, which now belongs to the British crown. A single kingdom was formed by the 10th century. W. Shakespeare's tragedy "Macbeth" just tells about one of the episodes of the struggle for power. True, in reality, Macbeth was not such a villain, he killed his enemies not in bed, but on the battlefield, but he was an opponent of the British, and therefore became in their eyes a villain for all time. England had a decisive influence on the political life of Scotland. The Scottish kings were repeatedly forced to fight for the independence of their homeland. Edward I of England conquered Scotland, but a huge uprising broke out there under the leadership of Sir William Wallace (early 14th century). After the execution of Wallace, a new uprising was raised by Robert the Bruce, who returned the country's independence and founded a new dynasty, which continued in Russia. King Bruce had a reputation in Scotland as a sorcerer, and subsequently his descendant in the Russian service had the same fame, which lasted for centuries. The descendant of another great Scot, the bard Thomas Lermontov, laid the foundation for the Lermontov family in Russia. By the way, Lermont was considered a seer and predictor, like his descendant Mikhail Yurievich. In the Middle Ages, the Scots were often employed in the service of foreign kings, the Scottish detachment was at the French court. Periods of confrontation with England gave way to peace. The reign of the Stuart dynasty, related by family ties to the English royal house, ended with the establishment of their power over the united Britain. But for Scotland, the personal union of 1603 was replaced by the accession to England in 1651-52 with the elimination of the trappings of independence. The English and the inhabitants of the valleys gradually pushed back the highlanders, whose life became more and more difficult. This sparked the biggest rebellion of Robert MacGregor, better known as Rob Roy. After the suppression of the uprising, Scotland forever went to Britain. Late 18th - early 19th century was the time of the real Scottish Renaissance. James Macpherson, having processed the ancient legends, passed them off as the writings of the legendary bard Ossian. The true singer of Scottish history was Walter Scott, thanks to whom the whole civilized world learned about the heroes of this northern country. The poet Robert Burns, the writer Robert Louis Stevenson and many others maintained interest in this country. Russia today remains the only country after Scotland where Burns' birthday is celebrated. Many prominent British figures have Scottish roots - from economist Adam Smith to actor Sean Connery, by the way, a passionate fighter for the country's independence.

Scotland. Belmoral Castle is the current residence of the Queen in Scotland.

Scotland. Blair Castle. Erected in the 13th century. Hereditary possession of the Dukes of Atholl.

For a long time, Scotland's lagging behind England in economic development was depressing, but in recent decades there has been a gradual leveling off. Nevertheless, the tendency for the migration of the most educated part of the population to England remains, and in the mountainous regions the population gradually migrates to the valleys. The most populated area of ​​the city of Glasgow and the Clyde Valley, where high-tech industry is developing. Agriculture, fishing, whiskey production, etc. are widely developed in Scotland. About a quarter of the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe country is cultivated or is under pastures. The main Scottish crop is oats. No wonder Scotland is called the "Land of Cakes". This name is given to the country because it is known for its famous "oatmeal cakes" (oatmeal cakes). In Scotland, you will be offered other national dishes, first of all, haggis. This is a tripe-like offal dish. Meat puddings are also common here.

Scottish piper.

Inverness. Inverness Castle.

Scotland(English and Scots Scotland, Gaelic. Alba) is a country that is an administrative and political part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It occupies the northern part of the island of Great Britain and borders on land with England. On the other sides, it is surrounded by the seas of the Atlantic Ocean: the North Sea in the east, the North Strait and the Irish Sea in the west and southwest. In addition to the territory on the main british island Scotland also owns about 790 small islands, most of which are uninhabited.

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and the second largest city in the country after Glasgow. In the XVIII century Edinburgh became the center of the Scottish Enlightenment, which allowed Scotland to become one of the most important commercial, scientific and industrial regions of Europe. Glasgow is the largest city in the country, once one of the leading industrial cities in the world. Scotland owns part of the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and, in particular, the North Sea, in which there are large oil fields. The country's third largest city, Aberdeen, is nicknamed Oil and Energy Capital of Europe.

The Scottish kingdom is an independent state that existed from 854 to 1707. In 1603, King James VI of Scotland became the first Stuart king of England and Ireland. In 1707, the "Act of Union" was signed, forming the Kingdom of Great Britain, after which the Scottish Parliament was dissolved, and a single parliament began to sit in Westminster.

The Scottish legal system has remained independent of those of England and Wales and Northern Ireland, thus the country has its own private and public law. Following a referendum in 1997 and the Scottish Act passed in 1998, the Scottish Parliament was restored in 1999. On September 18, 2014, the Scottish Independence Referendum was held in the country, as a result of which 55.3% of those who voted expressed their desire to remain part of the UK. After the referendum on leaving the European Union on June 23, 2016, when 68% of the Scottish population voted against the country's exit from the EU (38% voted "for"), the Scottish government decided to pursue its own independent foreign policy regarding the issue of maintaining the country's membership in European Union.

Name etymology

The word Scotland comes from the Latin word Scoti, denoting the Gaels. In late Latin, under the word Scotia(Land of the Gaels) meant Ireland. By the 11th century, this word was understood to mean the part of Scotland located north of the River Forth. The modern territory of the country began to be called Scotland, and the people living on its territory Scots in the Late Middle Ages.

Geography and nature

The territory of Scotland includes the northern third of the island of Great Britain and the adjacent islands - the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. The area of ​​Scotland is 78,772 km², the length of the coastline is 9,911 km. In the south it borders on England. The length of the border from the Solway Firth in the west to the River Tweed in the east is about 96 km. The island of Ireland is located 30 km southwest of the coast, Norway is 400 km northeast, and the Faroe Islands and Iceland lie to the north of Scotland.

The west coast of Scotland is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the east by the North Sea. The western and eastern sea coasts of Scotland are connected by the Caledonian Canal, of which famous lake Loch Ness.

Despite a very large area and a large number of places untouched by man, there are only two national parks in Scotland: Loch Lomond and Trossachs (area 1865 km², formed in 2002) and Cairngorms (area 4528 km², formed in 2003).

Flora and fauna

The fauna of Scotland is typical of the northwestern Palearctic ecozone, with some exceptions. In the temperate climate of Scotland, there are currently 62 species of wild mammals (including: a population of wild forest cats, a significant number of long-nosed and common seals, as well as the northernmost colony of bottlenose dolphins), about 250 species of birds (such as black grouse -Kosach and white (Scottish) partridge, northern gannet, golden eagle, Scottish crossbill, eagles and ospreys).

The seas of Scotland are the most biologically productive in the world, with an estimated total of 40,000 marine species. Darwin Hills - one of the important areas of deep-sea cold-water coral reefs - was discovered in 1998. There are about 400 genetically distinct populations of Atlantic salmon in the waters of Scottish rivers. There are 42 species of fish in fresh waters, half of which appeared as a result of natural colonization, and half as a result of human introduction.

Four reptile species and six amphibian species are native to Scotland. However, in addition to them, there are 14,000 species of invertebrates (including rare species of bees and butterflies), one way or another falling under the protection acts. environment. Environmental Protection Agencies are concerned about the current threat to much of Scotland's fauna due to climate change.

Geology

The rocks of Scotland are rich in deposits of the Silurian, Carboniferous and Triassic periods. Among the fossil animals, amphibians and invertebrates dominate.

Story

Early history

Scientists believe that the first people appeared in Scotland about 13,000 years ago as the Last Ice Age ended. The first buildings appeared about 9,500 years ago, and permanent settlements - 6,000 years ago. These include one of the well-preserved Neolithic settlements - Skara Brae, located on the Orkney Islands. Other monuments of the era are found in the Outer Hebrides and Shetland Islands, this is due to the small amount of vegetation and the need for ancient inhabitants to build their houses of stone.

Roman influence

The written history of Scotland begins with the Roman conquest of Britain, when they were conquered, received the status of Roman provinces and became known as Britain, the territories of modern England and Wales. Part of southern Scotland was briefly placed under the indirect control of Rome. To the north lay lands free from Roman conquest - Caledonia, inhabited by Pictish and Gaelic tribes. According to the Roman historian Tacitus, the Caledonians launched "all-out armed resistance" by attacking the Roman legions. During one of the night raids, the IX Spanish Legion was defeated, saved from complete annihilation by the cavalry attack of Gnaeus Julius Agricola.

In 83-84 AD. e. Agricola defeated the Caledonians at the Battle of the Graupia Mountains. According to Tacitus, before the battle, the leader of the Caledonians, Calgac, addressed his soldiers with a speech in which he called them "people who do not know the fetters of slavery." After the victory, the Romans built a chain of forts at Gask Ridge, but after three years they withdrew to the South Scottish Highlands.

In order to protect British territory, in 122-126 the Romans built Hadrian's Wall, which became the northern border of the Empire. Later, in the years 144-146 even further north, on the Mid-Scottish lowlands, the Antonine Wall was built, which was abandoned in 208 by order of the emperor Septimius Severus.

Although a large part of Scotland was under Roman control for only about 40 years, this had a serious impact on the southern part of the country, inhabited by the Votadins and Damnonii. Welsh name Yr Hen Ogledd(Ancient North) was used to refer to the kingdoms that formed in northern England and southern Scotland after the departure of the Romans. According to the records of the 9th and 10th centuries, around the 11th century, the Gaelic kingdom of Dal Riada was founded in Western Scotland.

Middle Ages

The largest among the Pictish kingdoms was Fortriu, which was known as Alba or Scotland. The Picts reached their peak several times: after the Battle of Nechtansmeer during the reign of Brode III (671-693) and during the reign of Angus I.

The founding year of the Scottish kingdom is considered to be 843, when Kenneth MacAlpin became king of the united kingdom of the Scots and Picts.

Over the following centuries, the Scottish kingdom expanded roughly to the borders of present-day Scotland. During the reign of David I, Scotland became feudal, it was followed by a reorganization of government and a system of burghs was introduced. During this period, French and Anglo-French knights and churchmen moved to the country. Because of this, the eastern and southeastern territories of the kingdom became English-speaking, while the rest of the country spoke Gaelic, and Orkney and Shetland spoke Norwegian and remained under the control of the Norwegian kingdom until 1468. Between the 12th and 14th centuries, Scotland enters a relatively stable period, during which there were peaceful relations with England, trade relations with the Continent developed, and some scholars, such as John Duns Scotus, had influence far beyond the borders of the country.

Stirling Castle

The end of the 13th century was a serious test for Scotland. After the death of King Alexander III in 1286, there were no direct male heirs left, and Margaret, the granddaughter of Alexander III, born to his daughter, who married King Eirik II of Norway, was declared queen. King Edward I of England attempted to regain control of Scotland, and insisted on marriage between his son, the future King Edward II, and Queen Margaret, despite her young age. But neither the wedding nor even the coronation of Margaret took place, on the way she caught a cold and, before reaching Scottish soil, died in the Orkney Islands.

Since the direct branch was stopped, in 1290 several candidates put forward claims to the throne of the country at once, including John Balliol, grandson of the eldest daughter of David of Huntingdon, brother of Kings Malcolm IV and William I the Lion, and Robert the Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale, son middle daughter of David. One of the contenders was Edward I, who was a descendant of Matilda of Scotland. But the English king, realizing his low chances of being elected, chose to head the court to consider the "Great Litigation". In 1292, Edward I ruled in favor of John Balliol, and on November 30, 1292, John was crowned King of Scotland. In gratitude for his support, John I Balliol recognized the suzerainty of England.

Despite the coronation, some of the Scottish barons, led by Robert the Bruce, Lord of Annandale, refused to recognize John's rights to the throne. And Edward I began to treat Scotland as a vassal territory, forcing John to appear in the English courts as a defendant in Scottish claims and placing English garrisons in Scottish fortresses. In order to reduce dependence on England, John Balliol in 1295 renewed the alliance with France and Norway, known as the Old Alliance, and openly opposed Edward I.

In response to these actions, Edward I declared John I Balliol a rebellious vassal. In 1296, the English army invaded Scotland and utterly defeated the Scots at the Battle of Spotsmoor and conquered the whole country with relative ease. John was captured and signed on July 10, 1296, the abdication of the throne of Scotland, he was deprived of his knighthood and coats of arms - from this his subsequent nickname "Empty Cloak". As suzerain of a vassal who renounced the fief, Edward I declared himself king of Scotland, as a result of which the country lost its independence.

The regime established by the English authorities was so cruel that already in 1297 the Scots revolted, led by William Wallace and Andrew de Moray, the English army was defeated in the battle of Stirling Bridge. Andrew de Moray received serious wounds in this battle and soon died. Scotland was liberated from English troops and William Wallace was elected Guardian of Scotland.

Edward I was enraged by the resistance of the Scots, he led the next invasion personally and in 1298 defeated the Scots at the Battle of Falkirk. William Wallace was forced to flee and go into hiding. Later, in 1305, he was betrayed by the Scottish knight John de Mentheis, arrested by the British, accused of high treason, which he did not recognize, because he did not consider the English king to be his king, and on August 23 he was executed in London. His body was cut into pieces, which were exhibited in the largest cities in Scotland.

After the Battle of Falkirk, the resistance was led by the descendants of the claimants to the throne of Scotland during the "Great Litigation" Red Comyn and the future king Robert I the Bruce, who remained rivals in an effort to seize the throne of Scotland. Bruce eliminated his rival by killing him in a church during a meeting, and ascended the throne as King Robert I on March 25, 1306. After a long and intense war, he won a final victory over the English at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The troops of the English king Edward II were defeated, and the king himself fled and did not get off his horse until the very English border. After the death of Robert I the Bruce, the Second War of Scottish Independence (1332-1357) began, during which Edward Balliol, supported by King Edward III of England, contested the throne from the heirs of Robert I the Bruce.

In the process of a long and exhausting war, the son of Robert I, David II, managed to defend his rights to the throne, but he died childless, and therefore, after his death, Robert Stuart III, as his closest heir, was crowned in Scone on March 26, 1371 as King Robert II. More than 300 years of Stuart rule began.

By the end of the Middle Ages, Scotland was divided into two cultural zones: the plains, whose inhabitants spoke Anglo-Scots, and the highlands, whose inhabitants used Gaelic. Galloway Gaelic persisted until perhaps the 18th century in the remote parts of the southwest of the country that were part of Galloway County. Historically lowland Scotland was culturally closer to Europe. In the highlands of Scotland, one of the distinctive features of the region was formed - the Scottish clan system.

This period was also characterized by the flourishing of Franco-Scottish relations. In the service of King Charles VII of France was a mercenary regiment of the Scots Guards (Garde Ecossaise) who, in particular, fought against the British on the side of Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War. In March 1421, a Franco-Scottish army under the command of John Stuart and Gilbert de Lafayette defeated the English army at the Battle of Bogey. Three years later, in the battle of Verneuil, England was already the victorious side, John Stewart, like another 6 to 7 thousand soldiers, died.

Early Modern

In 1502, King James IV of Scotland and King Henry VII of England signed the Treaty of Perpetual Peace, and James IV married Margaret Tudor. This marriage allowed Henry to strengthen the legitimacy of his dynasty. However, ten years later, Jacob decided to break the Eternal Peace and, with the support of France, declared war on England. On September 9, 1513, James dies at the Battle of Flodden, becoming the last Scottish monarch to die in action. On July 6, 1560, the Treaty of Edinburgh was signed, ending almost three hundred years of confrontation between England and Scotland. In the same year, under the influence of John Knox, the Scottish Parliament proclaimed the prohibition of Catholicism and the adoption of Protestantism as the state religion of Scotland.

In 1603, King James VI of Scotland succeeded to the English throne and became King James I of England. Except during the Commonwealth, Scotland remained a separate state, but at the same time there were significant conflicts between the monarch and the Scottish Presbyterians over the form of church government. After the Glorious Revolution and the overthrow of the Catholic James VII by William III and Mary II, Scotland threatened for a short time to elect its own Protestant monarch, but under the threat of England breaking trade and transport links, the Scottish Parliament, together with the English Parliament, adopted the "Act of Union" in 1707. As a result of the unification, the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed.

18th century

After unification with England and the abolition of customs tariffs, trade began to flourish in Scotland, especially with colonial America. Tobacco merchants from Glasgow, who were called the Lords of Tobacco, prospered in particular. Before the start of the American Revolutionary War in 1776, Glasgow was the largest tobacco port in the world. At the same time, inequality between the inhabitants of the plains and the mountains continued to increase.

During the last attempt to restore the Stuart dynasty to the throne (1745-1746), the leader of the rebels was Charles Edward, also known as "Handsome Prince Charlie" or "The Young Pretender". In July 1745, the prince landed at Eriskay, Scotland, raised his father's banner and started the Jacobite rebellion. The applicant was supported mainly by representatives of the highland clans of Scotland. Quickly taking the Scottish capital of Edinburgh without a fight, Charles defeated the only government army in Scotland at Prestonpens on 21 September and marched south into England at the head of an army of 6,000 men. Having occupied Carlisle and reached Derbyshire, the prince, at the request of his advisers, turned back to Scotland, since the Jacobite movement did not cause mass support in England.

An English army was sent against him, led by the king's son William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, whom George II recalled from the European battlefield of the War of the Austrian Succession. On April 16, 1746, the armies met at the Battle of Culloden, three miles east of Inverness, in northern Scotland. In the open country, the Jacobite army found itself defenseless against the powerful artillery fire of Cumberland and was soon dispersed; the prince's adviser, Lord George Murray, managed to withdraw the rest of the army in combat readiness to Ruthven, intending to continue the war, but Charles, believing that he had been betrayed, decided to leave the rebels. The Battle of Culloden was the last battle fought on the island of Great Britain.

After the adoption of the "Act of Union", the Scottish Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, the country became a powerful European commercial, scientific and industrial center. It should be noted that Scotland in many ways occupies a unique position in the United Kingdom, which is associated with the history of its unification with England and participation in the work of the national parliament while maintaining its administrative and judicial system. And since the administrative and political systems of the two countries remained different, a reliable basis was created for the preservation of national forces in Scotland.

19th century

In 1832, an electoral reform was carried out, increasing the number of members of parliament and the number of citizens allowed to vote. In the middle of the 19th century, calls for autonomy began to increase in the country, because of this, the post of Minister for Scotland was restored.

E. Grimshaw. Ships on the Clyde (1881)

Glasgow became one of the largest cities in the world and was called the "Second City of the Empire" after London. After the 1860s, the shipyards on the River Clyde began to play an important role, where they began to manufacture steam-powered ships for both the merchant and navy. Thus, the region became one of the world centers of shipbuilding. Although the development of industry created jobs and enriched people, social problems began to accumulate: a lack of housing and a backlog of medicine led to a decrease in the quality of life and an increase in mortality.

It is believed that the Scottish Enlightenment ended by the end of the 18th century, but Scottish scientists and writers continued to play a large role in world science and literature in the 19th century. Scottish physicists James Maxwell and William Thomson, inventors James Watt and William Murdoch made a great contribution to the development of technology during the Industrial Revolution. Of the most famous poets and writers of the era, one can name Walter Scott, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Lewis Stevenson, James Matthew Barry and George MacDonald. The Glasgow School, which appeared in the 19th century and flourished in the early 20th century, occupied an important place in the movements of the Celtic Renaissance, the arts and crafts movement and Japaneseism, one of the famous representatives of the Glasgow School was Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

In the 19th century, the culture of the Scottish Highlands began to gain popularity. Thanks to the popularity of James MacPherson's Ossian and the novels of Walter Scott, the kilt and tartan came into fashion throughout Europe. Despite this, the population of the highlands remained poor. Many inhabitants of this region moved to large cities or left for England, Canada, America and Australia. The population of Scotland grew throughout the century: according to the 1801 census, 2.889 million people, and in 1901 - already 4.472. Even despite the development of industry, there were still not enough jobs, because of which, from 1841 to 1934, about 2 million Scots immigrated to America and Australia, and about 750 thousand to England.

Industrialization and urbanization weakened the parochial school system. Since 1830, the state began to give grants for the construction of schools, and from 1846 it directly sponsored them. In 1872, Scotland switched to the system of publicly funded free schools that existed in England.

20th century

Scotland played an important role in the First World War by supplying ships, equipment and fish. About half a million Scots went to war, about a quarter of them died, and 150,000 were seriously injured. Douglas Haig, a Scot by birth, was the commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force in France.

In the post-war years, a period of economic stagnation followed in both cities and agrarian regions of the country, and unemployment increased. Despite the bombing by the Luftwaffe, at the beginning of the Second World War, the economy of Scotland began to rise again. Robert Watson-Watt invented radar, which contributed to the victory in the Battle of Britain.

Due to increased international competition and inefficient industry, Scotland experienced a sharp decline in production after the war, but in recent decades there has been a cultural and economic revival of the region due to the development of the financial transactions, electronics and oil and gas sectors. Scotland has long been regarded by the central government as a region with low industrial potential and slow development, which was associated with the decline in the importance of a number of old industries, such as coal, textiles, and shipbuilding. Of great importance for Scotland in the reorientation of the economy was played by foreign investment, mainly by North American and Japanese companies.

Elections were held in 1999 for the Scottish Parliament, which was established by the Scottish Act in 1998.

On September 18, 2014, a referendum on Scottish independence was held. 44.7% of those who voted were in favor of independence, 55.3% were against. Turnout was 84.59%.

Political structure

The legislative body is the Scottish Parliament (Gaelic Pàrlamaid na h-Alba), consisting of 129 members of the Scottish Parliament (Gaelic Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba), elected by the people of Scotland, one of whom the Parliament elects as the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament (Gaelic Oifigear- Riaghlaidh) and two as Deputy Presiding Officers of the Scottish Parliament.

The executive body is the Scottish Government (Gaelic Riaghaltas na h-Alba), consisting of the First Minister of Scotland (Gaelic Prìomh Mhinistear na h-Alba), Deputy First Minister of Scotland (Gaelic Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear na h-Alba), 8 cabinet Scottish Secretaries and 10 Scottish Ministers.

Legal system

The highest court is the Supreme Court ( Supreme Courts), Courts of Appeal - Sheriff Courts ( Sheriff Court), courts of first instance - district courts ( District Courts of Scotland), the lowest level of the judicial system - justices of the peace ( Justice of the Peace Courts)

culture

music and dancing

Of the folk instruments, the most famous is the bagpipe.

Among Scottish dances, Scottish ballroom dancing and highland solo dances are well known.

Mark Knopfler, founder and leader of the rock band Dire Straits, is a well-known contemporary musician and composer of Scottish descent, who is now engaged in solo projects. Nazareth, Alestorm, Mogwai, The FRATELLIS, Simple Minds, Franz Ferdinand also come from Scotland. The famous punk band "The Exploited" comes from Scotland. The most famous Scottish alternative band is Primal Scream. The musicians of the legendary Australian band AC / DC Angus and Malcolm Young, as well as the late Bon Scott, are Scottish by nationality and natives of Scotland.

Folk music festivals Celtic Connections in Glasgow and the Hebridean Celtic Festival in Stornoway are held annually.

Literature

Scottish literature has a rich history. Classics in their genres are the works of Robert Burns and Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson and James Hogg.

Scottish literature includes the vast spectrum of literature written in English, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Breton, French, Latin and many other languages ​​ever written within the borders of modern Scotland. The earliest literary records date back to the 6th century and include such works as "Gododdin" (Vol. Gododdin), written in Cumbrian (Old Welsh), and "Elegy in honor of St. Columba", written by Dallan Forgyle in Middle Irish. "Life of Columba" ( Vita Columbae), written by Adomnan ( Adomnan), the ninth abbot of the monastery on Iona, was written in Latin in the 7th century. In the XIII century, the French language became widespread in literature. A century later, the first texts on Scots appeared. After the 17th century, the influence of the English language increased, although in the southern part of Scotland the majority of the population still spoke the southern dialect of Scots. The 18th century became the "golden age" for all the literatures of Scotland, especially for poetry. The poet and songwriter Robert Burns wrote in Scots, however, much of his work is still written in English and the "lite" version of Scots, the use of which made his work accessible to a wider readership (and not just ordinary Scots). At the same time, Gaelic poetry (Alexander Macdonald, Duncan Ban McIntyre, etc.) experienced a rise, interest in which has not faded to this day in many countries of the world, including Russia.

The emergence of a movement known as the Cayyard School kailyard school) at the end of the 19th century revived elements of fairy tales and folklore in literature.

Some modern novelists, such as Irwin Welsh (famous, among other things, for Trainspotting) Trainspotting), which was filmed), are written in reader-friendly Scottish English, reflecting the vulnerabilities of contemporary Scottish culture.

Some notable Scottish writers:

• Sir Walter Scott - "Ivanhoe", "Quentin Dorward", "Rob Roy", etc.
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - "Sherlock Holmes", "The Lost World"
• Robert Louis Stevenson - "Treasure Island", "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"
• Kenneth Graham - "The Wind in the Willows"
• William McGonagall - "The Collapse of the Bridge over the River Tay", "The Statue of Burns", "Poetic Pearls", "The Execution of James Graham, the Marquis of Montrose", etc.
• Irwin Welsh - "Trainspotting", "Nightmares of the Marabou Stork", etc.
• James Barry - "Peter Pan"

Fashion design and needlework

Scotland is famous for its national men's clothing - a kilt, which has many colors (tartans). Needlework is also developed in Scotland.

National symbols

• The Apostle Andrew is considered the patron saint of Scotland, according to legend, his relics were transferred in the VIII century from Constantinople to the Scottish city of St. Andrews. The images of the apostle, as well as the X-shaped cross on which, according to legend, he was crucified, serve as symbols of Scotland.
• The bagpipe is a national musical instrument, an unofficial symbol of Scotland.
• The coat of arms and the royal standard depict a red heraldic lion on a golden field surrounded by a red double border sprouted with lilies.
• Scotland's anthem, Flower of Scotland.
• The unicorn has traditionally been included in many historical Scottish coats of arms (often in the form of a shield holder).
• Tartan is a fabric with an ornament of horizontal and vertical stripes. From fabric with such an ornament sew national clothes Scotland and in particular kilts, in Russia it is called "tartan". The tartan pattern is assigned to a particular clan or family, military unit or organization.
• The flag of Scotland is an image of a white St. Andrew's cross on a sky-blue panel.
• The thistle flower is the semi-official national symbol of Scotland and is depicted, in particular, on banknotes. According to legend, in the 13th century, the coastal settlements of the Scots suffered from Viking raids. Once, an unexpected night attack was avoided due to the fact that the Vikings went barefoot into the thickets of Scottish thistle, which gave themselves away.

Basic moments

Traveling in Scotland is a storm of emotions. It strikes with the majesty of its untouched nature: emerald hills and mountains, whose peaks are hidden in a misty haze, endless valleys dotted with flowering heather, ascetic rocky islands. Scotland is famous for its ancient castles with priceless works of art, endless beaches, golf courses, and excellent cuisine. More than 2 million people come here every year to admire this distant and slightly gloomy beauty. Holidays in Scotland belong to the category of expensive, and most of the tourists are representatives of wealthy countries of Western Europe and Americans. Many of them own real estate here.

The birthplace of whiskey and golf, bagpipes and checkered kilts is incredibly distinctive. The Scots themselves today feel their individuality, have a special system of values, their own history and traditions that differ from the English. You can see for yourself, because no matter what time you come to Scotland, you will certainly witness one of the festivals, theatrical performances or traditional sports, the exact number of which is unknown even to the Scots themselves.

History of Scotland

It is known that already in the first centuries of the 1st millennium AD. e. most of the modern territory of Scotland was inhabited by Celtic tribes who penetrated here from Ireland. Having exterminated and partially assimilated the aboriginal population, they formed a nationality, which is usually called the "Picts". So this well-organized warlike tribe was called by the Romans, who unsuccessfully tried to conquer northern lands islands of Britain. "Piktus" in Latin means "painted": the Pict warriors who fought without armor tattooed their bodies with patterns.

Ever since the 11th century, England, the southern neighbor of Scotland, tried to conquer the kingdom, but the Scots managed to defend their independence for a long time. Hostilities between countries either subsided, then flared up again, which was greatly facilitated by the internal struggle of the Scottish clans for the throne. Pretenders to the crown often publicly or secretly tried to enlist the support of England, which skillfully pushed their foreheads together, using civil strife to invade, and sometimes initiated alliances based on marriages between the English and Scottish royal dynasties.

In the 16th century, Scotland was shaken by religious strife. The local nobility and the bourgeoisie supported the leader of the Scottish Reformation, John Knox, a student of Calvin. However, the monarchical Stuart dynasty was still devoted to Catholicism. The iconic victim of the religious confrontation between Protestants and Catholics was Mary Stuart, who refused to change her faith. In 1603, her son, the Scottish monarch James VI, took the English throne, however, despite the common ruler, the two countries were still unfriendly towards each other.

During the 17th century, attempts were made by the parliaments of Scotland and England to unite both states, but only in 1707, during the reign of Queen Anne, the last representative of the Stuart dynasty on the English throne, the Act of Union was adopted, which approved the formation of a single kingdom of Great Britain. The Scottish Parliament has ceased to exist. But the document contained such important postulates for the Scots as the priority of the Presbyterian Church and the independent status of the legal system.

In 1998, the British Parliament passed an Act that returned Scotland the right to have its own parliament and government.

Scottish character

According to the English writer George Orwell, the most striking features of the British are "ostentatious composure, politeness, respect for the law, suspicious attitude towards foreigners, sentimental affection for animals, hypocrisy, emphasizing class and class differences and a passion for sports." The people of Scotland will not fail to notice that these words apply chiefly to the English. The English themselves, to the displeasure of the Scots, are not inclined to recognize the difference between the words "British" and "Englishman", although the inconsistency of the Scottish national character, which combines gloominess and humor, prudence and generosity, arrogance and tolerance, sensitivity and stubbornness, often lead them into confusion. While the English can be affable depending on the circumstances, the Scots are characterized by sincere courtesy and hospitable hospitality. English literature is heavily spiced with witticisms against the Scots, who, in turn, often refer to the union of the two countries as a forced wedding. Unlike the English, the Scots have never been under either Roman or Franco-Norman rule, and this is an additional point of pride for them.

The establishment of Protestantism here, unlike in England, was often accompanied by tragic events, which hardened the character of the adherents of the Reformation, largely making them dogmatists. In remote parts of Scotland, cooking, cleaning or reading the press on Sundays are still considered the most serious sins. Scottish Catholics are also significantly more orthodox than English ones.

Keenly aware of their national identity, the Scots, however, are well aware of the economic benefits of their union with England. A vivid confirmation of this is the results of the independence referendum held in 2014 at the initiative of the Scottish National Party: 52% of the Scots supported the preservation of a single country.

The spirit of independent Scotland is especially felt in its northern regions, inhabited by Gaels - Scottish highlanders. They have their own way of life, in which there is still the concept of clan system, which was established here in the Middle Ages. Echoes of the old tribal system are still preserved in the surnames of the Scots of Gaelic origin, which begin with the word "Mack" (in Gaelic - "son"). Many inhabitants of mountain villages still bear a common surname today.

During national holidays, the Scots, wanting to emphasize adherence to traditions, dress up in ceremonial Gaelic clothes: smart white shirts with turn-down collars, plaid skirts with a large pleat (kilt), short cloth jackets and plaids that are thrown over one shoulder. The kilt and plaid are made from a special checkered fabric - tartan. Each Scottish clan had its own color of this fabric. At the end of the 18th century, these clothes became the uniform of the Scottish Guards regiments. Today, kilts are worn by teenage boys, adult men, and even officials.

National currency

Despite the fact that the official currency of Great Britain is the English pound, Scotland has the right to issue its own money. This is also a pound, but the bills have differences in design. However, it is guaranteed to spend Scottish pounds only in Scotland, in other regions of the UK they may not be accepted in stores. Such an exotic banknote is a good souvenir from this mountainous region.

Geography

Scotland "captured" a third of the country's territory and three archipelagos - the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland Islands. Its northern and western coasts are washed by the waters of the Atlantic, and the eastern shores face the North Sea. Scotland is separated from the island of Ireland by the North Channel, which connects the Irish Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. The western and eastern coasts of Scotland are connected by the Caledonian Canal, part of which is the famous Loch Ness.

Highland Scotland has long been divided into two regions: historical areas Lowland and Highland. Lowland is located in the southeast, includes the South Scottish Highlands and the Scottish Lowlands. However, this territory can be called flat only conditionally: in its center lies a chain of hills of volcanic origin, hundreds of small rocky ridges are scattered everywhere. Only river floodplains occupy lowlands with fertile land and lush pastures. About two-thirds of the population lives in Lowland, and most of the large farms and industrial enterprises are concentrated here. Here are the largest cities in Scotland - the capital of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

In the northwest is the Highlands, or the Scottish Highlands. This is a special world with endless expanses of wild land, chains of rocky mountains crossed by narrow valleys with rivers, waterfalls and lakes, deep fjords leading to the sea. Exposed to the ocean winds, the western mountain slopes are devoid of tree vegetation, while the eastern ridges are sheltered by luxurious Scottish pines, spruces and deciduous trees. Above the forest line, moorlands, swamps and ferns dominate. In the southern part of the Highlands lie the Grampian Mountains, the highest in Britain, with the peak of Ben Nevis (1343 m).

tourism seasons

Thanks to the fact that Scotland has unlimited opportunities for a wide variety of recreation, tourist season here lasts all year round. But massively travelers "occupy" it from May to August, as well as during the New Year and Christmas holidays.

May, when the season officially opens, is the sunniest month of the year. By noon, the air in the flat part of Scotland warms up to +15 ° C, in the northern regions it is slightly cooler. In summer, even on the warmest days, the air temperature does not exceed +23 ° C, cooling often occurs. If you decide to go to the mountains, dress warmly: here it is usually no more than +15 °C.

Summer is the time when the valleys and highlands cover bright carpets of blooming heather, and the west coast, washed by blue ocean waters, becomes comfortable for beach holiday. Scottish white sand beaches stretching beyond the horizon are some of the most beautiful on the planet, but keep in mind that the water temperature near the coast never exceeds +20 °C. Summer is also the height of the fishing season.

In September, it is still quite warm (about +15 °С), but it starts to rain, however, for a short time. In October, the weather deteriorates sharply: the sky is covered with rain clouds, it becomes damp and windy. However, surfers believe that the best waves on the coast are in October. November brings increased winds and storms. The temperature on the Scottish plains is about +8 ° C, and in the mountainous regions the first snow falls, frosts occur.

Winter in the flat areas is quite mild, but damp and windy: the air temperature usually ranges from -2 to +4 ° C, it often snows with rain. In the mountains at this time it is snowy, the temperature can drop to -10 ° C. The ski season starts in December in Scotland and lasts until April.

Lowland

This historical region is clearly divided into eastern and western parts, not only geographically, but also due to the nature of its inhabitants. Easterners consider themselves refined people with good taste. The Scots living in the west, including in Glasgow, are not pretentious and believe that their main advantage is good-heartedness and realism.

Edinburgh

In the east of Scotland, along the picturesque coast of the Firth of Forth, there is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe - Edinburgh, which became the capital of the Scottish kingdom during the reign of David I (1124-1253). Whichever way you arrive in this city between the sea and the hills, the first thing that will appear to your eyes is a castle towering over a basalt ridge.

The castle finials seem to pierce the sky, and the peaked roofs, spiers and towers of the old city form a broken line of the horizon. It stretches from the battlements of the stronghold to the palace of Holyroodhouse, hiding under a green mountain called "King Arthur's Throne". At its top is the best observation deck in Edinburgh.

On the territory of the castle is the oldest building in the capital - a tiny chapel of Queen Margaret of Scotland. It was built at the beginning of the 12th century. The Scottish crown, scepter and sword are kept here - one of the oldest royal regalia in Europe.

The Royal Mile (Royal Mile), stretching from the wide esplanade in front of Edinburgh Castle to the royal palace of Holyroodhouse, was the center of city life until the end of the 18th century and still remains quite busy. Here, during the famous summer Edinburgh festival, a spectacular theatrical military parade takes place. Going down the street, you will see wonderful buildings - examples of British architecture of the 16th-18th centuries. Narrow alleys fan out from the Royal Mile. In their spans you can see flickering between tall buildings The Pentland Hills to the south, the North Sea to the east, and the silvery waters of the Firth of Forth to the north.

At the end of the Royal Mile is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the residence of Her Majesty the Queen during her stay in Scotland. The palace, founded by James IV in 1498, was completed under James V and Charles II. Wonderful French and Flemish tapestries hang in the official apartments, and 18th-century furniture is arranged. In the throne room, the Queen of Great Britain appoints senior officials and rewards the deserving.

Going down to the foot of the hills, you will find yourself in the heart of Edinburgh - on Princes Street, one of the busiest streets in Europe. It will take you to the New Town, nestled under the shadow of medieval buildings at the far end of the valley. This graceful complex of streets and circular squares is a fine example of 18th century urban planning.

It is pleasant to spend time in the capital, leisurely examining the numerous museums and galleries, where works of art created from the Middle Ages to the era of postmodernism are stored.

Edinburgh is not only the administrative, historical, but also the gastronomic center of Scotland. It has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the UK. In the lively cafes on the Royal Mile and in the spacious Grassmarket near the castle, you can enjoy a meal accompanied by music. The Royal Mile is home to the Deacon Brodie tavern featured in Robert Stevenson's eerie work The Story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Rose Street is famous for its pubs, where after rugby matches fans have fun or feel sad. On the same street is one of the best cafes in Edinburgh - Abbotsford.

Borderland and eastern lands

Heading south from Edinburgh on the road through picturesque hills, you will find yourself in the border areas with England. This part of Scotland was always the first to repulse the Romans and the British, holding back their attempts to break through to the north. Today it is a peaceful pastoral land with undulating ridges of green hills and clear river flows. The main occupation of the locals is farming, making tweed and knitwear. The Tweed River flowing here is an excellent place for trout and salmon fishing.

On the south bank of the river is Abbotsford Manor, built in the early 19th century by Sir Walter Scott according to his own design. A pretty house, built in the old Scottish style, seems to look at the river and looks incredibly romantic. Abbotsford, which is still owned by one of Scott's descendants, is filled with memories of the famous writer. Here is a museum that houses a fine collection of historical relics, armor and weapons, among them - the gun of Rob Roy, the sword of Montrose and the cup of Prince Charles Edward.

After driving 3 km further south, you will come to charming city Melrose at the foot of the triple ridge of the Eildon Hills. On one of the eastern slopes stands a Roman fortress, from where there is a delightful view of the hills running west towards Galloway. In the city itself, the ruins of the Melrose Abbey of the 12th century, which are still an architectural poem, are most impressive. The fame of the city was also brought by the invention by the local sports club of a kind of rugby "play with seven", which has become famous all over the world. In the cities of the border regions, rugby has a special passion. Nearby are picturesque medieval monasteries: Dryborough, where Walter Scott is buried, Kelso and Jedborough.

In the south of Scotland there are some particularly impressive stately estates, where you can admire the outstanding collections of paintings and furniture. Among them are Flores Castle, the residence of the Duke of Roxborough, one of the castles of the Duke of Buckleigh - Bowhill, the house of the Earls of Haddington - Mellerstein, built in the 18th century by the famous Scottish architect Robert Adam.

To the east of Edinburgh, south of the Firth of Forth lies the historical site of Lothian. The local hills and fields are covered with lush vegetation, and the golf courses located in these places are considered among the best in the UK. Aberlady Bay has great birdwatching spots as well as wonderful dune-fringed sandbars and many castles.

10 km from the coast, near the city of Haddington, is located Lennoxlaus - the residence of the Duke of Hamilton. The city itself, with carefully restored buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries, also deserves a visit.

On the east coast is the St. Abbs Head Nature Reserve. It is located on a picturesque rocky cape jutting out into the North Sea. This is a bird's paradise: colonies of guillemots, cormorants, fulmars, herring gulls and auks nest here on the rocks. These places are the best for snorkeling in all of Scotland. Divers must obtain permission from the reserve ranger.

On the north side of the wide, silvery Firth of Forth lies the county of Fife. There are mines and industrial enterprises everywhere, but the life of the local cities and towns is distinguished by its originality and charm. In the western part of this land, at the head of the river, is the village of Culross, here you can see the best preserved and most picturesque houses of those that were built in the cities of Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries.

To the east is the ancient capital of the Scottish kingdom of Dunfermline. Its main attraction is the beautiful 12th-century cathedral, where one of the greatest kings of Scotland, Robert the Bruce, was buried in 1329.

To the north of Dunfermline, on the coast of Fife Ness, there are picturesque fishing ports - Earlsferry, Sket Monance, Pittenwim, Anstruther and Crail. Nearby you will see Falkland Palace, the hunting lodge of the Stuarts, the elegant Tarvit House with a fine collection of furniture, tapestries, paintings, and Kelly Castle of the 14th century.

The most famous city in Fife is St. Andrews. This is the birthplace of golf, here is the famous Old Course, which has been played for 800 years. One of the oldest British universities, founded in 1412, is also located in St. Andrews. There are many magnificent buildings in this city, and it is also famous for the fact that for a long time it was religious center Scotland. Church reformer John Knox read his first sermon here.

Western lands

On the banks of the River Clyde, 22 km from its delta, is the largest city in Scotland - Glasgow. During the Middle Ages, it was an authoritative religious and educational center of the kingdom, and the industrial revolution of the 18th century turned it into one of the most economically developed and densely populated cities in Great Britain. Glasgow grew rich due to shipbuilding and heavy engineering, and at the end of the 19th century became the second largest city in Scotland. Its solid industrial base was destroyed during the economic recession of the 70s of the last century. True, the recession was followed by the economic and cultural flourishing of the 90s, and not so long ago, the EU recognized Glasgow as a “city of high culture”.

Not everything in Glasgow's cultural make-up is the achievement of recent decades. The 12th-century cathedral in the Old City is the only Scottish medieval temple that escaped destruction during the Reformation. Opposite it, you can see the three-story Provence Lordship building - this is the oldest secular building in the city (1471), which has now become a museum. The old part also houses the Glasgow School of Art, the west wing of the building was built by the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928), one of the founders of the Art Nouveau style. In Glasgow, you should definitely visit the University Museum and the Art Gallery, which is second only to London's Tate Gallery in terms of the number of visitors. An impressive collection of paintings is exhibited here, including works by a group of artists from the end of the century before last, the Glasgow Boys, who worked in the style of impressionism and post-impressionism, as well as Scottish painters who worked in the post-war years.

The highway, passing through the center of Glasgow and then crossing the River Clyde, will take you to Ayrshire. This is the birthplace of Robert Burns and the area of ​​famous resorts such as Large, Troon, Prestwick and Gurvan. From Wemes Bay there is a ferry to the Isles of Bute and Millport, and from the city of Ardrossan to Arran, a favorite Sunday holiday destination for Scots living on the West Coast. Ayrshire has some of the best golf courses in Scotland. Among them are three venues for the Open Championship, where it first took place in 1860.

Not far from the coastal town of Ayr, in the provincial Alloway, stands the house where the iconic Scottish poet Robert Burns was born in 1759 to a peasant family. Next to it is a modern building, which houses a museum dedicated to the author of immortal ballads.

On the coast near the town of Kerkoswalda rises Kalzin Castle - one of the greatest creations of the architect Robert Adam. Here you can admire a fine collection of paintings, weapons, furniture and porcelain.

South of Ayrshire along the Solway Firth are Dumfries, Galloway and other pretty towns and villages. Further they are replaced by wild moorlands. This piece of land ends in the Galloway peninsula, which is shaped like a hammer. The upper part of the "hammer" is separated from the sea by Loch Ryan Bay, famous for its oysters. Stranraer, the main port of departure from Scotland to Ireland, is located in the harbor of the bay.

Eight kilometers to the north, towards the city of Dumfries, lie the imposing ruins of Sweetheart Abbey. Dumfries itself, located on the river Nith, chosen by trout, is the largest city in the south-west of Scotland. Robert Burns moved here at the end of his life. His house has been preserved and turned into a museum. A monument to the poet stands on High Street.

12 km south of Dumfries, on the banks of the Solway Firth, you will see the remains of the triangular fortress of Caerlaverock surrounded by a moat with water. It was a powerful fortification on the border lands with England. In the 17th century, the Earl of Nithsdale built a classical mansion inside the ruins, thus creating one of the most extravagant architectural complexes in Scotland.

Between Glasgow and Edinburgh is the city of Stirling, which claims to be the true capital of Scotland. Its whole history is an illustration of the struggle of Scotland for its independence. Stirling Castle, the most important defensive stronghold of Scotland, seems to grow out of a high rock, personifying the rebelliousness and courage of the Scots. Several times it was captured by the British, but they could not hold out for a long time. From 1307 to 1603 the castle was the residence of the Stuarts. Here we also recommend visiting the Church of the Holy Cross and the Abbey of Cambaskennet.

At the time of the confrontation between Scotland and England, it was believed that the side controlling the castle was the owner of the entire Kingdom of Scotland, and today old City Sterling is referred to as the brooch that holds the South Lowlands and North Highlands together.

highland

The historical Highland region occupies almost a third of the territory of Scotland, but hardly more than 10% of its population lives here. There are so many picturesque corners on this earth that one can spend a lifetime to look into each of them.

The southern border of the Highlands, bordering the Lowlands, divides Scotland diagonally, from the Mull of Kintyre, a narrow strip of land stretching from the county of Argyll, on the west coast, to Stonehwein, lying on the east coast, south of Aberdeen - the third largest city Scotland. After large oil reserves were discovered in the North Sea in the 1970s, the center of the UK oil industry developed here.

The convenient strategic location of Aberdeen in the Middle Ages turned the city into a royal domain, which contributed to its economic and cultural development. The local university, founded in 1495, is one of the five oldest in the UK. Aberdeen is often called the "Silver City" due to the fact that the quartz crystals in the granite, from which the city buildings were erected, sparkle expressively in the rays of the sun.

80 km east of Aberdeen, on the Royal Deeside, is Balmoral Manor, founded in the 15th century. Since 1848, it has been owned by the royal family, whose members spend part of the summer here. The castle is closed to the public, but when the crowned persons leave it, the castle park becomes available to the public. On the way to the royal estate, you will see many magnificent castles. All of them are distinguished by their original style and furnishings, beautiful stucco ceilings, and valuable collections of works of art.

Traveling through the northwestern lands of the Highlands is more convenient to start from Glasgow. The highway leading from this city to the north almost immediately leads to the highlands, and stretches along the shores of Loch Lomond, the largest freshwater reservoir in Great Britain, 37 km long and 8 km at its widest. The local places are illuminated with amazing soft light, which gives magical mystery to medieval castles and steep hills surrounding the lake. Behind Loch Lomond rises the eternal challenge to climbers Ben Lomond - one of the Munroes, as 282 Scottish peaks are called "three-thousanders" (3000 feet \u003d 914 m).

To the northeast of these places lies the city of Fort William with its magnificent fortifications of the 17th century. Fort William is a busy crossroads of the Highlands, from where tourists set off on a journey along a wide variety of routes. One of them is laid to the popular corner of the Scottish Highlands - Glencoe. This deep, incredibly picturesque valley stretches for 11 km from Loch Leven to the wasteland of Rannoch Mawr. In Glencoe there is a historical area - Wailing Valley. Here, in 1692, the troops of the English King William III attacked the MacDonald clan, slaughtering the entire population as punishment for the slowness shown by the head of the clan in expressing allegiance to the English king.

Rannoch-more is 155 km² of peat bogs, moorlands, lakes and meandering river streams. The inhabitants of the plain are waterfowl, larks, plovers, red deer, and fat trout are found in local brown peat lakes. A beautiful panorama of these places opens up to tourists traveling by rail, laid at an altitude of 400 m above sea level.

Bus excursions depart from Fort William to the legendary Loch Ness, where tourists rush in the hope of meeting the famous Scottish monster. Most likely, you will never be able to see serpentine contours on the smooth surface of the lake, but you can always admire the picturesque ruins of Urquhart Castle, located in these parts.

To the northeast of Fort William is a historic area - the plain of Culloden Sea, where in 1746 a battle took place between the Scots under the leadership of Charles Edward Stuart, the pretender to the British throne, and government troops under the command of the Duke of Cumberland. The Scots were defeated, and today stones rise along the road leading to these places, marking their graves. The battle was fought near the Old Lenach farm. It exists today, becoming the Culloden House Museum.

To the west, along the Spey River, lie the rich lands of the Lai of Morea. Distilleries are located here, where most of the malt whiskey is produced. Some of them are open to visitors. Here you can watch the process of making the Gaelic "aqua vitae", and even skip a glass at the end of the tour.

The road leading from Fort William west to the city of Mallaiga passes through places where stunning panoramas will open up to your eyes. Passing Loch Shiel, you will find yourself in Lochalorth with its magnificent views of the sea and rocky islets in the clear waters of Loch nan Wam. Then you will see how its rocky shores give way to the silver, dazzling sands of the coastal regions of Morar and Arisaig. Further from the shore, mountains are reflected in the dark waters of Loch Morar, deepest lake Great Britain, whose depth exceeds 300 m. Here, they say, a monster lives no less mysterious than the Loch Ness reptile.

Mallaig itself is a small but picturesque port from where ferries run to the Hebrides. Heading further north from Mallaig, you will see one of the most beautiful lakes in Scotland - Loch Mary, wonderful gardens in Inverie on Loch Eve, watch how landscapes change, gradually acquiring the harsh outlines of lunar landscapes.

The road to the north will lead to Inverness - the administrative center of the Highlands and the largest city in Northern Scotland. It is known to Shakespeare fans as the birthplace of King Macbeth, but this is not true, but the one described by the poet medieval castle Inverness, built on a rock, is quite real. Occupying a strategic position at the mouth of the Ness River, it survived more than one siege and witnessed the most important historical events.

Today Inverness is a major trading center, a port from where ferries leave for the far north of Scotland - to the Orkney and Shetland Islands.

Islands

In the very north of Great Britain, between the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, there are two archipelagos: Orkney and Shetland. The first from the northern tip of Scotland is separated by 10 km, the second - 150 km. A significant part of the islands and islets belonging to both archipelagos is uninhabited.

On this primeval land, open to the sea and the sky, the owners are rocks, hills and mountains. The shores of the islands, which are often hit by high, powerful waves, are steep, indented by deep fjords and bays. Rocks on some islands rise more than three hundred meters. Nature demonstrates a variety of rocks here - red and gray granites, black labrador, pink and brown quartz, gray and white limestones.

There are also low, gently sloping shores, which are slippery, overgrown with algae, randomly piled up boulders and slabs. In some bays, swampy shores suddenly turn into luxurious beaches with white sand.

Due to the continuous winds, the weather here is unstable, but thanks to the warm sea current, it cannot be called harsh. The most comfortable time is June-July. At this time, it is light 19 hours a day, during the day it is mostly clear, but the wind can bring a cold snap or thick fog at any moment. Going to the islands, you should take care of waterproof clothing and shoes.

In late spring and early summer, everything is in bloom here, and numerous birds that have chosen these places hatch and raise their offspring. In July, the birds change plumage and prepare for a journey to warmer climes. Watching them through binoculars is a very interesting activity.

The largest among the Orkney Islands is Mainland, where 75% of the population of the archipelago lives. The cities of Stromness and Kirkwall are located here. The coast to the north of Stromness will give you one of the most exciting trips to the seaside cliffs of Britain. In Kirkwall, it is interesting to see the ruins of buildings of the Norman period and the earl's palace - one of the best examples of Renaissance architecture in Scotland.

On the east coast of the Mainland, one can see a well-preserved Neolithic settlement dating from about 3000 BC. e. and the huge burial mound Mes Howe.

The Shetland Islands have only one city, Lerwick, but there is an airport connected to most Scottish airports, and the frequency of flights is quite high due to the oil wells located here. New oil fields in the North Sea for some time significantly curtailed the opportunities for tourism, but today it has revived, and Shetland antiquities have regained the attention of travelers.

10 km west of Lerwick, wander among picturesque ruins Scalloway Castle. On small island Maus, see the well-preserved structure of the Iron Age - "broch" (tower-fortress). On the island of Unst, admire Manes Castle.

The Hebrides are widely spread in the ocean off the northwest coast of Scotland. The archipelago includes about 500 islands, large and very tiny. It is often cloudy and rainy here, and lead waves crash on the coast. But the weather here is changeable, and quickly changes anger to mercy, delighting with the sun and calm sea, which suddenly acquires a piercing blue, "tropical" color.

The largest island in the archipelago is Skye. From the fjords in the east to the steep Cullin Mountains and rocky coastline in the east, Skye is a miniature representation of the wild Celtic spirit that pervades Scotland. The Cullin Ridge is a 10-kilometer chain of mountain peaks, 15 of which exceed the mark of 900 m. At the foot of the massif lies the Glen Sligahan valley, 13 km south of it is Lake Logue Scavaig. These places are located romantic castle Armadale.

In the northwest of the island stands the oldest inhabited castle in Scotland - Dunvegan. The heads of the MacLeod clan have been in charge here for more than 800 years. Now the family of the 30th head of the clan, Hugh Macleod, lives in the castle. Visiting the castle with a walk in its gardens - £ 10. The entrance for guests is open from 10:00 to 17:00.

In the town of Dunvegan, a mile south of the castle, book a boat trip. The vessel sails to the habitat of sea seals, you can go fishing from the side.

On the island of Lewis there is a mysterious structure of vertically placed stone blocks forming a circle. This megalithic complex is believed to have been built in the Late Neolithic and is associated with the cult of the Moon.

Leisure

The Scots love sports. Golf, rugby, curling, football, mountain climbing, sailing regattas, surfing, scuba diving are especially popular here. Scotland has created an excellent infrastructure for outdoor activities, which has become a reliable support for the tourism industry, which was originally focused on historical sites.

For lovers of hiking, an incredible number of trails have been laid that stretch along the coastline, along the slopes of steep cliffs and territories of reserved wild corners. Some difficult routes can only be followed by guides.

Fans of cycling will also be pleased. For cyclists, special paths are laid here in the forest and countryside, along the sides of the railway track and highways, where the traffic is not very busy.

There are over 500 excellent golf courses scattered throughout Scotland. The best of them are on its east coast.

The intricately indented coastline of Scotland, its rivers, lakes, islands make this region one of the best places in the world for water sports. Fans of recreation on the water can only choose between yachting, rafting mountain rivers, water skiing, diving, surfing.

Horse riding is also popular here. On noble horses and strong Scottish ponies, you can take short walks along the coast or go on a long tour of the interior regions of the country.

There are 5 ski areas in Scotland with resorts of different price categories, where all conditions are created for both professionals and beginners, even the smallest ones. Here you will find not only skiing but also snowboarding and freeriding. In addition, the resorts are constantly interesting events such as the Aviemore Husky Sled Dog Rally where you can take part in dog sled races.

Educational tours

In Scotland, as in England, people often go to study English and immerse themselves in the language environment. Schoolchildren and students, people of middle and older age go on educational tours. Education here lasts all year round, the minimum course duration is a week.

It is better to send your children to educational centers-schools focused on children from 8 to 16 years old during the holidays. This provides an excellent opportunity to combine learning with outdoor activities and educational excursions.

The cost of a 2-3-week educational tour to Scotland, depending on the chosen program, is from £ 2000 to £ 5000.

Scottish cuisine

Scotland has always been famous for the quality of its beef. Cattle raised on mountain pastures make excellent steaks. Their taste is well emphasized by cream, oatmeal sauce and whiskey. Salmon from the lakes and rivers of Scotland is also famous all over the world, as is the local seafood.

Lamb dishes are popular in Scotland. Among them, of course, is the legendary "haggis" - a lamb's stomach stuffed with oatmeal and generously seasoned with spices and giblets with visceral fat. Game dishes are no less famous, partridge and pheasant are especially good, they are cooked with raspberries, currants, wild berries.

Tourists like local sweet dishes - oatmeal flavored with cream and honey, puddings with dried fruits, ice cream made from natural fresh milk.

As in all of Europe, there are apparently international fast food chains in Scotland, but for a quick and inexpensive bite, it is much more pleasant to go to a cafe or pub that serves homemade food. In addition to the popular beer, sherry, brandy and port wine, pub menus usually include dishes such as soups, pies with beef and kidneys or pork, lard casserole, scrambled eggs, rolls and the ever-requested "Plowman's Lunch" of bread, cheese, pickles and lettuce.

The Scots love their national product - whiskey. There are more than 100 distilleries here, each of which produces its own elite varieties of this drink. Those who enjoy tasting this fiery product should go on one of the whiskey tours offered by most travel agencies.

What to buy

If you want to buy a solid and beautiful piece of Scottish memory, buy a stylish woolen sweater from well-known local manufacturers with a history (from £90) or silver jewelry (the best are sold in the northern, "Celtic" areas). A great purchase is a kilt or plaid (from £90 to £190), or something more modest - a soft and cozy checkered scarf (up to £20).

Popular souvenirs from Scotland are crafts made of metal and wood with national symbols, leather belts, stylish belt buckles. Delicious gifts - oatmeal cookies, heather tea and, of course, real Scotch whiskey.

Where to stay

All over Scotland offers a wide choice of places to stay, from chic rooms in modern hotels and ancient castles to cozy rooms in family houses on farms, where you will be served on the basis of bed and breakfast. Modern hotels here are expensive and often faceless, unlike rural cottage-hotels, where you can enjoy comfortable accommodation with a charming interior. Many of them are located in old houses. The cost of living varies depending on the location and the range of services provided, but a daily room rental is unlikely to cost less than £60.

It would be a shame to visit Scotland and not spend at least a night in one of the medieval castles. If you want to dine by candlelight in a knight’s hall or a dungeon, take part in quests based on detective novels, and at dawn, open the window, let in a muffled ghostly light into your monastery, breaking through the fog and intoxicating the air with its freshness, you will have to pay for a double room at least £160 per day.

Some medieval castles host youth hostels and English language training centers. Old buildings also often host hostels and apartments. The minimum price for staying in a hostel is £ 30 (room with 8 beds and facilities on the floor).

Safety

Crime in Scotland is quite low, which is facilitated by CCTV cameras placed everywhere. But, as in any other country, pickpockets are not uncommon in crowded places, so you should not keep large amounts of cash with you. Some areas of Glasgow have a bad reputation, but in the Highlands, locals often do not even lock the doors to the house, and leave the car keys in the cabin.

In case of an unpleasant incident, you need to call the single number 999 (police, ambulance, firemen).

Transport

All settlements Scotland is connected by bus and rail. But if a bus ride from Edinburgh to Glasgow costs only £4, then a 50-minute journey on the Edinburgh-Glasgow train will cost £13-22 (tickets in Class I compartments are 50% more expensive). In the cities of Scotland, buses predominate on public routes, but tram lines have survived in some places. Ticket price - £ 1.2-1.5.

Black old-fashioned Scottish taxis are copies of spacious London cabs. On free cars, the yellow beacon on the roof is lit. The fare is recorded by the meter, converting the yards and miles traveled into pounds. The first kilometer is £3.75. Then 60 pence are added to them for every 169 m.

You can go to any of the 60 Scottish islands by sea ferries. The cost of a trip up to 1 hour is £ 5-8. Small planes fly to the remote Shetland and Orkney Islands.

In the remote mountainous provinces and on the islands, passengers are transported by Royal Mail minibuses, which can take from 2 to 6 fellow travelers. Car rental provides complete freedom of movement. The cost of renting an economy class car is from £ 23 / day. The traffic here is left-handed, and you should be aware of the nuances of local traffic rules. For example, the maximum speed in the city is 48 km/h (in Edinburgh it is 30 km/h). The speed is controlled by automatic recorders installed everywhere. The fine for exceeding is £1,000, for not wearing seat belts (including passengers) is £500, and for extra per mille of alcohol in the blood, you need to pay £5,000, and you can even go to jail.

Glasgow has one of the oldest subways in the world. The first metro stations opened at the end of the century before last. After the modernization of the subway, streamlined orange trains appeared here, moving with the accuracy of a chronometer. The townspeople nicknamed their subway "A Clockwork Orange". A single ticket will cost you £1, a day ticket will cost you £1.90.

How to get there

There are no regular direct flights from the Russian Federation to the cities of Scotland. However, you can get to the airports of Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh with a transfer in London or international airports other European capitals.

The lowest cost of a flight to Glasgow from Moscow and back is offered by low-cost airlines. For example, the British discounter easyJet regularly operates flights from Domodedovo airport to Glasgow with a transfer in London (a/p Heathrow). The ticket should be booked in advance, it is convenient to make an application on the Internet. The cost of a ticket with a return flight in economy class on an Airbus A-321 is 309 € (taxes are included, meals are paid on board at will). Distance: 2546 km, travel time - 4 h. 20 min.

If you take the initiative and take full advantage of the possibilities of the World Wide Web, you can fly to Scotland even cheaper. Book your tickets months in advance, prices will increase as your desired flight date approaches.

High-speed trains run from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow. Travel time is 4.5 and 5 hours respectively. A train ticket is expensive, around £100.

By car from Moscow to Scotland along the shortest route, you need to cover about 3,650 km. On this journey, you will drive along excellent European highways through Belarus, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, use the tunnel under the English Channel (50 km, the car will be transported by train), cross Britain from south to north.

Until 1707 it was an independent state. And it appeared a very long time ago - back in 843 AD.

Like many other countries, Scotland has its own national motto. It sounds in Latin and in translation means "No one will touch me with impunity." This motto already speaks of how much the country has experienced on the way to its prosperity, the population here has always been very independent and independent. Moreover, they even have their own national animal - the unicorn. The choice is unclear, apparently, it further emphasizes the original independence of the inhabitants of Scotland.

The territory of this country occupies 78.7 thousand square kilometers. Telephone code countries +44, after it dial the city code. As for religion, the majority of the population are adherents of the Church of Scotland of the Presbyterian type, 16 percent identify themselves as the Roman Catholic Church, 28 percent are atheists.

IN Scotland home to more than five million people. Their characteristic features can be called the already mentioned independence and eccentricity - in any conversation, the Scot will always try to distinguish himself, to make himself different from others. Take, for example, even superstitions: if in many countries a black cat that crosses the road leads to problems, then the Scots, on the contrary, to good luck. They are quite friendly and sociable, but often suffer from bouts of melancholy. The Scots are quite practical and very proud, they will not talk about themselves if they see that they are not being paid due attention.

By the way, Scotland is one of the few countries where three official languages– Scottish Gaelic, English and Anglo-Scottish. Some of the words in these languages ​​are borrowed from each other and changed, so many tourists often have confusion in their heads.

It is worth noting one funny law that exists in Scotland: if someone knocks on the door of a Scot and asks for permission to use the bathroom if needed, the owner is obliged to let the person in. I wonder how often people come to their house with a similar request.

The climate here is relatively warm, in summer the temperature is around 20 degrees. In winter, the temperature only reaches 3 degrees. But nevertheless, there are quite often unexpected changes in the weather here - after the bright sun, heavy rain or even a hurricane begins abruptly. Of all parts of the UK, Scotland can be considered the coolest in terms of weather.

What is famous Scotland in the eyes of tourists? Of course, the famous kilt, bagpipes and Scotch whiskey. The tradition of wearing a kilt appeared among the Scots because of the local terrain - Scotland is completely covered with mountains, therefore it has long been convenient to move around in such attire, and at night they also hide. Now the kilt has become part of the national treasure, and its historical function has disappeared.

It is rightfully considered one of the most delicious. It has been produced here for many centuries in a row, there are a fairly large number of varieties, it is recommended to try single malt and grain whiskey - they most fully convey the entire flavor range. By the way, the word whiskey in translation means “water of life”. Apparently, in numerous wars, it was in this way that the Scots maintained their viability.

Scotland can be safely called the country of music and arts; music competitions and performances are regularly held here. In particular, the local people are especially fond of national music played by bagpipers.

The famous sights of Scotland include Loch Ness. legends about loch ness monster, living at the depths of the lake, still go even among Russian tourists, many specially come there on an excursion in the hope that they will be lucky to see this famous monster.

Tourists are also highly recommended to visit Edinburgh Castle. It is located on the edge of Castle Rock, and its walls hide dense forests. Once upon a time, stormy wars took place here and the castle was a point of defense. Now it has turned into a museum, where you can see the treasures of the Scottish crown with your own eyes. The castle seems to evoke a sense of independence and numerous military victories.

If they evoke the impression of modern countries of progress, then Scotland evokes associations of something historical, saturated with traditions. Therefore, you should definitely visit all corners of the UK to get a complete picture of life in the United Kingdom.