About Scotland

Scotland is the northernmost country in the United Kingdom, occupying the Northern third of the land, sharing a border with England to the South. Scotland is a beautiful country well-known for its dramatic scenery of mountains and rugged coastlines, with the natural scenes of the Highlands as a top winner. The Scottish climate tends to be very changeable, but even though the sun might not always shine, the warm welcome from the wonderful diversity of landscapes attracts many visitors. If you’re heading away from Scotland by ferry then Northern Ireland is easily accessible with a choice of routes and ferry companies. Travelling from the Scottish mainland to the Orkney, Shetland or any of the destinations off Scotland’s west coast is more convenient than ever before and you’ll get to take in some of the most spectacular coastlines and landscapes in the UK while you sail too. The direct route to the continent is no longer available, but there are numerous routes from Northern England to use instead.

About Bute

Bute is a Scottish island in the Firth of Clyde off the west coast, part of Argyll and Bute council area. Sitting just 33 miles west of Glasgow, it’s one of the most accessible islands in the country by ferry, home to a handful of villages and a main town named Rothesay. Rothesay, with its art-deco and Victorian style buildings, is an up and coming cultural centre, having recently completed a £3m renovation of the Pavilion, which has now been converted into an international arts venue. Palm-fringed promenades and the colourful 1924 Winter Garden surround the newly designed Discovery Centre, housing a cinema and a free multi-media exhibition. The 13th Century Rothesay Castle once defended the Isle of Bute from the Vikings with its unique, vast circular curtain wall. Surviving numerous attacks, it became a royal residence in the 1500s. Today, its ruins contain fascinating dungeons and a restored gatehouse and great hall, costing £3 per adult for admission. Mount Stuart House, on the east coast, is often described as one of the most impressive neo-Gothic mansions in the world, built for the Third Marquess of Bute in the late 1800s. Open at Easter and from May to October, it boasts exotic gardens and custom designed furniture reflecting the original residents’ passion for mysticism and astrology. It’s also noted as the first house in Scotland to be powered by electricity. Although just 15 miles long and 4 miles wide, Bute is packed with wonderfully windswept highlands and long, golden beaches. The West Island Way is an island-long walk with marked trails, giving the best opportunities for spotting seals, porpoises and the countless bird species.