"Moray Firth fishing disaster The Moray Firth fishing disaster of August 1848 was one of the worst fishing disasters in maritime history on the east coast of Scotland, and was caused by a severe storm that struck the Moray Firth. The event led to widespread improvements to harbours and significant changes to the design of fishing boats over the remainder of the 19th century. Scottish fishing boats of the late 18th and early 19th centuries were generally small sail boats with open hulls that mainly fished close to shore. The shallow design of the boats allowed them to be launched"
"Firth of Tay The Firth of Tay (Scottish Gaelic: Linne Tatha) is a firth in Scotland between the council areas of Fife, Perth and Kinross, the City of Dundee and Angus, into which Scotland's largest river in terms of flow, the River Tay empties. The firth has a maximum width of at Invergowrie. Two bridges span the firth, the Tay Road Bridge and the Tay Rail Bridge. The firth has one major island, the marshy Mugdrum Island. The Firth of Tay in Antarctica was discovered in 1892-93 by Captain Thomas Robertson of the Dundee whaling expedition and named by him"
"and for its wintering birds such as oystercatcher, bar-tailed godwit, shelduck and velvet scoter. There is good access to much of the shoreline and many good wildlife watching opportunities. At some 15 km in length, the reedbed on the north shore of the inner estuary is thought to be the most extensive in Britain. Firth of Tay The Firth of Tay (Scottish Gaelic: Linne Tatha) is a firth in Scotland between the council areas of Fife, Perth and Kinross, the City of Dundee and Angus, into which Scotland's largest river in terms of flow, the River Tay empties. The firth"
"to be nearer the lower limit of 2,000 years. This still makes it the oldest tree in Europe, although there is an older Norway Spruce root system in Sweden. At , a Grand Fir planted beside Loch Fyne, Argyll in the 1870s was named as the UK’s tallest tree in 2011. The next four tallest trees in the UK are all found in Scotland. The Stronardron Douglas Fir which grows near Dunans Castle in Argyll is recorded as . Diana’s Grove Grand Fir at Blair Castle, which was measured at is the next highest. ""Dùghall Mòr"" (Scottish Gaelic: ""big dark"
"and prominent features of the Scottish flora include boreal Caledonian forest (much reduced from its natural extent), heather moorland and coastal machair. In addition to the native varieties of vascular plants there are numerous non-native introductions, now believed to make up some 43% of the species in the country. There are a variety of important trees species and specimens; a Douglas fir near Inverness is the tallest tree in the United Kingdom and the Fortingall Yew may be the oldest tree in Europe. The Shetland mouse-ear and Scottish primrose are endemic flowering plants and there are a variety of endemic"
"still remain, particularly on the Taynish peninsula in Argyll, these forests are particularly rare due to high rates of deforestation throughout Scottish history. The flora of the country is varied incorporating both deciduous and coniferous woodland as well as moorland and tundra species. However, large scale commercial tree planting and the management of upland moorland habitat for the grazing of sheep and commercial field sport activities impacts upon the distribution of indigenous plants and animals. The UK's tallest tree is a grand fir planted beside Loch Fyne, Argyll in the 1870s, and the Fortingall Yew may be 5,000 years old"
"General for the Environment, Marine Conservation Society and initial start-up funding from the Lottery Awards for All. The Firth of Clyde in South West Scotland, an area of 3650 square miles, is the most southerly fjord in the northern hemisphere and extends over 100 km into Scotland’s west coast. Once comprising a highly diverse and rich ecosystem the Firth of Clyde marine environment has seen dramatic alterations throughout the last 200 years. During the 19th century, diverse mixed fisheries existed in the Firth of Clyde for herring (""Clupea harengus""), cod (""Gadus morhua""), haddock (""Melanogrammus aeglefinus""), turbot (""Psetta maxima"") and a"
"10 and above (with supervision); it is not recommended at high tide due to the possibility of being stranded. Recently Scotland has had its first Via Ferrata completed. Via Ferrata Scotland is located in Kinlochleven, near Fort William and Glencoe. This runs beside the third biggest waterfall in Scotland, The Grey Mare's Tail, it was installed and is operated by Vertical Descents. There is also an indoor via ferrata in Kendal Climbing Wall that takes a route around the climbing areas on steel ladders and rungs. Gobbins Path, Northern Ireland. Walking route along sea cliffs. There are several via ferratas"
"to the forest limit. On fertile sites, Scots pine is out-competed by other, usually spruce or broad-leaved tree species. It is the national tree of Scotland. ""Pinus sylvestris"" is an evergreen coniferous tree growing up to 35 m in height and 1 m trunk diameter when mature, exceptionally over tall and trunk diameter on very productive sites, the tallest on record being a more than 210-year-old tree growing in Estonia which stands at . The bark is thick, scaly dark grey-brown on the lower trunk, and thin, flaky and orange on the upper trunk and branches. The habit of the"
"Firth Firth is a word in the Scots and English languages used to denote various coastal waters in Scotland and even a strait. In the Northern Isles, it more usually refers to a smaller inlet. It is linguistically cognate to ""fjord"" (both from Proto-Germanic *""ferþuz"") which has a more constrained sense in English. Bodies of water named ""firths"" tend to be more common on the east coast, or in the southwest of the country, although the Firth of Lorn is an exception to this. The Highland coast contains numerous estuaries, straits, and inlets of a similar kind, but not called"
"Firth Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area. Rough Firth Rough Firth is an inlet on the northern coast of the Solway Firth in the Stewartry area of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The firth lies between Almorness Point and Castlehill Point, and contains Rough Island. The village of Kippford stands near the head of the firth where the Urr Water reaches the sea; the only other coastal settlement of any size is Rockcliffe. The area is designated as the East Stewartry Coast National Scenic Area, one of the forty national scenic areas (NSAs) in Scotland. 44 ha on the"
"Firth of Forth The Firth of Forth () is the estuary (firth) of several Scottish rivers including the River Forth. It meets the North Sea with Fife on the north coast and Lothian on the south. It was known as ""Bodotria"" in Roman times. In the Norse sagas it was known as the ""Myrkvifiörd"". Geologically, the Firth of Forth is a fjord, formed by the Forth Glacier in the last glacial period. The drainage basin for the Firth of Forth covers a wide geographic area including places as far from the shore as Ben Lomond, Cumbernauld, Harthill, Penicuik and the"
"River Tay (117 mi, 188 km). The largest (freshwater) loch in Scotland is: The deepest freshwater loch is Loch Morar with a maximum depth of 309 metres (Loch Ness is second at 228 metres deep). Rockall is claimed by several countries, including the UK (as part of Scotland's Outer Hebrides). The village on Hirta, St Kilda was abandoned in 1930, and was until then the westernmost settlement in Scotland. The island now has a military base, and is staffed during the summer months. Extreme points of Scotland This is a list of the extreme points and extreme elevations in Scotland."
"Rough Firth Rough Firth is an inlet on the northern coast of the Solway Firth in the Stewartry area of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The firth lies between Almorness Point and Castlehill Point, and contains Rough Island. The village of Kippford stands near the head of the firth where the Urr Water reaches the sea; the only other coastal settlement of any size is Rockcliffe. The area is designated as the East Stewartry Coast National Scenic Area, one of the forty national scenic areas (NSAs) in Scotland. 44 ha on the eastern side of the firth is owned by the"
"Dornoch Firth The Dornoch Firth (, ) is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north. The firth is designated as a national scenic area, one of 40 such areas in Scotland. The national scenic area covers 15,782 ha in total, of which 4,240 ha is the marine area of the firth below low tide. A review of the national scenic areas by Scottish Natural Heritage in 2010 commented: Together with Loch Fleet it is a designated as a"
"Harris (referred to as two islands but actually just one) is the largest island surrounding Scotland. Many of these offshore islands are swept by strong tides, and the Corryvreckan tide race between Scarba and Jura is one of the largest whirlpools in the world. Other strong tides are to be found in the Pentland Firth between mainland Scotland and Orkney, and the ""Grey Dog"" between Scarba and Lunga. There are also numerous clusters of islands in the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde and in freshwater lochs such as Loch Lomond and Loch Maree. Outlying islands include St"
"Ordnance Survey maps. Grimsay Grimsay () is a tidal island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Grimsay is the largest of the low-lying stepping-stones which convey the Oitir Mhòr (North Ford) causeway, a five-mile arc of single track road linking North Uist and Benbecula via the western tip of Grimsay. Until it opened in 1960, a ferry linked Carinish (on North Uist) with Gramsdale (on Benbecula), but could only operate at high tide. There was also a ford which could only be crossed close to low water, usually only with a guide. For significant parts of each day the North"
"accomplished the feat in 1933. In 2008, a controversial bid to allow oil transfer between ships in the firth was refused by Forth Ports. SPT Marine Services had asked permission to transfer 7.8 million tonnes of crude oil per year between tankers, but the proposals were met with determined opposition from conservation groups. lowest bridging point: Stirling North shore South shore Firth of Forth The Firth of Forth () is the estuary (firth) of several Scottish rivers including the River Forth. It meets the North Sea with Fife on the north coast and Lothian on the south. It was known"
"This species of douglas-fir, is currently the second tallest tree in Canada (93.27 metres, after a 96-metre sitka spruce, the Carmanah Giant.) The douglas-fir used to be the second tallest tree in the world, taller than the redwoods, only over-passed by the mountain ash of Australia, which exceeded 150 metres tall (one douglas-fir reached a record height of ""just"" 126.5 metres, which is still almost 13 10-metre diving boards). The trees in the park, though, in no way set a record when compared to the giants of the wetter, better tree growing habitat of the west side of Vancouver Island,"
"Am Fear Liath Mòr In Scottish folklore, Am Fear Liath Mòr (; ; also known as the Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui or simply the Greyman) is the name of a presence or creature which is said to haunt the summit and passes of Ben Macdui, the highest peak of the Cairngorms and the second highest peak in Scotland (and also in the British Isles). Although there have been many purported encounters with ""Am Fear Liath Mòr"", few eyewitnesses have seen the creature. Those who have describe it as an extremely tall figure covered with short hair, or as"
"in Scotland following the Late Glacial; arriving about 7000 BC. The forest reached its maximum extent about 5000 BC, after which the Scottish climate became wetter and windier. This changed climate reduced the extent of the forest significantly by 2000 BC. From that date, human actions (including the grazing effects of sheep and deer) reduced it to its current extent. Today, that forest exists as 35 remnants, as authenticated by Steven & Carlisle (1959) (or 84 remnants, including later subjective subdivisions of the 35) covering about or . The Scots pines of these remnants are, by definition, directly descended from"
"It was destroyed by a storm in 1898; a building at the shore end survives, much reconstructed, as a pub and restaurant called the Old Chain Pier. The Firth of Forth is an estuary which separates Edinburgh, Scotland's capital, from the peninsula of Fife. Traffic across the firth has been important for centuries; as well as having industry and agriculture, Fife lies on the shortest route from Edinburgh to the north of the country. The closest bridge to Edinburgh for many years was at Stirling, to the west. Queensferry, west, was named after Queen Margaret who crossed by ferry from"
"century and is best known for the Broch of Mousa, an Iron Age round tower which is the tallest still standing in the world and amongst the best-preserved prehistoric buildings in Europe. One of over 500 brochs built throughout Scotland, it is thought to have been constructed circa 100 BC. The site is managed by Historic Scotland. Mousa lies about off the east coast of the Mainland some north of Old Scatness. According to the tentative list application the broch and environs hosts the world's largest colony of storm petrels and ""nowhere else in the world are petrels so accessible"
"Great Glen The Great Glen ( ), also known as Glen Albyn (from the Scottish Gaelic ""Gleann Albainn"" ""Glen of Scotland"") or Glen More (from the Scottish Gaelic ""An Gleann Mòr"") is a long and straight glen in Scotland running for from Inverness on the edge of Moray Firth, to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe. The Great Glen follows a large geological fault known as the Great Glen Fault. It bisects the Scottish Highlands into the Grampian Mountains to the southeast and the Northwest Highlands to the northwest. The glen is a natural travelling route in the"
"Inchmurrin Inchmurrin () is an island in Loch Lomond in Scotland. It is the largest fresh water island in the British Isles. Inchmurrin is the largest and most southerly of the islands in Loch Lomond. It reaches a height of towards the north and is largely wooded. There is an excellent view of the north end of the loch. Along with Creinch, Torrinch, and Inchcailloch, Inchmurrin forms part of the Highland boundary fault. Inchmurrin was the site of a 7th-century monastery, with a chapel dedicated to Saint Mirin, after whom it was named. The island was formerly a deer park"
"Sweet Chestnut (16' girth – Bullock Park); Beech (18' 3"" girth – Old Wood); Cut-leaved Beech (8' 11"" girth); Larch (8' 9"" girth); Cedar of Lebanon (9' 11"" girth – Bullock Park); Scots Pine (11' girth – between Castle and Mains). Eglinton is best remembered for the lavish, if ill-fated Eglinton Tournament, a medieval-style tournament organised in 1839 by the 13th Earl. The expense and extent of the preparations became news across Scotland, and the railway line was even opened in advance of its official opening to ferry guests to Eglinton. Although high summer, in typical Scottish style torrential rain"
"Firth of Clyde The Firth of Clyde is an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean off the southwest coast of Scotland, named for the River Clyde which empties into it. It encloses the largest and deepest coastal waters in the British Isles, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran. Within the Firth of Clyde is another major island – the Isle of Bute. Given its strategic location, at the"
"more rugged Highland region contains the majority of Scotland's mountainous terrain, including the highest peak, Ben Nevis. Lowland areas, in the southern part of Scotland, are flatter and home to most of the population, especially the narrow waist of land between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth known as the Central Belt. Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, although Edinburgh is the capital and political centre of the country. While the Lowlands are less elevated, upland and mountainous terrain is located across the Southern Uplands. An abundance of natural resources such as coal, iron and zinc"
"Clach an Trushal Clach an Trushal (, , translated to English ""Stone of Compassion"") is said to be the tallest standing stone in Scotland. Above ground it stands approximately tall, is wide and at its thickest point is thick, with a girth at its base of . The stone is sited in the village of Ballantrushal on the west side of Lewis. Local legend says that it marks the site of a great battle, the last to be fought between the feuding clans of the Macaulays and Morrisons. However it is actually the solitary upright stone remaining from a stone"
"Muckle Skerry Muckle Skerry is the largest of the Pentland Skerries that lie off the north coast of Scotland. It is home to the Pentland Skerries Lighthouse. Muckle Skerry lies in the Pentland Firth at . It is the westernmost of the skerries. At one kilometre (three-fifths of a mile) long and rising to a height of 20 metres (66 feet) above sea level is sizable enough to be considered an island. However the notoriously bad weather of the firth has historically rendered Muckle Skerry uninhabitable and as such it is more often thought of as a skerry. Pentland Skerries"
"at the time of Robert the Bruce, and perhaps as far back as Iron Age Scotland. Areas of the hill which have been re-planted or coppiced (pruned to supply long thin sprouts) or harvested for timber, may still have relatively undisturbed underlying vegetation containing species which take years to become established residents of the forest. Gillies Hill is home to many fine specimens of both broadleaf and coniferous trees, but two in particular stand out: a Scots Pine nicknamed ""The Big Pine,"" which has a girth of over 5.5 meters which makes it the fifth largest pine of this species"
"Grimsay Grimsay () is a tidal island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Grimsay is the largest of the low-lying stepping-stones which convey the Oitir Mhòr (North Ford) causeway, a five-mile arc of single track road linking North Uist and Benbecula via the western tip of Grimsay. Until it opened in 1960, a ferry linked Carinish (on North Uist) with Gramsdale (on Benbecula), but could only operate at high tide. There was also a ford which could only be crossed close to low water, usually only with a guide. For significant parts of each day the North Ford was too"
"in the Scottish Highlands – one of the largest areas of land in the UK to be bought for forest restoration. The £1.65 million deal is the charity's most significant and important project to date, and follows more than two years of negotiations. Dundreggan, lying on the north side of Glenmoriston to the west of Loch Ness, is home to declining species such as black grouse and wood ants. It contains areas of ancient woodland, including one of Scotland's best areas of juniper as well as significant areas of dwarf birch; however, much of the estate is open treeless ground."