Inchmickery topographic map

Some have called Edinburgh the Athens of the North for a variety of reasons. The earliest comparison between the two cities showed that they had a similar topography, with the Castle Rock of Edinburgh performing a similar role to the Athenian Acropolis. Both of them had flatter, fertile agricultural land…

Average elevation: 341 ft

Glasgow itself was reputed to have been founded by the Christian missionary Saint Mungo in the 6th century. He established a church on the Molendinar Burn, where the present Glasgow Cathedral stands, and in the following years Glasgow became a religious centre. Glasgow grew over the following centuries. The…

Average elevation: 420 ft

Edinburgh has been popularly called the Athens of the North since the early 19th century. References to Athens, such as Athens of Britain and Modern Athens, had been made as early as the 1760s. The similarities were seen to be topographical but also intellectual. Edinburgh's Castle Rock reminded returning…

Average elevation: 387 ft

The southern group of islands surrounds Scapa Flow. Hoy, to the west, is the second largest of the Orkney Isles and Ward Hill at its northern end is the highest elevation in the archipelago. The Old Man of Hoy is a well-known seastack. Graemsay and Flotta are both linked by ferry to the Mainland and Hoy, and…

Average elevation: 23 ft

Dundee sits on the north bank of the Firth of Tay on the eastern, North Sea Coast of Scotland. The city lies 36.1 miles (58 km) NNE of Edinburgh and 360.6 miles (580 km) NNW of London. The built-up area occupies a roughly rectangular shape 8.3 miles (13 km) long by 2.5 miles (4 km) wide, aligned in an east to…

Average elevation: 269 ft

Average elevation: 581 ft

Average elevation: 1,086 ft

Average elevation: 253 ft

Two weather stations collect climate data for the area, Aberdeen/Dyce Airport, and Craibstone. Both are about 4 1⁄2 miles (7 km) to the north west of the city centre, and given that they are in close proximity to each other, exhibit very similar climatic regimes. Dyce tends to have marginally warmer daytime…

Average elevation: 171 ft

Average elevation: 535 ft

Ben Nevis has a highland (alpine) maritime (oceanic) polar climate (ET climate in the Köppen classification). Ben Nevis's elevation, maritime location and topography frequently lead to cool and cloudy weather conditions, which can pose a danger to ill-equipped walkers. According to the observations carried…

Average elevation: 2,992 ft

Average elevation: 1,414 ft

Average elevation: 220 ft

Average elevation: 79 ft

In terms of height, remoteness and the severe and changeable weather, the Cairngorms are the most arduous area in the United Kingdom. The plateau area has a Tundra climate (Köppen ET), and the shattered terrain is more like the high ground in high-arctic Canada or northern Norway than what is often observed…

Average elevation: 2,031 ft

Average elevation: 82 ft

Average elevation: 489 ft

Two weather stations collect climate data for the area, Aberdeen/Dyce Airport, and Craibstone. Both are about 4+1⁄2 miles (7 km) to the north west of the city centre, and given that they are in close proximity to each other, exhibit very similar climatic regimes. Dyce tends to have marginally warmer daytime…

Average elevation: 151 ft

Average elevation: 906 ft

Average elevation: 223 ft

Average elevation: 535 ft

Average elevation: 653 ft

According to the 1846 A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland, "This parish, formerly called Skirdustan, signifying, in the Gaelic tongue, 'the division of Dustan', its tutelary saint, derived its present name from its situation at the mouth of a noisy burn, which discharges itself into the river Spey."

Average elevation: 525 ft

Average elevation: 561 ft

Average elevation: 623 ft

Average elevation: 36 ft

Average elevation: 515 ft

Average elevation: 59 ft

Cumbernauld's name probably comes from the Gaelic comar nan allt, meaning "meeting of the burns or streams". There are differing views as to the etymology of this. One theory is that from its high point in the Central Belt, its streams flow both west to the River Clyde and east to the Firth of Forth so…

Average elevation: 364 ft

Average elevation: 62 ft

Average elevation: 305 ft

Average elevation: 210 ft

Beyond Loch Snizort to the west of Trotternish is the Waternish peninsula, which ends in Ardmore Point's double rock arch. Duirinish peninsula is separated from Waternish by Loch Dunvegan, which contains the island of Isay. It is ringed by sea cliffs that reach 296 metres (971 feet) on the west at Waterstein…

Average elevation: 207 ft

Average elevation: 794 ft

Average elevation: 741 ft

Average elevation: 587 ft

Average elevation: 59 ft

Average elevation: 75 ft

Fort William has an oceanic climate (Cfb) with moderate, but generally cool, temperatures and abundant precipitation. In the towns immediate vicinity, there are significant variations in elevation, which leads to some uninhabited areas near the town having a subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc), or, at the absolute…

Average elevation: 400 ft

Glasgow itself was reputed to have been founded by the Christian missionary Saint Mungo in the 6th century. He established a church on the Molendinar Burn, where the present Glasgow Cathedral stands, and in the following years Glasgow became a religious centre. Glasgow grew over the following centuries as part…

Average elevation: 420 ft

Average elevation: 269 ft

The topography of the areas around Neilston are varied. To the east, the land is relatively flat, but to the south and west it is steeper, rising to heights of 400–900 ft (122–274 m) above the level of the River Clyde. The highest points in the surrounding areas are Neilston Pad and the Corkendale-law, at…

Average elevation: 489 ft

Average elevation: 125 ft

Average elevation: 220 ft

Average elevation: 1,109 ft

Average elevation: 1,919 ft

Average elevation: 187 ft

Average elevation: 610 ft

Average elevation: 148 ft

Average elevation: 200 ft

Montrose occupies a position on the North Bank of Montrose Basin at the mouth of the River South Esk on the East Coast of Scotland, 11 miles (18 km) NNE of Arbroath, 19 miles (31 km) SW of Stonehaven, and 7.2 miles (12 km) ESE of Brechin. The town lies 62.2 miles (100 km) NNE of Edinburgh, and 373.2 miles (601…

Average elevation: 72 ft

Average elevation: 108 ft

Average elevation: 322 ft

Caithness extends about 30 miles (48 km) north-south and about 30 miles (48 km) east-west, with a roughly triangular-shaped area of about 712 sq mi (1,840 km2). The topography is generally flat, in contrast to the majority of the remainder of the North of Scotland. Until the latter part of the 20th century…

Average elevation: 259 ft

Average elevation: 699 ft

Average elevation: 75 ft

Average elevation: 919 ft

Average elevation: 463 ft

Average elevation: 1,115 ft

Average elevation: 951 ft

Average elevation: 135 ft

Ailsa Craig and the County Antrim coast of Ulster and Rathlin Island are all clearly visible from the Mull. On clearer days it is also possible to make out Malin Head in Inishowen in County Donegal in the west of Ulster, and the Ayrshire coast on the other side of Ailsa Craig. Other islands in the Firth of…

Average elevation: 276 ft

The earliest-known evidence of occupation in the area dates as far back as the late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, as archaeological investigation has demonstrated that burial cairns in the district began as ceremonial or ritual sites of burial during the Neolithic, with the use of cup-marked, and other…

Average elevation: 571 ft

Average elevation: 223 ft

Average elevation: 1,165 ft

Average elevation: 1,093 ft

Average elevation: 899 ft

Average elevation: 499 ft

Average elevation: 525 ft

Average elevation: 72 ft

Average elevation: 167 ft

Average elevation: 879 ft

Walter Scott's 1822 novel The Pirate is set in "a remote part of Shetland", and was inspired by his 1814 visit to the islands. The name Jarlshof meaning "Earl's Mansion" is a coinage of his. Robert Cowie, a doctor born in Lerwick published the 1874 work.Shetland: Descriptive and Historical; Being a Graduation…

Average elevation: 13 ft

Average elevation: 230 ft

Average elevation: 1,063 ft

Average elevation: 262 ft

Average elevation: 2,241 ft

Average elevation: 308 ft

Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190 AD. It was created a royal burgh in the 12th century by King David I of Scotland, and by that time had a castle on top of the present-day Lady Hill to the west of the town. The origin of the name Elgin is likely to be Celtic. It may derive from…

Average elevation: 85 ft

Average elevation: 774 ft

Average elevation: 948 ft

Angus can be split into three geographic areas. To the north and west, the topography is mountainous. This is the area of the Grampian Mountains, Mounth hills and Five Glens of Angus, which is sparsely populated and where the main industry is hill farming. Glas Maol – the highest point in Angus at 1,068 m…

Average elevation: 833 ft

Average elevation: 604 ft

Average elevation: 433 ft

Average elevation: 92 ft

Average elevation: 243 ft

Average elevation: 600 ft

Average elevation: 276 ft

The number of hours of natural sunshine in South Ayrshire is controlled by the length of day and by cloudiness. In general, December is the dullest month and May or June the sunniest. Sunshine duration decreases with increasing altitude, increasing latitude and distance from the coast. Local topography also…

Average elevation: 495 ft

Average elevation: 843 ft

Average elevation: 341 ft

Average elevation: 262 ft

Average elevation: 285 ft

Average elevation: 1,414 ft

East Ayrshire is located on the west coat of Scotland, sharing borders with the following neighbouring council areas; North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire. Blackcraig Hill reaches an elevation of 2,298 feet (700 metres), the highest peak in East…

Average elevation: 738 ft

Average elevation: 102 ft

Average elevation: 774 ft

Average elevation: 804 ft

Average elevation: 627 ft

Average elevation: 728 ft