My Reasons to Visit Scotland

Scotland is well known for its breathtaking landscapes and beautiful scenery. Whether you’ve got family in this bonnie country or simply want to experience its charms, here are five great reasons to visit Scotland:

Edinburgh, Scotland

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival: this is an annual festival. There are fantastic opportunities to visit Speyside before the main tourism season starts. The whisky-inspired events encourage visitors to take part in celebrating Scotland’s local drink. Some of these events are inventive, others are educational, but event organizers always promise it to be fun. There is the chance to attend unique tours, taste whisky at most distilleries and to quiz whisky experts on the industry.
St Andrews Golf Week: This annual event which takes place at the home of golf, St Andrews
is ideal for amateur golfers. Established in 1974, St Andrew’s Golf Week continues to attract golf lovers worldwide.
Royal Highland Show: Founded in 1784, this event is held by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland to promote regeneration in rural Scotland. Businesses from all over the UK flock to the Royal Highland Show to sell and promote their products in the huge three hundred acre site. In 2010, the 170th Royal Highland Show attracted over 180,000 visitors over four days.
Highland Games: Takes place between May to September, and includes a diverse number of Highland games: each gathering includes Highland dancing, athletic events and piping.
Cowal Highland Gathering: This gathering includes Highland dancing competitions and tossing the caber, which is always a crowd pleaser. For families, there is plenty of entertainment for people of all ages. And, be sure to check out the food fair with lots of speciality produce from Argyll. Meet golf enthusiasts, participate in the Highland dancing competition and taste some of the finest whisky in Scotland, not to mention the fun Active Scotland program.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh - Scotland’s capital city, and one of Britain’s most exciting tourist destinations. Read more about Edinburgh.


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The Monsul Trail & Bakewell Town

The Monsal Trail follows the path of the former Midland Railway from Blackwell Mill cottages to Coombs Viaduct, about 1km past the former Bakewell station - a distance of about 20km. For the most part the trail follows the path of the River Wye, which means it offers some spectacular scenery. The tunnels have been opened in May 2011 so make the most of them!

The Monsul Trail

The Monsal Trail tunnels are open for cycling, walking and horse riding offering one of the most spectacular leisure routes in Britain. There are many entrance points to the Monsal Trail along the route between Bakewell and Blackwell Mill at Chee Dale. Improvements have been to the access points at Blackwell Mill, Great Longstone Station and Coombs Road, Bakewell.

Accessibility
Wheelchair and mobility scooter users can access the trail through accessible ramps at Bakewell Station, Hassop Station, Great Longstone Station and Millers Dale Station.

Bakewell

Less than 200 years ago, Bakewell had narrow streets and timber framed properties, many of which had thatched roofs. The modern layout of the town only came about in the 19th century. Visitors flock to shop and explore the towns nooks and crannies, to admire the fine stone Derbyshire buildings, or just to relax in by the clear, sparkling waters of the River Wye.  Bakewell is famous for its Bakewell tart and for receiving royal charter as a market town in 1330.

Markets are still held every Monday in the town centre and there is a thriving livestock market. Bakewell is settled within a cluster of thermal springs and wells that attracted Iron Age settlers and, in Anglo-Saxon times, gave the place its name. The town has a long and fascinating history, is mentioned in the Dooms Day Book (1085),`Badequella’ meaning Bath-well. 

The Monsul Trail, Bakewell

Other Walks in the UK:

Walk a royal trail around the fields and woods of Windsor

A Circular Walk in Kent, England

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