Tourism: north coast of Scotland

The north coast of Scotland has become popular with tourists who want to explore history and dramatic landscapes. This brings benefits but also causes issues for the area and people who live here.

In this article you can find out:

• travel along the north coast of Scotland
• the benefits and issues that tourism can bring
• different landscapes along the north coast
• history of the north coast

This resource is suitable for People, Place and Environment topics for P5, P6 and P7 (Second Level Curriculum for Excellence).

Watch Isla and Connor explore the north coast of Scotland by bike.

With no railway line, the only way to travel along the north coast of Scotland is by road but there are different modes of transport that you can use. Some of these methods are better for the environment than others.

Tourism is big business along the north coast of Scotland and the area attracts visitors from all over the work.

Click through the slideshow to see some of the attractions people come to experience.

Tourism is an important industry in Scotland. Areas that attract tourists can see many benefits but there can also be lots of issues. Click each heading to find out what some of these are:

Many people visit the north coast of Scotland to enjoy the scenery.

There are lots of different types of landscape for visitors to enjoy:

• Cliffs and rocky coasts - There are miles of cliffs and rocky coast lines along the north coast of Scotland. Clo Mor near Cape Wrath is home to some of the highest cliffs in the UK. You may be able to see some nesting seabirds from the cliffs around the north coast of Scotland!

• Beaches and sea - There are beautiful sandy beaches with clear waters around the north coast of Scotland. Places like Firemore Beach in Wester Ross are great places to relax or even take part in some water sports!

• Blanket bog- The north coast of Scotland is home to blanket bogs. These are a type of peatland normally found in areas with wet and cool climates. Flow Country in Caithness is the biggest blanket bog in Europe.

• Machair - Machair is low lying fertile grassy plain. This very rare landscape and can only be found on western coasts of Scotland and Ireland.

Many people think the north coast is a wild place. Although the population today is small and spread out, people have lived here and shaped the landscape for thousands of years.

Seasonal - Something that only happens at a certain time of year. For example, picking fruit is a seasonal job because it only happens in late summer or autumn.

Carbon emissions - The release of carbon into the earth’s atmosphere, which contributes to climate change.

Fossil fuels - Coal, oil and gas are the three fossil fuels – these are our non-renewable energy sources. They are called fossil fuels because they are made from dead animals and plants.

Picts - The name given to people who lived in northern Scotland from the time of the Romans to the time of the Vikings, about 300 AD to 900 AD.

Croft - An area of land where a crofter lives, grows crops and keeps animals. They do this to provide their own food and to sell some of their produce.

Blanket bog - A very wet, marshy area of land where moss and other bog plants decay very slowly forming layers of peat.

Machair - A rare type of habitat which is found only in some parts of Ireland and Scotland. Crushed up shells and sand blown onto the land makes it very fertile. This results in wild flowers blooming and covering the land each summer.