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INTERVAL WORLD
■
Issue 1, 2019
TK
The endless beauty of
Scotland
’s landscapes has
inspired the works of famous writers, poets, and artists
for centuries.
BY SOPHIE COLE
Danny Van Eijk/EyeEm/Getty Images; Cody Duncan/Robert Harding
Standing at last atop the Cairngormmountains—exposed to the elements
and facing a dramatic panorama of endless peaks and distant lochs — feels like being
on top of the world. Inhaling the fresh air of the Scottish Highlands, it is here that I begin
to understand Nan Shepherd’s description of the Cairngorms in her novel
The Living
Mountain
: “Light has a quality I have not met elsewhere.” The setting is atmospheric,
with the sky a blend of brilliant white and faint gray.
After exploring in and around Scotland’s two national parks, Cairngorms and Loch
Lomond and the Trossachs, I am in awe of the scenery. It’s no wonder these areas have
inspired so many poets, writers, and artists to produce masterpieces over the years.
With mile upon mile of rich green forests, rolling-hill countryside, and shimmering lochs, the
land is beautifully untamed and has an enchanting quality that is quintessentially Scottish.
Hiking is the most
popular activity in
Cairngorms National
Park and rewards with
unparalleled vistas.
LEFT: A thick-coated,
upward-horned
highland cow grazes
on moorland around
Loch Lomond. These
distinctive bovine are
among the world’s
oldest cattle breeds.