"Scotland, a place where nature is sacred, where we walk for hours, lose ourselves in the vastness of nature, yet still find untouched places, unaffected by time and the hand of man"  (Marta Pereira)

Fascinating Scotland in all its haunting and rugged splendour

Sin sibh a h-uile duine

(Hello everyone)

THIS is a site with a difference and I'd love to know what you are interested in! Why this particular walk? Why this part of Scotland? How do you experience this site? Enquiries? Yes, please! Use the contact page! Maybe I can help you find answers.

In short...talk to me! Help me create a 'better' or 'more rounded' and fulfilling Scotland's Finest.

I’ve heard it said that the site is not very well balanced. Although it looks nice (thank you!) it still feels as if it has only touched upon a ‘number’ of interesting subjects and places to visit. And people are right. The site is, even after 5 years, still very unbalanced.

What they however don’t understand or simply underestimate is the enormous amount of work it has taken to even reach the present day stage.

  • 1: As I’ve said many times.....this is a very personal selection.
  • 2: I don’t have the resources of let’s say Visit Scotland, ScotWays or other locally based organizations. 
  • 3: There is only so much I can do. Already spending hours (way too many sometimes!) each day on the site, adding, tweaking, checking etc. 
  • 4: I’m still in the ‘first phase’. Once that phase is completed I can spend more time and energy on fleshing out the content.

Sometimes it all feels like a daunting ‘task’ I’ve set myself and ask myself “Why on earth am I doing it? What’s the point”. The point is that there IS no point. It’s a hobby and most of the time it’s a very enjoyable hobby.Hope you all understand that I’m trying to climb a mountain with only limited tools.

Thank you

Dirk

Interesting statistic: There are 43 long distance walks on this site. The pages on 34 of those are regularly visited with the West Highland Way always nr 1 (?). The "Mary, Queen of Scots Way" ranks now number 4 (!) within the few months since I added this walk to the site. Maybe Rucksack Readers will finally publish the guidebook (out of print) again! At least Marta Pereira and the undersigned did our part.

Scotland's Finest (aka "My Very, Very Personal Scotland") really is a site with a difference providing basic information on intriguing places to visit, scenic routes and walking trails that have, one way or another, captured my imagination. Therefore this is a very personal site and I'm certainly aware of that. Nevertheless I hope you enjoy it all the same. As a true scotophile and a fervent walker to boot, I'd like to share this harmless addiction (harmless but full blown!) with you.

Comments are 'relatively always' (= usually) appreciated, be they positive or, heaven forbid, negative.

Scotland's Finest has only appeared on the www in the autumn of 2019 and still has a long way to go. I'm tickled though with the steady rise in visitors numbers from around the globe.

Some background information? Read "ME & WHY".

Dutch is my native tongue so there will undoubtedly be mistakes in spelling and grammar. Serious mistakes? Do let me know!

 

Dirk Jelier / Frederiksoord / The Netherlands