Foto: The lighthouse on Harris Island (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Scotland - Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides make up the largest island in Scotland. It is the biggest island of the British Isles after Great Britain and Ireland. The northern part is known as Lewis, the southern part as Harris, and they are often referred to as though they are separate islands. The boundary between Lewis and Harris is defined by a line from Loch Resort (Reasort) in the west to Loch Seaforth in the east. The island does not have a common name in either English or Scottish Gaelic and is referred to as “Lewis and Harris,” “Lewis with Harris,” or “Harris with Lewis.” Sometimes the term “Long Island” is used to refer to the whole island. Most of Harris is very hilly, with over thirty mountain peaks above 300 meters in height. The island has an area of 2,178 km²—just under one percent of the landmass of Great Britain. It lies 39 km from the nearest point on the mainland, from which it is separated by the Minch. Lewis is relatively flat, with some mountains reaching up to 500 meters. Until 1975, Lewis was part of the county of Ross and Cromarty, while Harris belonged to Inverness-shire. Today, the entire island falls under Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the Western Isles Council.
Edinburgh Castle
Scotland - It’s cloudy but dry when we get off the bus. We’re standing right in front of Edinburgh Castle. The castle holds a dominant position in the old city of Edinburgh. From the parking area, I can see the modern buildings of the current city center on ...
The Scottish Highlands
Scotland - The Highlands, the land of the Celts, is a historic region of Scotland. The Scottish Highlands roughly encompass the area north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault. The exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly in the east. The Great ...