About Scotland's landscapes
Scotland’s unrivalled landscapes attract visitors from far and wide, and have long been celebrated in art, literature and music.
Our fine scenery provides an inspiring backdrop for all who live in Scotland. Images of our unspoilt landscape also helps to market our tourism and film industries and world-renowned products such as whisky.
High quality landscapes encourage us to venture into the outdoors. Having greenspace in our towns and cities, and easy access to our surrounding landscapes, brings vital benefits to our health and well-being.
Each part of Scotland has a distinctive character, which helps to build our sense of place – both in our own localities and as a nation. Together, our diverse landscapes and townscapes provide a living canvas of Scotland’s history, reflecting ways of life and traditions deeply engrained in our culture.
Our finest landscapes have been designated as either National Scenic Areas or National Parks. These include some of Scotland’s most famous areas, from the Cuillin Hills to the Cairngorms. Some landscapes are valued for their wild land quality.
Scotland’s landscapes are one of our greatest assets, yet they are undergoing a great deal of change. It’s vital to control landscape change to avoid losing the distinctiveness of Scotland’s various parts – and the country as a whole.
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