For Argyll

VisitScotland has just published the results of an online survey it commissioned to discover what visitors to Scotland most enjoyed doing here. Top of the list was watching dolphins in the Moray Firth, followed, in second place by aerial views of Argyll, courtesy of Loch Lomond Seaplanes. In sixth place was picknicking at Rest and Be Thankful, the top of the great pass between Loch Long and Loch Fyne. Walking the West Highland Way was the third most popular activity - and Argyll has a stake in that. Driving through Glen Coe was fourth - an area part of the historical Argyll,even though the changes to local authority boundaries see Glencoe now under Lochaber. What is interesting is that all of these activities indicate that it is Scotland - and Argyll - itself that is the attraction. The majesty, charm and intrigue of the landscape, the emptiness of the sparsely populated Highlands, the wildlife, the opportunities for physical activities of many kinds and the lure of exploration. What are often called ‘activities’ are often anything but that. The VisitScotland survey suggest that visitors come here to find and relish geniune activity.

The photograph above - of the view from Rest and Be Thankful east down Glen Croe to Loch Long - is by Richard Harvey. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modifythe image under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.