River Tweed topographic map

Some have called Edinburgh the Athens of the North for a variety of reasons. The earliest comparison between the two cities showed that they had a similar topography, with the Castle Rock of Edinburgh performing a similar role to the Athenian Acropolis. Both of them had flatter, fertile agricultural land…

Average elevation: 104 m

Glasgow itself was reputed to have been founded by the Christian missionary Saint Mungo in the 6th century. He established a church on the Molendinar Burn, where the present Glasgow Cathedral stands, and in the following years Glasgow became a religious centre. Glasgow grew over the following centuries. The…

Average elevation: 128 m

The Scottish Highlands are renowned for their rugged, mountainous terrain that dominates much of the region. Stretching across the northern and central parts of Scotland, the landscape is shaped by ancient geological forces, including the Caledonian Orogeny, which caused significant tectonic collisions…

Average elevation: 907 m

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Cumbernauld's name probably comes from the Gaelic comar nan allt, meaning "meeting of the burns or streams". There are differing views as to the etymology of this. One theory is that from its high point in the Central Belt, its streams flow both west to the River Clyde and east to the Firth of Forth so…

Average elevation: 111 m

Average elevation: 110 m

Average elevation: 54 m

Two weather stations collect climate data for the area, Aberdeen/Dyce Airport, and Craibstone. Both are about 4 1⁄2 miles (7 km) to the north west of the city centre, and given that they are in close proximity to each other, exhibit very similar climatic regimes. Dyce tends to have marginally warmer daytime…

Average elevation: 52 m

Average elevation: 161 m

Average elevation: 52 m

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Average elevation: 13 m

As with most of the British Isles and Scotland, Fort Augustus has an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb) with cool summers and mild winters. Like a lot of the surrounding area, sunshine levels are low at around 1,005 hours per annum and temperatures are unpredictable – Fort Augustus holds the UK's joint lowest…

Average elevation: 115 m

Dundee sits on the north bank of the Firth of Tay on the eastern, North Sea Coast of Scotland. The city lies 36.1 miles (58 km) NNE of Edinburgh and 360.6 miles (580 km) NNW of London. The built-up area occupies a roughly rectangular shape 8.3 miles (13 km) long by 2.5 miles (4 km) wide, aligned in an east to…

Average elevation: 82 m

Average elevation: 163 m

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Average elevation: 247 m

Ben Nevis has a highland (alpine) maritime (oceanic) polar climate (ET climate in the Köppen classification). Ben Nevis's elevation, maritime location and topography frequently lead to cool and cloudy weather conditions, which can pose a danger to ill-equipped walkers. According to the observations carried…

Average elevation: 912 m

Average elevation: 431 m

Ben A'an is a hill in the Trossachs in Scotland. The pointed peak of its west top (454 metres or 1,490 feet in elevation) resembles a small mountain.

Average elevation: 283 m

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Average elevation: 141 m

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In a small glen above Ailsa Castle, a small freshwater body known as the Garry Loch is located at an altitude of 247 m (810 ft), with a depth of at least 17 feet.

Average elevation: 14 m

Average elevation: 249 m

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Average elevation: 191 m

Average elevation: 222 m

Ailsa Craig and the County Antrim coast of Ulster and Rathlin Island are all clearly visible from the Mull. On clearer days it is also possible to make out Malin Head in Inishowen in County Donegal in the west of Ulster, and the Ayrshire coast on the other side of Ailsa Craig. Other islands in the Firth of…

Average elevation: 84 m

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Average elevation: 6 m

Habitats within Glen Coe include birch woodland, moorland and peatbogs. The upland parts of the glen are one of the best habitats for alpine and sub-alpine plants in Lochaber, due to the underlying geology and range of altitude. Typical plants found on the highest slopes of the glen include lady's mantle,…

Average elevation: 415 m

Falkirk is located in an area of undulating topography between the Slamannan Plateau and the upper reaches of the Firth of Forth. The area to the north of Falkirk is part of the floodplain of the River Carron. Two tributaries of the River Carron - the East Burn and the West Burn flow through the town and form…

Average elevation: 69 m

Average elevation: 57 m

Average elevation: 225 m

Towards the end of the 16th century, a detailed assessment on the size of the townscape was carried out. The first estimate of the parish population in 1639 was between 3,000 and 3,200 and around 3,400 by 1691. At the beginning of the 18th century, the population declined. A census by Webster's Topographical…

Average elevation: 50 m

Average elevation: 276 m

Average elevation: 95 m

It lies in a strath 5 miles (8 km) west of Dingwall, with the elevation ranging from 60 to 120 m (200 to 400 ft) above sea level. Sheltered on the west and north, it has a comparatively dry and warm climate.

Average elevation: 127 m

Average elevation: 8 m

The topography of the areas around Neilston are varied. To the east, the land is relatively flat, but to the south and west it is steeper, rising to heights of 400–900 ft (122–274 m) above the level of the River Clyde. The highest points in the surrounding areas are Neilston Pad and the Corkendale-law, at…

Average elevation: 149 m

Average elevation: 201 m

Average elevation: 33 m

Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190 AD. It was created a royal burgh in the 12th century by King David I of Scotland, and by that time had a castle on top of the present-day Lady Hill to the west of the town. The origin of the name Elgin is likely to be Celtic. It may derive from…

Average elevation: 26 m

Average elevation: 275 m

Fort William has an oceanic climate (Cfb) with moderate, but generally cool, temperatures and abundant precipitation. In the towns immediate vicinity, there are significant variations in elevation, which leads to some uninhabited areas near the town having a subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc), or, at the absolute…

Average elevation: 122 m

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Average elevation: 271 m

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Average elevation: 66 m

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Average elevation: 151 m

Average elevation: 178 m

Cumbernauld's name probably comes from the Gaelic comar nan allt, meaning "meeting of the burns or streams". There are differing views as to the etymology of this. One theory is that from its high point in the Central Belt, its streams flow both west to the River Clyde and east to the Firth of Forth so…

Average elevation: 113 m

Average elevation: 84 m