Green Holidays in Scotland

Cutting down travel cuts down on your carbon emissions, so why travel far when the breathtaking scenery of Scotland is so close at hand? Home to some of Europe's last wilderness areas, Scotland boasts aquamarine lochs, magical islands, majestic mountains, ancient forests, crumbling castles and dynamic, beautiful cities.

Make the most of what it has to offer with the Scottish tourist board's website (including a dedicated green page) and our guide to going green in the UK.

With such a variety of scenery and so much open space, it's no surprise that there are a huge range of places to stay, from ancient stone cottages to luxury properties in the Highlands, as well as innumerable activities to take part in, from walking to sea kayaking along the West Coast, mountain biking to whisky tasting.

Below is a selection of some of the finest green holidays and places to stay in this grand and rugged country:

All of Scotland's major cities are reachable by train. Virgin Trains has a direct service from London Euston to Glasgow via Preston, Lancashire, Oxenholme (in the Lake District), Penrith and Carlisle. It also runs a service from Birmingham New Street to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

East Coast train services run from London Kings Cross via York and Newcastle to Edinburgh and Glasgow from where you can travel onwards to Dundee and Aberdeen with Scotrail.

To reach North Scotland, there is a direct from London Kings Cross to Inverness, including an overnight sleeper service. Alternatively, you could take the train up to Edinburgh then catch the Scotrail connection to Inverness.

To reach southern Scotland, travel to Preston from London Euston then take the Transpennine Express to Lockerbie.

To check train timetables and book train tickets go to the Trainline's website: Train to Scotland