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Strathclyde

Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland (© Douglas McGilviray - iStockphoto.com)
Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow

Introduction

Strathclyde is the most populous and second largest Scottish region. With a population in excess of 2.5 million, including 1.2 million in the Greater Glasgow, Strathclyde is the home of one out of two Scots.

The region owes its name to the early medieval Kingdom of Strathclyde, originally known as Ystrad Clud (meaning 'Valley of the River Clyde') in the Brythonic language.

Strathclyde was created from the traditional counties of Glasgow, Ayr, Bute, Dunbarton, Lanark, and Renfrew, and parts of the counties of Argyll and Stirling. Since 1996, the area of the region has been divided between 12 council areas: Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, and West Dunbartonshire.

Three of Scotland's greatest castles opened to the public are located in Strathclyde: Inveraray Castle (official residence of the Duke of Argyll, chief of Clan Campbell), Culzean Castle (former home of the Marquess of Ailsa, the chief of Clan Kennedy), and Mount Stuart House (home of the Marquess of Bute).

Other notable attractions include Ben Lomond and Loch Lomond (Britain's largest lake), the Oban whisky distillery, the scenic ruins of Kilchurn Castle at the northeastern end of Loch Awe, and Dumbarton Castle, the oldest stronghold in Britain.





Attractions

Argyll & Bute

Inveraray Castle
Inveraray Castle (photo by Son of Groucho - Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license)
outstanding Inveraray Castle
Mount Stuart House & Gardens
Mount Stuart House (photo by ronnie leask - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)
outstanding Mount Stuart House & Gardens

Ben Lomond
Ben Lomond (© David Pender - iStockphoto.com)
very good Ben Lomond
Kilchurn Castle
Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe, Scotland (© Martin McCarthy - iStockphoto.com)
very good Kilchurn Castle (ruins)

Brodick Castle & Garden
Brodick Castle (photo by MichaelFrey - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
very good Brodick Castle, Garden & Country Park
Duart Castle
Duart Castle (photo by Robert Guthrie - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)
very good Duart Castle

Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle (photo by Colin Smith- Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)
very good Dumbarton Castle
Kilmartin Glen
 Nether Largie Standing Stones, Kilmartin Glen (photo by Postdlf - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
very good Kilmartin Glen

Oban
Oban Harbour (photo by Tiennegolf - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
very good Oban

Staffa National Nature Reserve
Staffa National Nature Reserve (© Lars Johansson - Fotolia.com)
very good Staffa National Nature Reserve

Torosay Castle
Torosay Castle (photo by Allister Combe- Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)
very good Torosay Castle

Other attractions

very good Burg, Isle Of Mull
very good Crarae Garden
good Inveraray



Ayrshire & Arran

Culzean Castle & Country Park
Culzean Castle (photo by StaraBlazkova - Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license)
outstanding Culzean Castle & Country Park
Lochranza Castle
Lochranza Castle (photo by Chris McLean - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.)
good Lochranza Castle (ruins)

Other attractions

good Ayr
good Burns National Heritage Park, Alloway
very good Dean Castle & Country Park
very good Goat Fell

Greater Glasgow, Lanarkshire & Clyde Valley

Glasgow
Glasgow City Hall (© J. Greaves-Guertin - Fotolia.com)
outstanding Glasgow

Attractions in the Greater Glasgow

very good Holmwood House
good Lanark
very good Pollok House
Hill House, Helensburgh
Hill House, Helensburgh (photo by Anthony O'Neil - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.)
very good Hill House, Helensburgh

Other attractions

good Craignethan Castle
very good Eaglesham
good National Museum of Rural Life Scotland
very good New Lanark

Eupedia's Rating System

Cities, towns, villages & historic buildings

  • : Local interest
  • : Moderately interesting
  • : Outstanding place
  • : Best of the country - shouldn't be missed
  • : Best of Europe

Natural attractions

  • : Local interest
  • : Moderately interesting
  • : Highly recommended
  • : World-class natural attraction
  • ※ : UNESCO World Heritage site


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