About Scotland

Scotland is the home of whisky, tartan, golf, shortbread and bagpipes. Its history has been formed by colourful characters such as William Wallace, Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie; its literary heroes include Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson and amongst today's well-known Scots you'll find Sean Connery, Tony Blair, Ewan MacGregor and Iain Banks.

Intellectually Scotland is home to four of Europe's oldest universities Ñ St Andrews, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. In the eighteenth century David Hume and Andrew Smith helped shape the European Enlightenment and in the nineteenth century Scotland's scientists and engineers invented many of the technologies on which our modern life is built: logarithms, the steam engine, modern road-building, tarmac, the pneumatic tyre, the telephone, television, chloroform and penicillin. Education and learning has always had a high priority in Scottish life and culture, as well as a spirit of opportunity for all, exemplified by the philanthropy of the successful Scottish steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie.

The Highlands and islands of Scotland contain some of the most beautiful scenery of northern Europe — mountainous wilderness, spectacular sea and inland lochs, salmon rivers and purple-heathered moorland. The Border lands, south of Edinburgh, are also spectacular and provide the setting for some of Scotland's most impressive palaces and castles.

Scotland's cities are a monument to its history — great ports founded on its relationship with the sea through fishing and shipbuilding; the solid Victorian buildings of its financial sectors constructed with the wealth gained by industry and trade in the nineteenth century; and art galleries and museums impressively well-stocked through the collections amassed over the centuries by great families and wealthy businessmen.

Scotland's greatest export has always been its own people and many of those attending WWW2006, particularly from North America, Australia and New Zealand, will have Scottish roots. Conference delegates will have the opportunity to begin tracing these, or at least to discover their clan affiliations and tartan. In a country where history is all around, it's impossible not to want to be part of it.

Scotland has over 540 golf courses to choose from including world famous championship golf courses such as The Old Course St Andrews, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, Muirfield, Turnberry and Gleneagles. Visitors to the South East of Scotland will quickly realise they are in the heart of golfing country. There are many famous and historical courses in this region and the stretch of fabulous links golf courses to the east of Edinburgh attracts hoards of seaside loving golfers.

If you wish to take advantage of the fantastic golf courses available in the area, we have put together a Golf Guide to help you find a suitable course, how to get there and how to book.

More Information

• Scotland Links
• Scottish Top Twenties page
• Scottish Tourist Board