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Scotland offers real freedom to explore at your own pace. There is so much scenic variety, so many touring options and trails to follow, from the footsteps of Robert Burns to Castles and Malt Whisky. But wherever you go, you can be sure of a warm welcome.
There is no better place to explore - and in Scotland it is easy. The road network is good and some of the finest scenery highly visible from it - keeping your eyes on the road may be the challenge! Bus services are great value and Scotland's post buses (vans and minibuses carrying mail and passengers) allow you to discover off the beaten track places as the postman goes about his daily rounds. At the other end of the scale, Scotland's air links are the fastest way of getting out to the rim of the country, especially the island groupings of the north and west, though ferries are also plentiful and very efficient.
The Land of Scotland
For the touring visitor, Scotland certainly offers picture postcard scenes in plenty. From the Scottish Borders to Shetland, there are simply so many moments when you just have to pull over and reach for the camera. The Duke's Pass in the famous Trossachs, where the hills rise out of the waves of woodland; the top of Glenogle, looking north at the mountains of Breadalbane; the Kyles of Bute, where the sea-lochs enfold the island of Bute in a deep summer blue - there are so many breathtaking views, waiting to be discovered.
Just drinking in that panorama is another essential Scottish experience. To make it doubly relaxing, you can follow a national tourist route as a guarantee you are going to find not just fine scenery but a choice of rewarding visitor attractions. Follow the Perthshire Tourist Route to find the most scenic roads between the gateway town of Stirling and Pitlochry in the heart of Perthshire. Or take the Highland Tourist Route to cut across country by way of the moors and mountains of Grampian, Moray and on to Inverness (just look for the signposts) Castle, whisky distilleries, gardens, plus a good range of places to eat and characterful pubs are just some of the rewards.
 To make route planning even easier, you can follow a themed trail. The life of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns can be traced from his humble cottage birthplace in Alloway, near Ayr, to his last years in Dumfries. On the way, the route takes in some fine scenery in the South of Scotland. Or you can enjoy discovering the finest of Scotland's castles in Grampian's Castle Trail or Malt Whisky Trail. Again, signposts make it easy to travel around the distilleries and the many castle styles from mediaeval fortress to stately home.
One really useful activity in Scotland is visiting tourist information centres. Staffed by locals who know their own area, they can help you with local places of interest, events - just about anything to help you make the most of your visit. They can tell you, for example, which pubs have traditional music, or where to buy the local delicacies (sampling the local foodstuffs, such as cheeses or seafoods - or whiskies - should definitely be part of your Scottish experience).
In short, Scotland is made for exploring, with transport, route-finding, ticketing all straightforward and with plenty of choice. All you have to do is set off to discover the magic.
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