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Months in 2011
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The Royal Burgh of Haddington is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the main administrative, cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian, which was known officially as Haddingtonshire before 1921. It lies approximately 20 miles (32 km) east of Edinburgh. Linguistically the name Haddington is Anglo-Saxon, dating from the 6th or 7th century AD when the area was incorporated into the kingdom of Bernicia. The town was ceded from Northumbria and became part of Scotland following the Battle of Carham in c.1018. Haddington received burghal status, one of the earliest to do so, during the reign of David I (1124–1153), giving it trading rights which encouraged its growth into a market town.
- February
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Dunnottar Castle (from Scottish Gaelic Dùn Fhoithear, "fort on the shelving slope" is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about two miles (3 km) south of Stonehaven. The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th–16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been an early fortress of the Dark Ages. Dunnottar played a strategic role in the history of Scotland from the Middle Ages through to the Enlightenment, because of the location: it overlooked the shipping lanes to northern Scotland; and is situated on a narrow coastal terrace that controlled land access to the coastal south via Portlethen Moss to Aberdeen during the medieval period.
- March
Suilven (Scottish Gaelic: Sula Bheinn) is one of the most distinctive mountains in Scotland. Lying in a remote area in the west of Sutherland, it rises almost vertically from a wilderness landscape of moorland, bogs and lochans known as Inverpolly National Nature Reserve. The mountain forms a steep-sided ridge some 2 km in length. The highest point, known as Caisteal Liath (the Grey Castle in Scottish Gaelic), lies at the northwest end of this ridge. There are two other summits: Meall Meadhonach (Round Middle Hill) at the central point of the ridge is 723 m high, whilst Meall Beag (Round Little Hill) lies at the southeastern end.
Geologically, Suilven is formed of Torridonian sandstone, sitting on a landscape of Lewisian Gneiss. As the softer rocks eroded Suilven was left as an Inselberg, an "island-mountain", hence the prominence of the peak. From the coast to the west Suilven looks like a large grey pillar, hence the name which it was given by sea-borne Vikings. From the inland side the mountain has more of the appearance of a pyramid.
- April
Aberdour Castle is located in the village of Easter Aberdour, Fife, Scotland. Parts of the castle date from around 1200, making Aberdour one of the two oldest datable standing castles in Scotland, along with Castle Sween in Argyll, which was built at around the same time. The earliest part of the castle comprised a modest hall house, on a site overlooking the Dour Burn. Over the next 400 years, the castle was successively expanded according to contemporary architectural ideas. The hall house became a tower house in the 15th century, and was extended twice in the 16th century. The final addition was made around 1635, with refined Renaissance details, and the whole was complemented by a walled garden to the east and terraced gardens to the south.
- May
Loch Fyne (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Fìne, pronounced [l̪ˠɔx ˈfiːnə], meaning Loch of the Vine or Wine, although there is no evidence for grapes growing there - it was more metaphorical, such as meaning that the River, 'Abhainn Fìne', was a well-respected river) is a sea loch on the west coast of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It extends 65 kilometres (40 miles) inland from the Sound of Bute, making it the longest of the sea lochs. It is connected to the Sound of Jura by the Crinan Canal. Loch Fyne is notable for its oyster fishery, and as a consequence the loch has given its name to the locally owned Loch Fyne Oysters, and the associated Loch Fyne Restaurants.
- June
Scott's View refers to a viewpoint in the Scottish Borders, overlooking the valley of the River Tweed, which is reputed to be one of the favourite views of Sir Walter Scott. The viewpoint can be located directly from a minor road leading south from Earlston just off the A68 and by travelling north from the village of St. Boswells up the slope of Bemersyde Hill. The view is around 3 miles east of Melrose. The view is to the west, and is dominated by the three peaks of Eildon Hill. To the south west the view is extensive and open, taking in rolling farmland beyond the village of Newtown St Boswells. Immediately below the viewer is a meander of the Tweed itself.
- July
Loch Shiel (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Seile) is a 19.3 km2 freshwater loch, 120 m deep, situated 20 km west of Fort William in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. Its nature changes considerably along its length, being deep and enclosed by mountains in the north east and shallow surrounded by bog and rough pasture in the south west, from which end the 4 km River Shiel drains to the sea in Loch Moidart near Castle Tioram. Loch Shiel should not be confused with Glen Shiel, 40 km further north in Skye and Lochalsh, which contains a longer River Shiel and a much smaller Loch Shiel.
- August
Durness (Diùirnis in Gaelic:) is a huge but remote parish in the northwestern Highlands of Scotland, encompassing all the land between the Moine to the East (separating it from Tongue parish) and the Gualin to the West (separating it from Eddrachilis). The parish comprises a number of larger or smaller townships, from the east these include Kempie, Eriboll, Laid, Rispond, Ceannabeinne, Sangobeg, Lerin, Smoo, Sangomore, Durine, Balvulich, Balnakeil, Achins and Keoldale. To the west there are also the single homesteads of Grudie, Carbreck and Rigolter.
- September
The Crinan canal is a canal in the west of Scotland. It takes its name from the village of Crinan at its westerly end. Nine miles long, it connects the village of Ardrishaig on Loch Gilp with the Sound of Jura, providing a navigable route between the Clyde and the Inner Hebrides, without the need for a long diversion around the Kintyre peninsula, and in particular the exposed Mull of Kintyre. The canal has essentially no height limit, and is a popular route today for yachts to travel from the Firth of Clyde to the west coast of Scotland.
- October
St Margaret's Chapel, at Edinburgh Castle, is the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, Scotland. An example of Romanesque architecture, it is a Category A listed building. Legend had it that St. Margaret worshipped in this small chapel, but recent research indicates that it was built at the beginning of the 12th century by her fourth son who became King David in 1124. The building has been restored and the interior presents much the same appearance as it did when first in use.
- November
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water, (Scottish Gaelic: Abhainn Thuaidh) is 97 miles (156 km) long and flows primarily through the Borders region of Great Britain. It rises on Tweedsmuir at Tweed's Well near where the Clyde, draining northwest, and the Annan draining south also rise. "Annan, Tweed and Clyde rise oot the ae hillside" as the Border saying has it. It drains the entire Borders region. Its lower reaches are near Berwick-upon-Tweed. The Tweed is one of the great salmon rivers of Britain.
- December
Castle Stalker (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal an Stalcaire) is a four-storey tower house or keep picturesquely set on a tidal islet on Loch Laich, an inlet off Loch Linnhe. It is located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north east of Port Appin, Argyll, Scotland, and is visible from the A828 road around mid-way between Oban and Glen Coe. The islet is accessible (with difficulty) from the shore at low tide. In recent times the castle was brought to fame by the Monty Python team, appearing in their film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It also appeared in the film Highlander: Endgame.