HERMANESS, Unst The most northerly part of the Shetlands is reachable by car as well as on foot.
This wildlife reserve sometimes boasts sightings of Albatross and it is well worth the trouble of undertaking several ferry journeys to feel the north wind blowing on your face and to see the wild birds flying high in the sky.
If you are feelin
g really adventurous, why not hire a boat and visit Muckle Flugga – the few rocks that hold Britain's most northerly lighthouse.
THE ITALIAN CHAPEL, Orkney Built by Italian prisoners of war, from the outside the chapel resembles a corrugated steel hut, but inside the paintings are worthy of Michelangelo due to their beauty and intricacy. An important reminder that even in wartime creativity can overcome the hardship of battle.
CALLANISH STONE CIRCLE Isle of Lewis, Western Isles Standing alone in the sun, or on a windswept day, these stones have evoked powerful poetry and song throughout the years.
A strong reminder that history was not born yesterday and that the study of the stars pre-dates the space age. Visit and marvel at this powerful architecture of prehistoric times.
FINGAL'S CAVE, island of Staffa, Inner Hebrides Few boat journeys venture out this far west, but the reward of seeing the majesty of the basalt columns in the cave more than outweighs any risk of sea sickness.
Said to inspire music, the perfection of the architecture is a natural wonder in its own right. If you want to discover how close landmasses were millions of years ago, you can also visit the Giants' Causeway in Northern Ireland.
BAR HILL ROMAN FORT, Antonine Wall, near Kilsyth Formerly part of the Roman Empire's northernmost frontier, Bar Hill is now part of a World Heritage Site ranking alongside the Pyramids of Egypt.
It has been excavated to expose, for public view, a bath-house and headquarters buildings. Look to the north and imagine how bleak and inhospitable this must have once seemed to the Romans and explore the foundations of buildings that influence modern architecture even today.
