Scottish Lowlands: Hubs & Their Satellites
At a glance: The Lowlands cover Scotland’s cultural core—cities, abbeys, farmland and coast—south and east of the Highland line. This map highlights six practical bases (“hubs”) with nearby places that orbit them (“satellites”), so you can piece together easy day trips without changing hotels every night.
What are “The Lowlands”?
Historically, Scotland is often divided into Highlands and Lowlands. The Lowlands lie south and east of the Highland Boundary Fault—a geological line running from Ayrshire through Stirling and Perthshire to the North Sea near Stonehaven. For travellers, this means rail-connected cities, gentler hills, fertile coasts, and dense layers of history.
How to Use This Map
Use the hubs as overnight bases; build your days from the satellites around each one. Stirling appears as a Strategic Satellite shared by Edinburgh and Glasgow: it’s less than an hour from either city and has enough nearby highlights to warrant its own orbit.
Tips for using the map:
- Click icons to see names and quick notes.
- Zoom for detail; Recenter to reset the view.
- Toggle layers to show/hide hubs, satellites, and the Highland line for context.
How to use this guide: Each hub below has a short “why here” and practical notes. Satellites sit underneath with one-line context and a “good for” nudge. Use the Hub pages when you want deeper story and logistics.
Go to section: Edinburgh · Glasgow · St Andrews · Aberdeen · Melrose (Borders) · Kirkcudbright (Galloway)
Edinburgh (Central Belt — East)
World-class city of stone: medieval Old Town, Georgian New Town, a castle on a volcanic rock, and festivals that fill August and New Year.
- Why stay: Walkable core; deep history; rail hub for Fife, Borders, Stirling.
- With/without car: No car needed—trams/buses/trains cover day trips.
Satellites from Edinburgh
- Rosslyn Chapel: 15th-century carvings and lore in a village setting. Good for: art, short bus trip.
- East Lothian coast: North Berwick, Gullane and Tantallon’s clifftop views. Good for: beaches, sea air.
- South Queensferry & Forth Bridge: Waterfront walks under a world-famous rail bridge. Good for: engineering icons, sunsets.
- Stirling (Strategic Satellite): Castle, Wallace Monument, Bannockburn; also a quieter base for the Trossachs. Good for: history, mixed-ability days.
Glasgow (Central Belt — West)
Big-hearted culture city: Victorian grandeur, Charles Rennie Mackintosh design, music, galleries—and fast trains everywhere.
- Why stay: Food, art, nightlife; frequent trains to Stirling and Loch Lomond’s edge.
- With/without car: No car needed—rail is dense; car helps for lochside detours.
Satellites from Glasgow
- Loch Lomond & the Trossachs: Balloch for cruises, Balmaha for Conic Hill, Luss for village charm. Good for: easy walks, scenery.
- New Lanark (UNESCO): Restored cotton mill village in a riverside gorge. Good for: heritage, gentle loops.
- Falkirk Wheel & The Kelpies: Canal engineering and 30-m horse heads. Good for: families, design.
- Stirling (Strategic Satellite): Shared with Edinburgh; see notes above. Good for: castles, gateways to the Trossachs.
St Andrews (Fife & East Neuk)
Medieval university town and “home of golf,” ringed by long beaches and a chain of fishing villages along the East Neuk.
- Why stay: Walkable heritage, coastal paths, village-to-village days.
- With/without car: Trains to Leuchars + short bus; car helpful for East Neuk strings.
Satellites from St Andrews
- East Neuk villages: Crail, Anstruther, St Monans by coast path or short hops. Good for: harbours, seafood.
- Tentsmuir: Vast beach and pine forest with seals and birdlife. Good for: wild sands, cycling.
- Dundee & V&A: Waterfront design museum and ship heritage. Good for: architecture, rainy-day options.
- Glen Clova: Angus corries for a first taste of hill country. Good for: hikes, big skies.
Aberdeen (North-East)
Granite city between North Sea sands and the Dee and Don valleys; a strong base for clifftop castles and Royal Deeside.
- Why stay: Easy reach of Dunnottar, Deeside estates, and wildlife cliffs.
- With/without car: Car widens coast/hill options; rail/bus cover core highlights.
Satellites from Aberdeen
- Dunnottar Castle: A dramatic ruin on a sea cliff south of Stonehaven. Good for: views, photography.
- Royal Deeside (Balmoral & Braemar): River walks, estates, high-valley scenery. Good for: gardens, gentle hikes.
- Bullers of Buchan & Cruden Bay: Sea-arches and seabird cliffs north of the city. Good for: wildlife, coast.
- Elgin & Moray coast: Cathedral remains and sandy bays. Good for: history, easy beach days.
Melrose (Scottish Borders)
Abbey country in a rolling green landscape, with Tweed Valley trails and handsome stone towns.
- Why stay: Three abbeys within easy reach; compact towns and river paths.
- With/without car: Borders Railway helps; car useful for abbey triangle and coast.
Satellites from Melrose
- Dryburgh & Jedburgh Abbeys: Two fine ruins in wooded settings. Good for: heritage loops.
- Traquair House: Historic house with grounds and brewery. Good for: slow afternoons.
- St Abb’s Head (NNR): Sea-cliff reserve with a tiny harbour village. Good for: seabirds, cliff paths.
- Peebles & Tweed Valley: Bridges, cafés, and bike trails. Good for: families, cycling.
Kirkcudbright (Dumfries & Galloway)
Artists’ town by the Dee estuary—quiet lanes, dark skies inland, and a coastline of bays and headlands.
- Why stay: Castles and wetlands, easy coastal loops, Dark Sky Park.
- With/without car: Car recommended—public transport is sparse.
Satellites from Kirkcudbright
- Galloway Forest Park (Dark Sky): Loch circuits and night-sky viewing sites. Good for: stargazing, forest trails.
- Caerlaverock Castle & Wetlands: Moated ruin and bird reserves by the Solway. Good for: wildlife, short wanders.
- Threave Estate & Castle: River-island castle with gardens and hides. Good for: mixed-ability days.
- Mull of Galloway: Lighthouse at Scotland’s southern tip. Good for: cliff views, big horizons.
Planning the Region
- Timing: Apr–Jun & Sep are sweet spots; Aug is festival-heavy in Edinburgh/Glasgow; winters are quieter with short days.
- Getting around: Rail and bus are dense between hubs; driving helps for coast paths and scattered abbeys.
- Tickets & passes: For city transport, contactless capping works well; paper day tickets exist for those who prefer cash.
- Accessibility: City centres are walkable; older quarters have cobbles and slopes—plan extra time.