From orca to crested tits, red deer to razorbills, Scotland has such a rich panoply of wildlife that it would be criminal not to seek it out when exploring the north of Britain. It's also easier to see than you think. While you can tough it out on the mountains if you wish, watching some of the country's most charismatic species – puffins, for one – can involve nothing more demanding than idling on the grass in the sunshine.
Scotland isn't large. The land area is around 80,000 sq km, placing it just above Serbia in size. But, owing to its far-flung island chains, it covers a much vaster expanse, stretching deep into the Atlantic. Hermaness, the northernmost part of Shetland, is closer to the North Pole than, say, Bergen…
