LetsGoNorth meets LetsGoSouth

As well as identifying historical and cultural links between Spain and Scotland, LetsGoSouth looks at parallels between the two countries.  The most interesting one so far is that between the Senda Litoral, a 180km walking route along the south coast of Spain and the 180 mile walking route in the far north of Scotland.  The Senda Litoral is a built path, and the North Highland Way is a much wilder route using sheep and deer tracks, but nonetheless each has its merits.  The Spanish government are keen to promote the Senda Litoral, estimating that it will bring in millions of euros to the tourism industry every year.  There are some other great routes of course.  The Camino de Santiago being just one of them. This is actually a series of routes and based on the pilgrimages, but thousands of people walk it every year, bringing in the tourist dollars and pounds.  It cannot be claimed that the North Highland Way is a "parallel" with the Camino de Santiago, but nonetheless, we have been working with the administrators to raise the profile of the former by having a resource on their web site.

There are many others to be examined - the Donana National Park in Huelva and Seville and the Peatlands of Caithness.  The vegetation will be totally different of course, due to the climate, but the principle of wide open spaces and the unique aspects of both locations could be considered to be a "parallel".  Scottish Natural Heritage have a huge project to raise the profile of the Peatlands in Caithness, just as the environmental importance of the Donana National Park has been recognised for many years.  A trip to Donana National Park is a "must" if you are a nature lover, just as the Peatlands of Caithness should form the central part of a trip to the far north of Scotland.

Whether you are planning a trip to Spain or Scotland, are a nature lover and one who enjoys the great outdoors, the Donana National Park, the Camino de Santiago and the North Highland Way offer great places to visit.