Rosie Morton’s guide to Scotland’s most beautiful spring escapes…

Who doesn’t love a bit of comfort viewing – whether it’s a rerun of Blue Planet, an episode of Rick Stein, or Countryfile on a Sunday evening? There’s something about these shows that lets you switch off and feel the calm wash over. Beautiful scenery, featuring gentle presenters with soft voices, and warm storytelling – none more so than Landward’s Rosie Morton, who spends her days discovering Scotland’s most breathtaking landscapes and the tales woven into them.

In this feature, Rosie shares her ultimate guide to experiencing Scotland in spring – from hidden bluebell woods and sweeping coastal walks to the most picturesque loch-sides where you can simply sit, breathe, and watch the world wake up.
Mother Nature offers incomparable comfort to those who look closely enough.
We know instinctively that the sun will rise, the moon-struck tides will ebb and flow, and that no spring will skip its turn. Yet, when we pay proper attention to them, these predictable patterns can help us slow down, switch off, and breathe that little bit deeper.

Now that we have passed the Vernal Equinox, the days are growing longer, yet there is still a quiet beauty to be found in the balance of light and dark. It is in the miracle of snowdrops pushing above ground, in the blackbird’s song as day breaks, and in the milder air that kisses your cheek.
It is, without question, one of the best times to experience Scotland. So, let me take you on my ultimate spring journey through the place I call home…

Hazlehead Park, Aberdeen

As an Aberdeen lass, many of my happiest (and earliest) spring memories come from the north-east of Scotland.

Feast your eyes on Aberdeenshire’s Haddo House, where snowdrops burst into life in the 240-acre gardens. Watch newborn Aberdeen Angus coos frolic through fields, spot cetaceans leaping in the waves from the city’s Dolphin Viewing Centre, or enjoy seeing the sleepy seals doze on Newburgh Beach after their lunchtime swim.

The place closest to my heart, though, will always be Aberdeen City’s Hazlehead Park. When I was a child, we walked our old faithfuls (much-loved Labra-dogs) around these winding paths every day. But it’s much more than just a childhood stomping ground. This beautiful park in the heart of the Granite City becomes a riot of colour in spring, with fiery-hued azaleas and rhododendrons bursting into life. Hazlehead’s two formal rose gardens – the Queen Mother’s Rose Garden and the North Sea Memorial Rose Garden – also wake from their winter slumber later in the season. It’s a bumblebee paradise!

The Fairy Glen, The Black Isle

The Black Isle is not a tourist honeypot, so it seems to have retained a sweet sense of serenity. For me, driving across the Kessock Bridge and turning right towards this peninsula stirs fond memories of visiting my Granny Valentine.

It sits just north of Inverness and stretches from Beauly (named after Mary, Queen of Scots, who called it un beau lieu – ‘a pretty place’) to Cromarty, where you’ll find the charming Hugh Miller’s Cottage (recently re-thatched by Tom Allan with a little help – or hindrance – from yours truly on BBC Landward!).

In springtime, The Fairy Glen near Fortrose is a joy for the senses. Dappled light shines through the leaves, wild garlic fills the air, and bluebells grow brighter and stronger each day. A word of warning, though… Legend has it that if you try to pick these beautiful wildflowers, fairies will lead you astray, and you’ll be lost wandering the woods forever. To quote my school geography teacher, the kind-hearted and wonderfully named Will Snow: “Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photographs, kill nothing but time.”

Attadale Gardens, Wester Ross

My heart may be in the Highlands, but my dreams belong to Scotland’s west coast. Whether it’s Torridon, Ullapool, or postcard-perfect Plockton, the beauty of this rugged landscape is truly breathtaking.

During spring, there is no better place than Attadale Gardens, a privately owned slice of paradise in Wester Ross with views over to the Cuillins on the Isle of Skye. It is open to the public through Scotland’s Garden Scheme from 1 April.

The exquisite gardens boast a rich history, having been established in the Victorian era. What’s more, it seems to enjoy its very own micro-climate – on good days, Attadale can feel balmy; on better days, it’s positively tropical. The 20-acre gardens comprise The Water Gardens, Old Rhododendron Walk, The Peace Garden, Japanese Garden, Fernery, and more. Scattered throughout are sculptures, including a slate urn by Joe Smith and Andy Goldsworthy, which is carpeted with Mother Nature’s finest lime-green moss.

St Andrews’ West Sands

St Andrews – affectionately known to its student population as The Bubble – was my home for four years. I may have waved it a fond farewell in 2016, but I’m still drawn back to this historic town each spring.

Why? Well, Janetta’s Ice Cream Parlour springs to mind, as does the inimitable Seafood Ristorante, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Mostly, though, it’s because of West Sands. It was here, on this expansive beach, that the iconic running scene from Chariots of Fire was filmed. (Cue Vangelis music). It’s also where I once spotted a student, dressed as a king, being carried shoulder-high on a four-poster bed before May Dip – a university tradition that sees students running into the North Sea on the first of the month to cleanse themselves of ‘academic sin’. (We made our own entertainment).

Student high jinks aside, West Sands is now also home to a surfing club, the aptly named Blown Away, which makes for a fantastic spring outing. So, hold onto your surfboards and get ready to dive in head-first! Or, alternatively, just watch the world go by until the sun disappears over the horizon. Life doesn’t get much sweeter.

The Meadows, Edinburgh

And so, it’s back to my new home: Edinburgh.

Auld Reekie may already be listed in nearly every Scottish tourism guide – but for good reason. Amidst the chaos of capital city life and the constant thrum of traffic, nature continues to triumph.

In The Meadows, to the south of the city, there’s already a palpable sense that spring is on standby for a reboot. Cherry tree buds, symbolising rebirth, renewal, and new beginnings, are waiting to emerge.

Come April and May, pale pink confetti will once more be pirouetting to the ground like ballerinas, lining the park’s walkways with cherry blossom petals. The fleeting beauty of these tree-lined paths is enough to lift anyone’s spirits as the days begin to stretch.

Bonnie Scotland, you do spoil us.

Follow Rosie at @rosie_morton_ Landward is available to stream on BBC iPlayer