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Heathering Wednesday
"🎶 That's what I'd like to do ...
See the heather ... once with you."
~ The Heather on the Hill, Brigadoon, 1949
Purple tartan wearers, this exquisite design is sure to draw admiration, mirroring the beauty of the late heather season. Heather—Calluna vulgaris—bursts into bloom from late July through September, peaking in August, and even as summer fades, the hills and moors remain awash in its rich purple hues. Long celebrated in Celtic and Scottish tradition, heather has been cherished since ancient times as a symbol of resilience and luck. It also sustains the natural world, offering nectar to honeybees, bumblebees, and butterflies such as the Small Heath and Meadow Brown, and giving rise to the famous heather honey with its distinctive, full-bodied flavor.
The tartan’s palette pays tribute to this natural wonder: purples and lavender reflect the blossoms, greens recall the foliage, and soft barley tones suggest the stems. Deep red threads are woven through as a reminder of the enduring efforts to preserve the Scottish Highlands and its culture across the centuries. Like the heather itself, this tartan embodies beauty, resilience, and heritage. So gather ye heather sprigs while ye may! 💜 💚 🤍 ❤️ 🌸
Scotland’s rolling hills and dramatic landscapes come alive with vibrant purple hues during the late summer months, when the heather blooms. One of the best places to experience this breathtaking sight is the Cairngorms National Park, located in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. The park offers vast stretches of heather-clad hills, especially around Loch Morlich and Glenmore Forest, where the contrast of purple heather against rugged mountains creates an unforgettable panorama. The park’s numerous trails allow visitors to hike through these heather-covered moorlands while spotting local wildlife, including red deer and golden eagles, adding to the sense of wilderness and adventure.
Another stunning location to view heather in Scotland is the Isle of Skye. Famous for its dramatic cliffs and otherworldly landscapes, Skye becomes a sea of purple during heather season. The Quiraing and the Fairy Glen are particularly striking, offering visitors a chance to walk through fields of blooming heather with stunning views of the surrounding lochs and mountains. For a more coastal experience, the cliffs around Neist Point, with their heather-topped slopes overlooking the sea, create a truly magical setting that combines Scotland’s wild beauty with the serenity of the heather’s bloom.
For more on the best places to view the last of the heather, click the heather!