Rothesay, SCT - Postcode - PA20 0AY - Post Codes & Zip Codes List

Rothesay is a town located on the Isle of Bute in Scotland. It is the principal town on the island and serves as a popular tourist destination due to its historical significance and picturesque surroundings. 

Here are some key points about Rothesay:

Isle of Bute: Rothesay is situated on the Isle of Bute, which is located in the Firth of Clyde on the western coast of Scotland. The island is known for its scenic landscapes and is a favorite spot for visitors.

Historical Significance: Rothesay has a rich history, with medieval roots. The town was historically a popular destination for Victorian tourists due to its natural beauty and proximity to the mainland.

Rothesay Castle: Rothesay Castle is a notable historic site in the town. It dates back to the 13th century and has played a significant role in Scottish history. The castle is well-preserved and offers insights into the past.

Promenade and Waterfront: Rothesay's waterfront area, featuring a promenade, offers beautiful views of the Firth of Clyde and the surrounding landscapes.

Victorian Architecture: The town is known for its Victorian architecture, with many well-preserved buildings from that era. These structures add to the town's charm and character.

Leisure Activities: Rothesay offers various activities for visitors, including golf, walking, cycling, and water sports. The island's natural beauty makes it a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.

Ferry Access: The Isle of Bute is accessible by ferry from the mainland. The ferry terminal connects Rothesay to Wemyss Bay on the mainland.

Community and Culture: Rothesay has a close-knit community and hosts events and festivals throughout the year, celebrating local culture and traditions.

Island Location: Rothesay is the largest town on the Isle of Bute, which is part of the council area of Argyll and Bute. The Isle of Bute is characterized by its coastal landscapes, rolling hills, and serene beaches.

Coastline: Rothesay is located on the eastern coast of the Isle of Bute, along the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The town's waterfront area provides views of the water and serves as a popular spot for leisurely strolls.

Firth of Clyde: The Firth of Clyde is the body of water that separates the Isle of Bute from the mainland of Scotland. It's known for its maritime heritage and has played a significant role in Scotland's history.

Rothesay Bay: Rothesay Bay is the bay adjacent to the town of Rothesay. It's a natural harbor area that has historically been important for trade and transportation.

Scenic Landscapes: The Isle of Bute, including the area around Rothesay, offers a mix of landscapes, including beaches, wooded areas, and hills. The island's geography makes it attractive for outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling.

Ferry Access: Rothesay is accessible by ferry from the mainland, particularly from Wemyss Bay. The ferry journey provides beautiful views of the surrounding waters and landscapes.

Mount Stuart House: Located near Rothesay, Mount Stuart House is an impressive Victorian Gothic mansion set in expansive gardens. It's a popular tourist attraction and adds to the area's charm.

Moderate Climate: Like much of the western coast of Scotland, the Isle of Bute experiences a temperate maritime climate, characterized by mild temperatures, moderate rainfall, and relatively cool summers.

Argyll and Bute

It is one of Scotland's 32 unitary authority council areas and a lieutenancy area. Jane Margaret MacLeod is the current Lord-Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute (14 July 2020). Kilmory Castle, a 19th-century Gothic Revival mansion and estate in Lochgilphead, serves as the council headquarters. Councillor Robin Currie, who represents Kintyre and the Islands, is the current Council leader.

Description

The Argyll and Bute Council Area is the second largest in Scotland. Highland, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, and West Dunbartonshire are all neighboring council areas. Loch Lomond marks one of its borders.

The current council area originated in 1996 when it was separated from the Strathclyde region, a two-tier local government region consisting of nineteen districts established in 1975.

The existing Argyll and Bute district was combined with one ward from the Dumbarton district to form Argyll and Bute. Helensburgh and the surrounding territory that made up what was then known as the Dumbarton ward of "Helensburgh and Lomond" (now known simply as "Helensburgh") were located to the west of Loch Lomond, to the north of the Firth of Clyde, and to the mostly east of Loch Long.

Scottish county divisions can also be used to describe the council area. Most of Argyll is included in the council area (with the exception of the Morvern area, north of Mull, which is part of the Highland council area), as well as the Isle of Bute and a portion of Dunbartonshire (the Helensburgh and Lomond ward).

The Council for Argyll and Bute

The council is made up of 36 elected representatives who were selected using the single transferable vote system (introduced in 2007) and the first-past-the-post method (used prior to 2007). After the election of 2017, the SNP gained the most votes and thus the most power. After the election, a coalition of Independents, Conservatives, and Liberal Democrats formed a government, making it the first time since the modern authority's inception that representatives of a political party held the majority of council seats.

Back in February of 2012, the council was accused of creating "spy" accounts on various social media platforms. Someone working for the council was found to have created "fake social media accounts to monitor what was being said about the council," leading to their suspension pending further investigation. According to the results of the council's own investigation, "no evidence of any form of spying or covert surveillance having been carried out by any employee within the council's communication team" was discovered.

Wards

For the 2007 election, 36 single-member wards were replaced by 11 multi-member wards. These wards had previously been adjusted up from 33 in the 1990s.

Transport

Railways

The West Highland Line, which connects Oban and Glasgow, runs through much of the eastern and northern Argyll and Bute. The route enters Argyll and Bute to the west of Dumbarton from the south and then heads north through Helensburgh Upper to the Gare Loch and Loch Long on the eastern coast. At Arrochar and Tarbet, the railway crosses inland to connect with the western shore of Loch Lomond. The line exits Argyll and Bute at the loch's northern end and enters the Stirling council area. Just to the west of Tyndrum, the West Highland Line resumes its journey westward to Oban, passing through Dalmally and Taynuilt on the way. ScotRail operates the vast majority of the line's services; as of the 2019 summer season, there are six trains per day to Oban, with four on Sundays. The daily Caledonian Sleeper operates in addition to ScotRail, though it does not serve the Oban line. 

The central railway station in Helensburgh is the western terminus of the North Clyde Line, which provides much more frequent service into Glasgow and beyond.

Roads

These are the major thoroughfares in Argyll and Bute:

• The A82, which is the primary connection between Glasgow and Fort William, follows the western shore of Loch Lomond.
• The A83, which branches off the A82 at Tarbet and travels west before turning south and passing through Inveraray and Lochgilphead en route to Campbeltown.
• The A85, which splits off from the A82 at Tyndrum (on the border between Argyll and Bute) and travels west through Dalmally to Oban.
• The A828 branches off the A85 at Connel and travels north through Appin before connecting with the A82 in Ballachulish.
• The A815, beginning at Glen Kinglas near Cairndow, passing through Strachur and Dunoon, and terminating at Toward, 40 miles later, at the southern tip of the Cowal peninsula.
• In Cowal, the A815 is the main thoroughfare.

The A886 branches off of the A815 at Strachur and travels through Glendaruel before arriving at Port Bannatyne to the north of Rothesay. This route features a ferry connection to the Isle of Bute at Colintraive - Rhubodach.

Scotland, UK Description

Scotland is the most northern of the UK's four constituent countries, occupying roughly one-third of the island. In the 5th century CE, Irish Celts settled on the west coast of Britain, naming it "Scotland." Scotland's name comes from the Latin Scotia, meaning "land of the Scots." Caledonia is a term frequently used to refer to Scotland, particularly in poetry. Caledonii was the Roman name for a tribe that lived in what is now northwest Scotland.

Scotland's harsh climate and extreme weather conditions have made it difficult for many generations to live there, but they have cherished it for its natural beauty and unique culture. During the Scottish Enlightenment, philosophers like Francis Hutcheson and Adam Smith forged important contributions to political and practical theories of progress. Scottish inventors, engineers, and businessmen like Alexander Graham Bell, James Watt, Andrew Carnegie, and John McAdam helped Scotland's influence far beyond its borders.

Scotland-England relations have been strained since the two countries united in 1707 to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Despite heavy English influence, Scotland has long maintained its independence, clinging to historical fact and legend to preserve national identity and the Scots dialect of English.

Geographical Description of Scotland

The Aegean, Atlantic, North, and English Channels border Scotland's southern, western, and northern borders, as well as its eastern border. The west coast is dotted with large islands ranging in size from small rocks to the massive Lewis and Harris, Skye, and Mull landmasses (sea lochs or fjords). Orkney and Shetland islands are located north of Scotland. 274 miles (441 kilometers) from Cape Wrath to the Mull of Galloway, and 154 miles wide from Applecross in the western Highlands to Buchan Ness in the eastern Grampians. Scotland's mainland has two halves: north and south (248 km). With only 30 miles of land separating the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth, Scotland's two major estuarine inlets on its west and east coasts, from the sea, the vast majority of places are within 40 to 50 miles (65 to 80 kilometers) of the sea.

The Highlands are in the north, the Midland Valley (Central Lowlands) is in the middle, and the Southern Uplands are in the south. (The latter two are part of the Lowlands cultural region, which includes the former two.) Low-lying areas run the length of the Midland Valley and the US east coast. The east coast's smoother outline contrasts with the west coast's rugged outline, resulting in a topographic as well as a north-south divide. The Glen Mor (Glen Albyn) fault line separates the Highlands from the rest of the country. To the north of Glen Mor is an ancient plateau eroded into a series of peaks of similar height separated by glens carved by glaciers (valleys). The Lewisian Complex rocks have been worn down by severe glaciation to form a hummocky landscape punctuated by small lochs and protruding rocks from thin, acidic soil. The magnificent Torridonian sandstone mountains have weathered into sheer cliffs, rock terraces, and pinnacles.

The Grampian Mountains are located southeast of Glen Mor, though there are intrusions such as the Cairngorm Mountains' granitic masses. The Grampians are less rocky and rugged than the Northwest Mountains, being more rounded and grassy, with larger plateau areas. The area has some of Britain's highest mountains, including Ben Nevis (4,406 feet), which has cliffs and pinnacles that make climbing difficult (1,343 metres). Rannoch Moor, a desolate expanse of bogs and granitic rocks punctuated by narrow, deep lochs such as Rannoch and Ericht, is the most striking example (Rannoch Moor is the most striking of these). The Highland Boundary Fault runs northeast-southwest from Stonehaven, just south of Aberdeen, to Helensburgh on the River Clyde, passing through Loch Lomond, Scotland's largest freshwater body. The southern boundary of the Midland Valley is divided by a fault that runs from northeast to southwest, beginning with the Lammermuir and Moorfoot hills. It's misleading to call this part of Scotland the Lowlands because, while it's low compared to other parts of Scotland, it's not flat. Volcanic hills like the Sidlaws, Ochils, Campsies, and Pentlands dominate the landscape (579 metres). The Southern Uplands are not as high as the Highlands. Glaciation has created narrow, flat valleys that divide rolling mountains into sections. The gently sloping, grassy, and rounded hills just east of Nithsdale open up into fertile Merse farming land to the south. With time, the landscape west of Nithsdale becomes more rugged, with granitic intrusions around Loch Doon, and the soil becomes more peaty and wet. Merrick's high moorlands and hills can support a sheep farm at 2,766 feet (843 metres) above sea level. The uplands slope down to the Solway Firth's coastal plains in the south and the machair and Mull of Galloway in the west.

The Economy of Scotland

As a result of the problems that plagued many European countries during the 1970s and 1980s, including the widespread failure of heavy industries, Scotland's economy suffered greatly during this period. Unemployment became a significant issue, particularly in areas where major industries were in decline at the same time. A variety of measures were implemented by successive governments to improve the situation. Because of the extraction of North Sea oil and natural gas, as well as the development of high-technology industries and other economic sectors, Scotland's economy began to prosper during the 1980s.

Scotland's economy remains small but open, accounting for approximately 5% of the total export revenue of the United Kingdom. Aside from London and the eastern regions of England, no other region in the United Kingdom has a higher gross domestic product (GDP) per capita than the West Midlands, and its unemployment rate is relatively low. To be sure, wealth distribution in Scotland is not evenly distributed, and the average unemployment rate conceals pockets of significantly higher unemployment in specific regions and localities. Scottish economic development, education, and training are all overseen by the Scottish Parliament, despite the fact that the British government has control over macroeconomic policy in the country. This includes central government spending, interest rates, and monetary policy in Scotland.