Where to Find Webcam Views of Scotland

Still pictures are all very well but today's Internet webcams can sometimes provide a more direct view of the "real" Scotland - including what that famous weather is really like. Of course, you have to remember the different time zones across the world when viewing live webcams as it may be dark in Scotland and daylight in your part of the world.

Aberdeen
Aberdeen City Council have not been mean with their budget and have set up three webcams - looking over the harbour, Castlegate and Union Street.

Aberdeen Harbour
Pan, tilt, zoom and scan the webcam as you watch the ships entering and leaving the busy Aberdeen harbour.

Aberdeenshire Webcams
Aberdeenshire Council operate a number of Internet Webcams in towns across their area, including:

Angus
The Visit Angus Web site hosts web-cameras with viewing controls allowing users to zoom in on landscape features, wildlife and fauna.

  • Glen Clova with views of the scenery from a hillside farm close to the Glen Clova Hotel.
  • Carnoustie from the clock tower of the Carnoustie Golf Hotel over the first tee of the Championship Course.
  • Montrose Basin from the front gallery area of the Scottish Wildlife Trust Montrose Basin Wildlife Centre with superb views across this tidal basin.

Ardgrain, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
Webcam broadcast from the historic Grade A listed Scottish barony of Ardgrain, which dates from 1629. The webcam has views of the rolling countryside looking towards the market town of Ellon, Aberdeenshire. Part of a website packed full of local pictures and the detailed history of the baronial site of Ardgrain through the ages.

Arran - Brodick
Live webcam overlooks the beautiful bay in Brodick.

BBC Travel Webcams
Reports of traffic delays and congestion across the country as well as webcam views of major traffic flows. See also TrafficScotland <

Ben Nevis
A Fort William tourist site brings you views of Scotland's (and the UK's) highest mountain. When it's dark in Scotland, there is a collection of Ben Nevis and Nevis Range images to look at instead.

Bowmore Distillery, Islay
Change the view and see the lochs outside the distillery.

Bruichladdich Distillery
The "world's first non-stop whisky show" has an increasing number of cameras updating the view every second. These webcams leapt to fame when the US-based Defence Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) were reported to have been monitoring the whisky distillery, using the close-up webcams. The agency claimed that it only took a "tweak" to allow the malt whisky production to change to churning out chemical weapons.....

Cairngorms
Weather data and webcam views for hill walkers - and armchair viewers. Picture updated every ten minutes. Includes views of the White Lady, view from Loch Morlich and view from Summit of Main Basin T-bar.

Campbelltown, Argyll
Control the views - Westport Beach, the reef or the islands of Islay and Jura.

Camvista - Scotland
The Scotland index of a larger site covers a number of locations across the country (some of which are not operated by Camvista) including:

Dundee
Dundee City Council give you control of the Webcam for two minutes (though you may have to wait a while if there's a queue ahead of you!

Dunoon
The webcam from Argyll and Bute Council overlooks the harbour - impressive no matter the weather!

Dunoon
The local Dunoon Observer hosts two webcams in the town, Camera 1 has a view up Argyll Street, the main thoroughfare and Camera 2 looks up the Ferry Brae. There is also a Guest Book where locals and former locals chat about earlier times and people in the town.

Edinburgh


Fife Panoramas
From a guide to Fife, these are not Webcams but 360 degree Java panoramas of a number of locations in Fife including:

Gardenstown/Gamrie
The webcam is looking towards the coastal village of Gardenstown on the North-East coast of Aberdeenshire and the site also has a page on the Gardenstown Weather Station, provide constantly updated weather information. There is also local information about local tourist attractions such as Church of St John the Evangelist, which was built in 1513 and celebrates the defeat of the Danes at this site in 1004.

Glasgow- George Square
View the changing face of Glasgow's main square which hosts many different events during the year.
And here are views of Glasgow from Camvista:

Glencoe
The view from the King's House Hotel looking down the glen, updated every two hours.

Gleneagles Golf Course
The first tee at the PGA Centenary Course, Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder.

Greenock, Inverclyde
Looking across the river Clyde.

Gretna Green Anvil Hall Wedding Venue
See the wedding ceremonies in this famous location.

Kyle of Lochalsh
Looking over to Skye and the Skye road bridge.

Lewis - Eoropaidh Tea Room
In the extreme north of the Isle of Lewis

Linlithgow Town Centre and Union Canal
See the traffic flow in Linlithgow town centre or the slower pace of Linlithgow canal centre, the Union Canal and the narrow boats moored there.

Loch Lomond
Change the views to see different aspects including the loch, Loch Lomond Shores visitor centre and the Maid of the Loch paddle steamer.

Loch Ness
So that you can keep watch for Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster - both above and under water.

Mull of Galloway and North Ronaldsay North Ronaldsay
The Northern Lighthouse Board, Lighthouse Library has set up Webcams on the lighthouse on the Mull of Galloway and the island of North Ronaldsay North Ronaldsay.

New Deer, Aberdeenshire
Looking from just outside the ancient town of New Deer in Aberdeenshire, towards the mountain of Bennachie, the best known and most climbed hill range in North East Scotland.

North-west Scotland and Skye
There are links to a series of Webcams near Armadale at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig College (part of the University of the Highlands and Islands) looking from the college across the Sound of Sleet to the fishing and ferry port of Mallaig. If you look out at the right time you might just catch sight the CalMac ferry leaving Mallaig for Armadale or the Small Isles of Rùm, Eigg, Muck and Canna. Another webcam looks north east from the college across the Sound of Sleat to "Britain's last wilderness", the Knoydart peninsula. Further webcams include one located behind Bernera Farmhouse looking west across the meadow to the Kyle Rhea narrows and Ben Aslak; then there is a webcam at Bernera Farm, north of Glenelg, looking north east down Glen Bernera towards Glas Bheinn. Don't forget to click on the webcam image to view a dedicated archive page that includes a captioned view of the most prominent features on each webcam plus thirty days of images and time-lapse sequences. Other webcams of Skye from the same site, include:

Oban
Three cameras providing two views of the town from different points plus inside the tourist information centre - wave to your friends who wish they were there too!

Ochil Hills
View of the Ochils from Clackmannan Community Web site.

Ochil Hills
View from Stirling University campus towards Dumyat in the Ochil Hills.

Orkney
A view of Stromness Harbour, updated every hour.

Pentland Hills
This webcam updates every minute (just click to refresh) and gives a good idea about the current weather from Eastside Farm on the Pentland Hills pointing roughly north towards the West Kipp with Edinburgh beyond - at night, you can see the glow of Edinburgh's lights on the horizon. A valuable resource whether you are just planning a stroll in the Pentland Hills or if you fancy coming to stay in one of their holiday cottages.

Orkney - St Magnus Cathedral
View of St Magnus Cathedral taken from the office of a local chartered accountant.

Rutherglen
The site has been listed in the top 25 views by the webcam portal site EarthCam - rubbing shoulders with views of Brooklyn Bridge, Tokyo and Nasa astronauts in space. A plus is the quality of the sound being broadcast - the site comments "if you listen, you will hear the odd reveller go home after a wee drink or two after the local pubs and bars close."

Shetland
Click on the Webcam link on this official Shetland tourism site and get a series of Webcam views around the islands, including:

Traffic Scotland
CCTV views of traffic on most of the main trunk roads across Scotland. Long list gives access to pop-up view of all the locations (if the cameras are working!) Note that there is a Smartphone app for this site - search for "Traffic Scotland" in your apps market place.

Wildlife Trust
The Scottish Wildlife Trust has cameras at a number of their wildlife reserves, including:



Where else would you like to go in Scotland?








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