About antique maps of Scotland

My heart’s in the Highlands, my
heart is not here,
My heart’s in the Highlands
a- chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild deer, and
following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands
wherever I go.

Robert Burns (1759-1796)

Scotland is bounded by the sea on all sides except the south, where it adjoins England. It consists of the Highlands in the north and west, and the Lowlands, in the south and east. The line of division is marked by a valley or plain, from the foot of the Grampians, to the Clyde estuary.

On the high mountain tops, ptarmigan, mountain hare, and stoat can be seen in their white winter coats. In the remnants of the native Scots pine forests, the Scotish crossbill, capercaille, wild cat, red squirrel, pine martin and the golden eagle exist. There are many seals and nesting grounds for a variety of seabirds.

In 1706 The Treaty of Union was agreed between representatives of the Scots Parliament and the Parliament of England, and in the following year 1707 the united Kingdom of Great Britain was created.

Timothy Pont surveyed most of Scotland in 1565. He died in 1610 without knowing that his surveys would be published by W & J Blaeu in 1654. 

I have some very interesting maps such as the beautiful copperplate engraved map in contemporary colour of the Shetland Islands and Orkney isles. It is produced by Franz Johann Joseph von Reilly (1777-1820), whose father was the Court Master at the Hapsburg Court. He was a publisher, cartographer and writer. At first he was employed by the state, but devoted himself exclusively to Geography. He intended to publish an Atlas of the world, but managed to produce only Europe. This map is from Schauplatz der fünf Theile der Welt, 1789.