scotland

[kaleighellas]

where is the gateway to the north

[jenstar]

Typing "gateway to the north" + "scotland" into Google returns loads of hits for Inverness. Frankly, if you wanted to visit the wild Highlands then I would have thought Inverness would be exactly the sort of place you'd want to avoid.

[heathfield]

Carlisle and Newcastle have been called this!
But in Scotland, almost every town with a road running to the north claims to be the 'Gateway to the North', or 'Gateway to the Highlands' !
It depends rather on the context - in history, any township likely to hold up the progress of an invading English army would be given the title.
More recently, the term became popular through tourism. But this didn't start until Victorian times and the coming of the railways. Perth became a very large railway centre, and was widely advertised as being the 'Gateway to the Highlands' - with some justification. It retains this title today, though the local council has seen fit to use 'The Perfect Centre' as the modern town motto.
I feel that 'Inverness' is pushing this a bit far - it's already in the north!

[lafrancaise]

I always learnt tht the gateway to the North was Scotch Corner. All depends on what north you're going to!!!!

[elephanto]

I think it is Stirling from my school days another phrase I remember is the fertile valley of the Forth and gateway to the north.

[Bellringer]

It depends on where you start from. For Londoners it is Watford Gap. For a Geordie it would be Berwick. For me it is Hartlepool, but there again anywhere South of Thirsk is the South

[spudmuffa]

Watford Gap service station. Always has been. Hope this helps.