traveling to SCOTLAND

[longhouse]

Near the end of this month Noel and Ian, the brothers Riddell, are making a trip to Scotland. Sadly we have but a week to spend.

Since the itinerary is being left up to the eldest (me), I would like to pick the brains of my fellow forumites. Tentatively I am thinking this:

Edinburgh - 2 day

Riddell / Dumfries - 1 day

Glasgow - 1 day

Dundee (meeting a good friend) - 2 days

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Bruichladdich is my favorite single malt, by the way.
I hope to even perform some live music in Dundee (though the details have been vague). It will be worth it to just to set foot on my family's ancestral land, to lap up plenty of good drink, to eat smokies (and all manner of delicious fish), and to spend time with my brother.

Now... about my growing dread of air travel (gets worse EVERY time).

[weemac]

Inverness is beautiful. (My dad was born there) and it's only a stones through from Loch ness, Clodden, The clava cairns and other places with far away names...........
emac.

[sharkboy]

Around this time of year in 1990 I spent a bit of time there.

Loch Lomond was beautiful.

I found people to be very pleasant everywhere there. I was (am) very obviously American, but tried to not be obnoxious and people seemed to appreciate that.

It is best to travel long distances with a functioning rental car. I think that one of the wheels on our tiny Fiat was just for show. Exchanging it in Glasgow took much of a day.

Ullapool was one of the coldest places I've ever been (I've skied at 40 below 0 F). The walls of the inn radiated cold at the same speed as the wind outside, which was gnarly.

Breakfast was great everywhere we went. Lunch was good. Dinner? Occasionally scary. Ate a lot of cheese and bread lunches. The cheese, eggs and meats were outrageously delicious.

We saw a lot of castles and stone circles and tors and other touristy things. Loved the trip.

Don't do the Haggis. Not even on a dare. Eating dinner in Scotland can be a bit like being on Fear Factor.

[scotty]

Im only 20 mins from Loch Lomond Id try there with a lunch at Lodge on the loch.Im actually just back from Pitlochray from the weekend where it was snowing!Mind you if youve not been to Glasgow before there are plenty of things to see and do from the minute you get there lots of Architecture etc.Pubs/Food and plent to do as like any other city.Oh BTW Bruichladdich is my favorite also youve got good taste! Prepare youself for grey weather with occasional flirts of sun
Heres Perthshire last month Enjoy your stay at Scotland Oh did i say we also rape and pillage!

BTW the "ORBS" arent dead people it just rains all the time.........

[jps]

BTW the "ORBS" arent dead people it just rains all the time.........

Did you see that episode of Babylon 5?

[scotty]

BTW the "ORBS" arent dead people it just rains all the time.........

Did you see that episode of Babylon 5?

.
No but I have an appointment at the galactic senate for a kilt fitting!

[chuck_king]

Visit some distilleries! Most of the famous Scotch distilleries are north of where you'll be, or out on the islands---Bruichladdich is probably not an option (although we spent a couple days on Islay on our honeymoon, and it was neat)---but I believe there are a few distilleries that are not too far from the Edinburgh/Dundee area.

[johneek]

NCR....I hope you have a great time! Scotland is one of my favorite places. While I've spent most of my near Glascow, the other parts of the country that have been mentioned are all glorious. Ditto too all the comments about friendliness. It's just a fabulous place to visit.

My advice about dinner is...be bold! Try it all, even if you don't like something, it's just another adventure. I actually like Haggis....IIRC in big formal banquets like the "Burn's Supper", it's served in a procession accompanied by the playing of the pipes (and of course some single malt). The good news is that with enough malt, anything will taste good. The bad news is that too much malt may lead to playing the haggis and eating the pipes .

[scotty]

Coming to Scotland and not trying haggis is like me going to Disney and not going on Thunder mountain! Haggis probably is no more Horrendous that a McDonalds

[randyz]

I've been to Scotland twice. I got around using a Britrail pass on two trips in 1988 and 1996. Edinburgh is a great place to visit, but I'd try to get to Inverness. Of all the things I did there, I think taking a walk from Urquhart Castle (on the banks of Loch Ness) to Drumdrochnit was the most memorable. Here are some things to avoid:

1) Don't try the haggis, because you won't like it. I sure didn't...

2) Don't order Chinese food in Edinburgh.

3) Don't try to communicate with a cab driver in Glasgow.

4) Don't spend a morning on the Isle of Skye sitting on a dock drinking scotch waiting for a ferry, unless you want to fall in!

5) Don't stay at The Tarbet Hotel on the banks of Loch Loman.

Have a great trip!

[scotty]

Yeah im only about 15mins away from the Tarbet hotel I wouldnt stay there also But to the HAGGIS theme that weve struck on ,its not like its on every menu thats like saying every place in Scotland serves haggis!and not every Scot wears a kilt Try to stay away from tried old hotels and ****** bars.Scotland is like any other place in the world it has the good and the bad.For the record being a Scotsman i do have to say that the tourist industry in Scotland is very poor and could do with a shake up Marketing Scotland for Tartan,Whiskey,Hagggis and The Bay city rollers is old fashioned and not conducive to a great nation rich with resources and **** artists!

[randyz]

Scotty: At the risk of thread drift, let me explain what happened at The Tarbet in October, 1988. We got off the train in the dark at an unlit station, with a dead telephone hanging by its cord in a pouring rainstorm. I left my brother with the luggage and wandered down a trail until I saw a light - it was the stationmaster's house. I knocked on the door to find out where the hotel was and how to get there. He pointed, said it's only a few miles and then slammed the door in my face. I then heard a female voice yelling curses, and the stationmaster came outside and offered to give us a lift in his Mini wagon. I got in back and soon found myself covered with white sheepdog hair. At the Tarbet, I photographed our room because it was the cheapest and ugliest furnishings I had ever seen. We went downstairs to get dinner but found the kitchen staff were in the middle of a labor dispute with lots of cursing and throwing of dishes and glassware. With the restaurant unavailable, we headed to the bar in the basement. After a few relaxing pints, we noticed two oddly dressed locals in tuxedos setting up musical gear. They had a electronic keyboard, a drum machine, bagpipes and possibly a flute. Soon the bar began to get crowded and the show began. Soon there were locals enthusiastically dancing to traditional Scottish music played electronically. Someone figured out that we were Texans, so we suddenly became guests of honor. The beer flowed and the band played 'The Yellow Rose of Texas' in tribute. I don't exactly remember how the evening ended, but we never had dinner and caught the first train to Fort Williams in the morning...

[scotty]

Randy, Im pissing myself what a hoot me and the Mrs have had a gr8 laugh thanks for the post You make us both have a good giggle

[scotty]

The thing is I know exactly what your talking about from the DEAD phone booth to the Tuxedo band Nothings changed its all a bit American werewolf in Tarbet.
Its the way you tell the story Randy.Could be right out the wickerman

[scotty]

My Friend Craig and i went camping up there and Craig went to get a bottle of wine at 10` just in case we ran out of booze.He returned 2 hrs later traumatized saying that he will never do that again.The bottle cost us £32
Camping in loch lomond for a night £120
Getting a late night bottle of red £32
Staying at the Tarbet hotel Priceless!