If it isn’t one of the most visited places in Scotland then it certainly must be a contender for the most romantic. It’s certainly one of the world’s most popular wedding destinations. And it has been since the 1700s so you can forgive the locals if...
It’s likely that every New Year’s Eve you and your friends sing Auld Lang Syne. You might know that it was written by Scottish poet Robert Burns. And as his active years were in the 1700s, that shows just how old the song has been around. And it all...
They were a fierce lot, those Scots. And this castle, located right on the Scottish border has seen more than its fair share of what newsreaders today would call ‘skirmishes’. It was built as long ago as 1470 by the Kerr Clan and is said to have been built...
It’s only about a hundred miles away from the fabulous city of Glasgow but yet the Isle of Jura is almost like going back in time. It’s the sort of place that you have to plan to visit – spontaneity isn’t recommended here due to the remoteness...
Stay in a property that neighbours one of the homes often inhabited by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. Freely wander through the grounds and you might see the royal couple walking their dogs. Stay in a room that has been carefully decorated with pieces...
Heir B & B is what the press are calling it. Snigger. But no, Prince Charles isn’t actually about to place Buckingham Palace on Airbnb – but he is creating ten new guest accommodations at the Castle of Mey in the wilds of Scotland. The prince’s...
Did you know that the Glasgow Underground system is the third oldest metro in the world? It opened in 1896. The oldest, of course, is also in the British Isles, the London tube which is a great granddaddy in comparison, having opened in 1863. By the 1970s though, the...
The Hebridean Islands are well-known because of their incredible scenery, wild seas and astonishing wildlife. The islands are largely unspoiled and the Isle of Lewis is no exception. And if you want to baffle a friend with a trivia question, who do these three...
Most tourists who come to Scotland will pay a visit to the nation’s capital city of Edinburgh but many of them won’t know that Edinburgh hasn’t always been the capital of Scotland. Drive north across the Forth Road Bridge and you will very quickly come to the Royal...
Lying at the head of Loch Awe, Scotland longest freshwater loch, you will find a most curious thing – a ‘hollow mountain’. Ben Cruachan, one of Scotland’s Munros (mountains over 3000 feet) is home to the only underground pumped storage hydroelectric power...
No, not Rabbie Burns, Rabbie’s Tours! Taking a tour of Scotland in one of Rabbie’s minibuses is an excellent way to see the country. Departing from either Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness Rabbie’s will get you up close and personal with what makes Scotland so appealing...
If you are thinking of taking a vacation in Scotland and want to do it in style then you couldn’t do better than spending a few days travelling on the ultimate in luxury rail transport – the Belmond Royal Scotsman. Not to be confused with the Royal Scot or the...
Not just the best place to live in Scotland but, according to a recent internet poll, the Isle of Skye is the most desirable place to live in Britain! Situated off the west coast of Scotland (and previously voted the ‘fourth best island in the world’ by National...
Many tourists who visit Scotland will want to spend a few days on one of the islands off the west coast. Known as the hebrides the most visited is probably the Isle of Skye (famous for the Cuillin mountains) since it has been connected to the mainland by a bridge...
In 1952, just after the death of her husband King George VI, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, better known today as ‘The Queen Mother’ bought a 450-year-old rundown castle in the far north of Scotland as a place to ‘get away from everything’. She oversaw the restoration of the...
You’ve probably heard of Bear Grylls as his TV survival programmes have been shown all over the world. But did you know that he runs a school that teaches people all about survival skills? There are two courses and both take place in the glory of the Scottish...
Probably best known as one of the two furthest apart points accessible by road on the British mainland, the village of John o’ Groats lies way, way up on the northeast corner of Scotland some 876 miles from its southern counterpart, Land’s End at the southwest corner...
Between Fort William and Inverness there lies a Great Glen. Running for 62 miles like a long, thin, diagonal sword-slash struck into the land it bisects the Scottish Highlands into the Grampian Mountains to the southeast and the Northwest Highlands to the northwest....
Most tourists who visit Scotland will take the usual well-travelled routes to see Scotland’s ancient castles and historical sites, swing by Loch Ness hoping for a glimpse of ‘Nessie’ or take a driving tour following Scotland’s spectacular coastline with its...
Originally a hunting lodge for the kings and queens of Scotland, Traquair House, located in the Scottish Borders Region not far from the border with England, is Scotland’s oldest continuously inhabited house. For nearly a thousand years Traquair House has been home...
Most tourists who visit Scotland head for the highlands and islands for the spectacular scenery or maybe to the big cities of Glasgow or Edinburgh to soak up some of the culture but for those with a couple of days to spare or who are seeking something a bit different...
Thinking of visiting Scotland but don’t really know where to start? Or maybe you’ve already done the castle trail, the whisky trail, and the city experience and now you want to see more of the real, wild Scotland. So what’s the best way to see Scotland’s amazing...
If you have always wanted to visit Scotland but have a limited budget then you will be pleased to know that there is a very affordable alternative to expensive hotels. The Scottish Youth Hostels Association, along with its affiliates, runs a network of self-catering...
Just north of Edinburgh the East Neuk of Fife is renowned for its splendid golf courses and for the town of St Andrews which is home to one of the oldest golf courses in the world and of course the R&A, the ruling authority on golf for most of the world, is also...
They can be found all over the world now, these floral clocks. Indeed. there was even one at Michael Jackson’s Neverland home. But the tradition began in Edinburgh in Scotland well over a hundred years ago. Over the years I must have walked past dozens, if not...
Well, do you know? Of course, we can all name the various countries of Western Europe – and probably quite a good number of African countries. And we know about places like the USA, Australia, China, Russia and so on.But how many of us, when compiling our list,...
That’s how Chillingham Castle describes itself – it claims to be the most haunted castle in Britain. You’d think that most castles worthy of the name would have a good smattering of ghosts and ghouls so that’s quite a claim for Chillingham to...
You probably guessed from the photograph above… The people of the British Isles are great fishermen and fish-eaters. At one time, before curry became our favourite, and hence our national food, fish & chips was the most commonly eaten meal in the UK. Times...
Yes, I know that I tend to extol the virtues of other tourist places in England in addition to London, but there are some features of the city that are quirky enough to be included on this website. One of them is to be found in the famous Trafalgar Square. It’s...
If you’re travelling up the Mi motorway from the south of England to Yorkshire or Scotland or all points north then watch out for a sign directing you to Chesterfield. This lovely Derbyshire market town is worth visiting for several reasons but a tourist...
It bothers me so much that overseas visitors who travel to the UK see London as their main point of interest. There is so much to see and do in England (and Scotland and Wales) and although London certainly does have many attractions, the wise traveller will venture...
Lying off the north-west coast of Africa, about 250 miles north of the Canary Islands, the Portuguese island of Madeira is a veritable oasis in the Atlantic ocean and is regarded as one of Europe’s most beautiful all-year-round travel destinations with one...
VIKINGS! That cry would have sent shivers of terror through the occupants of many a village about to be attacked by those medieval marauders who were famed for their ferocity in battle and their seagoing skills. Fortunate indeed would be the farmer, villager or maiden...
In the month of August every year Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city, resounds to the sound of the pipes and drums of massed pipe bands as they come together for three weeks as part of the Edinburgh Festival (a term for the many cultural and performance events held in...
Amongst the many walking tours of Edinburgh available to visitors there is one which stands out from the rest. Gareth Davies has an advantage no other walking tour guide of the city has – a four-legged assistant! Edinburgh is a remarkably dog-friendly city and...
If you are on vacation in Scotland and are thinking of spending some time in Edinburgh taking in all the wonderful sights and sounds of this historic capital city then you will need somewhere to stay. You could, of course, book into one of Edinburgh’s many luxury...
Built in 1946 to replace another vessel of the same name which was sunk during WW2 the Paddle Steamer Waverley is the only seagoing, passenger-carrying paddle steamer in the world and now operates passenger excursions around the British coast with the ability to carry...
Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city and the UK’s third largest (and once known as ‘the second city of the empire’), has many fine art galleries and museums but one of the most popular is undoubtedly Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum which houses one of Europe’s...
If you are vacationing in Scotland and are thinking of visiting Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh (and what tourist doesn’t?) you may wish to include in your itinerary a visit to some of Edinburgh’s museums. The city has some wonderful museums but if you are of a...
If you are spending any amount of time in central Scotland there is one tourist attraction and impressive feat of engineering you really must visit!Connecting two largely disused waterways the Falkirk Wheel, the largest ‘functional sculpture’ you are likely to see...
Coming to Edinburgh? No vacation trip to Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city, would be complete without paying a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia, Scotland’s most popular visitor attraction. Launched in 1953 Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia was a much-loved favourite of...
Many visitors to Scotland look forward to savouring a ‘taste of the country’. Food and drink like atholl brose, cranachan, the fine malt whiskies of Islay or even Scotland’s ‘other national drink’ may be consumed and the historic castles of Dunrobin, Edinburgh and...
‘’It’s by Shiel water the track is to the west, by Ailort and by Morar to the sea.’’ These lines are from a well-known traditional Scottish song ‘’The Road to the Isles’’ describing a weary travellers’ journey and the long road he must travel to reach his home...
