Travelling to Scotland...need suggestions

[Chadd Hamilton]

My wife and I are planning a weeklong trip to England at the end of August. We'll be staying near London with some friends who just moved there and are working all week. So we thought we would take the train up to Scotland mid-week and stay for a couple of days. We're looking for suggestions of sites or towns off the beaten tourist path.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks alot.

[km gresham]

Wear something under the kilt in case the wind kicks up!

Sorry My grandparents have been and say its beautiful!

Have fun [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Meerkat]

Maybe this would help?: http://www.places-to-visit.co.uk/ (click on Scotland on the right).

There's a Scottish Maritime Museum.

Scotland's influence on the maritime history of the world from the eighteenth century to the modern day has been enormous and out of all proportion to the size of the Country. The three sites operated by the Scottish Maritime Museum contain the exhibitions and collections that tell the story of that great maritime tradition. On two of the sites the buildings themselves are important parts of that story. The sites are complemented by the collection of vessels that represent 150 years of the working vessels of Scotland.

If your interests are in the detailed aspects of the building of ships or the way in which ordinary people interacted with the sea, then the Scottish Maritime Museum should be your first port of call. If you want to undertake detailed research or just an enjoyable and stimulating day out, the Scottish Maritime Museum can provide it.

Scottish Maritime Museum
Harbourside, Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, KA12 8QE
Tel: +44 (0)1294 278283 Fax: +44 (0)1294 313211

[ 08-01-2003, 01:27 PM: Message edited by: Meerkat ]

[Hans Lassen]

Perth, definitely. The Tay. Arbroath, a beautiful fishing port. Loch Tummel. Skye. The Grampian mountains. Iain Oughtred's place, in all probability, although I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting him. And John Ridgway's place up in Ardmore on the western coast - John's the former para who together with Chay Blyth rowed the Atlantic in the late sixties and then participated in that famous Around the Globe Race that was won by Robin Knox-Johnston and highlighted by Moitessier's one-and-half-times circumnavigation - but I digress.
The Cornwall Maritime Museum and the one in Greenwich, of course - because if you go up north, you'll most certainly get addicted to the scent and the scenery and the people and seriously ponder never to leave again...
I've been travelling all over Europe and never been farther than Israel, so my horizon certainly is somewhat limited, but Scotland is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. You'll enjoy it immensely.
Take care, & have loads of fun!

[Shalfleet]

I love Scotland, with the Summer Isles and Ullapool ranking as my favorites. They say the Western Isles are wonderful...you should watch "Local Hero" which is a great film with lovely views of the area around Malliag, although I have not visited myself. This link looks good: http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/mallaig/mallaig/
A point I wanted to make is that the train is slow or at least it was when I took it last. Make sure you check the times as you could spend 2 out of you 7 days on the train!

Have a great trip....


[ 08-01-2003, 07:47 PM: Message edited by: Shalfleet ]

[Wild Dingo]

Well mate we got two forumites at least who hale from bonny Scotland... Hughman {comeon shugg!} and Rex but I havent seen anything from him in awhile...

Heres to you and the missus having one heck of a ball mate!

[Mrleft8]

If you don't want to go all the way up to Scottland, you could stop at Cartmel. (Get off the train in Grange Over Sands , in Cumbria.) Grange-O-Sands is on Morecomb bay. Cartmel is a beautiful little town, with an ancient cathedral, and 4 pubs. The surrounding country side is quite beautiful, and there are oodles of things to do, incl, boating on "The lakes"....

[Wild Dingo]

Of course!!! I just have to ask Chad... if your going to England why travel all the way to bonny Scotland when if you just head south of London you will find Cornwall?...

And once you find Cornwall all you would have to do is to look for a nice wee boat sittin quietly on the mud and your sure to see a wee little bearded chap with a funny hat muckin about mutterin all sorts of things to her fine self... while sitting above on the beautishus deck will be his wonderous lady Kate... Im thinking John Kate and Lulu along with Doris would love to have a visit from a fellow voyager and shipmate... surely a visit to them would be on the agenda?

[ahp]

If I were going I would certainly stop a day or tow and see Hadrians Wall. It was built across Britian not too far from the present English/Scotch border to keep the barbarians out and was the northern most boundry of the Roman Empire.

I understand that a great deal of it was used as a stone quary in later years but other parts have been restored with mile forts as it was when Hadrian was Emporer.

Some of you in England might be able to give more data.

[jlapratt]

Chadd,

I am working outside of London near Windsor. All the locals tell me to avoid the trains to Scotland as they are not very reliable. Check out some of the cheap air fares, or perhaps take a couple more days and drive. I plan on flying up and renting another car when my wife comes to visit.

I second visiting Cornwall (that is the county that covers the peninsula jutting out of the southwest corner of England). If you drive mid-week, you miss the horrific weekend traffic.

Don't forget to visit Greenwhich and the maritime museum.

Where are your friends living?

Jeff

[rbgarr]

(Late edit of what's posted below: Oops, wrong again! My wife says we'd go directly to the Shetlands if we were to make a trip that way again. My bad.)

We spent ten days a number of years ago driving around the coast of Scotland, up the East coast, to the Orkneys and down the West coast. Our favorite places were The Orkneys (Scapa Flow ), driving through the Highlands and peat bogs of the Northwest, stopping at the village of Scourbie, and all around Skye, particularly the west coast where on a good day there's a spectacular view of offshore islands (the Outer Hebrides, if memory serves).

If we were to do it again and had a few days only, we'd fly to the Orkneys, rent a car (or perhaps hire a driver for a day) and tour the Mainland from Stromness in the southwest (beautiful harbor and lapstrake boats) all the way around to St. Margaret's in the southeast (beautiful sweaters). The stone circles and ancient half-buried dwellings along the way are intriguing and inspiring

In our case, the car ferry trip from the northern tip of Scotland (leaving John O'Groats?) to Stromness was a wonderful way to start the visit there. The scenery was spectacular as we approached the islands, especially a natural stone pillar on the shore of the island of Hoy called 'The Old Man'. I can't imagine what a winter storm would be like on that shore. I imagine those forces of wind and wave must have been what carved out the pillar. There was also a Royal Navy exercise taking place with jets and frigates practicing their gunnery on a remote firing range, recalling the days when Scapa Flow was a prime harbor for the Home Fleet.

Whatever you do, have a great time and good luck with the weather. We went in March , in connection with a business trip to Europe, and though the weather was cool the trip was , too.

[ 08-03-2003, 10:00 AM: Message edited by: rbgarr ]

[Dale R. Hamilton]

Chad with the good Scots name- We rowed a small boat the length of the Calidonian canal a few years ago. Wonderful trip through some beautiful countryside. Send me your email address and I'll send you the manuscript describing the trip. Can't figger how to attach to this

[imported_Conrad]

No matter how drunk you get, don't let anyone talk you into trying the "haggis"

[Hugh Paterson]

Chadd, I am still around occasionally, give me some idea of your interests and I shall give u a couple of suggestions, I used to work in the Scottish tourism industry a couple of years ago, and know one or two places off the beaten track. High up on the list however would be a trip to the "Western isles" Tobermory Skye and such like. cannot beat that part of the world. IMHO Forget the Scottish maritime museum, you will be disappointed, a better bet would be the Scottish Fisheries museum in Fife. There are a number of "classic" style boats that provide short or long term breaks in Scottish waters, especially on the West coast. I suggest you try the Scottish tourist board for info, a good read should be the publication Sail Scotland published annually, its full of all sorts of good ideas, if u need a copy at short notice I might just manage to source one for u quick if u give me a heads up asap.
Regards
Shuggie.

[DerekW]

Hi Chadd

IIRC, the train trip from London across the Scottish border to either Edinburgh or Glasgow takes six or seven hours. There's your two day side trip [img]smile.gif[/img]

You could do a lot worse than catching a flight from London in to Orkney; a stone age village at Skara Brae, the standing stones at Stenness, Viking Graffiti inside an ancient burial mound, the Italian Chapel [a corrugated iron hut on the outside, a labour of love by Italian POWs on the inside], a warm and friendly population, a Cathedral, a maritime heritage, striking scenery [like the old man of Hoy]....

Anyway. Just remember that the further north you go, the more civilised the people become. And if you only make it across the border, check out the Falkirk Wheel, re-linking the old canals across the country.

Enjoy!
Derek [transplanted Scot]

[skuthorp]

Try the West Coast Railway from Fort William to Mallaig. Beautiful scenery, Black 5's and vintage carriages. Lunch at the pub (pint of cockles and a pint of bitter), great little museum, ferry to Mull, get the bus or go for a walk. Worth two days.

[doorstop]

Take a flamin' interpreter mate!!!!

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Originally posted by skuthorp:
Try the West Coast Railway from Fort William to Mallaig. Beautiful scenery, Black 5's and vintage carriages. Lunch at the pub (pint of cockles and a pint of bitter), great little museum, ferry to Mull, get the bus or go for a walk. Worth two days.

I agree; I'm no expert on Scotland, but I have visited that area and for a two day introduction it is superb.

NB take the sleeper (overnight) train both ways from London

[John Bell]

The ferry from Kyle of Lochalsh <sp?> to Mallaig down the Sound of Sleat is another very worthwhile journey.

If you're feeling up a good climb a hike up Ben Nevis, Britain's highest point, is not a terrible way to spend a day. Be warned, though, it is pretty strenuous walk up a very rocky trail.

I think Ben Nevis is something like 4,500 ft. msl. The time I did it I can remember thinking that it wasn't that high. After all, the highest point in Georgia is 4,700 ft! This should be easier. What I forgot was that starting at Ft. William, you are starting from sea level and you have to climb every one of those 4,500 ft. Most of the time when you climb one of our Appalachian peaks you get a head start at about 2,000 ft!

[Chadd Hamilton]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I really appreciate it. This forum is comprised of an exceptional group of people to be sure.

Thanks again.

[jlapratt]

You haven't lived until you've eaten haggis, black pudding and toad in the hole. Bubbles and squeek, bangers and mash and good ole musshy peas.

I can't beleive that we don't consume more steak and kidney pie in the US. What I don't understand is bitters and lemonaide. Why waste a perfectly good beer?

[Donn]

toad in the hole. Bubbles and squeek, bangers and mash

Colorful enough names that I had to look them up. You can keep the bubbles and squeek, but the others sound good.

[Don Olney]

Chadd, there are other ways to get around -- especially if you want to avoid packing a lot of clothes. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

August 7, 2003

Naked Walker Continues British Trek

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON (AP) -- Wearing little more than sun screen, socks and boots, Steve Gough is walking the length of Britain to celebrate the joys of nudity. Efficiency isn't one of them.

His 847-mile trek has been hampered by eight arrests, an examination at a psychiatric hospital and several nights in jail. This week, he's starting over after Scottish police shipped him back to his starting point in Cornwall for a court appearance.

But the 44-year-old father of two is undaunted and spent Thursday hitchhiking his way back to Scotland -- though he did wear clothes to increase his chances of getting a lift.

``I am celebrating myself as a human being,'' said Gough. ``We have all been brought up and conditioned to think our body is something to be ashamed of. We are made to feel bad about ourselves and that is damaging society. I am determined to carry on.''

Gough left Land's End in southwest England on June 16 bound for John O'Groats in the far north of Scotland, hoping to cover around 20 miles a day on foot.

One day and 15 miles later, he was arrested in St. Ives and charged with breach of the peace. The case was abandoned after magistrates found he had not committed a criminal offense.

Three days later, he was arrested in the Cornish coastal resort of Newquay and charged with offending public decency. He appeared -- stark naked -- in court Monday. The court forced him to wear a blanket but did not impose a fine.

``It has taken a week out of my walk,'' said Gough, whose bare backside graced the pages of The Independent newspaper Thursday. ``But I have had a bit of publicity.''

The intrepid rambler insists he is not a nudist, but a person who wants to ``enlighten the public, as well as the authorities that govern us, that the freedom to go naked in public is a basic human right.''

Apart from being beaten up in St. Ives on June 18, and told by a farmer in Yorkshire to ``put on your trousers,'' Gough said public reaction had been largely positive.

``Probably a third of walkers have been OK and courteous,'' said the hiker, who dons clothes at night to keep warm. ``Some people have really been enthusiastic and stopped to talk to me. I have even had people give me money.''

Gough said he first became ``involved in all this naked stuff'' 10 years ago when he visited a nudist beach and ``thought it was nice how people wandered around nice and relaxed.''

He says that eventually alienated his partner, the mother of his children aged 5 and 7.

``We have separated. I was becoming more expressive and that became difficult for her,'' said the truck driver, who hopes to finish his trek by September -- barring further run-ins with police.

There is no law in Britain against public nudity, although there are laws against indecent exposure -- which requires proof of intent to insult a woman -- or any behavior likely to cause ``harassment, alarm or distress.''

According to the British Naturism society, there are some 2 million naturists, or nudists, in Britain.

``Some people think this sort of walking is damaging to naturism,'' said Sue Piper, research and liaison officer for the 18,000-member society. ``Others think it is really very brave of him and he is bringing naturism to the forefront.''

``I support his ideals, although generally speaking I prefer to keep a rather lower profile,'' said Tony Baldwin, chairman of the 300-strong Singles' Outdoor Club which was founded in 1981 and organizes nudist walks between March and October.

``We never really have any trouble. We normally get a cheerful word or a smile,'' he added.

On the Net:

Steve Gough's site: http://www.nakedwalk.alivewww.co.uk/

[ahp]

Sounds like a cold damp way to get to the Highlands.

[TimH]

http://www.fiferegatta.com/