Holidays in Scotland
A land of castles, historical places and beautiful scenery, yes this is Scotland and everyone is welcome to visit and explore this wonderful country. Edinburgh castle, Stirling Castle, Wallace Monument, Ben Nevis, Loch Ness are just a few of the many places you can visit when you come to Scotland. Edinburgh Castle has great views of the capital city of Scotland and you can also learn about the history of the castle and of Scotland during your visit. Edinburgh Castle has restaurants where you can have hot chocolate with whisky (delicious) or a meal while literally looking over Edinburgh.
Edinburgh and Stirling Castle and many other famous places are managed by Historic Scotland and if you plan to visit several of locations managed by Historic Scotland or by the National Trust for Scotland then it is advisable to buy a season ticket and this will save you a considerable amount on entrance fees to these historical locations. If you join Historic Scotland you are also eligible for discounts on all Historic Scotland shop purchases and this can easily help you get back a good portion of your season ticket cost with the discounts on books and other gifts.
So why visit Scotland? You may want a romantic wedding in one of the castles or at Gretna Green in the Scottish borders. You may want an adventure – Scotland has some of the finest outdoor adventure sports area for climbing, hill walking, canoeing, sailing, scuba diving just to mention a few of the many outdoor activities available throughout Scotland.
Of course adventures do not need to involve strenuous activities, you will find travelling around Scotland an adventure, walking around villages and historical towns, exploring second hand book shops and enjoying the vast range of places to eat, a favourite subject to mine! In Scotland you can spend a little and get a lot and if you are on budget then eat in the pubs where you can often get a meal for 2 for less than £15 or in a “fish and chips” restaurant where a fish supper will cost less than £4 and taste delicious. The Chinese and Indian restaurants also represent great value for money and the food is hot and spicy.
What else is there to do in Scotland? Golf, I nearly forgot to mention golf, one of Scotland’s favourite games. The hundreds of golf courses you will find everywhere usually allow day visitors so bring your golf clubs with you when you take your next trip to Scotland. You can play in famous golf courses such as St Andrews or in a small 9-hole golf course in the Scottish Highlands, where you are just as likely to lose your ball in the sea as lose it in a bunker. You will never forget your golfing experience in Scotland and yes Scotland is the home of golf and rightly proud the heritage and the game.
Scotland is a land of Celts and you will find many pubs providing folk music evenings throughout Scotland celebrating this in music. In Inverness in the Scottish Highlands you will discover real Scottish entertainment in the summer months when locals and tourists meet to listen and join in with the music of Scotland.
From Inverness you can explore the battle grounds of Culloden just a short distance from the town and walk among the gravestones of valiant warriors and learn about the battle in the visitor centre. If you are brave enough you can visit Loch Ness and walk along the loch side, just be careful not to be spotted alone by Nessie as she has a fondness for tourists (and not in a nice way!) yet if you can spot this shy creature and take a picture of her you will make a fortune. You should also take time to visit Urquhart castle as well as a trip on Loch Ness, an experience you will not forget on this world famous loch.
How long does it take to see Scotland? Good question yet not one with a good single answer. You can see Scotland in 2-3 days and you can take 2-3 years or more to really discover Scotland. If you want to plan your trip to Scotland then try and give it 7 to 10 days to start with and make sure you include the Scottish Highlands and at least one of the Islands such as Skye or Orkney in your trip. After travelling around the highlands finish off your trip spending the remainder of your holiday money in one of the cities – Aberdeen, Perth, Glasgow or Edinburgh in the shopping malls or in one of the many Scottish shops where you will often find a bargain – as Scots are well known for liking a discount and a bargain.
There are a good many good websites on Scotland including Undiscovered Scotland - http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk which is one of the best independent travel websites for information on Scotland. For commercial travel accommodation and hotels you will find these listed in another site called Visit our Scotland – http://www.visitourscotland.co.uk
