General Chat

thanks Polly. Julie and Woody

they all sound wonderful but will look into Cullen what Woody suggested tthat sounds just what we are looking for ( i think the dolphins swayed it)

Woody when you say head for Keith is that our KingKeith or a place called Keith pmsl

Hi Wenders

I think a lot may depend on whether you like to be beside the sea or not!
If you do like the sea and want a village setting, Cullen is nice and the food at the Royal Oak Hotel is superb! You are also on the Moray Firth and have a good chance of spotting dolphins.
You are close to Portsoy with the Salmon Bothy; just about an hour from Fraserburgh with the Heritage Centre and also Kinnaird Lighthouse.
Head for Keith and you come across the whisky trail so you can visit one or several, the choice is yours. If you go to Aberlour you can have some nice Walker's Shortbread with your dram!
Elgin has some good shops and is still fairly free of chain stores. It also has a good library if you have ancestors from the area.
Catch the Moray Firth again at Nairn which has a superb museum and a nice beach. You are also just 6 miles from Ardersier and Fort George or if you want to see a castle, why not head for Cawdor Castle. Very interesting, lovely setting, and a lovely village as well.
Carry on towards Culloden - no need to elaborate there! - then down the hill towards Inverness. Here you will be spoilt for choice as regards chain stores but take time for a walk round the city.
If you like books then Leaky's is the place for you! Loads of 2nd hand books, reasonably priced, and just about every subject covered including history books with some written in the 1800's.
You can't come to Inverness without a trip on Loch Ness or drive along beside it on the A82.
Decide at Invermoriston if you wish to go to Skye or if not, then head for Fort William. Yes, it does sometimes live up to it's reputation as Scotland's Rainy capital but the scenery is superb! The midgies last Saturday were rather vicious so a bottle of Skin so Soft would be handy!
If you fancy going to Skye, head along the A87 to Kyle or if travelling from Fort William, take the road from Invergarry to Cluanie - there is a viewpoint there with breathtaking views.
Skye is where I'm from so I'm prejudiced but also probably complacent about the scenery! If you want to do the historic bit there are lots of small museums etc. It was where Prince Charlie landed when he escaped from Culloden with the help of Flora MacDonald, and you can visit her burial ground in Kilmuir.
It's also where Gavin Maxwell wrote Ring of Bright Water and there is an Otter Sanctuary if you care to visit.
Of course, there's the magnificent Cuillins and as you approach Dunvegan, you will see MacLeods Tables where the Clan held their Parliament. Dunvegan Castle is also worth a look as is the Giant MacAskill Museum.
Head towards Glendale and if within the next two weeks you will see an exhibition about life in the village over the last two hundred years, including information about the Glendale Martyrs who, along with the rest of the villagers, resisted attempts to be forcibly moved from the village and were the first to be awarded the right to own their own houses and land.
Not had enough yet? Okay, head to Uig and take the ferry to Tarbert in Harris. The beaches on Harris and Lewis are fantastic and the weather is often better than abroad - it's also quite often very windy and there was a tornado in Stornoway last month - it lasted about 30 seconds!
Head over from Stornoway to Ullapool and then take the road towards Gairloch, then go towards Achnasheen. You will pass Loch Maree, one of the most beautiful Lochs in Scotland, sadly also pretty treacherous so resist the chance to swim or take a boat out.
Phew! Is that enough?
Seriously, you could take a fortnight in any place or do a bit of touring. Things are getting quieter now so accomodation shouldn't be a problem, but there are some places I can recommend if you like.
If you don't want to take the car then Mega Bus is good or if taking teh train, remember to book in advance and you can usually save a good bit of money, sometimes two single tickets are cheaper. Check Scotrail's website as there are often cheap deals and cards available.

Hope you have a good trip!

Good Morning Wenders, can I have my penny worth here. Though born in Derbyshire, as my name suggests, some sixty years ago, I lived on a Scottish island in the mouth of the river Clyde, off the west coast of Scotland, and have been back many times as an adult.
This was the Isle of Bute, and has many attractions, though it is a quiet little island these days. You get the ferrry over from Weymes Bay, and they sail on a regular basis, though you have to book if taking your car. It is a haven for wild life, and as a child I saw many Cormorant, Porpoise, and Baskin Shark in the calm waters of the Kyles of Bute. It also boasts good swimming and fishing facilities.
To visit, there is Mount Stuart House, a beautiful old house, with its own chapel, and is the home of the present Marquis of Bute, and the place that Stella MacCartny was married. Rothesey, the main town has its own semi ruined castle, which is well worth a visit and a museum. Further up the road is a Creamery, giving guided tours, Sainsbury's sell their cheese, and you do get a free sample. There is a distillery and a tweed factory. Many shops sell tartan and in fact Camilla Parker-Bowles that was, is in fact the Duchess of Rothesey when she is in Scotland, and wears the Rothesey tartan.
The best hotel on the island is the Glenburn on the sea front, and no matter which direction you take, there are many beautiful walks or drives. Rothesey also boasts it's own Highland gathering around the 22nd of August each year, and across the water at Dunoon, on the last weekend of August there is the Cowel Highland Gathering, where many world firsts have been achieved.
Access to Glasgow, a former city of culture, is quite easy. Go across by ferry to Weymes Bay, and either take a drive, or better still catch the train from Weymes, straight into Glasgow.
As has been said before on this thread, it all depends on the time of year you want to go, and what you are looking for. Whatever and whenever you want to go, please enjoy.
Julia in Derbyshire

hi aberdeenshire is lovely my mum and dad used to have a caravan at banchory it was lovely plenty around the area to visit and things to see if you give it a google it tells you whats around the area

thanks Liz and Marion been given so many places to look at I will be in the same dilemma where to go

Might have to do a tour to see all of them, now that would be good lol

Hello

Where do you start?There are so many lovely places to see.
Depends what sort of things you want to do.
Perth is pretty central,20 min to Dundee, 1hr aprox from Glasgow and Edinburgh. 2hr from Inverness.. over an hour to Aberdeen.Its about 30 min to Crieff's Famous grouse experience...whisky.

You can get a bus for £1...if booked.Mega bus

Theres lots of lovely places to go.

Marion

I went to Edinburgh in April 2000, and it rained most of the time, I still fell in love with the city tho and went back in mid July that same year. I packed long sleeve things and tops and nothing suitable for really summery weather as I had been warned not to, had to have a shopping spree in the sales for strappy tops and sunhats as it was a scorcher of a week, the local people said they hadn't had weather like it for years. Wonderful!
I would love to live in Scotland for a year and travel all round to see the different places, it is a fascinating place.

Lizx

and with you aileen
and thanks again

First for me I think.

Looked at the clock and well past my bed time. Usually just turn off with computer in a panic and never sign out to those threads I contribute to.

Must seem rather rude and my apologies to all.

Night everyone and in the words of Dave Allan.... may your God go with you.

Aileen xxx

sure will thanks all

Just realised I'm in danger of sounding like a travelogue!

Enjoy your time, wherever you go, and let us know how it went, won't you?

Sue x

urr dont know about that Aileen i dont eat chocolate but anything else will have a go lol

yes i bet it is sue lol

Wenders,

Try the deep fried Mars Bar from a fish shop. Never tried it. Report back please.

Actually sounds bloody revolting.

From a country which has the most wonderful meat and fish .... oh and the haggis... acquired taste........pp pp pp!!!!!

Deep fried Mars Bar..... the very thought!

Aileen xxx

well, on your journey down the Northumberland coast, you should stop off at Craster.

Apart from it being a village worth visiting, it has the original herring smelting sheds, where home-cured kippers can stilll be bought (EU notwithstandiing)

The smell is unbelievable

Sue x

yes suppose always have Scots porridge oats but only with a bit of suger and cold milk on top

Has to be with a little salt Wenders.

Had a friend who loved porridge and covered it in honey and sugar. Bloody awful taste.

Just what you get brought up on I suppose.

Aileen xxx

husband loves kippers not for me though

pmsl Aileen knew porridge had to be there somewhere
but

with salt

Oh sorry,

I forgot the kippers....... now that is another story.

Bliss.

Aileen xxx