Old Course Hotel St Andrews

ROMANCE

by Aang

My Grand Tour begins with a journey from Carlisle into Dumfries and Galloway.

First stop is Dumfries, the quaint little town where Peter Pan's author J M Barrie went to school.

Have a drink of Knockendoch at the New Bazaar pub on Whitesands beside the river. Stroll around the town admiring the Victorian architecture.

Dumfries Museum is housed in an 18th century windmill which has a camera obscura in the tower.

The Old Bridge House Museum, a small house dating from 1660, has a Victorian child's room complete with toys.

Beautiful St Michael's Church, dating from 1744, is where Robert Burns is buried.

Hotel: Try the Station Hotel

On to Castle Douglas for some shopping, to Kirkcudbright for some art, to Creetown to buy books.

In Kirkcudbright be sure to visit Broughton House, on the High St., a Georgian mansion with gorgeous gardens reaching down to the River Dee. This was once the residence of the artist Hornel and is now an art gallery and museum.

Hotels: Castle Douglas - The Douglas Arms.

Head for Edinburgh via Moffat.

Between Moffat and Edinburgh, be sure to stop at Broughton, off the A701. The John Buchan Centre is in the little church at Tweedale in Broughton. This is a museum devoted to the life of the author of Thirty Nine Steps and Huntingtower.....

Edinburgh is the city of R L Stevenson who wrote Jekyll and Hyde, and the city of Mary Queen of Scots, supposed mother of James I of England.

Edinburgh is Rio de Janeiro without the heat or the samba. Buildings perched on hills and lots of hidden drama.

Worth a visit are Gladstone's Land, a 16th Century house, The Georgian House, in the New Town, and of course the art galleries and castle....

Hotels: The Rothesay Hotel, in a Victorian terrace, fairly near the station.

Cross the Forth Rail Bridge (one of the wonders of the world) and visit some of the most atmospheric villages in Europe including Burntisland, Kirkcaldy (birth place of ADAM SMITH!), Buckhaven, Leven, Largo, Pittenweem, Anstruther, Crail, and St Andrews... Red roofs and fishing boats.

St Andrews is the home of Scotland's oldest and best university, and of golf. Enjoy the medieval and Victorian architecture.

Hotels: The Old Course Hotel in St Andrews is worth a visit, but only for a drink. There are lots of cheaper
places in St Andrews.

Cross the River Tay to bonny Dundee, the Athens of Britain, and the home of the BEANO and the DANDY.

Climb the Law hill, a pre-Roman hill fort standing on a 571ft volcanic crag, for the view.

Visit the McManus galleries in Albert Square and lots of parks and old buildings.

Then travel North along the coast to cute seaside places such as Monifieth, Carnoustie, Arbroath, St Cyrus, and Montrose. Don't miss St Cyrus: cliffs, caves, sand and ghosts!

Hotels: The Swallow Hotel, a Victorian mansion house in Invergowrie near Dundee, is a possibility.
Not cheap.

Head West to Kirriemuir to see the birthplace of J M Barrie at 9 Brechin Road.

Then on to Perth, through lovely Auchterarder, Callender and Crianlarich. Stop at the little villages if you can.

This is the heart of Scotland: little hills and a Norman Wisdom sort of world.

After Crianlarich journey on to picturesque Oban on the west coast.

Hotels: Invercreran House, near Oban, has sensational views. There are cheaper places in Oban.

Now hitch hike or motor or cycle up the west coast to Fort William.

Spectacular scenery if it's not raining!

Climb Britain's highest mountain, Ben nevis, but only if you have proper equipment and know what you're doing. Arctic weather can suddenly appear even in April. No kidding.

Hotel: The Ballachulish, near Fort William has log fires and luxury. Cheaper places in Fort William.

From Fort william journey on to Kyle of Lochalsh, beloved of Gavin Maxwell, author of Ring of Bright Water.

Just North of Kyle of Lochalsh is Britain's prettiest village: PLOCKTON. Imagine a sandy beach, little cottages, and rugged mountains.

Finally, cross the sea to Skye! In fine weather, Skye is the ultimate in beauty and grandure and magic.

The mountains are almost Dolomite like in shape. Broadford is a good centre from which to explore. Drive to loch Scavaig and view the mountain known as Blaven.

Remember that a number of climbers have come to grief in the Cuillins (the iron in the rocks makes compasses go funny!) When it rains for a fortnight you need a good few books to read.

Hotels: There's a youth hostel in Broadford, if I remember correctly. But lots of other places are more comfy.

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More than Golf in St. Andrews

by Goner

St. Andews has some great medieval buildings to see. The town isn't large so you can see everything on foot. There are audio-guided walking tours of St Andrews. Available to hire (including overnight) from main tourist office. Actors, scenarios, and sound effects bring history alive. Address and phone number for the tourist office are listed below.

St Andrews Cathedral

by stevezero

St Andrews Cathedral an the eastern end of the town at he junction of the two main streets.
The site is a collection of old religeous buidings on a large imposing plot.
There as probably been a religeous building on the site since the 8th C. and St Andrews became the centre of the church in Scotland.
The ruins we see today are the remains of a building which took 150 years to complete. Consecration date was 1318.
In 1378 the cathedral was badly damaged by fire and had to be extensively rebuilt. And in 1409 it was the turn of the end of the south transept to collapse under the force of a winter storm.
However it was the Reformation of the church which finally bought an end to the cathedral and it was sacked in 1559.
Thereafter much of the cathedral was broken up and used as building material for the town, and today there are only fragments left.

In care of Historic Scotland.

Admission Charge for museum, grounds free.

Dunfermline Abbey

by stevezero

Dunfermline Abbey was founded by Queen Margaret in the 11th century. The foundations of the original building lie under the 12th century Romanesque nave,
the abbey church has been the last resting place of many kings and queens of Scotland.

Admission to abbey church is free

The Royal Burgh of St Andrews

by gordonilla

"The view of over the Burgh"

This was taken on a Saturday afternoon during the summer.

"The beach and rocks"

It was a wonderfully warm and sunny day. The picture was taken with an old and poor quality camera. However it does give the suggestion of the weather.

"The Heraldic Arms of St Andrews"

The arms were granted on November 3, 1978, and are similar to the arms of the former Burgh of St. Andrews, which date from the 14th century.

The arms show the local patron saint, St. Andrew of Scotland. The boar and oak tree recall the ancient history of the town, which was Muckross, meaning Headland of the boars. The motto means 'While I breathe I hope'.