Scotland Things to Do Tips by scotlandscotour

Where once there were literally thousands of people farming the landscape, weaving and writing, inventing and improving, there now stands fields of rough grass, waterlogged acidic soils and stone remnants of houses.

This picture shows the small village of Lawers, on the north bank of Loch Tay, once an important ferry terminal and thriving community, with church, mill, pub, school and farms. Count the old houses, amongst the trees (photo in winter so you can see without leaves obscuring).

Everybody who comes to Scotland should not only see such remains - complete villages abandoned - but they should also read about the Highland Clearances, and the Emigration to New Lands of USA, Canada and Australia.

It is man who has made the wild landscape of Scotland, created this wilderness, that everyone longs to see. Remember, it is not natural, it is a product of social and economic conditions - and should be acknowledged as such. Please show your respects.

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Fascinating and Fun

Underwater Archaeologists have a research project, where they have reconstructed a Crannog (one of about twenty identified on Loch Tay) to study how they were built and lived in. This, "experiental" type of Archaeology is uncovering much about how and why people lived during the Iron Age, in these houses built on man made islands.

These huts were likely occupied by wealthy people of their time, and are presumed to have security and status by being moated on an 'island'. Later Crannogs were bullt on the remnants of old collapsing ones so over many generations a sort of island of debris built up. Added to by stones, some have become significant islands, with castles on, occupied until 19th century!!!

This Crannog is open to the public, and is fascinating - well run and full of interesting stuff - so be prepared to stop a while, maybe live here!!! (Scotland I mean, not the Crannog!)

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Address: Crannog Centre, Kenmore, Loch Tay, Perthshire, Sco
Directions: Near Aberfeldy - a small town 40 km north west of Perth, easily reached by local bus
Website: www.crannog.co.uk
Other Contact: www.perthshire.co.uk

The beach pictured is just north of the harbour town of Ullapool, on the north west coast of Scotland.

Most people drive past here without a second glance but I was stunned by the colours, even if the wind was blowing a gale at the time. If it was hot and tropical it'd be expensive and crawling with people - so look on the bright side!

The Scottish coastline has many of these small, beautiful beaches tucked away, and you can camp or whatever - it'll be your own personal beach.

Get a good map (like the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger scale, pink cover) - beaches are marked as yellow.

For an on-line map search of the Scottish coastline, to choose your own little hide away beach, try:

www.streetmap.co.uk
www.multimap.co.uk
www.getamap.co.uk

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Directions: West Coast of Scotland, just north of Ullapool.
Website: http://www.ullapool.co.uk/beaches.html
Other Contact: www.multimap.co.uk

My favourite city and a constant source of pride and intrigue. Only if I visit too often does the novelty wear off and the dirt and smells start to show.

I have today (April 2004) just spent another day there and I couldn't stop taking pictures!!!

See my new Edinburgh page and the Tips there for a great day out in the Capital of Scotland.

If visiting Edinburgh soon, allow 2 days at least, to get a feel for it. I'm still exploring after years!

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Scotch Whisky
After years of being t-total and somewhat upset by all the excessive drinking and loutish behaviour in the UK (not just Scotland) I decided to go check out a few distilleries ... and ....
I loved some of them!

Nobody told me a key part of whisky making was SMELLING it (makes sense - no pun - since otherwise the poor testers would be drunk / sick of the stuff!!!)

Most of the distilleries are now owned by huge multinational firms and they only hold on to the Single Malt and its 'remote' distillery for marketing and branding. Many of these are now very modern processes with little charm or character. But, I have to say, some of the tours are EXCELLENT - when they thoroughly teach you, go through all the complex phases and let you really smell the stuff.

It was great fun to smell and try to identify tones and fruits and flavours, peats and so on. Not a drop need pass your lips!

I'm not going to say which ones to visit - but be sure to be selective, ask before hand and use your NOSE.

I hope this encourages you.

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Website: http://europeforvisitors.com/europe/articles/scotch_whisky_distilleries.htm
Other Contact: www.visitscotland.com

You simply must try Fish and Chips whilst in the UK, and in particular Scotland - home of the fishing harbours and a whole way of life (sadly threatened now by overfishing).

The big problem is where to try??? Most places serving Fish and Chips are aweful, and as most visitors are keen to try, its usually the dismal, the unhealthy and the disgusting they try - once! Blurgh.

So, save the tasting until you get to a quality assured fish and Chip shop, close to where the fish is caught and the potatoes grown and busy with healthy looking locals!!!

This shop is in Perth, 2 minutes walk from the train station (in Craigie, should you ever come looking) and is one of the best in the whole of the UK.

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Address: Craigie, Perth, Scotland, UK
Directions: Ummm, follow your nose ....
Website: www.seafish.org/

The traditional Scottish pass time before football, television and cheap flights to sunshine!

Like their Celtic cousins in Ireland, the Scots like a drink fueled shindig, and many places you'll find alive with traditional music sessions (fiddle, bagpipes etc) as well as many other instruments and styles.

Try to get to at least one - maybe one every night ! Be careful not to end up at a 'regional contest' though - with school children competing (dull as dishwater unless you are one of the adoring parents).

Many pubs have live music, and some folk sessions, jamming and other free stuff, as long as you buy beer. Just ask the locals, or listen when walking about in the evening.

To hear some modern use of bagpipes in music, and some good "foot stomping" tunes - check out the Peat Bog Faeries.

www.PeatBogFaeries.Com

For A fantastic Guide to Folk Music see:
http://www.musicinscotland.com/gigguide.htm

For General Live Music see the Gig Guide Gig Guide

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Website: http://www.musicinscotland.com/gigguide.htm

I guess you think of castles when you think of Scotland - but what is a castle? It is a much overused word, to describe all sorts of defensive forts, palaces, mansions, grand estate farm houses and anything else that wants status or tourists to call. Some are ruins from many centuries ago, some are only a hundred or so years old (like a certain youth hostel which pushes the claim too far just to get visits. Carbisdale even claims a ghost for goodness sake, despite being a new imitation of a 'castle', well a fancy house). When you see how drab and uninteresting most Scottish houses are you will appreciate the excitement shown for anything with a bit of ornate stonework, even if it poorly copies French chateaux.

At the other end of the economic and social ladder are tiny stone crofts, many abandoned but some still preserved, a few even with thatched rooves! Some are called 'Black Houses' because they are not white (I joke not). All in all, as you travel around Scotland you will see hundreds, maybe thousands of buildings using varieties of stone, some posh, some exquisite, a few looked after by Historic Scotland or the National Trust. But many more are just abandoned, and crying out for an owner who cares!!!

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You must see these websites if you want to know about Scotland.

I've picked what I think are the most useful and legitimate sites for you, whether you are sat in a chair at home, browsing and just want to 'see', or you are in an internet cafe Scotland-bound.
I hope this helps!

Top Websites of Scotland - my favourite dozen!

Webcams of Scotland: www.scotsman.com/webcams.cfm
Weather and News: www.bbc.co.uk/scotland or /weather
Tourist Board (yawn): www.visitscotland.com
Accommodation: www.hostel-scotland.co.uk
Youth Hostels: www.syha.org.uk
Attractions and Interesting Places: www.nts.org.uk
Transport: www.citylink.co.uk
Historic Buildings: www.historic-scotland.co.uk
Maps: www.multimap.co.uk
Mountain Information: www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk
A personal view: www.bluewoad.com

My Best Wishes!!!

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Directions: A Clear Path Through the Internet Jungle!

No need to follow the tourist sheep now :-)

These are all the World Heritage Sites in Scotland - The "Must See" places on a world scale:

Edinburgh
Orkney
New Lanark
St Kilda

You may also consider looking at
Hadrian's Wall
though it is now in England - it was the Roman border keeping the hostile Scots out of the Empire.

Follow this link to my page about all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, in the whole of United Kingdom and linking to the UNESCO site itself ... listing all sites by country. A fantastic resource for all Tourists, real or virtual! Enjoy.

http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/70ef2/f4/4/

(scroll down - it is the second tip down).

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Directions: To go direct to the UNESCO Website, click on the Website below:
Website: http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31
Other Contact: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk