Long weekend in Scotland

well it was my goal to the get to the UK this year and so now I am going to scotland. flying into glasgow-prestwick (?) and have got 4.5 days (leave on the eve of the last day).
aside from thinking i'll understand the people (my scottish collegue warned me), i have no idea what to do or expect. surely i will get a good travel guide, but i love personal tips. from my side i really only have 1 q:

should i get a rental car or is public transport sufficient?

looking 4ward to y'alls responses.
thx.

Great choice!!

I love Scotland - lived there for 5 years. If cash isn't a problem then I'd advise a rental car and take it up north - check out some of the beauty of the west coast, and head into the highlands as well.

Glasgow is great for nightlife.

I find Edinburgh a unique city and incredibly beautiful
(OK, maybe not Granton or Wester Hailes but every city has a bad side right?)

Loch Lomond is a beautiful area

Stirling - to see the Wallace monument

Personally, I'd treck down to South Queensferry at the foot of the Forth Rail bridge one evening - take a drink in the Hawes Inn (featured in Robert Louis Stephenson's Kidnapped) then walk through the beautiful little village with a fish supper with lots of salt and sauce and a bottle of ginger!!

There really is so much to see and do, but I am sure the country and people will win you over!!

here are some links to help you

visit scotland

explore scotland

If you like comedy, why not go and watch Celtic?

@elf...go to Edinburgh. Fantastic and gorgeous. I really enjoyed it.

Depends what ya wanna do when you get there. If you're doing the city thing then public transport should do (direct rail link from Prestwick to Glasgow). But if you're planning on seeing a bit more - Glen Coe, Cairngorm mountain etc then grab a car - rural transport in Scotland sux. Prob a good idea to do a bit of both, the Edinburgh Festival starts 14-Aug and I'd recommend anyone to take a drive through Glen Coe - stunning scenery and will give you some idea of the history of the Braveheart-esque Scottish/English thang.

A few links for ya:
Scottish Exec tourst site
Ski Scotland - Details of Summer Ski Lift times
Scottish indie gig guide
Official Edinburgh fest site

Enjoy!

@sin - I like that a lot (je suis un blue nose!)

just don't say England when you mean Britain when you are there. Preferably use 'Scotland'

You have to eat haggis - it is actually really tasty.

Edinburgh deffo

Visit it all! Spend 4.5 years rather than 4.5 days! Scotland's brilliant!

I'll get back with some slightly more useful information when I get home

I was there a few years back for a wedding, rented a car and just toodled around. I like the cruise down the Calendonain Canal with the tourist stop at Urquart Castle to try a glimps at Nessie (My Jr. High was called Ness- so I had to do it).

I went to a seal refuge place on the way to Oban on the west coast- it was great, a Scottish version of SewWorld.

I was just in Edinburgh for a conference, and I just loved walking up the Royal Mile, and to the Castle. Many of the side streets are very interesting too! Really neat shops.

Hey ya

As a native scot I have to say you'll love it, but the public transport is nowwhere near as good as Munich. that said you can get the train from Prestwick airport direct to Glasgow Central and I assume Edinburgh as well.

If you intend to go all over the place I would go for the hire car option, the problem with Scottish transport is that it's not linked up well, but if you're going to spend you time in the cities the there is no need

Hope this helps!

i second this, this year is also the 700th anniversary of the barbaric execution by sin's folk south of the border, so if you are a braveheart fan there should be stuff on at the monument, in the town and at the castle.


really testing my patience now you bastard

when are you going, elf?
if you are there in Aug, you should try to take in the Edinburgh festival

i would also recommend eating haggis
but maybe don't do a search on what the ingredients are until after you've had a taste

Is that a joke? Scotland doesn't have enough snow in Winter let alone Summer.

You can get veggie haggis, which to be honest often tastes almost as good. The deal with haggis is that you put so many interesting things in to change the taste of the, er, less interesting things that removing the latter isn't so much of a problem.

Having said I'd reply to elfenstar, I still haven't... I'm madly snowed under with work at the moment but if you let me know what sort of things you fancy (active, outdoorsie stuff or towny/shop stuff or whiskey distillery stuff or... well, just let me know!) I'll try and write some sense about them.

I'd go with the car option unless you plan to stick to Edinburgh and Glasgow, where they're just not necessary.

Edinburgh is a must whatever time of year you go.
Otherwise
sums up exactly what I'd have suggested. It's another world up there (in a positive sense)

If you don't fancy the North (and not everyone does), go SOUTH.
Dumfries and Galloway - where all the beautiful, clever folk come from
Ah to be there in August when the heather is just about to bloom and the Indian Summer is starting - bliss.

Ahhh, Scotland. Lucky you! As has been said above, 4.5 days is not long enough by half.

When are you going? The Edinburgh festival runs until end of August (29th for the Fringe, 3rd September for the International festival). The fireworks at the end of the International Festival are definitely worth it. Sunday 4th September this year.

If you do go to Edinburgh, a "must do" is the short (1 hour) hike up the top of Arthur's Seat. This gives you a spectacular view over the whole city as well as right out across the Kingdom of Fife.

But if you're flying into Prestwick, and only have 4.5 days, I'd recommend hiring a car and shooting straight north - not seeing Edinburgh at all.

Head over the Kincardine bridge then take the A82 along the shores of Loch Lomond. Stop for tea and cakes at Crianlarich. Then spend your time exploring Bridge of Orchy, Glen Coe, Ballachulish, Fort William, Kyle of Lochalsh, Plockton. Lots of beasties in Glen Coe this time of year, so if you go hiking make sure to get yourself a hat with netting that ties down round your neck - no repellent is strong enough for these beasties.

If you don't mind lots of driving, and being stuck for hours on narrow country roads behind a German motorhome, take the long road up to Sutherland. This was John Lennon's Summer holiday destination of choice. The landscape is like the moon up there. Bleak. Park the car at Kinlochbervie and hike cross-country to Cape Wrath. There are two bothies along the way where you can stay for free. Admire the dolphins painted on the wall. Then get the bus from Durness back to Kinlochbervie and return south.

The lodges at Kylesku are nice too. Take a boat up Loch Glendhu to see Europe's highest waterfall.

I think you mean the Erskine bridge and not Kincardine?

Right you are.

I never was good with names of bridges.

yeah, i think i gathered this through watching braveheart!


yeah, that's what i've heard too so we will get a car then.


we're arriving late on aug. 18, coming back late on aug. 23. but what is the edinburgh festival? music? comedy? it'll probably be a bitch to get accomodations, no?
and yes, i definitely want to eat haggis. i think i know what's in it, but i do try to eat a typical meal whenever i visit a new place. maybe i'll have to share it.

thx guys.

i was just thinking about that. glad to have the reminder.

If you are the outdoors type then dont forget the glorious 12th next week, being the start of the grouse shooting season.

If you are going later in the year, you may miss the grouse season which finishes on October 25th, but fret not as the haggis hunting season starts 1st Novemebr and goes through to Burns night on january 25th.

Can I revive this thread please?
Okay, will arrive in Edinbough on Aug 4th for 3 days - with a car, but staying in Bathgate. Have noted Loch Lamond and Arthur's Seat. Love to drive and see the sights. Stop and take photos. See some hills and water. Anything else?

Edinburgh Fringe Fresival on at that time.

Too bad the Tattoo is sold out.

Tatoo's shite anyway.

The Fringe can be fun but only go to things you KNOW will be good from a review or recommendation. Going into anything on a 'whim' can be disastrous.

Why not take a trip out east to lovely North Berwick and see Tantallon Castle, Dirleton Castle and grounds and lots lots more.

and if you are in Bathgate why not check out Stirling and the Castle - they have just oppened the restored palace with its royal chambers and it is supposed to be fantastic

thanks BTC. I wouldn't have a clue about what to see or who to see for that matter at the Fringe but appreciate the post Deccie. Good tips. keep 'em coming...never been to Scotland.

from Bathgate you can also go to South Queensferry and see the spectacular view of the Forth Road and Rail Bridges, then take the road bridge over to Fife and take the coastal trail up through the beautiful East Neuk of Fife (lovely ancient towns like Crail, Pittenweem, St Monance and Anstruther) to St Andrews

If you go to Anstruther be sure to have the fish and chips. There are reviews published widely in the papers and online during the Fringe so you should be able to get an idea of what's on. If you are there when it's on don't plan on being out of Edinburgh the whole time!

love the links. great website about Scotland.
Link

From Bathgate into Edinburgh (if you're going to walk up Arthurs seat), you can get a local train all the way into Waverley station (central Edinburgh) so you dont need to worry about finding parking spaces for the car. Not sure about the car parking at Bathgate Train station, but Livingston North Station has loads of parking. Its about 4-5 pounds for the return ticket if memory serves me - I used to live in Livingston (nearest town to Bathgate and on the same line into Edinburgh). Journey time about 20-25 minutes.

The blank gap below the station in this map is the largest car park for the station - there is one north of it but its almost always full. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&...066948&z=14 Bathgate is about 2 or 3 miles west along the A89 which is at the top of the map.

If you are driving into Edinburgh I wouldnt necessarily take the M8, driving along the A89 which eventually turns into the A8 can be just as quick, especially at peak times. Parking will cost 4 or 5 pounds for a few hours in the centre. Car Parking is here http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=l&hl=e...066948&z=14 The One on castle Terrace can get busy, but it offers a great view of the castle rising out of the city on the old vocanic plug and then either a walk through Princes street gardens (keep the castle on your right and walk around it) then up the narrow alleyways onto the Royal Mile next to the Castle (or up the other side of the castle up Johnston terrace), before walking down the Royal Mile (marked as High Street on the map) eventually past the Scottish parliament Building and Holyrood Palace next to Holyrood Park and Arthurs Seat. The car park on greenside Row just behind Leith Walk is also useful for most of that. Its behind the theatre and a short walk up Leith walk to Waverley station.

Depending on how much time you have in Edinburgh the castle can be quite interesting (it costs to enter but you can at least get onto the esplanade in front of it if time is a factor), theres a couple of small museums on the way down the royal mile http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=l&hl=e...033474&z=15 - a wander into the Scottish parliament can be interesting (they do tours). You cant miss the Parliament its the big ugly concrete building just at the end of the Royal mile on the right hand side. Theres also the National Galleries accessable from Princes Street Gardens http://www.nationalgalleries.org/visit/page/2:114:2/

If you have plenty of time the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh can be worth a wander around (its free). http://www.nms.ac.uk

This site is also useful http://www.edinburgh-inspiringcapital.com/

A friend of mine took this picture of Arthurs seat & Salisbury Crags from Calton Hill on his trip to Edinburgh

3 days is not really enough to venture out of the central belt (the area between Glasgow and Edinburgh where the majority of Scotland's population lives). Edinburgh City is a must, as is Glasgow. I would also recommend somewhere like the Isle of Arran (South-West of Glasgow - you board the ferry at Ardrossan) for a day trip - you can get the ferry over, climb Goatfell and get back to the mainland all in one day. St. Andrews and the East Neuk of Fife is also good when the weather is on your side. I'm not such a big fan of Stirling and the surroundings, but that could be because I grew up around there!

Further afield, Dumfries and Galloway is worth a visit, as is Inverness and the stretch West from there over to Skye, the train journey up to Aberdeen follows the coastline and gives you great views, and Aberdeen has some nice spots.

Lots to see and do - most of which is totally weather dependant!

Within the central belt you can get around easily on public transport.