BS: Some things to do in Scotland

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: olddude
Date: 26 Aug 11 - 02:08 PM

Going to check it all out, I am sure she will be fishing also. She is dang good and I want her to take my orvis backpack gear. All the suggestions sound wonderful. Thanks so much

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 26 Aug 11 - 02:38 PM

Some of the best places in Scotland are, if not inaccessible, certainly tortuous to reach. The Kyles of Bute for instance - absolutely stunning. And the Ardnamurchan Peninsula - the lighthouse is a great visit and whales and dolphins can often be sighted from there. The views out to the Small Isles of Canna, Rum, Eigg and Muck, with Skye and the Cuillins as the backdrop, are fabulous. And the winding single track road out there, by Loch Sunart, is a beautiful drive.

Visits to the inner Hebridean islands of Mull, Iona and Staffa (think Fingal's Cave) are well worth the effort, as is Easdale, south of Oban, where the slate quarry was inundated by the sea in a storm in the 18th c.

There are shedloads of other wonders worth beholding but, as is always the case with Scotland, time and weather are limiting factors.

Remeber, Dude, you can't get anywhere fast in Scotland - what appears a short run on the map can prove frustratingly slow in reality on those narrow roads.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 11 - 04:41 PM

And the Sheep have the right of way. And, they don't appreciate baaaad drivers.

Btw I knew Hadrians Wall was in England. My thought was if you are in that part of Britain it is worth the trip. Furthermore, if you are driving from England you can't miss it.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: olddude
Date: 26 Aug 11 - 08:37 PM

For sure my friends. I have driven every inch of Ireland. To us in the states 50 miles is nothing, most work further than that ... less than an hour .. In Ireland it is a full day trip with the sheep the narrow narrow roads and such. I suspect Scotland is the same way ..

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: kendall
Date: 26 Aug 11 - 09:20 PM

and the sheep have the right of way, that was me without my cookie.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Jack Campin
Date: 27 Aug 11 - 10:54 AM

She can get all the fishing she wants within an hour of Roslin by public transport. Just head south to the Tweed and its tributaries in the Borders.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Musket
Date: 27 Aug 11 - 10:56 AM

I suggest Mac's Place, a bar in Coatbridge.

You did say you want to experience the less touristy Scotland. You will experience the real Scotland though, all the same. (Tip, Fields of Athenry isn't the best tune to be whistling as you walk in....)

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Will Fly
Date: 27 Aug 11 - 11:09 AM

It's a shame no-one's mentioned Glasgow - my home in the mid-40s to early 50s - as it's a great place. When I lived there it was a dirty, bustling run-down shipbuilding city. Now much of it - particularly the West End - has been cleaned up, and the brownstone houses glow in the sun.

If you like art, there's the wonderful and beautiful Burrell Collection in it's own parkland, and there's the Glasgow School of Art. If you like food, there are superb restaurants on Byres Road. You might try and walk the length of Sauchiehall Street and have a drink in every pub and bar... and also have a high tea in the Willow Tea Rooms...

And, above all, the people are friendly and warm-hearted. There's a real buzz in the city.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: kendall
Date: 27 Aug 11 - 04:00 PM

I did a performance in Glasgow in 1990 at the Star Folk Club.
I couldn't tell if they were friendly or not, the dialect was incomprehensible to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 01:54 AM

I second Will's proposal re: Glasgow. The Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum is excellent, as are the Botanical Gardens (with its Starship Enterprise glasshouse). Byres Road is indeed a wonderful eating and drinking area. And, of course, it sits on the threshhold of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. In the 25-or-so years that I've been spending time in Glasgow, it has transformed itself into a truly inspiring, modern, vibrant city, and yes, the people are absolutely marvellous.

I can think of no English city where, as happened to me and a colleague in Glasgow a few years ago, a group of 'locals' sitting at a table in a very crowded and very scary 'rough-looking' Partick pub would invite a pair of complete strangers (and Sassenachs at that!) to join them at their table rather than see them having to drink standing. Not only that, but then to include them in their conversation and treat them as though they were a normal part of their group. What an fantastic evening that turned out to be (I vaguely remember through the haze!).

And Kendall, if you ask them nicely, they will actually repeat in English what they just said in Glaswegian! :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 03:12 AM

Oh Backwoodsman, Partick!! I lived in Caird Drive in Partick in the late sixties and it was just wonderful. And Byres Road, the super pubs and atmosphere. It's quite true about the Glaswegians, they're gloriously friendly and very funny too. Any visit to Scotland must include a trip to Glasgow.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Blowzabella
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 03:43 AM

Oban, on the west coast, is a great town and a cracking good base for doing some island hopping - I love watching the CalMac (Caledonian MacBrayne?) ferries coming in and out.

Noone seems to have warned you about the midges on the west (and north) (and probably in the middle too!) - they are tiny biting insects but can ruin a trip and are said to be responsible, in part, for Scotland being so thinly populated in those areas! You can buy repellants and nets to wear but they will drive you mad!

Oh - and a word on driving - we have just come back from a week in Bettyhill (between Durness and Thurso), which is on the north coast. It took us 7 hours to get these from Dundee!! Granted we were stopping for comfort breaks and to walk the dog, but not overmuch! Single track roads, mostly, from Inverness up.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 05:09 AM

"You can buy repellants"

Avon 'Skin-So-Soft' - it's a ladies skin softener but it's highly efficient as a midge-repellant (non-greasy, and it smells nice too).
The locals use it.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Will Fly
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 05:21 AM

Ah, the Botanical Gardens - thanks for reminding me of them, Backwoodsman.

We lived in Kelvindale, just a short walk from the Gardens, and I would often walk there with my mother for an afternoon. I distinctly remember the Kibble House, a round hothouse with steamy atmosphere, tropical plants, marble statues, and a pink gravel path running all the way round it. We'd sit on a bench and drink in the atmosphere before setting off for home.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Jack Campin
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 05:33 AM

The Edinburgh Botanical Gardens is also worth a visit. About twice as big as the Glasgow one, though it has no building quite as dramatic as the Kibble Palace. See both.

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 08:47 AM

My friend, who was my Best Woman at my marriage, lived just up the way, and across Maryhill Road in Leyden Gdns. We spent a lot of time at hers, and the Great Western Road/Byres Road/University area was where we spent most of our time.

I remember my wife and I "walking arm-in-arm down sheltered Kelvin Way" singing Ricky Ross's great song as we did so.

Speaking of botanical things, I also have some fine memories of a fantastic Scots Ceilidh (which is much, much wilder than and English ceilidh!) at The Peoples' Palace on Glasgow Green - a glorious, huge greenhouse complete with palm-trees and a function-area. A considerable quantity of Heavy and The Scottish Wine was consumed that evening! :-) :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Blowzabella
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 08:52 AM

Avon Skin so Soft seems to stop them actually biting you,, but not from crawling all over you, which is still very irritating. The good thing though, is that you can, at least, feel happy about rubbing it in around your eyes and mouth, which you wouldn't want to do with more chemically based (deet type) products

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 09:51 AM

I've never found anything that will stop them crawling all over me, not even Jungle Formula. As all biting insects find me to be the perfect dinner, I'll settle for them not biting and me not stinking like a chemical factory, and I'll put up with the crawling! :-)

My wife says they like me because they love bad meat! Eeeuughh! :-) :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Some things to do in Scotland
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 10:41 AM

South west is very pretty indeed and has very few tourists indeed. Stay away from Dumfries itself and Stranraer but all the bits in between are very peaceful. Wicker Man country as well if anyone is interested in that. The pub where Ms Ecklands body double did her famous dance is the Ellengowan in Creetown - My mates local!

As someone else said the distances may look small to people on the far side of the pond - but it does take ages to get anywhere. Midges may not be an issue - should be dying off around now - but best be safe.

Cheers

DtGH