# Anyone been to scotland?



## sudsy9977 (Mar 1, 2011)

anyone been there?......any must see places?.....i am going with a bunch of people so it might be hard to get everywhere i want to go because it's a group but.....i am going the first week in may.....ryan


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## Jim (Mar 2, 2011)

Let us know how the Haggis is, and have a great time!


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## Dave Martell (Mar 2, 2011)

I drove up to Scotland once but hit a traffic jam and then cut a left and wound up in Wales for the weekend. Sorry I can't help ya here Ryan.


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## apicius9 (Mar 2, 2011)

Similar expeirience here. When I was 16 or 17 on my first rail toir through Europe we slept in a park in London. When It started raining, we got on the night train to Glasgow, walked around a bit, and took the night train back to London. I just remember it being very green up there in the early morning light...

Later I got into single malts and three times had planned a trip that needed to be cancelled. I was a member of the Single Malt Society, they have an apartment for members in Edinburgh, but I never made it. 

But what I would focus on is drinking copious amounts of Scotch, trying haggis, and seeing if I could catch a decent soccer match. I wouldn't be able to communicate with the indigenous poeople, with their accent I don't understand a word when they talk among themselves...

Stefan


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## ecchef (Mar 5, 2011)

Rosslyn Chapel might interest you if you're into wierd esoteric stuff.


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## sudsy9977 (Mar 5, 2011)

Thanks Chef, I'll look into it. ryan


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## cnochef (Mar 7, 2011)

It really depends on what your interests are: History or food/beverage or both? My wife and I did an 8-day driving tour, staying at small inns around the country. We did kind of a "great circle" tour to see a bit of everything:

-Edinburgh is very touristy, but we really enjoyed seeing the Castle for which you have to set aside pretty much a whole day. 
-Even if you're not a member of the Single Malt Society, there are plenty of great shops along the Royal Mile to procure a great bottle for yourself. I brought back a 1966 Tullibardine, which is a birth year bottle for me.
-Many of the restaurants along the Royal Mile are touristy, but we ate at Dubh Prais as we remembered seeing it featured on Anthony Bourdain's A Cook's Tour show that used to be on Food Network. Highly recommend it for a small, family-run restaurant with modern takes on traditional food and the most tender Highland beef. Prices were reasonable too.
-Dunfermline Abbey in Dunfermline is where you can see the final resting place of Robert the Bruce and, if you believe the legend, William Wallace's mother is buried beneath a tree outside the abbey. The ruins of the original abbey are really something to see.
-If you're a golfer, you probably know to visit St. Andrew's already. Also, in nearby Anstruther the Ansthruther Fish Bar has reputedly the best fish & chips in the country. Very tasty!
-The burgh of Pitlochry is a cool place to visit and walk around (it's the "gateway to the Highlands"), just outside of Pitlochry to the east is the Moulin Inn in Moulin, a great brewpub, and Edradour Distillery which is the smallest in Scotland and a great tour experience.
-You can tour Balmoral Castle as they're taking visitors in May (I checked), that part of the Highlands (The Grampians) is very beautiful. Royal Lochnagar distillery is nearby, they hold a royal warrant.
-Driving around the Loch Ness area is beautiful and you can visit the magnificent Urquhart Castle.
-In Stirling, there is the Castle, Battle of Stirling Bridge battlefield and William Wallace Monument to see. Just a word of warning, if you want to see Wallace's sword it's 200 steps up the narrow tower.
-Glasgow was more impressive than Edinburgh IMHO. It's more of a cultural center. The architecture, both old and modern, is stunning. Here, I would recommend the on and off double-decker bus tour as it's a great value and good way to see a lot of the sights. Two great art galleries are here: The Burrell Collection and the Kelvingrove Museum (also an architectural masterpiece). The Glasgow Cathedral is stunning. Downtown shopping is great with beautiful malls believe it or not (Buchanan Galleries and Princess Square). We stopped at a great candy shop called Glickman's, which is a must if you like the sweet stuff. We ate at a superb South Indian restaurant called Dakhin.
-We saw a Celtic United football match. I highly recommend it to see the spectacle, but I looked up their schedule and the last game is April 16 I believe, so I don't know if you will get to do this. 
-Try and find some Strathaird smoked salmon at a Sainsbury's store, it's so unbelievably tasty. Company is owned by Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull fame, his salmon farm and retail shops employ over 400 people. You really should go to a Marks & Spencer and/or Sainsbury's anyway to see the great food selection.

That's all I can think of for now,
Lyle


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## heldentenor (Mar 9, 2011)

I second the recommendation to take a side trip to the eastern coast. St. Andrews is a lovely town; if you go, I recommend eating at either the Oak Rooms or the restaurant in Rusack's Hotel. You should also consider Crael and Anstruther, small fishing villages that can be reached by bus from St. Andrews. I've eaten at the Anstruther Fish Bar, and they certainly make the best fish and chips that I've had!

Enjoy the trip.


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## sudsy9977 (Mar 9, 2011)

thanks guys...i gotta do some research now....appreciate it...ryan


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## Aphex (Mar 9, 2011)

The only reason why anybody would go to Scotland is if you have a habbit for shortbread, haggis and heroin! Deep fried heroin if you can get it.


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## Dublinia123 (Mar 10, 2011)

Aphex said:


> The only reason why anybody would go to Scotland is if you ..................
> 
> couldn't spell *Ireland* in your Google search string!!!



There .....fixed it for ya!!!


JK


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## moggi1964 (May 20, 2011)

So have you been yet, Ryan?

Can't believe you didn't ask your favorite Scot about a trip to Scotland hmy:


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## sudsy9977 (May 21, 2011)

morris!!!!!....i would have definately asked if i knew u were scottish.....i guess the red hair shoulda given it away.....yes i've been already.....we stayed at an apartment in glasgow near kelvingrove park....the main part of the trip was to visit long lost relatives of my gfriends family....they live in lochwinnock....so we visited them and got to visit the cemetery that alot of her family is buried.....we took a few bus tours(riding on a bus there sucks)...to loch ness...the highlands....sterling castle etc....i think we drove over about 80 percent of the friggin country.....we did have sunny days for about 80 percent of our trip....people kept saying"you could come back a 1000 times and it will NEVER be like this again".....so we felt lucky.....one of the cool things was going to a distillery....i don't really drink but i just like to learn about things....the only bad part was i kept stumping our guide with questions....my gfriend kept jitting me telling me to stop asking questions......i said hey"i paid my 7 bucks-i want answers!"......it was fun though......definately alot of history there.....it seemed like everyone just walking dow the street would tell u all of it too....very informative and helpful people for sure.....ryan


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## moggi1964 (May 26, 2011)

Sounds like a great time and you DEFINITELY got lucky with the weather. I spoke to my Sister yesterday and they had 100MPH wind and hail!

Bus tours are very popular for both tourists and locals (though usually the old folk) but frankly I hate the damn things. Give me a train any day!

Stirling Castle is pretty; I took an Australian friend of mine there once over the New Year and the rain was horizontal and very cold. Fun though :rolleyes2:

Lochwinnoch looks like a beautiful village, I am sure you were made very welcome there and in most places.

Tell me more about it on Saturday and are you bringing the lady with you?


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## sudsy9977 (May 26, 2011)

can't make it on saturday unfortunately....sucks big time.....ryan


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## moggi1964 (May 27, 2011)

Bugger!


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