Posts Tagged ‘Scotland’

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Making The Most Of Vacations In Edinburgh

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

Scotland is an immensely popular vacation destination as it is highly suitable for a wide variety of vacations.  If you like breaks in the countryside the landscape ranges from plenty of breathtaking coastal destinations to woodlands and mountains inland perfect for ramblers, mountain climbers, hill-walkers, hikers.  In the following article I  take a look at Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland.

Edinburgh is home to some of the most stunning galleries and museums in the United Kingdom and accessible from the city is an impressive selection of fortified houses, castles, historical buildings and country homes which are well worth visiting. The city of Edinburgh is a city of two parts, the Old Town and the New Town, which are immensely different, but both are a World Heritage Site.

Although it is the capital city it is surprisingly green and not too far from the centre you will find yourself in the most picturesque countryside. Two of the prettiest green areas in the heart of the city are Princes Street Gardens and the Royal Botanic Garden. Situated along Princes Street you will find the usual high street shops, in the West End you will find smart boutiques, in the New Town you will discover many designer goods and in the Old Town there are lots of independent merchants, designers and artisans.

The city of Edinburgh is renowned the world over for it massive number of festivals. known as the festival capital of Europe the year’s calendar is packed full of festivals and events during each month of the year. The month of August is the busiest, with eight festivals. Obviously this is an incredibly difficult time to find an Edinburgh Hotel with vacancies, so make your reservation at the earliest opportunity.

The Edinburgh festival year starts (or ends) with the largest  New Year party on earth. As well known is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (comedy) and other festivals include; the Edinburgh Mela, Art Festival, Festival of Politics, Book Festival and more.

A Word About Edinburgh Accommodation

As mentioned earlier August is the worst month to find rooms when the vast majority of Edinburgh Hotels are fully booked. Unfortunately the same could be said about The Christmas and New Year period which is commonly booked up to a year in advance, so it really is vitally important to book early!

The city features a splendid  choice of hotels, guest houses and accommodation ranging from cheap hotel to the incredibly pricey first class luxury country estate hotels and the likes with a great deal of facilities and  services. So whatever price you can afford you will surely find the most suitable accommodation for you online.

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Harris Vacations And Some Useful Info

Sunday, June 13th, 2010

Is your family deliberating about having a vacation in the British Isles? Even though nearly all people having a vacation in Britain decide to stay in popular places like London, others prefer to have a vacation in Scotland. In the article below I discuss the Isle of Harris and why it is such a fantastic destination for vacations.

While London may be home to some of the most fascinating museums and galleries in Great Britain  and some of the world’s most famous visitor attractions  the capital of England will not appeal to everyone.

Some tourists much prefer more relaxed, and far less hectic, vacations and other folk much prefer vacations with a little more action for example sporting vacations. Interestingly the island of Harris, in Scotland’s Western Isles, is superb for both kinds of tourist.

Like a great many others sun bathing on the beach for the whole of my summer vacation isn’t my idea of the perfect vacation. Please don’t misunderstand me, my family and I often spend time on beaches, and the Isle of Harris certainly is home to some of the most incredible beaches in Britain, however, I also like to spend time visiting other places while on vacation. I thoroughly enjoy taking in the atmosphere, I also like to experience the local culture and especially enjoy sampling the food. If the truth is to be known each year I enjoy visiting new places and I go to great lengths trying to find something or somewhere totally different. Most probably this is why I enjoy visits to the island in the Hebrides known as the Isle of Harris and why I regularly choose to book a self catering house on the Isle of Harris.

One of the main reasons people travel to the Isle of Harris is to enjoy the the landscape and culture of the islands. The Isle of Harris culture has, over hundreds of years been subtly influenced by the English, Scottish, Celtic and Norse races. These days the vast majority of people speak in the Gaelic language and although some speak English, it is often their 2nd language. The Harris people are amongst the friendliest in the world and the hospitality is known across the world. The people of the Isle of Harris are incredibly proud of the breathtaking beauty of the island and try very hard to keep the place tidy so it is incredibly important to minimise your own mess.

It is incredibly important to keep in mind that discarded rubbish doesn’t just make the place look unsightly it is also highly dangerous to wild creatures.

A further point to know is that the roads on the Isle of Harris are not the same as elsewhere in Scotland or the UK single track roads are very common and you will need to know how to use passing places to safely let oncoming traffic past and also let traffic from behind to pass too. Just keep it in mind that you come to a halt on the left. If the vehicle wishing to get past you is large and the passing place is on your right hand side you can pull up into it to let the said vehicle pass easily but be careful not to end up off the road too much.

I hope that the above article sufficiently interests you in taking a vacation on Harris. Large numbers of tourists the Western Isles of Scotland decide to stay in two places. There are a number of other islands to visit including North Uist, South Uist and Lewis. Why not think about staying in a Isle of Harris self catering house for a short while and then book a room in a hotel on North Uist or a South Uist hotel for the rest of your holiday?

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Fort William City Breaks And A Few Superb Visitor Attractions to Visit

Sunday, August 2nd, 2009

Fort William is now the largest town in the Highlands of Scotland (Inverness is a city). The town is an immensely popular tourist destination with numerous folk arriving to view or climb Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK. In the article that follows I discuss three alternative tourist attractions well worth visiting if you are staying in Fort William.

The Educational West Highland Museum

The West Highland Museum in Fort William was founded in 1922. A group of people from Lochaber wanted to create a museum, about life in the Highlands, for the people of the Highlands. The current building was purchased in 1926 from the British Linen Bank, and is located in Cameron Square, just off the Hight Street. Small but fascinating is how some people describe the museum. The exhibits in the museum present a fascinating insight into life in the West Highlands throughout the years. Folk from all backgrounds are represented, through the magnificent collections of picture’s, artefact’s and photograph’s

The Splendid Old Inverlochy Castle

In fort William there are two Inverlochy Castle’s, the Old Inverlochy Castle and the more recent Victorian, chateau-style Inverlochy Castle, erected in nearby Torlundy (which is now a luxury hotel). The Old castle was said to have been erected between 1270-1280, by John “the Black” Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Lochaber, and chief of the Clan Comyn. Although the castle is ruined, the layout has not changed much since it was first constructed. Lord Abinger made enhancements and alterations to the house, in preparation of a visit by Queen Victoria. Old Inverlochy Castle is still an important part of Scottish and English history, due to the part it played during the Civil Wars of the 1640’s.

The Awe Inspiring Jacobite Steam Train

An excursion on the Jacobite Steam Train, is an exhilarating way to explore the breathtaking scenery of the Highlands. The Fort William to the port of Mallaig trip takes you on a breathtaking ride through the glens. One of the most exciting elements of the trip is traveling across the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which the majority of travelers will know due to the fact that it has appeared in the films of the exploits of Harry Potter. The 84 mile trip takes you past Loch Morar, Loch Nevis and Ben Nevis, with a stop in Glenfinnan before reaching Mallaig. There is about an hour and half in which to discover Mallaig, before the return journey, back to Fort William. This journey has often been described as, one of the Great Railway Journeys of the World.

There is plenty of accommodation in Fort William available to book online but you will find a comprehensive list of hotels in Fort William at http://www.fortwilliamhotelscotland.com/

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Stirling Weekend Breaks And A Few Exquisite Places to Visit

Monday, July 13th, 2009

Stirling has appeared throughout the history of Scotland, especially during vitally important events. The city and surrounding area has a fantastic number of excellent tourist attractions and a multitude of places and monuments to photograph. In the article below I describe three places to visit in Stirling; Stirling Old Town Jail, Stirling Castle and Argyll’s Lodging:

Stirling Castle

Sat two hundred and fifty feet above the city of Stirling, and surrounded on 3 sides by shear cliffs is Stirling Castle. Stirling Castle is immensely important in the history of Scotland, there have been several coronations within the castle, including that of Mary Queen of Scots in 1543. Stirling Castle was also witness to a shocking murder in 1452. The eighth Earl of Douglas was victim to James II in 1452. Stirling Castle is the home of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, although they are, unfortunately no longer garrisoned at the castle. However, the regimental museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, is located in the castle.

Stirling Old Town Jail

The Stirling Old Town Jail we see today is not the first jail in Stirling, for four hundred years, Stirling’s prisoners were incarcerated in the Old Tollbooth Jail. This jail was dreadfully overcrowded, and smelt vile, with twenty four prisoners to each cell, and no sanitary facilities. The Tollbooth jail was condemned, due to the fearful living conditions there, and in 1847 the current jail opened. Although the jail was classed as a custodial prison, from 1888 to 1935, it was also the only military prison in Scotland. Today the Stirling Old Town Jail is a tourist attraction, and was only renovated in the 1990’s. As well as guided tours, there is a glass paneled elevator that transports one to a viewing platform at the very top of the jail. From this superb spot one is able to gaze out across the Forth Valley, and gaze upon the Highland mountains.

Argyll’s Lodging

Argyll’s Lodging is on Castle Wynd, located in the middle of Stirling and is Scotland’s finest existing renaissance mansion. The mansion was built around 1630, by Sir William Alexander, originator of Nova Scotia and Viscount Canada. Sir William Alexander who was appointed Secretary of State for Scotland, and was then appointed the 1st Earl of Stirling. Argyll’s Lodging became the property of the Argyll family on his death and was further extended by the 9th Earl in 1666. The rooms which include the laigh hall, dining room, drawing room and bed chamber, have all been expertly restored and furnished, as they would have looked when the 9th Earl lived there, around 1680.

If you are thinking about a short vacation in Stirling you will discover plenty of online Stirling hotels and guest houses and you will find a huge range at http://stirling.hotelreservationhelper.com/

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Scottish Vacations And Three Worthwhile Places To Visit Near Dundee

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

Dundee has been the site of a settlement ever since the time of the Picts. The city, the 4th largest city to be found in the Scottish nation, has a long association with trade and commerce. The three primary trades, in the city, were “journalism, jam and jute”.  Although dundee could be described as post-industrial it has something of a mixed economy and has a large percentage of its inhabitants employed in the manufacturing industry (by comparison with the rest of the country), about 13.5%. Fairly recently the tourism trade has begun to become a rather important element of the economy of the city and there are a growing number of hotels offering Dundee bed and breakfast and in the following article I discuss readers to 3 attractions in Dundee; Discover Point Visitor Centre, Sensation Science Centre and Verdant Works:

Discover Point Visitor Centre

Discovery Point is a incredibly interesting and award-winning Dundee visitor attraction that introduces the events of one of the most heroic  voyages of exploration ever done, the story of the world famous explorer of the Antarctic , Captain Robert Falcon Scott, and the first ship he used,  the RRS Discovery. the Discovery was launched on the 21st of March, 1901 from the town’s Panmure Shipyard. Captain Scott and his crew set sail for Antarctica on 6th August nineteen hundred and one, reaching there in January nineteen hundred and two. The RRS Discovery is the major element of the visitor centre having been fully restored inside and out. Narrow passageways and steep stairs can cause difficulty getting about for some, fortunately, visitors will find there is an audio visual presentation at the dockside.

The Sensation Science Centre

If you are looking for a visitor attraction which will provide family entertainment, then Sensation Science Centre in Dundee is the ideal place to go. Sensation Dundee is the only science centre in Britain that is based on the five senses of the human body. You can discover the wonders of sciences  through use of the senses with the aid of in excess of 80 hands-on exhibits. There are live scientific experiments and demonstrations, demonstrating how everyday ingredients found in the home can be used to incredible effect. Budding surgeons can have an attempt at keyhole surgery. Sensation brings science to life in many of interesting ways.

Verdant Works

Verdant Works  was, at one time, a fully working jute mill. At it’s height, in the eighteen sixties and eighteen seventies, the industry in Dundee had a workforce of around 50 thousand people in excess of sixty factories scattered across the city. Nowadays,  Verdant Works brings this industry to life, through the use of a wide range of displays which include, interactive computers, original machinery and film shows. This incredible museum was once home to 3 extremely large steam engines running 70 looms and nearly 3,000 spindles.  There was also 5 hundred people working there, preparing and spinning jute then weaving it over the road in  a different factory. Renovation of the jute mill started in 1992 and it opened its doors to the public for the very first time the 16th of September 1996.

If you are considering having a holiday in Dundee you will find a large amount of online hotels and guest houses providing bed and breakfast in Dundee. You will find a comprehensive selection of Dundee hotels and guest houses at http://dundee.hotelreservationhelper.com/

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