Thinking about a UK holiday for a week this summer in an area we've never been before and know not much about - the east side of Scotland. We've done the west a number of times and appreciate the east is entirely different of course.
As we are taking 82 year old mother-in-law, it needs to be ideally somewhere where the lovely little country cottage with roses round the door, which must be facing south west and painted blue, is in a nice country/village area, and has sufficient attractions such as little towns/villages/tearooms/seaside to last a week. Anything like open gardens, stately homes, cathedrals, all that is good stuff too. No good having lovely walks through spectacular scenery and nothing else though, as she won't be able to do them even if the rest of us would love that. We could drive through though, do picnics, that kind of a game. So it's all quite low key.
Someone vaguely suggested "the east coast of Fife" but really I don't know.
Any brief thoughts welcome - but don't spend forever on it, we'll probably end up going to the Isle of Wight if I know that lot. If those thoughts are "not going to get that there, sonny boy, don't waste your time" then that's fine and I can start thinking about somewhere else.
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>> As we are taking 82 year old mother-in-law, it needs to be ideally somewhere where
>> the lovely little country cottage with roses round the door, which must be facing south
>> west and painted blue, is in a nice country/village area, and has sufficient attractions such
>> as little towns/villages/tearooms/seaside to last a week. Anything like open gardens, stately homes, cathedrals, all
>> that is good stuff too.
That will be the area of Scotland called Dorset and Devon then.
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Melrose area in the Borders would make a decent base - lots of 'drive-thru' scenery and the East Lothian coast/Edinburgh/Berwick all within an hour. Each Borders town/village has its own feel. St Boswells has a nice bookshop/restaurant, Coldstream has the Hirsel which has nice walks while granny can be left in the tearoom.
The east part of Fife has some stunningly pretty fishing villages like Crail and Anstruther but I find it a bit flat/sandy to enjoy the driving.
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2nd East Fife - St Andrews and East Neuk - amongst the driest parts of Scotland.
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Why not base yourself in or around Berwick upon Tweed and then you have the choice of going by car south to Lindisfarne, Bamburgh Castle , Alnwick castle and gardens, Cragside etc or north to Eyemouth , North Berwick or even Edinburgh.
Going west sees you in Kelso ,Jedburgh ,Melrose ,Cheviot hills etc.
Berwick itself is interesting with its Elizabethan walls and three bridges over the river Tweed.
Lots of nice pubs as well.......
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>> Why not base yourself in or around Berwick upon Tweed and then you have the
>> choice of going by car south to Lindisfarne, Bamburgh Castle , Alnwick castle and gardens,
>> Cragside etc or north to Eyemouth , North Berwick or even Edinburgh.
good shout
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Ach, not quite far enough. We've done Northumberland more times than you can shake a stick at, and whilst we do indeed like Berwick, Alnwick, Jedburgh etc very much, we have done them and surroundings a number of times.
Thanks for the confirmations that perhaps East Fife might be worth an investigate.
I suppose part of the issue is that the above criteria apply, it has to be UK based for m-i-l, and having been doing this for over 30 years now, once or twice a year, we've DONE everywhere we can think of. I can't believe we've run out of places, and Scotland East is just the one place I can think of we've never been - furthest north was Eyemouth, last year in fact, when we stayed just outside Berwick.
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Ok, I'm seeing Lomond Hills regional park, perhaps for a base, then I'm seeing St Andrews, RRS Discovery in Dundee, Kirkcaldy, Scone Palace, Drummond Castle, Kellie Castle, Dunfermline and a bunch of coast.
Do we reckon that adds up to something, anyone who knows the area?
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To Aberdeen, and up the Dee valley to Ballater, Braemar.
Then across to Aviemoor and the Cairngorms.
Or up to Inverness, then up the east coast - Tain, where the ten men make Glen Morangie, and Dornoch. Or you can go Westfrom Inverness toStrathpeffer and various villages across moorland to Acnasheen, Plocton, Kyle of Lochalsh and Skye - though you might have been there.
Neil
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Interesting, Neil, thank you. Will poke about with some of that too then. Appreciated.
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Lots to see & do assuming the weather is "reasonable" - you can throw in the Falkirk Wheel & the Kelpies (100ft high horse head statues) - both unique and can be free if you do not take a boat trip on the Wheel.
www.scottishcanals.co.uk/falkirk-wheel/
www.thehelix.co.uk/things-to-do/the-kelpies/
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As a nearby resident I would reccomend any fishing village between Elie and Crail if you want a quiet area of the Fife coast. You would be in easy reach of St Andrews and the inland villages, Kellie castle, Cammo house and grounds, lots of other touristy stuff, beaches, if only to sit in the car and admire the view and civilisation is nearby if you feel the need.
www.visitscotland.com/destinations-maps/kingdom-fife/?gclid=CjwKEAiA9om3BRDpzvihsdGnhTwSJAAkSewLMNdcoNUIIkqftl6khJ6OzXE0U8DLxJKrFTdo3R7z4xoCvWHw_wcB
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 11 Mar 16 at 16:54
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Really helpful, thanks for all the suggestions.
I shall see how the land lies this weekend, and if it's a go, charge the Zoe ready to leave early Monday, which of course we will need to do if we want to be there for August.
Actually, even if m-i-l decides not this time (ooh, no, don't like colour of the tarmac on the A1) I think Mrs C and I will go for the Fife idea at our next opportunity on our own holiday. Looks like our kind of place entirely. In which case we will go to the Cotswolds again or something in August.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Fri 11 Mar 16 at 17:48
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The Black Isle? Over the Kessock Bridge and turn right from Inverness. One of my favourites partly because it is the best place in the UK to watch dolphins in the wild without going on a boat.
www.moraydolphins.co.uk/watch/chanonry-point.html
That's between Rosemarkie and Fortrose. There's a seriously good pub/restaurant at Fortrose assuming it's still on form - the Anderson.
There are cottagey opportunities I believe along the south coast, certainly some in Avoch and Rosemarkie.
You can take a novelty car ferry from Cromarty to Nigg if you want to visit Glenmorangie or Dalmore for example, or any of a large number of Speyside ones on the Nairn/Elgin side of the Moray firth.
The Culloden battlefield is handy if you like that sort of thing. Big visitor centre, and NT for Scotland so your English National Trust cards will get you in. Fort George, straight across the firth from Rosemarkie, is worth a visit.
Brodie Castle (NT for Scotland) is somewhere east of Nairn - not been there yet.
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Oh blimey, Manatee, that sounds great as well. Everyone would be delighted with dolphins. I think you've found us a second holiday as well.
We walked Fort William to Inverness doing the Great Glen Way last year and it was fab - but wanted to explore more of the Inverness area afterwards and didn't have time.
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...dolphin's almost "nailed on" - though you could be unlucky.
Last watched them in June last year and got a marvellous display for best part of an hour.
The Anderson is "interesting". We didn't get chance to give it a try, but it is recommended locally; looks rather run down from the outside; but displays a sense of humour with a sign saying "Don't worry, it is much better inside". ;-)
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You're going to Scotland on a road trip in an electric car?
Oooookaaaay...
Your call of course.
Peebles, Kelso, North Berwick for part of it maybe, Crail and St Andrews perhaps for another day. Move inland to Crieff, Scone or somewhere along the upper reaches of the Tay. Edinburgh if feeling energetic ( really nice botanic gardens there if you like that sort of thing ) and a castle of course. Plenty of cultural stimuli in the capital.
Have fish and chips in North Berwick or Anstruther, hard to split where they're better but nowhere else ( in the world ) comes even close.
Perhaps consider taking a towrope ( just saying ) distances can be deceptive.
Have a great time, the natives are surprisingly friendly. And you get to use pound notes again.
;-)
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>> Perhaps consider taking a towrope ( just saying ) distances can be deceptive.
>>
>> Have a great time, the natives are surprisingly friendly. And you get to use pound
>> notes again.
>>
>> ;-)
>>
I haven't seen a pound note for years. As for distances, friends in Aberdeen received a call from visitors from the south saying they were at Gretna and would be with them in a couple of hours. They seemed surprised when told they could at least double that and it was over 200 miles.
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No great surprise, i think most have a poor geographical knowledge of Scotland, me included despite driving up there a few times. A good example, when the football results come on ask most people in the UK where they are, i doubt most would have a clue.
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It would probably surprise many to learn that an appreciable number of the Scottish population have never actually been to England either. Not that they haven't travelled, but that they tend ( unsurprisingly ) to want to go somewhere warmer when they do.
My in laws who live in Cheshire had never been north of the border until they were in their 50s and even then only to visit us when we lived there. Now they go to Scotland regularly even though we no longer live there !
In fact for a bit of a straw poll, how many here have been to all of the other three countries in the British Isles and Ireland ( apart from the one where you live of course )
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Ireland, Engerland, Wales and aye Scotland...only once mind you. Not for the want of trying though...en-route for a week near Lossiemouth in 1997, my phone rang on the M6....my mother, not totally unexpectedly had died, so never made it there.
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All of them. Lots. Both types of Irish too.
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I have visited all many times but I am very old so have had time to visit many places.
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Visited every county in England Wales and Scotland plus three of the Channel Islands. Never been to Ireland but hope to remedy that soon with a trip to Dublin.
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I went to Wales once, 40 years ago, and once was enough.
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and probably enough for Wales as well ! :-)
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In a couple of months we are going on a pensioner juant around Scotland, mainly to visit the north western extremity. The route will be home, Perth, Aviemore, Keith, Inverness, Wick, Thurso, Laxford bridge, Ullapool, Inverness, Fort Augustus, Fort William, Glen Coe, Callander, Stirling , home. In round figures somewhere between 500 and 600 miles including tourist diversions on route and seven days.
A good geography test for some. :-)
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>> In a couple of months we are going on a pensioner juant around Scotland, mainly
>> to visit the north western extremity. The route will be home, Perth, Aviemore, Keith, Inverness,
>> Wick, Thurso, Laxford bridge, Ullapool, Inverness, Fort Augustus, Fort William, Glen Coe, Callander, Stirling ,
>> home. In round figures somewhere between 500 and 600 miles including tourist diversions on route
>> and seven days.
>>
>> A good geography test for some. :-)
>>
I know those ones, they're Scotland ones.
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I was in Scotchland for a few days earlier this week.
Company is just in the process of moving offices but the current location is in a lovely place between Port Glasgow and Greenock.
Lots of unusual wildlife there. Mostly nocturnal.
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I have been to them all, but only on business to Ireland unfortunately. I really should have a holiday there to explore.
I once went to Carrick on Shannon; I got a booked taxi from Carrick to fetch me the 40 miles or so from Knock airport. The driver was a friendly cove. After he had apologised for the third time for the fact that it was coming down stair rods, I said "that'll be why it's so green then - I like a bit of rain".
"Troy f-g living here!" came the reply.
Last edited by: Manatee on Fri 11 Mar 16 at 20:31
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I've been to Scotland many times but only once that was not for business. Likewise Northern Ireland was business too.
But despite being in Edinburgh for weeks in total - never been around the centre. On business I was staying out of the centre and after long days you don't want to necessarily go out.
I obviously live in England if you know me on here but was born in Wales.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 11 Mar 16 at 23:20
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Funnily enough, I was talking to a friend and colleague about travelling on business today. Both he and I have spent most of our adult lives doing that.
As a result we have both been to many places we maybe wouldn't have or at least probably wouldn't have visited alone.
We were comparing notes on how we fill in the time when away from home on business but not actually working or sleeping.
I generally try to see or do something touristy if it's that kind of place, for example in New York I'll take myself to Yankees game or take a walk in Central Park or visit the Empire State Building or whatever.
My friend says he never does that sort of thing on his own and just tends to stay in his hotel, even eating in his room mostly because he feels too 'alone' in a restaurant dining solo.
Of course most things are improved if they are a shared experience but if I'm given the chance to see or experience a new and potentially interesting place ( better still at someone else's expense ) then il take it and generally enjoy it. Travelling solo can also lead to meeting new people more easily as you just tend to end up talking to someone as opposed to being in a pre -determined group or couple.
I was saying to him that it seems a shame he hasn't tried to get more out of his trips than just work but he just doesn't seem to want that so fair enough.
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Elie & Earlsferry in Fife (as already mentioned) would be perfect. Lots of nice cottage to rent, nice village, beach and harbour. Just the right amount of shops to find daily needs but not to seem crowded. Watersports centre in the harbour too if MIL fancies a bit of windsurfing.
St.Andrews an easy run out for lots to see and many other atractions in the areas inland.
And if you can drag her away from the watersports there's always the chainwalk...
albertlawrie.co.uk/10.html
Last edited by: Fenlander on Sat 12 Mar 16 at 11:59
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Scottish advice - Zero
