June travels to Scotland

**tpa** · 6th April 15, 05:29 AM

Relax, wear your kilt to travel and sight-see. If you are as comfortable in it as you sound, it is not only practical, but in my opinion the best way to travel. If you want to take in any games, this link gives you a list. Most of all enjoy yourself and Scotland's renowned hospitality.

**Stephan** · 6th April 15, 09:42 AM

Just a couple of comments....

If you're walkers/hikers, check this website out: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk. You'll find a walk for every part of Scotland that you visit.

As far as I'm concerned, you will see the best of Scotland if you WALK Scotland, period.

Plan as much as you can or set modest travel/sightseeing goals...it saves on wandering around and wasting your time AND sideways energy. There are so many things to see and do and whatever you choose will take up more time than first thought. You can't do everything, so plan in a way that gives you the time to appreciate whatever you decide to do.

It's nice that you'll be travelling by rail as it's well organized and gets you to places. Just for fun, check out what it might cost for a car hire....yes, more expensive in the summer but it would give you the unbelievable freedom to drive down the unbeaten track!! Surprisingly, buses will take you to wherever the train doesn't go and I'm sure you will find it just as practical.

Have fun!!

Stephan

**tpa** · 6th April 15, 10:29 AM

If you hire a car, bear in mind that travel on the West coast of Scotland, in particular, takes at leaast twice as long as you expect or normally calculate.

**Dughlas mor** · 6th April 15, 08:05 PM

@Stephan, I just have to say, that is a very cool website!

**brewerpaul** · 7th April 15, 06:27 AM

Things are getting exciting as our bed and breakfasts are booked via Airbnb. Thank you for all the information given so far and I hope some more people will add places for us to visit. We will be in the Isle of Skye area for 6 days, Inverness for 5 and Stirling for about 5.

As for the people of Scotland, that is the very refreshing part of the journey. Our last trip was made wonderful because of the people of Scotland. Everyone was enjoyable to talk to and very friendly. It was a breath of fresh air for us and we are very muck looking forward to that aspect of our trip, the people.
@Jock Scot .. I will avoid the "dreaded tartan justification" if I knew what it is. Perhaps Im just in the dark about that discussion and maybe it is best. But I will take it to heart and try to avoid it, whatever it is ;)

**Jock Scot** · 7th April 15, 07:20 AM

Well if you have a couple of hours I could give you an example! To give you a clue, the conversation starts something like this:-

"Is that a MacOnion tartan that I see you wearing?" At this, if one happens to be in a crowded bar,it has the same effect of a shark swimming towards a shoal of herring and suddenly you are alone with the sha.. er um, lecturer

Before you get a chance to reply that its not, or escape the lecture starts! Something along these lines:-

" My great aunts second cousin was married to the Duke of Gumby's brother who moved to Maryland in 1896 and as you know"-----I do?-------" which entitles me to wear the MacCarrot tartan. But as you well know"-------Oh, of course I do?----------"the Gumby line goes back to MacWhatsits who these days wear the MacOther tartan, but in 1267 they wore the Laird of twopence tartan when the thirty third cousin of the then Earl of How-come married the third, no sorry fifth cousin of Sir Harry Worth."----- and so it goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on until just when you think the lecture is running out of steam out come the pictures! And on it goes--------------------------------two hours later a breath is drawn.

The upshot of all this apparently, the lecturer can legitimately wear thirty three tartans and possibly another fifteen if we were to consider the illegitimate lines which as yet we have not covered ----yet!------------------and then there are the District Tartans-------------

I KID YOU NOT! I am afraid the end result is a thought of, so what and.......? That of course would never be said out loud.

I know visitors mean well and these are important issues to them, but they forget that the Scots have all that and more, much more, if they can be bothered and some are, but it is a conversation that is an occasional family matter no one else's. Why? WE ALL have a similar story and daily life has to continue! That is one of the main reasons why we wear ONE tartan! We don't justify it to anyone, no one asks, we just do it.

**S Mitchell** · 7th April 15, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

...Why? WE ALL have a similar story and daily life has to continue! That is one of the main reasons why we wear ONE tartan! We don't justify it to anyone, no one asks, we just do it.

I've been asked many, many times, "What tartan is that?" or "Which clan?" As you've experienced from visiting tourists, Americans don't really have an established etiquette regarding the kilt.

So, I'm always glad I have a simple, one word answer to give - my surname. I don't have to give them more detail than they want and it's all the justification I need to wear my kilt (and some Americans feel you must have justification.)

That single question is the primary reason I never consider any other family tartans, whether the name is in my family tree or not.

I'm still on the fence, though, about maybe acquiring some district tartan kilts ...

**Jack Daw** · 14th April 15, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

" My great aunts second cousin was married to the Duke of Gumby's brother who moved to Maryland in 1896 and as you know"-----I do?-------" which entitles me to wear the MacCarrot tartan.

I don't much care for the MacCarrot tartan, which I have a right to wear, because the red stripe in ancient looks far too orangy for my tastes....and, they don't make the modern...unless, it's a special weave; and, thats too dear a price...

**David** · 9th May 15, 12:58 PM

Its a beautiful part of the country, you will enjoy it. Skye is bigger than it looks on maps. There is a better view round every corner in the road. I'm not a hill climber but Sligachan is close to the Back Cuillin and there always seems to be a gathering of walkers/munro baggers at the hotel there. You could take the train from Kyle of Lochalsh to Plockton on the shores of Loch Carron. you have put me in the notion for a trip there myself.

**cessna152towser** · 9th May 15, 01:07 PM

I have found them so useful when travelling as they can direct you to the closest place to eat or nearest petrol station,

Sometimes the information uploaded on to them is hopelessly out of date though. I had a courtesy car last month and the Satnav flagged up the proximity of a Shell fuel station, which I know from local knowledge closed fifteen years ago, in 2000 when the main road was re-aligned.