June travels to Scotland

**neloon** · 15th April 15, 01:20 AM

Don't forget the Northeast for next time!
Castles- http://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/...s-castle-trail
Whiskey - http://www.whisky.dufftown.co.uk/whisky_trail.php
Hillwalking/biking - http://www.stevenfallon.co.uk/routeseast.html

Alan

**figheadair** · 16th April 15, 05:38 AM

And a third vote for http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ - excellent for Munro ticking

.

This weather forecast site is useful. Although Norwegian it seems to be pretty accurate for anywhere in rural Europe and far better than the BBC - just type in a reasonable size place: Ullapool, Crianlarich etc.

For hill conditions the MWIS site is a good place to check when planning anything serious.

**neloon** · 16th April 15, 08:47 AM

Paul,
Another small point when you're driving. In Scotland the legal alcohol limit has recently been reduced to 50 milligrams of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of blood (as it is in most of Europe but not England and Wales). Most people simply don't drink and drive.
Alan

**Alan H** · 16th April 15, 01:15 PM

When we stayed in Braemar, we did this hike...

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairn...callater.shtml

It's an old ordnance road, I think. It's an easy climb to Loch Callater, which is quite pretty. It poured rain while we were there, and the mist came and went above us in the peaks. In the valley behind the loch there's a nice waterfall. I wish we'd had more time to go see it!

Loch Callater

This is what it looked like on the day we were there:

On a sunny day, at the head of the loch...

**Alan H** · 16th April 15, 01:17 PM

Glen Affric...

**brewerpaul** · 19th April 15, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by neloon

Paul,
Another small point when you're driving. In Scotland the legal alcohol limit has recently been reduced to 50 milligrams of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of blood (as it is in most of Europe but not England and Wales). Most people simply don't drink and drive.
Alan

Many thanks Alan for this point. If we drink while in the car it will be perhaps a pint at a pub while we eat a bite of lunch and visit some castles or such. Otherwise our drinking is reserved to finding an evening pub for a pint or two, withing walking distance from our B&B, and then a nightcap of some good whisky back in the safety of the B&B. We did that last visit and it was quite a nice way to end each evening.

Many thanks for all the links and photos posted. I know the next few weeks will be spent researching and narrowing down places and hikes we want to do. That will keep us from spinning in circles with to much to see and no plan of action. I know we will visit Knockando Wool Mill when we are staying in Inverness. I donate to the wool mill historic fun yearly and want to see the place after all the restoration.

As far as the flying/biting critters, we will manage. Having hiked with net hats before and spent time with ducktape pulling seed ticks off Im sure we will do ok. The deer/horse flys are a bit of a pain but also kinda slow so good targets to swat.

Everyone has been great here, as is always the case on Xmarks, and I know our trip will be a quality visit using this information. many many Thanks
Paul

**neloon** · 20th April 15, 02:02 AM

Paul,
The views on drink/driving have changed since your last visit so here is yet another link
http://www.dontriskit.info/
Alan

**brewerpaul** · 20th April 15, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by neloon

Paul,
The views on drink/driving have changed since your last visit so here is yet another link
http://www.dontriskit.info/
Alan

Im sure it will be obvious as a bright red beacon on my car that Im a tourist so I plan to play it very safe. Drinking is something we enjoy and explore, especially local brewed ales, so I dont plan to see the other side of iron bars unless it is in one of the castle dungeons. Most of our days will be spent hiking or biking so the rare occasion we tourist to some castles will be the only chance we might share an ale with lunch. Otherwise we prefer our pints after dinner and an evening walk back to our B&B. Ive even entertained the thought of a large sign in the back window stating "Yes I am an American tourist, Ill try to stay on the correct side of the lane".

**Dixiecat** · 20th April 15, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by brewerpaul

Im sure it will be obvious as a bright red beacon on my car that Im a tourist so I plan to play it very safe. Drinking is something we enjoy and explore, especially local brewed ales, so I dont plan to see the other side of iron bars unless it is in one of the castle dungeons. Most of our days will be spent hiking or biking so the rare occasion we tourist to some castles will be the only chance we might share an ale with lunch. Otherwise we prefer our pints after dinner and an evening walk back to our B&B. Ive even entertained the thought of a large sign in the back window stating "Yes I am an American tourist, Ill try to stay on the correct side of the lane".

You can drop the American bit. It seems that 98% of the world drives on the right.

**Pleater** · 8th May 15, 08:14 PM

The vehicles I have hired recently have all been fitted with sat nav boxes - which - if they have the features, can be very useful in finding places to stop, park, eat and visit.
The really clever ones - I was most impressed last year when I encountered one for the first time, can direct you around road closures due to accidents.
The portable ones can be very useful when on foot - particularly for finding the shortest route back to the car again, but I am not sure how easy it is to get a map downloaded. I met some visitors who had decided not to pay for the map and download it at home, and when they arrived in the UK the providers were most uncooperative and would not allow them to have a download.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: