Worst Reviews of Scottish Landmarks

[MacCathail]

Read the right way, there are some very useful descriptions given there. The tone is derogatory but what is often being described in fact is something in pristine condition without the unfortunate load of plastic "amenities" so many places have been defaced with. (And not just in Scotland, either.)

But some other comments say more about the commenter's powers of comprehension than they do about the landmarks. They went to see standing stones, a ruin, a mountain, and a lake and they complain because when they got there it turned out to be standing stones, a ruin, a mountain, and a lake. And they were disappointed. Can't help wondering what they were expecting.


"What were you expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sidney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeests sweeping majestically . . . . ?" -- Basil Fawlty https://youtu.be/tcliR8kAbzc

Cheers,

-John-

[The Wizard of BC]

WHAT!, Now wait just one minute. Your telling me that there is no restaurant at the top? Why would anyone climb up a hill but to sip a Starbucks frappe latte while looking out the windows at all the silly people who are still climbing to get where you already are?

Any do you really mean to tell me that I can't get a t-shirt with those silly stones on it to take home to my grandkids so they will know where their inheritance just went?

And I'm totally shocked that they would let all those castles just go like that. My computer showed castles with wooden beams and tapestries and the those people in the funny hats serving those really good turkey legs things. Don't those people have any pride in showing us their heritage? Not one person was there the greet me with a hearty "Well Met", and there was not one jousting tournament. I guess all the local yokals want to do is sit at home and watch their two channels of TV.
You would think that the least they could do is go down to Home Depot and get some cement to put the rocks back, and roll a can of paint on them to make us feel more welcome.

And that valley, what was up with that? Not a single bagpiper playing Amazing Grace or guy in a kilt with that long hairy thing in the front. Haven't those people ever thought of putting a sound system up on those hills? That would look and sound so cool on my new phone.

Well at least we finally made it to our hotel. I was able to score a kilt from that shop in Edinburgh just before our flight left. Only $30.00. That will look really nice on my wall next to my Gordie Hull memorial Hockey Jersey.

[Kiltedjohn]

Perhaps the reviewers might have suggested improvements to these clearly substandard sites. A couple of suggestions:

1) Skara Brae has clearly not been renovated for a very long time. The houses lack basic amenities such as television, fridges, and internet. Much needs to be spent on this village.

2) The Ring of Brodgar has little (as the reviewer suggests) to interest younger visitors. Its size and shape would make it excellently suited to having a miniature railway installed to take visitors round the site.

(Other suggestions welcome.)

[denmcdough]

Personally, I thought all those places of interest looked wonderful. In fact, I visited some of them, also. I guess there's truth in the old saying: beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

[MNlad]

Mt. Everest: Too steep . . . too cold . . . air is too thin . . . Sherpas charge a bloody fortune . . . and when you get to the top all you see are more damn mountains. What a waste.

For some folks, expectations can never be met.

[denmcdough]

Mt. Everest: Too steep . . . too cold . . . air is too thin . . . Sherpas charge a bloody fortune . . . and when you get to the top all you see are more damn mountains. What a waste.

For some folks, expectations can never be met.

I agree 100%!!!!!

[Jock Scot]

Great observations and replies everyone and of course not all our visitors are as difficult to please, thank goodness!

But you know there are traces on this very website, of some mild starry-eyed thinking, from potential visitors to Scotland and its not unusual for members here who have visited Scotland (and thankfully in their reports, have had a great time here) to be nevertheless, surprised and mildly disappointed that more kilts are not seen on a day to day basis. One visiting member was even kind enough to mention that I and others have been telling members here for years, that the kilt is not worn here on a regular daily basis. So whilst we can laugh about all this and tut tut in a humorous way, I really do think that there is an element of wishful thinking by more than a few visitors.

[Mike_Oettle]

Father Bill, that was a lovely set of pictures with really enticing captions. Not sure that I would want to go and see wallabies in Scotland (that’s what Australia is there for!), but every picture had something special about it.
People who write reviews like that in the OP have no soul.
They might as well stay far away from Scotland and Wales (even the guy who lives close to the Ring of Brodgar – he doesn’t deserve the privilege).
Regards,
Mike

[Liam]

Well at least we finally made it to our hotel. I was able to score a kilt from that shop in Edinburgh just before our flight left. Only $30.00. That will look really nice on my wall next to my Gordie Hull memorial Hockey Jersey.

Ah yes the great Gordie Hull, #9, of the Chicago Red Hawks, or was it the Detroit Black Wings.

[The Wizard of BC]

I'm not sure where or when you were born but I for one remember the immortal Gordie Hull. number 83 of the Tucumcari, NM Sidewinders. The very first Sidewinder to score a goal in their 8 year history.
I remember as a boy hearing those stirring words as Gordie and his teammates watched the Stanley Cup playoffs down and Mulligan's bar. "To be great, really great at this sport you just have to keep on skating. Oh, and don't fall down, that's important too."

They were going to retire Gordie's number after his goal but the new guy Dave "The Stick" Brennan didn't have one so he is wearing Gordie's goal scoring jersey now. The one I have on my wall is the one his son wore for halloween in 1984.

I still remember well the Sports Illustrated edition that shows the Sidewinders during spring training. They 'borrowed' skates from the Tucumcari Dustdevils roller derby team and skated down the big hill out on the interstate highway. You can tell how experienced the team is because no one is smiling in the photo. They had all learned from last year that if you smile you get bugs in your teeth.

When they finally publish the tourist guide "Guide to hockey legends of New Mexico" I'm sure that the visitor reviews will be kinder to the statue of Gordie (well, it's actually the Ronald MacDonald stature that they put skates on) than those the OP posted.

See, unlike Scotland that has a bunch of old stuff that no one cares enough about to do something interesting with, we have real honest to goodness heroes and monuments that the whole family can enjoy.

Every heard of Carhenge?