The Gathering 2014

**TheOfficialBren** · 12th March 13, 10:44 AM

I'm hoping to make it, schedule permitting. It will be my first trip to the Scotland. Any tips?

**cessna152towser** · 12th March 13, 03:19 PM

It will be my first trip to the Scotland. Any tips?

Timing will depend on your personal interests.
Do you want to be near Stirling for the 700th Anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn re-enactments near Stirling at the end of June, or come to the Borders for the 500th Anniversary of the Battle of Hornshole earlier in the same month? Or does the Ryder Cup or the Commonwealth Games hold your interest? At the moment it looks like I may be co-hosting a clan tent at Bannockburn, Glamis and/or Aboyne at various dates in 2014 and crewing a vintage bus for the Commonwealth Games but it is still over a year away and plans may change. On the sightseeing side, you must visit Glasgow with its magnificent parks, historic buildings and the best shops in Scotland. Also the Clyde Coast and then travel south into the rolling hills of the Southern Uplands and the lovely sandy beaches of the Solway Coast, and our historic castles and tower houses here in the Borders. Heading back north, visit Stirling's historic castle. Go to Dunfermline, Scotland's ancient capital and visit the beautiful abbey and see the ruins of the old royal palace. Also Paisley's restored abbey where William Wallace received some of his education. Travel through the West Highlands via Glencoe, Fort William and Loch Ness to Inverness. Be sure to look up Jock Scot on the way. If you come in June enjoy the long hours of daylight in the north. You should spend an hour or two in Edinburgh just to say you have been there though in my opinion it really is a horrible loud city with lots of beggars, traffic fumes and tourist tat shops. I live only 55 miles from Edinburgh and I only go there when necessary.
Edited to add:- I see you are coming from LA. If you can afford it get an upgrade on your flight. LA to London Heathrow is a ten or eleven hour overnight flight which nearly finished me in 2009 when I took a deep vein thrombosis from being scrunched up in economy class. Then you have another hour's flight from London to Glasgow, Edinburgh or Inverness, a very tiring journey. Or you could break your journey on the USA eastern seaboard, there are direct flights from New York to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

**Jock Scot** · 12th March 13, 03:36 PM

Good advice there Alex. And, yes! Let me know when you are in the Fort William/Loch Ness/Inverness area if you fancy a wee dram.

**John_Carrick** · 12th March 13, 03:41 PM

With all due respect to Alex, and he is certainly correct about the tartan tat shops, I think Edinburgh is a beautiful city and I always enjoy my visits there and I would allocate a bit more time than an hour or two!
John

**Phil** · 12th March 13, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by cessna152towser

You should spend an hour or two in Edinburgh just to say you have been there though in my opinion it really is a horrible loud city with lots of beggars, traffic fumes and tourist tat shops. I live only 55 miles from Edinburgh and I only go there when necessary.

Alex is right, our city Council have spent tha last 5 years or so ravaging its centre with tramworks and the result is a complete shambles just now. Also it shares the scourge of so many cities these days of beggars importuning tourists. I experienced exactly the same in Florence and wonder of Romanian professional beggars have infiltrated every tourist city in Europe. An hour or so is not really enough to spend in Edinburgh though, and if that is all the time you have then it is probably better missed.

**TheOfficialBren** · 12th March 13, 06:33 PM

Good stuff! Thank you very much for your advice, gentlemen, and for your invitation to share a dram, Jock.

I will keep all of this in mind.
Certainly the Bannockburn event interests me, also Paisley Abbey and Inverness-shire from where some of my ancestors hailed.

Nothing concrete just yet. Fingers crossed.

I know that it's WAY up north but have any of the rabble ever been to Skara Brae?

**Jock Scot** · 13th March 13, 02:55 AM

Skara Brae? I have visited there a few times. If you go, take a coat. Its either blowing a gale, or pouring with rain or more usually, both at the same time!

**cessna152towser** · 13th March 13, 04:30 AM

Skara Brae is well worth visiting.
There is a ferry goes from Scrabster on the far north coast several times per day, takes about two hours to Stromness on Mainland, Orkney Isles. You could take a car on the car ferry but it is expensive. Without a car, in high summer season, there are coach tours from the ferry terminal at Stromness or from the main town Kirkwall. While on the Orkney Isles visit also the stone circle known as the Rings of Brogar and the Italian Chapel.

**creagdhubh** · 13th March 13, 05:09 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

Skara Brae? I have visited there a few times. If you go, take a coat. Its either blowing a gale, or pouring with rain or more usually, both at the same time!

Yep!

**creagdhubh** · 13th March 13, 05:13 AM

Originally Posted by John_Carrick

With all due respect to Alex, and he is certainly correct about the tartan tat shops, I think Edinburgh is a beautiful city and I always enjoy my visits there and I would allocate a bit more time than an hour or two!
John

Especially for the superb museums and historical sites alone, yet having spent a lot of time in Edinburgh through the years and having family relatives that live there, I can easily see where Alex is coming from.

Cheers,