June travels to Scotland

[Jock Scot]

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]

...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 ...

[Liam]

I find when asked "What tartan is that?" it is best to respond very briefly, "The Maple Leaf", or "MacDonald". The response will often be as it was last Friday, "Oh, I belong to Clan MacKay". The asker is being polite in much the same way as they might say "Isn't it a lovely day". There is no need for a lecture or justification.
Now, last Friday as well, I was asked by an acquaintance that I hadn't seen in over 35 years, "Why the kilt?" My response was a bit more lengthly, but still brief "I recently retired and now can wear what I want, when I want."
Sometimes I have been asked "Are you a Piper?" To which I respond, "No but I like Scots whisky."

[cessna152towser]

I'm no particular fan of Edinburgh or Inverness. Too touristy for me. You wouldn't look out of place in a kilt in either city but don't be surprised if you are assumed by the locals to be a tourist from North America. Even so, you will be very popular with tourists from elsewhere in the world who will want to be photographed with the "kilted Scotsman".
You'll love Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye. Scenery is absolutely breathtaking and the natives are friendly.
Stirling is a nice little city. Lots to see and do including the Wallace Monument, Stirling Castle and the Bannockburn battle site. Stirling is also only a few miles from Falkirk with its famous boat wheel on which you can take a ride.
Stirling is about equal distance from Edinburgh or Glasgow so maybe you will have seen enough of Edinburgh and want to spend a day in Glasgow with its fine architecture, beautiful parks, magnificent museums, friendly locals and vibrant waterfront.
Its a shame you don't have time to come south of Edinburgh and visit this area, the Scottish Borders with all its historic castles and tower houses, a great history of Border Reivers, the rolling hills of the southern uplands, the sunshine coast of the Solway, Dumfries with its 400 year old pubs, also Peebles which is a popular centre for mountain and trail biking - wait you need to come back every year and visit another part of Scotland each time.

[SeumasA]

- wait you need to come back every year and visit another part of Scotland each time.

Can't afford to make the trip every year, but that's basically our idea. The plan for the next trip is to start at Skye, then to Lewis (I want to see the stones at Callanish) and work our way through the islands to Mull and Iona.

[brewerpaul]

To update just a bit we are booked on air and b&b. I still have to get a night in and night out lodging in Edinburg when we arrive and leave. For our flexibility, and because it wasn't very expensive, we opted to rent a small car. Our plans are to do a lot of hiking(hill walking) and exploring that may not work out with bus lines. Though I would rather do it all by rail and buses I just dont want to be left out in the wilds of the Isle of Skye without transport home. Survival isnt the issue, I do a bit of mountaineering and guiding, it's more getting back without the issues of buses running or not. With this in mind we are quite free to explore the Isle of Skye, Inverness, Sterling and the surrounding areas.

Thanks @jockScot for the rundown on the dreaded tartan discussion. I plan to bring one kilt, my Stillwater wool Blackwatch kilt. This is the easiest to wear without to much questioning about tartan, family and all that goes with it. Ill be glad to buy an ale for someone who presses the matter and maybe move the conversation to crazy American politics. Just kidding but we are really getting excited about our trip.

Please any and all suggestions still needed.

[Jock Scot]

I think the car option is a good one. Fuel is not a problem in the Western Highlands, but we do go on the theory that when the tank is half full/empty, then fill up at the first fuel station you come to. There are some lonely places and do not expect 24 hour service. I am not trying to teach you how to suck eggs, but ticks are about in considerable numbers out on the hill, midges can be an absolute pain as can cleggs(horse flies). A quick visit to a chemist might be an idea to buy the simple and cheep, tick puller thingies and a pint or three of Avon "Skin so Soft" to help in keeping the midges at bay. Very good OS(Ordinance Survey) maps are available from many shops, the local shops really are a better bet as they stock local maps, and very helpful(essential on the hill, as is a basic compass)they are.

Have a great time and if I can assist then please get in touch.

[neloon]

Paul,
It would be good to start spelling our capital city with its terminal "h" before you arrive!
The car is good and Highland roads are much better (?depending on you point of view) than they used to be but it will probably take you longer to get from A to B than the mileage might suggest. Indeed, some of the most interesting roads are single track with passing places, used also to allow overtaking. The rules for these are just simple courtesy and a friendly wave but in the peak tourist season (not June) the constant stopping is just something you have to accept. For ordinary roads, visitors easily forget to drive on the "wrong"(!) side after a stop but, in a hired (right hand drive car) that may not be such a problem.
I notice that, like me, you are vegetarian and this should not present any problems nowadays. I agree with Jock that you need protection against our various insects that are not vegetarian and, of these, ticks are definitely the most serious as potential carriers of Lyme's disease. If you are lucky, you might meet an adder - our only poisonous snake - but they bite only if tormented and the venom is very serious only for young children and dogs.
Alan

[Jack Daw]

" 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...

[Jock Scot]

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...

Quite so! Should that route be taken it would add at least another half an hour to the lecture, for each "entitled" tartan!