Scotland road trip

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ric
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Trevor Morley's Tache said:
Spent a day climbing at Huntleys Cave once. The only time I've ever had to climb wearing a mosquito net. My hands were covered in bites, even using industrial strength DEET.

Ive since discovered that Avon Skin So Soft works an absolute treat against Scottish midges.
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Skin so soft is my go-to mossie repellent. It really works.
 
Magicpole said:
Our midgies see Skin so Soft, as an amuse bouche.
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Last time we were in Plockton we were having a pint outside the Plockton Inn and the midges started up. There were three or four German bikers in their full head to toe leather gear and I said to them better finish your pint inside it will be more comfortable. They laughed at me. ‘What do we care about tiny midges in our full leather gear’ one said laughing in a very Germanic way. So we went in and enjoyed our pint. 5 minutes later……. Swearing and itching and tearing their jackets off…. How we laughed in a very Scottish way.
Nothing worse than hundreds of Scottish midges inside your leather trews.
 
In my thirties and haven't bothered to visit once, I quite fancy seeing Edinburgh Castle and Greyfriars Bobby, maybe an Old Firm game. Can't be arsed with midges though.
 
Aye, sit ye down by the fire and I’ll tell it the way it comes to me — not from books, but from the long memory of this land and the wind that’s never done speaking.

We were our own folk once, long before any king in London cast an eye this far north. The Gaels came over the sea from Ireland, bringing their tongue and their ways, and the old Picts were folded into that story. Here in the islands, the Norsemen followed — hard men from across the water — and for a time we belonged as much to Norway as to Scotland. Even now, you’ll hear it in the place names, and feel it in the bones of the land.

But Scotland became a kingdom in its own right, and a stubborn one. When England grew strong and sought to pull us under, we did not bend easy. You’ll have heard of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce — names carried like a storm on the wind. At Bannockburn, the English were thrown back, and for a time at least, Scotland stood free and proud.

But it’s not always the battles that shape a people — sometimes it’s the bargains.

In 1603, our own king, James VI, took the English throne as well. Same man, two crowns — but still two countries. It was a quiet kind of joining, though the distance between us and London never truly closed.

Then came 1707 — the Union. Scotland’s parliament was dissolved, and power shifted south. Some will tell you it was for trade, for stability, for survival after failed ventures like Darien. Maybe that’s so. But out here, it felt like something was given up that could not be reclaimed so easily.

And still, the old loyalties held. The Jacobites rose more than once, backing the Stuarts — our kings in exile. The last of it came to grief at Culloden in 1746. After that, the Highlands and Islands were broken in a way that’s hard to explain if you’ve not felt it.

The Clearances followed — landlords, many chasing profit, drove folk from the land. Some were sent to the coasts to scrape a living from poor soil and the sea — crofting, they called it. Others were shipped off to Canada, to Australia, scattered like seed on high, flint ground. That’s the shadow that still lies on these islands.

England, you ask? Well — it’s not a simple thing.

There’s been dependence, aye. Industry, trade, war — Scotland tied into the British whole. We fought together in empires and in wars far from here. Glasgow built ships for that empire; Highland regiments marched under the same flag as English ones.

But there’s always been a sense — quiet or loud, depending on the time — that Scotland is not England. Different law, different church, different memory of how things came to be.

In more recent years, some of the power came back north. A parliament again in Edinburgh, since 1999. And talk — always talk — of independence. Some want it, some don’t. It’s not settled, and maybe never will be.

So what’s the truth of it, from a crofter’s chair?

England is neighbour, partner, sometimes master, sometimes kin. Scotland has been bound to it for centuries, by force, by choice, and by circumstance both. But the land remembers otherwise — and so do the people.

Out here, where the Atlantic keeps pounding and the soil is thin, we don’t trouble too much with grand politics. But we know this much:

We were ourselves before the Union.
We’ve been something else since.
And the question of what we are now — that’s still being worked out, like a field full of stones that’s never quite cleared.
 
Ric said:
Thinking of doing a road trip to Scotland this summer with the family, as we’ve never really done it before. Probably 4-5 days ago in total, from Manchester. Any suggestions on routes/places to visit/things to do? Thanks in advance!
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Inverness to Isle of Skye. Wouldn't bother too much with the lochs but check in everywhere on way.
 
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Wish I had a campervan, wish I had the time. Hard to do properly without. I tend to do places by area. Last time I was up there did glasgow, Stirling, Perth and St Andrews.
Ive also done Edinburgh Leith Dundee and Aberdeen.

I really do need to hit the east coast, the islands and the highlands.

I need to fucking retire basically.
 
Cityfan said:
Scotland is about two thirds the size of England and it takes about half a day to get from Manchester as far as the central belt.
(I do the trip down regularly to the Etihad)

You are not going to see the majority of Scotland in 4-5 days.
You will need to decide what kind of places you want to see and have a bit of luck with the weather.

The West Coast is the most scenically attractive part of Scotland in my view it's also got the slowest roads.
Personally for a relatively short trip I'd pick a spot on the West Coast and try short trips from there.
Lovely spots include the likes of Arisaig, Ardnamurchan, Plockton or you could try larger places like Obama or Fort William.

Edit Obama is an autocorrect, meant to be Oban
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Haha if he gets to Oban get the ferry to beautiful Mull, just love the place and the distilery hic ;-)
 
blueparrot said:
Top tip if it's just Scotland doesn't start at the central belt and above.The Borders East or West side are outstanding (bit biased it's home)I'd take the M6 through Hawick to Kelso or Melrose area for a night then Edinburgh or Fife over to the the West and maybe stop around Kircudbright in Dumfies and Galloway on the way home.
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Done that a few times, good advice. :-)
 
if you're going at all, you must do the west coast drive up through Glencoe. Sunsets in Arisaig are mind blowing. There is a bay with about a dozen tiny island/giant stones, with the greens snd blues, and red sky you think you're on a alien planet. There is a Caravan/ camping site. You will have a great time in numerius places. Do mine. You won't regret it.
 
If you wanted to see the South West of Scotland you couldn't have chosen a better week than this one now! Clear blue skies, midges still not active, days getting longer, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, new born lambs in the fields, Cherry blossom on the trees, bright yellow gorse in the hedgerows, early Blurbells starting to flower. attractions which have been busy during the Easter school holidays now rather less crowded, mornings and nights a bit chilly but during the afternoon we've been driving around with the car roof open - late April normally the best time to visit SW Scotland!
 
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