Topic: Holiday in Scotland

[Moggle]

Have talked Mr M in to taking me on holiday to Scotland. We will be visiting Loch Lomond (camping), Islay and Stirling (B&Bing) later next month - 6 days. Going to be a long drive from Oxfordshire!

We will be covering a lot of ground, but hopefully will get to see a lot - and drink lots of single malt scotch on Islay!!!

Has anyone been to Islay? Reccomend any of the distilleries over the other? Cost? Any jaw-droppingly gorgeous places to visit on the island?

Also want to visit a castle and/or garden somewhere near Stirling. And am open to suggestion for any other essential places near there to visit.

Thanks in advance all

[return of the mac]

Och, i know plenty places- ive been to almost every distillery so its hard to remember which is which- they just all merge together in my memory as one big distillery, so theyre all good. Edradour is the smallest- very nice i remember.

Stirling has its own castle and theres also edinburgh castle

Gardens- been to the scottish heather collection in Perthshire, you must stop in edinburgh and go to its botanic gardens and glasgows botanic/winter gardens (not sure which- go to the ones not on glasgow green- theyre bigger and better).

Ill post anything else i remember- PM me if youre looking for more details- cant seem to recall them all.

[wardy]

Lucky you off to bonny Scotland  :)   Islay whisky is my favourite so have one for me when you get there.  They have heated floors which actually toast the grains and two old chaps spend their days just turning the grains over and over to make sure all they're evenly toasted.  Sounds like my kind of job  :)
It must be a great place as I knew a bloke who used to go home nearly every weekend from his job in Notts.  He used to drive every Friday to Oban and then get the ferry to Islay from there.  Phew.  He used to tell us about his barrel of whiskey with his name on it which was maturing ready for his retirement  :)

There's a castle with accommodation about 8 miles out of Glasgow - it'll come to me in a minute - Fintry by Glasgow!   Glasgow itself I love for a stop over when you get fed up of driving.  The drive from Glasgow to Fort William is lovely and then onto  Mallaig.  Just wonderful.  Must do it again this year as my OH's cousin has moved up there - not far from Luss which is gorgeous too.  Have a lovely holiday  :)

[Doris_Pinks]

can I come too? Got me own tent! ;D

[lorna]

Hey Doris-Pinks I seem to remember that tent of your sleeps at least four so if Moggle agrees can I come as well. Scotland is a place that I have never visited but would love to one of these days. Late husband years ago when he was tank transport driver in the army went there and also when we had our haulage business. He said the scenery is breath taking. Regards Lorna.

[return of the mac]

I live here, arent you all jeaulous :D Gonna stop by Aberdeen then?

[Carol]

Oh its a lovely place to visit. 

Sometimes...............

[Roy Bham UK]

:) I have a soft spot for Scotland and get very emotional when I look back at the videos we took, I feel sure I was there in a previous life :) a good place to stop over is Callander (not sure of the spelling) it being very central and a beauty spot, (everywhere is) we travelled mainly central west and north on two different occasions, doing bed & breakfast on the way, peeps were very friendly.

On our way up there we stayed at a B&B in Moffat (Still have addy if needed) very picturesque Village and very close to Gretna if needed :o ;D

Didn't do Islay as I may not have moved on hic! Sterling did nothing for me (not wanting to offend ) my greed for breath taking scenery was what I could not get enough of, oh and tatties 'n' neeps ;D

[Amazin]

Loch Lomond used to be my local pond - I was born and raised in Dumbarton.
If you've got time, take a boat trip up the loch and see if you can spot the wild wallabies living on one of the little islands.
In Dumbarton the local whisky is Ballantine's, and just outside the town the bonded warehouses of the distillery are famous for having geese as guard dogs - and very effective they are too! They're known as the 'Scotchwatch'.
On your journey, you'll probably pass Dumbarton Castle, standing atop the mighty Dumbarton Rock. William Wallace was taken there on his journey south after his capture. It's said that if you squint at it in the sunset, you can just make out the silhouette of Mel Gibson...

In Stirling, apart from the wonderful castle, you should visit Wallace's Monument and, if you're feeling spectacularly fit, climb it (though not if you're claustrophobic).

Try this website for more info:

www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk

and happy travelling   ;D

[Doris_Pinks]

Lorna I have to warn you...........I am sometimes known to snore or so they tell me! ;D

[Derek]

I have made three separate trips North of the Border during my lifetime.

On each occasion it has rained to extreme... now someone either left a tap on or they have a severe leak

Derek

[Val]

Watch out for the midges too...the kids have nets in Ballach, thats over their beds... ;D...they bite.

[honeybee]

Hope you have a good time Moggle.
My sis lives not far from Aberdeen so ive had a couple of trips up there myself and very pretty it is too, although my Dad used to say when your driving that you drive so far, you feel like you are going to drive off the end of the world....lol  ;D

[Gail-M]

Hi Moggle,

I went to Islay a few years ago - it was beautiful !!! wish I was going again.

we went to several distilleries - they were all different and worth a visit. Bowmore was good - they use the excess heat for the swimming pool. There were ancient celtic crosses on the way to Lagavulin.

Jura is worth visiting too - very remote and rugged.

Good memories.

Gail

[Merry Tiller]

Lucky you, this is a trip I've been meaning to do for a long time, Bruichladdich, Lagavulin & Laphroaig are in my top 5 all time favourites. Have fun and let us know how you get on

[return of the mac]

Wow theres a lot of places i should go :o , nice that you all love it here.
Anyone visiting should get a bag of rockdust as there are plenty places to get it here-
http://www.seercentre.org.uk/purchase.htm
gives garden centres in scotland selling it

John

[Moggle]

Cheers everyone for your ideas.

Merry, my dad gave me the idea to go there, Laphroig, lagavoullin and bowmore are some of his favourite single malts. I think he is quite envious! I have told him I am scouting it out for him for when they come to visit from Australia eventually  :D

Gail M, sounds like bowmore will be good then, but can't do Jura, can only afford to do one island on this trip!

Thanks for your advice Mac, may do Stirling castle, need to pick wisely though. Mr M is not that in to sightseeing and I have promised to keep it to a minimum - I expect to get plenty of enjoyment out of the scenery though  :)

Amazin, will try to do a lake trip, sounds wonderful.

Doris and Lorna, I'm afraid you can't come!  ;D :P It is my escape from everything and everyone!

Thanks again to everyone else too  :) I will try to take lots of photos and post them here. Just over 2 weeks to go now  :)

[lorna]

OH!! OK Boggle be like that :) I will have to be content with my first visit to Isle of Wight on 11th of this month. Hope to take some pics of the botanical gardens there. I have been told they are excellent. I am sure you will have a wonderful time in Scotland, hope the weather is good for you.  All the best Lorna.