Know Before You Go: Scotland
If I were forced to list my favorite countries (to date) Scotland would be #2 - only because I have an inexplicable love affair with Ireland. Scotland is dramatic, steeped in history and character and no matter that it's a popular tourist destination - you can still find what feels like hidden, forgotten spots if you're willing to look. Other than common sense and a good attitude about weather, there's not much you need to bring . Here are a few tips, anyway, that you might want to consider - and don't worry yourself over the haggis. It's not that bad.
1. Dress for rain. You already knew this, right? It's going to rain and you (probably) have a limited time in Scotland, so don't let the weather get you down. Bring really good waterproof shoes, waterproof pants, a waterproof jacket with a hood and a hat with a brim. Leave your umbrella at home. If it doesn't rain, you're incredibly lucky and you just schlepped a little extra stuff around. If it does rain, you can still go out and do nearly anything and the good news is that in between the rain there are often little patches of sunshine.
2. Bring bug spray. The worse bug bites I have ever gotten weren't in Belize, or Puerto Rico or Thailand or any other tropical country. They were in Scotland and Norway. Scotland is populated with what are known as midges. They are tiny, winged insects that travel in clouds and settle all over your body if you are unlucky enough to run into them. I will say that I actually only experienced bad midge bites ONE TIME and it was far out in the middle of nowhere.
We were somewhere around here when it happened. Looking back, I see all the signs. Lots of greenery, water, swampy soil...
Detouring off the North Coast 500, we hit a literal dead end and turned around to connect back to the main road when Jorge hit a rock and popped a tire. Not a big deal, until I looked out the window and noticed that his entire head and shoulders were covered in a cloud of midges. He didn't even notice and of course I felt bad so I got out of the car to help him change the tire and bat the bugs away. Good samaritan rules didn't apply as I was the one who got bit up and he escaped relatively unscathed.
Unless you're planning on sleeping out in the heather and doing a lot of camping/tramping I don't think you need bug nets and all that, but if you are going to Scotland in the summer/fall I would pack bug spray and if you see clouds of them, steer clear.
3. Talk to people in the bars.
The Scottish people (that we've met) seem to have their own particular brand of humor - equal parts funny, grumpy and sarcastic. I remember when we first landed in Edinburgh, we told our cab driver that we were in Scotland as part of our honeymoon. His response was instantaneous:
"Good god, what did you come here for? This place is miserable, go to the beach!"
I know (hope) he didn't really mean it, but a lot of our encounters throughout the country had this same irreverent sentiment that really spoke to me. Some of the funniest conversations we have had have been with random Scottish people in bars. For whatever reason, most of them seemed to be older gentlemen who were escaping from their wives and families for the weekend. I remember one motorcyclist told us that his solution for fights with his wife was just to get on his motorcycle and leave for a couple days. When he came back, all was forgiven. He had been with his wife for something like 40 years, so obviously it works for them.
While this is just a generalization on my part, I am not alone in this observation. Entire websites and articles are devoted to the Scottish sense of humor. Either way, if you go - take the time to experience it firsthand, chat up someone next to you at the bar and maybe pick up some marriage advice.
4. Have a basic understanding of the history. Scottish history is so fascinating. Probably partially because it is so heartbreaking. I am in no position to teach you about Scottish history, but I do find it riveting and have read a lot about it. Plus I've seen Braveheart at least twice so that has to count for something, right?
Joking aside, I do make it a point to read up on the general history of any area before we go there, and because Scotland has a romantic history it was easy for me to be fascinated from an early age. I've read the obvious fiction novels but also delved deeper into nonfiction books and documentaries. This really made an impact on me when we went places like Culloden battlefield or Glencoe.
Culloden Battlefield
This was mounted on a large stone cairn that was built in 1881 by Duncan Forbes. He also raised headstones to mark the mass graves of all the clans.
This wall was a beautifully done memorial - the flush and projecting stones represent both the Jacobite and Loyalist fallen.
Glencoe
5. Eat the oatmeal. Never in my life have I liked oatmeal until I went to Scotland. I burned out very quickly on the full Irish/Scottish breakfast (they are very similar) and I was ready for a change. Oatmeal had never appealed to me, but if you're going to eat it anywhere - Scotland, right? I am sure the heavy hand I had with the brown sugar, raisins and cream had something to do with it - but since our first trip I have been an oatmeal convert. A perfect breakfast to me (at least on vacation) looks like coffee, oatmeal and toast with butter and jam (carbs, carbs, carbs).
So, have I convinced you to go? I hope so - after all, it was voted the most beautiful country in the world.
1. Dress for rain. You already knew this, right? It's going to rain and you (probably) have a limited time in Scotland, so don't let the weather get you down. Bring really good waterproof shoes, waterproof pants, a waterproof jacket with a hood and a hat with a brim. Leave your umbrella at home. If it doesn't rain, you're incredibly lucky and you just schlepped a little extra stuff around. If it does rain, you can still go out and do nearly anything and the good news is that in between the rain there are often little patches of sunshine.
2. Bring bug spray. The worse bug bites I have ever gotten weren't in Belize, or Puerto Rico or Thailand or any other tropical country. They were in Scotland and Norway. Scotland is populated with what are known as midges. They are tiny, winged insects that travel in clouds and settle all over your body if you are unlucky enough to run into them. I will say that I actually only experienced bad midge bites ONE TIME and it was far out in the middle of nowhere.
I was smiling because my face wasn't covered in bug bites yet.
Unless you're planning on sleeping out in the heather and doing a lot of camping/tramping I don't think you need bug nets and all that, but if you are going to Scotland in the summer/fall I would pack bug spray and if you see clouds of them, steer clear.
3. Talk to people in the bars.
The Scottish people (that we've met) seem to have their own particular brand of humor - equal parts funny, grumpy and sarcastic. I remember when we first landed in Edinburgh, we told our cab driver that we were in Scotland as part of our honeymoon. His response was instantaneous:
"Good god, what did you come here for? This place is miserable, go to the beach!"
I know (hope) he didn't really mean it, but a lot of our encounters throughout the country had this same irreverent sentiment that really spoke to me. Some of the funniest conversations we have had have been with random Scottish people in bars. For whatever reason, most of them seemed to be older gentlemen who were escaping from their wives and families for the weekend. I remember one motorcyclist told us that his solution for fights with his wife was just to get on his motorcycle and leave for a couple days. When he came back, all was forgiven. He had been with his wife for something like 40 years, so obviously it works for them.
While this is just a generalization on my part, I am not alone in this observation. Entire websites and articles are devoted to the Scottish sense of humor. Either way, if you go - take the time to experience it firsthand, chat up someone next to you at the bar and maybe pick up some marriage advice.
4. Have a basic understanding of the history. Scottish history is so fascinating. Probably partially because it is so heartbreaking. I am in no position to teach you about Scottish history, but I do find it riveting and have read a lot about it. Plus I've seen Braveheart at least twice so that has to count for something, right?
Joking aside, I do make it a point to read up on the general history of any area before we go there, and because Scotland has a romantic history it was easy for me to be fascinated from an early age. I've read the obvious fiction novels but also delved deeper into nonfiction books and documentaries. This really made an impact on me when we went places like Culloden battlefield or Glencoe.
5. Eat the oatmeal. Never in my life have I liked oatmeal until I went to Scotland. I burned out very quickly on the full Irish/Scottish breakfast (they are very similar) and I was ready for a change. Oatmeal had never appealed to me, but if you're going to eat it anywhere - Scotland, right? I am sure the heavy hand I had with the brown sugar, raisins and cream had something to do with it - but since our first trip I have been an oatmeal convert. A perfect breakfast to me (at least on vacation) looks like coffee, oatmeal and toast with butter and jam (carbs, carbs, carbs).
So, have I convinced you to go? I hope so - after all, it was voted the most beautiful country in the world.
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