To celebrate turning 40 in September, I've been dreaming about a trip to Scotland, land of my ancestors. As it turns out, poet James Hogg is a distant relation. Anyway, would love to taste lots of whiskeys, hang out with locals in pubs, stay in BnBs or inns, see a few good gardens, eat loads of seafood. Am thinking about flying into Glasgow, spending a few days there. Then, renting a car to tour Arran, Islay, Mull, Oban, and other points in between. Don't be shy; please advise! This would be my first trip abroad. <BR>

Elizabeth! What joy! Someone I don't have to force to go to Islay. <BR> <BR>I don't know Arran but know most of the rest. What would you like to know?

I've stuff on Glasgow ready but it's too big for a single post. So I'll cut it up a bit. <BR> <BR>Glasgow is Scotland’s happening place and it was also the European City of Architecture in 1999. <BR> <BR>There is an east/ west split in Scotland, which leads to intense rivalry between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Edinburgh is the ancient capital and Glasgow is the largest city. Glasgow’s fame is 19th century because of industrial grandeur and imperialism it’s often said that Scots built the Empire. <BR> <BR>Also the industrialisation coincided with the Irish potato famine, and hundreds of thousands of Irish people came to Scotland and especially Glasgow, leading to a second split- Catholic/Protestant. Scotland had a fairly robust Reformation leaving few Catholic families here, and the arrival of hundreds of thousands into the midst of Calvinist Scotland was a shock we have not yet quite got over. It’s one of the reasons that there has never been an IRA atrocity north of the Border- everyone in Northern Ireland is related to someone in Glasgow. It’s said that if you tell people in Glasgow that you are a Jew, you are likely to be asked if you are a Catholic Jew or a Protestant Jew. There are two main football teams, which split along the same divide <BR> <BR>So, a place to stay-Adelaide’s Guesthouse in Bath Street. This is a City centre conversion of a church hall, used to bring in revenue. Never stayed there myself but am told it’s very good. En Suite rooms are c £40 per person per night. If you want cheaper, we can no doubt find it. If you are coming in University vacations, the student residences are available at very good rates. Obviously no en suite but clean and functional. One, Baird Hall, is an A- listed (highest architectural standard in the UK) Art Deco former hotel. <BR> <BR>Things to do- Architecture <BR> <BR>In Glasgow you start with Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Lots of Art Nouveau buildings and other design. The best building is the Glasgow School of Art, (good from the outside but tours 11am and 2 pm(Sat 10.30am))but others include, Queen’s Cross Church, the Mackintosh House(this was his house and shows what a complete artist he was. He designed almost everything in it); Scotland Street School (now a museum of education Mon-Sat 10am-5pm Sun 2-5pm); the Willow Tearooms; Martyr’s Public School; House for an art Lover in Bellahouston Park <BR> <BR>The Lighthouse is the gallery established for the year of architecture. <BR> <BR>The area from the city centre down to the river is now known as the Merchant City- lots of neo-classical 18th century stuff. West of the city centre there’s a grid of fine town houses built when the great unwashed pushed the fine folk out of the centre- lots of Georgian elegance. Another great Glasgow architect was Alexander “Greek” Thomson who worked in the second half of the 19th century. Lots of examples-fusing classical and eastern. Look at St Vincent Street Church. <BR> <BR>The Tenement museum is owned by the National Trust. Lots of central Glasgow was 19th century tenement buildings. The lady who owned this one died about 200 years ago, and it was discovered to be untouched since about the turn of the century. It’s an absolute time capsule. <BR> <BR>Other culture/ history <BR> <BR>The People’s Palace- late 19th century museum of social history with it’s Winter Gardens next door (10-5 daily) <BR>The Necropolis- Based on Pere Lachaise it’s stunning; high on a hill overlooking the City. I wouldn’t send just anyone there. <BR>The Burrell Museum in Pollock Park <BR>The Museum of Modern Art <BR>Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery

And here's the rest. <BR> <BR>You also need to know about the Glasgow Boys. It’s said that the Royal Scottish Academy (artists) wouldn’t take anyone from the west coast in the 19th century. A school of painting based on impressionism grew up in Glasgow around 5 painters- Guthrie, Lavery, Hornel, Henry and Crawhall in the 1870s. Best examples in Kelvingrove. <BR> <BR>Other options <BR> <BR>1. Shop. Glasgow is the shopping city to die for. <BR>2. Transport Museum <BR>3. Botanic Gardens <BR>4. Hunterian Museum <BR>5. Fossil Park <BR>6. Glasgow Horror Walking Tour <BR>7. Waverley (paddle steamer trips down the Clyde- there’s even a song about it) <BR> <BR> <BR>Festivals- Mayfest in early May <BR> Celtic Music Festival in January <BR> Jazz festival- October/November <BR> World Pipe Band Championships- mid August <BR> <BR>Food- For quality Glasgow’s probably better than Edinburgh <BR>Nairn’s TV chef quality Scottish produce simply cooked <BR>One Devonshire Gardens- “contemporary, vogueish and stylish” <BR>The Ubiquitous Chip- in Glasgow society for serious people watching <BR>Rogano- THE Glasgow restaurant <BR> <BR> <BR>There are lots of others but I have restricted myself to the ones I know about. There are in addition some great Indian restaurants- the Ashoka West End (watch out there are others with similar names) and the Shish Mahal are but 2. <BR>There are some great Chinese too. My favourite is the Loon Fung in Sauchiehall Street. <BR> <BR>Everyone speaks to you in Glasgow- usually too much! They have a language all of their own, and no-one is admired as much as those who are “gallus” ( you find out what it means, and explain it to me please) You will find the approach every where in taxis, shops, cafes, clubs, talking to policemen, just everywhere. If you are there at the weekend, you should go to the Barrows (Barras) a market with about 1000 stalls. Don’t buy and hold onto your wallet. Go to watch and listen and have breakfast in one of the nearby caffs. <BR> <BR>There used to be a great tradition of neighbourhood cafes, often Italian. Ones to look for/try are Coia’s in Duke Street and D’Jaconelli in Maryhill Rd. Understand these are greasy spoons, no sought out for cuisine especially. <BR> <BR>Glasgow is the home of the Scottish pub. They are all worth trying, but these are some of the best- definition of best here is “Glasgow”- <BR>The Halt Bar in Woodlands Road <BR>The Corinthian in Ingram Street <BR>The Scotia (my favourite- folk music, writers and journalists) Stockwell Street <BR>The Saracen’s Head (wan singer, wan song) Gallowgate <BR>The Bon Accord- for the beer. N Street( now a slip road of the motorway) <BR>Tennents in Byres Road <BR> <BR> <BR>If you want folk music try the Scotia or the Clutha Vaults nearby. For a ceilidh try the Renfrew Ferry (a real ferry moored on the river. Every Friday night) or the Riverside. <BR> <BR>Glasgow is a big city. It has everything you might like to find. Bits of it are rough, so you need to be careful about where you go late at night. The people are probably about the most friendly in the world. It has a small city centre underground known as the Clockwork Orange. (You’ll see why) <BR> <BR>There’s a fortnightly magazine called the List, which has all the current stuff in it for Edinburgh and Glasgow. Buy it as you get off the plane.

This is what a "Fodorite" wrote after a trip to Mull last year. <BR> <BR>So glad we stayed on Mull rather than the mainland (?) the islands kept <BR>getting smaller. Fairways Lodge was beautiful overlooking the Sound of Mull, <BR>and Tobermory was a good place to spend our one very rainy day. The single track roads were an interesting feature as were all the animals in the road. Loved Iona and especially Ulva. Ed and I "lost our way" and got separated from one group, but found the most gorgous spot for lunch. I've rated it as one of my top 5 views in the small area of the world I've seen. Sorry we didn't climb up Clark's Memorial.Had our best meal at the Anchorage in Tobermory <BR>

random thoughts on Mull <BR> <BR>Mull is a large and not very developed island with, off its north coast, the small island of Iona, from where St Columba brought Christianity to Scotland; <BR> <BR>There are 7 ferries a day across to Mull. The last boat's at 6pm and you have to be there at 5.30pm. You should book the ferry crossing in advance- might not be necessary but why take chances- www.calmac.co.uk. <BR> <BR>You should, as you suggested stay somewhere out towards the west; maybe <BR>Pennyghael, since if you're going to do some Mull touring you maybe don't <BR>want to be too far out. <BR> <BR>This is about eating places on Mull:- <BR>The Druimard House gets a good nameas does Killiechronan House. There are lots of places in Tobermory but I wouldn't pick any as special, except the shops. <BR>There's a gret deli, a great baker and a great sea food shop; and the Isle <BR>of Mull cheese people are just up the hill. Do picnics. <BR> <BR>If you want to go to Torosay Castle check that it will not be closed. <BR>The gardens are open all year round, and you can see round the railway <BR>even tho' it doesn't run after 16th Oct.Similarly Duart castle closes at <BR>the same time. <BR> <BR>Now I'm not a great expert on Mull or Iona. I haven't been to Iona since I was 10 and I went on a paddle steamer from Oban. I remember the Abbey as being very spiritual and there is a wonderful Celtic Cross in the open air. Everyone says that the tranquillity of the place is more marked in the evenings when the tourists have left on the boat. It would be an option to go over on the last boat the night before, or stay this evening. <BR>The last ferry on is at 6.15pm and the last ferry off is at 7.15pm <BR> <BR>As to Mull itself, I have been there a few times recently so I'm better <BR>clued up. I'm not a huge fan except for Tobermory, which is picturesque <BR>and well served. Mostly the landscape is moor, and it's not an island with <BR>great beaches. There are great walks at Carsaig, and you can get a lovely <BR>little ferry to Ulva, have lunch and walk round the island. It has great <BR>birdlife- both eagles and sea eagles. I think the Aros centre at Tobermory <BR>has close circuit TV of a sea eagle's eyrie. <BR> <BR>In Tobermory there's a terrific pub- the Mishnish, a chocolate factory,and you can't but love Isle of Mull silver. <BR> <BR>To see Staffa and Fingal's cave, you either have to take the tourist boat that goes round Mull to Iona; or take a boat trip from Mull. Either way that's a whole day. <BR> <BR>I know Duart is not near Tobermory but Tobermory is so pretty you really do want to stay there. I've stayed in a very good B&B called the Harbour Guest House. There are lots of restaurants and shops. You can then take a day to do Iona (it will take a day- it's a long drive from Tobermory to Fhionnphort) and a day to do the area round Craignure. <BR> <BR>An alternative would be to aim towards Fhionnphort and stay there the <BR>first night on Mull, and either stay again or move up to Tobermory or <BR>somewhere the second. <BR> <BR>If you take the tourist steamer round Mull to Iona remember it goes past <BR>Staffa- Fingals cave, the inspiration for the Hebridean Overture. Iona is <BR>wonderful- cradle of Christianity, beautiful beaches.