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I need help from nice Scottish folks regarding where to stay

I need help from nice Scottish folks regarding where to stay

Old May 31st, 2002, 09:29 PM
  #1  
Duane
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I need help from nice Scottish folks regarding where to stay

Hello all,

I've done a cursory search to no avail. My brother has just found out, literally in the last 24 hours, that he will need to spend approximately 4 weeks in Scotland for work. He will be working as a consultant to IBM United Kingdom Limited in Greenock, Scotland.

He will be bringing his wife and his two young children with him for this work assignment, since he will be there for a month. He is supposed to be working in the town of Greenock, Scotland, which as I understand it is approximately 40 minutes outside of Glasgow.

Is there anyone out there from Scotland, who is familiar with this area. Should he stay in Glasgow and commute (via train or automobile) to Greenock, or is there a better idea? Will there be anything in Greenock for his family to do while he's working? He intends to explore Scotland on the weekends while he's there, so he would like to be located close to an area with good train service.

As the family "travel agent", I am helping with their travel plans, but it would be extremely helpful if someone out there knew of a place (town, village, city) that would be ideal for his situation. His son is one (1) year old, and his daughter will turn three (3) while they are in Scotland.

Would it be best to be located in Glasgow?Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Duane
 
Old May 31st, 2002, 09:30 PM
  #2  
Duane
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Oh, and I forgot to mention, he has to leave by mid-June! Thanks again for your help.

Duane
 
Old May 31st, 2002, 09:55 PM
  #3  
Duane
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Oh, and I forgot to mention, he has to leave by mid-June! Thanks again for your help.

Duane
 
Old May 31st, 2002, 11:56 PM
  #4  
Sheila
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Well, I hate to say it, but NOT in Greenock. This is a bit off my patch. There are a couple of guys who lurk in here, one of whom posts as frank@hotmail-that's not his address- and Bill Barr- I can't remember what his email address is, but I have it and Frank's somewhere on the computer. They are both Glasgow based and would be better asked. I'll email both of them and see if they'll come and answer you.

Unless his wife is VERY self sufficient, I'd go for a town or village; and your choices are- somewhere over the Erskine Bridge; Glasgow itself; or somewhere down the Ayrshire coast. Oh, add one- Arran- big island in the Firth of Clyde- direct ferry link to Greenock, I think

Personally I'd probably Arran or Ayrshire, but I think we need to know a bit more about what your brother's family likes in its life.
 
Old Jun 1st, 2002, 05:59 AM
  #5  
xxx
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ttt
 
Old Jun 1st, 2002, 07:39 AM
  #6  
Joe
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I have several friends, Scotish and American, that have worked out of the IBM Greenock Facility. I have been to the area several times. Most of my friends stayed or lived in Largs, a small seaside community not far from Greenock. It has all the amenities for family living, shops, services, churches, schools, oh yes, pubs, etc. We have stayed with friends each time we visited, so I can't point you to a specific facility, but it is a delightful little village, well located for touring Scotland and an easy commute to the Greenock Plant. If you want to give me your email address (my email address above is actual), I will see if one of my freinds that lives in Largs can help.
 
Old Jun 1st, 2002, 07:57 AM
  #7  
janis
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Largs is probably their best choice for location and amenities. There are several self-catering holiday flats in Largs - I don't have any URLs at hand but will look for them later today. A cottage or flat would give you lots of room, have a full kitchen, washer/dryer etc. and be cheaper than a B&B (but I assume the company will defer the cost of accomodations)
 
Old Jun 1st, 2002, 04:15 PM
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bill barr
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Gourock, a few miles south of Greenock is a pleasant seaside town with a good number of expensive homes and commuter road and rail connections to Glasgow.

There is a reasonably large community of American folks in Gourock who work at IBM, one of whom became a friend of our family. He loved the town and regarded it as his gateway to the highlands e.g. ferries from its harbour (and also Hunter’s Quay) across to Dunoon and onwards through Bute and Argyll. He spent much of his time travelling to the village of Tighnabruaich where he had a holiday home and could get there in well under two hours. Some reasonably good information can be found atBR>
http://www.gourock.org/

Largs has already been mentioned and I endorse what has been said. A few miles south of Largs is West Kilbride and Seamill. Also perhaps worth considering. Some good historical sites in the area such as Portencross Castle and Hunterston House. If your brother plays golf then these could be the towns for him. Largs, West Kilbride and Seamill are in North Ayrshire and details of the area can be checked out atBR>
http://www.ayrshire-arran.com/

Bill
 
Old Jun 1st, 2002, 06:52 PM
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xxx
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ttt
 
Old Jun 2nd, 2002, 04:31 PM
  #10  
tippity
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ttt
 
Old Jun 2nd, 2002, 06:43 PM
  #11  
Tracy
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Hey Duane,

No to Glasgow, yes to the countryside - you've received some good advice so far.

If your bro's family has any time off, I'd recommend Crinan and the Isle of Iona for a super long weekend break - they're totally unlike anything they will have experienced in the States.
HTH!
t
 
Old Jun 2nd, 2002, 08:31 PM
  #12  
janis
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Topping for David
 
Old Jun 2nd, 2002, 09:52 PM
  #13  
Robert
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I really appreciate all the help everyone has given my family on this... All these suggestions sound great! If anyone knows anyone that might have any suggestions in the area of Largs or Gourock I am all ears!

Some of the responses I have recieved directly to my email address have been wonderful as well!

Thank you all...
 
Old Jun 3rd, 2002, 12:03 AM
  #14  
ttt
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ttt
 
Old Jun 3rd, 2002, 12:19 PM
  #15  
ttt
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ttt
 
Old Jun 3rd, 2002, 10:09 PM
  #16  
ttt
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ttt
 
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