John

Hi Sheila - I have enjoyed your helpful and interesting advice over the past few months. You also recommended a great b and b for us in Aberdeen. <BR> <BR>However I wonder if you would be prepared to do an all time top 10 of YOUR favourite places in Scotland. I am sure I and many others would find this interesting! I know you are not a huge fan of Inverness and even less so of Dundee (rightly so, I think!). But what are the places you really love - looking forward to your reply...... <BR> <BR>Thanks! <BR> <BR>John. <BR>

Sheila

Most of mine are outdoorsy; and I could add lots I like and where I've had a <BR>good time. However, in no particular order <BR> <BR>The Cuillins <BR>Islay <BR>The East Neuk of Fife <BR>Loch Tay <BR>Edinburgh Old Town <BR>Abernethy, Speyside <BR>North Uist <BR>Coll <BR>Loch Sween <BR>Tobermory <BR> <BR> <BR>Which was the B&B? <BR>

Crisp

Not sure about 10, but my own list of favourites would certainly include: <BR> <BR># Plockton. <BR># Isle of Skye (esp sunset over the Cuillins and the weird rock formations at Troternish) - scuse the spelling! <BR># Mull and Iona area, esp Staffa, Tobermory and the puffins on Treshnish. <BR># Glencoe, esp the walk/climb up Bidean on a crisp winters day, followed by a wee dram in the Clachaig Inn. <BR># Glen Nevis, esp the bit at the end where the road ends and you walk through the gorge to Steall Waterfall at the end of the valley. <BR># Lochranza Bay and nearby Catacol on the Isle of Arran. <BR># The island of Rhum. <BR># Glen Shiel, Five Sisters of Kintail viewed from across the loch. <BR># Edinburgh, especially the view of the city at sunset from Calton Hill at the end of a clear summer day, followed by a refreshing pint of Caledonian IPA in the Guildford Arms. <BR> <BR>well that's nine, anybody else got a number 10 for me!!? <BR> <BR>

Deborah

Thanks for the suggestions!

Sheila

Crisp <BR> <BR>I'm boring enough to think that'sa really interesting list. Are you based in the UK? <BR> <BR>Comments:- most of Skye I find quite dull; but the grandeur of the Cuillins is one of the most magnificent things in my experience. <BR> <BR>I do think Mull's dull; but I LOVE Iona. <BR> <BR>Never been to Arran. Think of it as being....dull. Why is it not? <BR> <BR>Why did both us miss out Torridon? <BR> <BR>

John

Well he asked Sheila but I hope the rest of us can chime in – other choices for top ten in addition to those already mentioned: <BR>Kilmartin town and glen for prehistory debris like you can’t believe; <BR>Culross for a (reconstructed but still amazing) medieval town; <BR>Smoo Cave and the coast around Durness; <BR>Northwest Sutherland in general (I know I’m repeating myself); Glen Hope and Dun Dornadilla in particular; <BR>Dean Village in Edinburgh; <BR>The harbor at St. Abbs; <BR>The Glasgow School of Art; <BR>Glen Lyon, especially in autumn <BR>The town of Kirkudbright; <BR>The Glenmorangie distillery at Tain: holy ground. <BR>

janis

Actually everywhere - - <BR> <BR>But if I had to pick my top 10: <BR> <BR>St Abbs Head <BR>Dunnottar Castle <BR>Craigevar Castle <BR>Glen Coe <BR>Inchmahome Priory <BR>Mull/Iona/Staffa <BR>Glen Btittle - well actually most of Skye <BR>Dryburgh Abbey <BR>Royal Dornoch Golf course <BR>Inverewe Gardens <BR> <BR>Plus 150 other places

travellyn

I like a lot of the previous listings. Here are a few different more: <BR> <BR>Loch Etive boat cruise near Oban <BR> <BR>Boat Cruise on Loch Katrine <BR> <BR>Inverewe gardens <BR> <BR>The Burrell Collection in Pollockshaws, a Glasgow suburb <BR> <BR>Crail <BR> <BR>St. Andrews

travellyn

Oops, I forgot - <BR> <BR>Ice Cream at Nardini's in Largs

Crisp

Hi Sheila, <BR> <BR>I don't think that makes you boring (unless it makes us both boring!!?) Anyway, I am based in Edinburgh (as of a few weeks ago). I used to come up to Scotland from Nottingham; once a month or so - for the weekend as well as a week at Easter and New Year, so thought wot the heck might as well live here and cut down on the commuting! <BR> <BR>Not sure how we missed Torridon - that can be my number 10 (in no particular order). I spent New year there for the 1999/2000 Millenium - weather was dire, but its still a stunning place. <BR> <BR>I have yet to got to East Neuk - must pop up some time! Never been to Islay, Uist or Coll either - maybe someday! <BR>I have heard good comments about Harris - do you prefer Uist? <BR> <BR>I agree that large chunks of Mull are dull, but Tobermory is one of my favourite places and I love the Treshnish Isles / Staffa boat trips to see the puffins. If you are very lucky you might see a whale or dolphins too. <BR> <BR>As for Arran, that too has some large chunks of dullness (especially in the South), but Lochranza and Catacol enjoy a stunning setting with a ruined castle on a sand spit in the bay, views across to deep blue sea to the Mull of Kintrye and a backdrop of the impressive jagged granite mountains of Arran. Also a distillery to look around when it rains and the pub at Catacol is great, they have live music most weekends in summer. <BR> <BR>Lots of favourite places in Edinburgh too, although I prefer the Old Town in Winter when its quieter! Also the view from Arthurs seat on a clear day; the Royal Botanical Gardens, especially in Spring; and the Water of Leith walkway on a hot summers day; <BR> <BR>--previous message--&gt; <BR>"I'm boring enough to think that's a really interesting list. Are you based in the UK? <BR> <BR>Comments:- most of Skye I find quite dull; but the grandeur of the Cuillins is one of the most magnificent things in my experience. <BR> <BR>I do think Mull's dull; but I LOVE Iona. <BR> <BR>Never been to Arran. Think of it as being....dull. Why is it not? <BR> <BR>Why did both us miss out Torridon? " <BR>------end--------&gt;

Dave

I don't know how you all managed to come up with such long lists. I've visited Scotland several times and seen much of the country, but I can only think of two areas in all of Scotland that I would consider my favorites: <BR>1. The Highlands <BR>2. The Lowlands <BR>Try as I might, I just can't seem to think of any more!

vic

Nobodys mentioned the Orkneys - Stromness; Skara Brae; Birsay; Maes Howe; Papa Westray; Scapa Flow....... a fascinating place for anybody interested in archeological sites; wild windswept landscapes; bird watching or just 'getting away from it all and winding down for a while'. Highly recommended.

John

Great thread! Thanks Sheila and others... lots of ideas for my next visit. <BR> <BR>The B and B was in Great Western Road - we were visiting rellies. Think her name was Irene or similar? Very friendly, nice room and good breakfast all for only £14 a night -fantastic. <BR>

chet

Shettland Island? <BR>

gg

Oh my goodness, I cannot believe that no one has responded to this for almost a year!!! We have been to Scotland many times and find it stunning. There was just a little mention of the Orkney islands but for ancient history enthusiasts, they are a must as they have more prehistoric monuments than anywhere else in europe. We were very surprised that few people we met from Great Britain knew much about them. Anyway, as for accomodation: it's quite easy to rent a cottage, right on the sea. Sleeping can be a little more difficult as it is the land of the midnight sun and does not get dark until around 2 a.m. and then light again at 4 or 5 a.m. We went with children and they had a lot of fun. It's flat and windy and treeless but the sea is everywhere. For a green island, we would like to defend poor Mull that was labelled as dull by a few respondees. It really depends on what you're looking for. If you like long walks in a completely open countryside of rolling hills filled with sheep and surrounded by dramatic cliffs with salty air misting your face then it IS the place for you. Happy travels.

sigh

&gt;but the grandeur of the Cuillins is &gt;one of the most magnificent things in &gt;my experience<BR><BR>The Cuillins have recently been SOLD! How can anyone own them, they should belong to the nation. I hope they won't come to qualify for the thread on the tackiest places in Europe.

janis

sigh: Isn't MOST land "owned"? Except for national parks, forestry commision land, Ministry of defense sites, etc. most of the UK is privately owned. <BR><BR>Owning/Selling a beautiful piece of land would seem to be a normal thing. Now the govt could have bought the Cullins and made them a park - - -<BR><BR>But they have always been private property and now it is just the status quo: a beautiful area, privately owned and open to everyone.

Sheila

Sigh<BR><BR>Have they been sold? I can't find that news. Are you just being premature

sylvia

I've just done a bit of news searching. It seems to be true that there is a buyer for the Cuillins. <BR><BR>There is a story in the Independent of18 June 2002 URL is <BR>http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=306368<BR>They say that <BR>it is to be sold for more than &pound;6m to an American tycoon described as a "landscape collector". Perhaps some of our American friends know something about him.<BR>Scotland Today and The Glasgow Herald just describe him as a " mystery American tycoon "<BR>It's a great pity that somebody like the National Trust for Scotland couldn't have bought it.<BR>To look on the bright side, Sigh, if he tried to make it a tatty theme park there'd be an international outcry.

ttt

Topping