I just wanted to mention, please don’t feel like you should plan this DopeFest around my visit. Pick a date based on when the most locals can attend. [sub]We could always have another one when I’m in town, right?[/sub]
Mid to late may works for me - and I’m all for a little study of the respective habits of porcupines/hedgehogs, never let it be said that we won’t do our level best to fight ignorance.
How does 25th - 27th sound ? Ascension day (that’s the term, right?) is on the 24th, making for a nice 4-day weekend if one were to take friday off.
S. Norman
I’m away in South Africa the last two weeks of April so May would be ideal for me. Glasgow or Edinburgh would be the easiest for most people wouldent it? I’m easy (for the venue!)
A Scotland dopefest would be great! Yes, I’m in Aberdeen (although I’m another American). Any time in April would be good for me. However, late May would not be good for me, I’m afraid – I’ve got six finals, plus Mr. Nim will be back to sea by then. He’s very funny and lively, and not to mention a genuine Scottish person (hey, there have to be one or two there! :)). (FTR he’ll be home from mid-March till the end of April.) But obviously you should set the date for when the majority of people can make it.
We can always do a couple Scotfests if we can’t get everybody to one 
Taking a better look at my calendar, I can do either the last weekend in April or any weekend in May. I really haven’t got any preference beyond that. And, my preference would be Glasgow, but if everyone else wants to do Edinburgh that’s fine with me too.
Another American, here. I’m not going to be in Scotland for the planned Dopefest, but I will be in Edinburgh this weekend (Feb. 23 - 27) for vacation. If you see a tall (sort of), blonde, obviously American guy, yell “Hey, Tommy!” I’m staying at the Maitland Hotel and will be around the tourist hangouts (Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, etc.) I’d love to see y’all.
Glasgow would be fine with us. My husband used to live there and I’m sure he’d like to visit again. Plus I’ve never been there (apart from a trip or two to visit HM Immigration…), so it would be an ideal opportunity to make a weekend of it and see the sights.
I would be up for a Dopefest somewhere in Scotland. The best time for me would be late April or May and I have no preference where. I have never been to Scotland, so it’s all good I think it is about as far as it is to London, so that is no problem.
Anyone who could give all us a little help for things like accomodation, it would be most appreciated. Any hotels or hostels people know of (just means I can drive up and get drunk, without having to worry about driving home).
Rick
Count me in!
I’m in Glasgow, and free throughout April and May. Obviously Glasgow gets my vote for the venue, but Edinburgh is ok too.
Rick! Wondered why we hadn’t seen you around lately.
My experience with accommodations is rather limited as I usually tend to stay with friends when I’m over. I did stay in a hostel in Edinburgh once, just off the Royal Mile but I can’t for the life of me remember the name of it. I’ve stayed in the SYHA hostel in Glasgow, but wouldn’t really recommend it as it’s way up a hill on the West End and I also seem to recall it being really, really cold inside.
As far as hotels go, there is a place called McLay’s Guest House in Glasgow that I stayed in once and was pretty well impressed by. Quite reasonable rates, maybe a 15 minute walk from the train stations, rooms and bathrooms in good shape, and you can book online which is always a plus.
So, someone settle on a date
This grows by the minute, doesn’t it? It begins to look a lot like May sometime, and that should be fine for me. Should anything come up, that’s just my tough luck then. Glasgow used to have a Mayfest, but it became tedious, then moribund, so we’ll just have to make our own version. Or, of course, Edinburgh, Stirling, or anywhere else.
Stirling might be a really good choice. The youth hostel is pretty impressive and quite comfortable, and there is no shortage of pubs. And the setting is pretty ideal, for those people who want to do tourist things. Plus it’s a good Glasgow/Edinburgh compromise.
Hibernicus, clever! I threw in Stirling just for the fun of it, and just not to be too obsessed with Glasgow or Edinburgh (Aberdeen woud be great but not too practical, maybe) but now that you mention it, Stirling is a nice place. Haven’t been there for (a lot of) years, but the youth hostel was good - is it still in that great old building near Mar’s Wark?
On the other hand, does one have to be a youth? Can check with SYHA, I suppose.
Only thing is, for people travelling, Stirling might involve a change of trains and a detour, unlike Edinburgh or Glasgow. Still, easier than Lerwick, perhaps.
There’s no age limit at the SYHAs. Some of them have curfews, though … and the SYHA web site doesn’t always tell you which ones (lesson learnt the hard way!).
I’d be OK with Stirling, BTW.
I could make a Scotfest pretty easily, so count me in, date is unimportant.
And Ruadh, thanks for the hint on curfews…eeek.
So are we going to ignore the principality?
One step at a time huh:)
Now that you mention it, a Monaco dopefest sounds great :).
Celyn, what is that YH building anyway? Some kind of jailhouse? Would you be willing to phone them and check out the curfew situation?
I don’t think it was a jail, but really cannot remember. OK, I’ll ring tomorrow. From the SYHA website http://www.syha.org.uk/ , it appears that Stirling now has two hostels. One (I think the old one) has an “internet kiosk” apparently. New one appears to be named “Braveheart” YUK!
The Stirling Youth Hostel lady cheerfully assures me that, providing one has checked in to the hostel by 23.00, one can then “stagger round the pubs” as long as one is back inside by 02.00.
Maybe the “in bed by 22.00” stuff is only for the real hillwaker ones.
Thats great Celyn thanks for enquiring. Well stirling and the hostel is fine by me. looking forward to it. Any ideas for a date yet? Anytime in May would suit me.
eirroc Hope I spelled that correctly, and why do you name your son after a dip in the ground anyway? I’m easy about the dates, so I’ll stay out of debating that, and leave it to those who have more need to pick one. I think it began to look like May sometime though. Quite good, because then there might be more in the way of heat and warmth!
Oh, and it appears that one does not have be youthful either. I felt I had to ask that!