# Scotland: When to go? What to see? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 23, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274 "2014-10-23T18:44:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/21 "2014-10-28T13:55:46Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > Castle Stalker is a lovely place to explore a castle without being swarmed by hordes of tourists. And they also lend you coconuts at the gift shop, or they did when we visited. So does [Doune Castle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doune_Castle#Monty_Python_and_the_Holy_Grail) šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/22 "2014-10-28T17:42:01Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Dunottar Castle is only a few miles from me. And Stonehaven is the birthplace of the deep-fried Mars Bar. Quick hijack- I was at Dunnottar Castle & Stonehaven in June of 1998, and the North Sea was as smooth as glass on the day we were there. I grew up near the Gulf of Mexico, and Iā€™ve NEVER seen such a calm sea. Is that normal there? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/23 "2014-10-28T20:21:29Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Is that normal there? Iā€™ve only seen it like that a couple of times over the years, but then I donā€™t live on the coast. I was once on an overnight ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam, and the North Sea was eerily calm for much of the journey, so itā€™s not just a local phenomenon. It was a beautifully clear and moonlit night, with not a breath of wind, and it really was quite lovely. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/24 "2014-10-28T21:05:02Z")
A few years back my wife and I spent a few nights in Edinburgh at the tail end of a UK vacation. It was pretty touristy, but we did a day tour up to Loch Ness and back. Itā€™s actually kind of a long trip past a bunch of Braveheart / Highlander / Rob Roy landscapes and lochs just to see another loch that doesnā€™t actually have a monster in it. You do get to stop and meet one of Inter Aliaā€™s furry cows about halfway though:D ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/25 "2014-10-28T21:17:09Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Iā€™ve only seen it like that a couple of times over the years, but then I donā€™t live on the coast. I was once on an overnight ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam, and the North Sea was eerily calm for much of the journey, so itā€™s not just a local phenomenon. It was a beautifully clear and moonlit night, with not a breath of wind, and it really was quite lovely. It was definitely beautiful, but pretty eerie, like you say. I mean, it was calm and smooth like that all the way to the horizon. My grandparents lived on the coast (Gulf of Mexico, near Galveston), and in the hundreds of times Iā€™ve seen the Gulf, I canā€™t remember it being like that- even a calm day has some waves. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/26 "2014-10-28T21:22:20Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Dunottar Castle is only a few miles from me. And Stonehaven is the birthplace of the deep-fried Mars Bar. My ancestors are from around there. I have at least three that I can think of with the first name of Aberdeen. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/27 "2014-10-28T21:32:17Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > You do get to stop and meet one of Inter Aliaā€™s furry cows about halfway though:D It wasnā€™t called Hamish was it? šŸ˜› Most of the ones the tourist buses stop at to visit seem to be called that for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/28 "2014-10-28T21:36:29Z")
Eilean Donan Castle should look familiar to film buffs as well. Itā€™s in Highlander and _The World is Not Enough_. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/29 "2014-10-28T22:01:51Z")
> [@JerrySTL](#): > > Lock Ness. Sure itā€™s a tourist trap and Nessie is BS, but it still was worth visiting. Donā€™t visit for Nessie ā€”visit for [Urquhart Castle](http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertyoverview.htm?PropID=PL_297), a half-ruined medieval fort with views of the Loch. Itā€™s been a long time since Iā€™ve been, but it was a personal highlight of my time in Scotland. (Granted, I was there in low season, so the place was gray, windswept and totally empty ā€” it only made it more memorable.) ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/30 "2014-10-29T13:13:03Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Are you thinking about hiring a car? Iā€™d seriously advise it if you arenā€™t. > > Engineering? You are wanting to visit the Falkirk Wheel, so just close by are the [Kelpies](http://www.thehelix.co.uk/things-to-do/the-kelpies/) who guard the entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal which crosses the Central Belt > > [Neptuneā€™s Staircase](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neptune%27s_Staircase) on the Caledonian Canal that crosses the country from the North Sea to the Atlantic coast, following a geologic fault of ancient age. > > The [Forth Bridge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forth_Bridge) is a wonderful example of Victorian engineering - go over on the train from Edinburgh if you can. Thereā€™s the very long [Forth Road Bridge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forth_Road_Bridge) right next to it, and right next to _that_ is the construction going on of the third Forth bridge. Having got over the Forth Bridge you could visit ā€œScotlandā€™s Secret Bunkerā€ in Fife, one of the Cold War command centres now open to the public, and RRS Discovery in Dundee, the ship that took Scott and Shackleton to the Antarctic in 1901. On the other side of the country you could visit the Cruachan pump-storage power station. A hell of an impressive engineering feet with the actual generators in a man made cavern inside Ben Cruachan. ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/31 "2014-10-29T15:27:58Z")
Englishman living in Scotland (Edinburgh) past seven years, married to a bonnie lass. Forget the Secret Bunker in Fife - itā€™s absolute rubbish. Thumbs up for castles generally - Edinburgh and Sterling. Donā€™t do too many mindā€¦ Thumbs up for arriving in Edinburgh by train and in the late evening. If taking the East Coast line up from London book at seat at the window on the right hand side. The views up past Berwick and Bamburgh are fantastic as you run right next to sea. Nerd bonus - National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. Had loads of money spent on it - great. Nerd bonus - Transport Museum in Glasgow esp now one ticket gets you on the tall ship now for nowt extra. Train journey - book Harry Potter steam express from Fort William to Mallaig. Runs over the famous viaduct and all the Bonnie Prince Charlie stuff around Glenfillen. Hire a car if going further north than that - public transport beyond that is not good. If you have time go to an Island. Arran if you are short of time, Skye if in Mallaig area (ferry more romantic than bridge), the Orkneys if you have time (far NE though). When to go - August is good for Edinburgh Festival and Tattoo. Book tattoo very early if going for best seats. It is bad for everything else - quite wet and midges in the countryside. For midge free dry weather May is best, April and late Sept pretty good. Hiking - on train route to Fort William. Get off (request stop!) in middle of nowhere at Loch Ossian in the middle of Rannoch Mor. Station famed for setting of Trainspotting scene but can combine with walking. Book night at Eco-Hostel a mile or so up on the Loch. No power, take sleeping bag and all food. Good walking around there - stay one night and train out on up to Fort William and then Mallaig. Book hostel beds far ahead - popular. Fort William - a dump but the gateway to the Highlands. Back to Nerd bonuses - if you have a hire car the Museum of Flight at East Fortune near Edinburgh is good. They have a Concorde there you can go in (incredibly narrow). If you play golf - paradise. Buy a copy of ā€œScotland the Bestā€ especially if touring. Useless for a general guide but the best for the weird and wonderful stuff you will never find in a guidebook. Best 10 fish and chip shops in Fife, that sort of thing. A book a lists with maps but all the Scots use it so it canā€™t be too far wrong! If you have specific queries happy if you wish to PM me or I will come back here. Hill walking is one of my main bags, so if you are into multi-day treks rather than peak bagging day walks I can advise some classics. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274/32 "2014-10-30T04:53:31Z")
I enjoyed Edinburgh Castle and environs. Thereā€™s a pretty good zoo in Edinburgh (and I say that having visited during a tremendous downpour). Iā€™ll go out to the coast and islands with a birdwatching guide next time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotland-when-to-go-what-to-see/702274.md?page=1)