Travelling around Scotland

[smurfchops]

Thinking of flying up to Edinburgh area/Highlands, then on a coach trip around Scotland or train journeys. Never been there so think it is about time. Which travel companies would do this package, all in with the flight from London ?

[wakeover]

Just Google 'Scotland holidays' and you'll be swamped with ideas.
ps enjoy the haggis

[annie0000]

What kind of things do you want to see? Lochs and mountains, cities, golfing/sports/fishing, castles etc. there are lots of companies that would do a tour type holiday.

[annie0000]

this type of thing?

http://www.brightwate...B97-9B46D8E77AC7&SEA=

[MarkRae]

Try to coincide your trip with the Highland games in Pitlochry or Braemar - there's nothing quite like it! Stay in Banchory - it's beautiful.

And don't forget the Hebrides, IMO the most beautiful part of the British Isles.

I'm biased, of course... :-)

[wolf63]

My pal and I went to the Highland games in Pitlochry years ago - Hercules the bear was there. We tried squeezing him into the car to take him back to Perth but he was too big.

[annie0000]

go to bridge of allan games most years (except when it is torrential rain)

[MarkRae]

> My pal and I went to the Highland games in Pitlochry years ago

Ah, so many memories!

As for the Hebrides, I worked out years ago where my affinity with the Gaelic came from. We were sailing from West Loch Tarbert to Port Ellen and, in the queue for food, I asked my late father what language the people in front of us were speaking. "That's the Gaelic, son" he replied. "My grandad spoke it." And that was it! Hooked...

[wolf63]

Mark - there aren't too many people who speak Gaelic these days. My brother started learning it but marriage, work and children seemed to get in the way.

I get car sick so this limits my travelling. I have never been to Oban or anywhere in that general direction.

[shoota]

I put gaelic in my ratatouille.

[smurfchops]

Thanks everyone, lots to think about.

[MarkRae]

> there aren't too many people who speak Gaelic these days.

Probably more than you think! There were 58,000 in 2001, and we're confident of at least twice that number when the 2011 figures leak out. It will be interesting to compare and contrast with how many Scots consider that they speak "Scots", which was the other of the options on the census in Scotland.

I've just spent an absolutely brilliant evening on Skye speaking nothing but Gaelic.