"Scotland, a sassenach's view" Scotland by iandsmith

Scotland Travel Guide: 14,126 reviews and 25,725 photos

"..extraordinarily beautiful..." - Scotland

Scotland - a walk (or two) on the wild side

Research had given me certain facts. 1. Some of Scotland is extraordinarily beautiful. 2. The weather is "***e". 3. Scotland has lots of castles. 4. The Scots are friendly.
All of the above I found to be true. Some additions I would make are that the castles, in general, aren't as huge as elsewhere; some of Scotland is so bleak it's amazing; Scotland has a declining population, well, that is until the Polish community started moving in (like 3,000 plus into Inverness).
I race pushbikes every weekend. Some of the club members are Scots. They all speak of their mother country with reverence and pride. None of them want to go back. I had to investigate this apparent contradiction for myself.
What I promise you on my pages is places you've never heard of (even if you're a Scot), a touch of humour and an admiration for anyone who can put up with that weather.
Driving in Scotland: The good news - there aren't any potholes; just about every road is sealed; apart from the city areas, there's not a lot of traffic.
The bad news - There's nowhere to pull over on the side of the road; most roads are narrow

Pros and Cons

Pros:Scenery, friendly natives, rural atmosphere
Cons:Weather, weather and the weather. Oh, and did I mention the weather?
In a nutshell:The west is scenically the best of Great Britain.

Last visit to Scotland: Nov 2005
Intro Updated Jan 28, 2006
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Reviews (53)

Pitlochry Favorites (3)

There are 3 occasions during history that significantly helped put Pitlochry on the tourist map. In the early 1700's... more travel advice

The House of Bruar Favorites (3)

I have been there and I am still amazed. There, seemingly in the middle of nowhere (okay, so Pitlochry's just down the... more travel advice

Auchlyne Off The Beaten Path (10)

"Take the road down there if you're not in a hurry, it's much prettier and there's no traffic." Thus the words had... more travel advice

Sir Cliffy was here Off The Beaten Path (10)

For the discerning I included this tip under "senior travel" as I'm not sure how many youngsters will relate to Cliff... more travel advice

Things to Do (40)
See All Glenfinnan and Harry Potter

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Comments (16)

Beausoleil Jul 12, 2010 at 9:42 PM Report Abuse

Terrific comments. We also loved Plockton . . . and the wilds of Scotland.
aussirose Mar 12, 2010 at 6:43 PM Report Abuse

What a fantastic page Ian!! I just love your pages mate!! :o) Gorgeous pix & your stories are wonderful!!....just like travelling with you :o) ...and I found your ppp too! Good stuff!! :o) Cheers, Ann xx
DAO Jul 30, 2009 at 1:19 PM Report Abuse

OK, I found lost. Cool about the observation mound. Always great to find a bit of history.
tpal Feb 3, 2009 at 10:49 AM Report Abuse

Hi Ian, Wonderful writing and photos and I learned that I am the only person on earth who doesn't know that palms grow in Plockton ;-) Carol and I will visit this Fall so weather observations help alot. Thanks for the preview...Tom
850prc Jan 23, 2009 at 11:11 AM Report Abuse

Cool Scots page, Ian. Tombstones with skull & crossbones, awards for "best loos"... all very cool. BTW, I know a guy named Urquhart here in Florida. Think they're rellies?
kschatterbox Apr 9, 2007 at 7:38 PM Report Abuse

I am shocked how trustworthy they were! But good to see that people are still tustworthy these days.
robertgaz Oct 22, 2006 at 11:49 PM Report Abuse

Fabulous tips on an amazing country... it appears that an award is one way of improving the standard of loos ;~)
deecat Sep 9, 2006 at 4:31 PM Report Abuse

A monumental task well done. Stone bridges, castles, ruins, architecture, history, gardens, autumn colors, landscapes, burial sites, churches & abbeys, and RAIN...what more could you want? Splendid stories, better than ANY tourist guide.
Natalya2006 Aug 29, 2006 at 12:26 PM Report Abuse

Thanks for a comment on my page! Very nice pictures of Scotland! We returned yesterday from England. Our drean to see Scotland. My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here; My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer...
hundwalder May 10, 2006 at 6:03 AM Report Abuse

Excellent narrative and photos Ian. Eager to read more when I get the time. Bravo !