Scottish Film Locations - The Best Scenery and other Scotland, United Kingdom General Tips

Favorite Thing: Have a look at this great website for the definative information on all films made in Scotland ... see the maps for locations ... then head off and explore ...

www.scotlandthemovie.com

See this News Story (Aug 2004) about the new Loch Ness Monster Film Incident at Loch Ness

Anyone interested in potential new film or still photography locations may want to check out Location Works website - it has some great pictures! http://www.locationworks.com/index.html

Fondest Memory: Braveheart
Trainspotting
Local Hero
Whisky Galore
Brigadoon (made in USA !)
Harry Potter
Rob Roy
Chariot's Of Fire
Gregory's Girl
Kidnapped
Morvern Callar
Monty Python & the Holy Grail
The Magdalene Sisters
Mrs Brown
Ratcatcher
Shallow Grave
Sweet Sixteen
The Thirty Nine Steps
The Wicker Man
Women Talking Dirty
Young Adam
Charlotte Gray

And many many more!!!

I have seen them all, repeatedly.

The Edinburgh Film Festival gives a rare opportunity to see International Films - August 18th - 29th 2004
http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/

Funny to think that the makers of Brigadoon couldn't (or wouldn't) find Scottish-enough scenery in Scotland, so manufactured it in a studio in USA.. Not quite the same!!!

Mind you, I have just seen an American tv show where the kilts and bagpipes at a wedding were said to be Irish. Wrong! (What are kilts doing at a wedding where folk don't even know their history?) Now I know kilts and bagpipes can be found in Irish history too, but come on, not the modern dress and pipebands - that is as Scottish as Ewan McGregor, Sean Connery and Haggis. Oh dear.

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Favorite Thing: Problem: How to find the information you want on the internet?

Lets say you are coming to Britain / UK and maybe Scotland - but you want to research before setting off - you want to find out good honest information about the place, the people - and you don't want t ojust follow the crowd like a sheep - you want your own, special vacation -

So, you are wisely looking at virtualtourist - reading this.

Let me help you.

As a resident of Scotland, born in Wales, grown up in England, travelled places and married to an American - and been working in tourism related work for 20 years, I do know a fair bit. I also see how hard it is to find real, unbiased information - to get a 'complete picture' from far away. And how do you know even I am telling the truth? Well, you cannot be totally sure but you can read some of my tips, and if you like what I say there is a fair chance we will get on and see things a similar way.

See, thats the crux of it, isn't it? We all like different things! So doesn't it make sense to plan your own trip - for you - why follow the crowds who follow the guide books who are written by people following the crowds - and on it goes.

If you are still reading this you must be quite an independent thinker and someone who wants to research a place properly - and good for you. If you want, I would like to help you.

Fondest Memory: My best moments come when I see something new, something beautiful, something wild.

A word of caution - the tourist websites are getting worse - the "official" sites are pretty poor and do not give you much information, other than nice pictures and feel good phrases - a lot of frothy marketing but little substance - because they are now privately run businesses and are just searching to make money - out of you and out of the tour operator or hotel owner - it is not a service. This leads to a lot of misinformation and makes it really hard for you to make a well-judged booking!

If you are having trouble finding what you want to know - or even what you only suspect you don't know (?) - write to me, and I will either pass it on to the relevent people or if I can I will answer it personally. I have had enough of this poor service to real, independent travellers - so I make this offer quite genuinely - if you want honest, up to date, clear advice - just ask.

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Favorite Thing: Historic Scotland looks after the main historical sites in Scotland, including Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Urquhart Castle.

See their website http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/

Check out the Explorer Pass http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/explorer and save money at 74 top attractions! Costs only £16 GBP.

Membership will save you a fortune and help safeguard these treasures for future generations.

Also check out the Scottish National Trust which looks after many fine buildings and landscapes - membership recommended!
http://www.nts.org.uk/web/site/home/home.asp?

Fondest Memory: The Battle of Bannockburn

Scotland beat England - Again!

Sept 2004 - see the link:
http://www.nts.org.uk/web/site/home/visit/events/september/eventbannockburn180904.asp

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Favorite Thing: May & September

The best months to visit are either side of summer, as the tourists only flock in during July & August. June starts to see (feel) the midges on calm evenings in the west.

Fondest Memory: Someone should tell the visitors that May and September have the best weather and few midges!!! Weather during mid summer tends to be warmer but also less stable, I think due to the extra humidity from the warm waters around - the good ol' Atlantic Ocean.

So, change your time off work or your itinery to suit you and your destination. Let the crowds fill the roads, moan about unpredictable weather and if there is no wind - scratch with midge bites - in July & August.

The wise traveller will pick April, May, September & October.

And you'll LOVE it! Scotland is magical - it's more than words or pictures can convey - it's how you FEEL.

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Favorite Thing: You have a choice of many good Tour Operators, depending upon your budget, friends and drinking habits.

This Tip is to give you the main Tours ... let you choose. I know everyone is different, so what I think of them does not matter.

If you want to see Scotland with a group of other people, by bus - saving effort and time on your part ... and joining a party along the way ... have a look at these, the best of the bunch:

Fondest Memory: .
Heart Of Scotland
http://www.heartofscotlandtours.co.uk/
Haggis
http://www.haggisadventures.com/
MacBackpackers
http://www.macbackpackers.com/
Timberbush
http://www.timberbush-tours.co.uk/
Rabbies
http://www.rabbies.com/
Wild-in-Scotland
http://www.wild-in-scotland.com/

Tours usually start from Edinburgh and are highly competetive, so shop around and find what suits you.

Check out the types of people and the accommodation - it varies a lot!

For the more independent minded of you ... there is cheap public transport and car hire.
http://www.citylink.co.uk/

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Favorite Thing: All these castles, distilleries, ancient monuments and .... it's all "don't touch, no photos, stay behind the line, private and no entry".

Time to let your hair down then!

Head to Doune Castle, north of Stirling, and PLAY. This is where Monty Python filmed much of the HOLY GRAIL and many visit because of this connection.

The end result of this seems that the owners are much more relaxed, and so you get to EXPLORE, pretend and imagine. I was free to climb all over the place, like a child, as well as dress up like a Viking, and mimic famous scenes from the film.

All in all, I have the best memories of that day.
Its a damned fine castle too, for the connoisseurs, with many rooms and a fine spiral staircase to the rooftop battlements.

Look at:
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/doune/dounecastle/

Fondest Memory: I was smiling a lot the week this picture was taken ... we got married that week.

The picture shows me, in red, with Sally - a friend of my wife. We all had a great time at Doune.

Scotland is great for places where you can still explore and enjoy being there - it's not all "dry, sterile and academic". It really makes a world of difference being free to touch and "be part of" these old places.

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Favorite Thing: The countryside of upland Scotland, like Wales and the Lake District of England is popular for sheep farming.

The plural of "sheep" is "Sheep". There is no "s", no 'sheeps'. Its one of those oddities which makes foreign language speakers stand out. And I am forever amazed by how well people speak English, so please don't see this as a criticism.

For an understanding of the depopulation of rural Scotland and the Highland Clearances, you'll need to understand how sheep were introduced from England by landowners, and how tennant farmers and crofters were sometimes forcibly removed from the land they had occupied for generations as part of the clan system. Prior to this (in the 18 and 19 centuries) cattle were far more common and hence "cattle drovers", and reivers like Rob Roy McGregor. (The word blackmail originates from the money extracted by such "protection" from theft, for the original cattle - which were black in colour, not modern day ginger).

Fondest Memory: For the true outdoors man the smell of sheep is a wonderful thing. It means shelter - as many a good shelter suits animal as well as man. So, even if there are no sheep near your tent or shelter at evening, they'll be there in the morning - in their hundreds!!!! Thats a lot of *** and noise.

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Favorite Thing: Believe it or not - it is not always sunny in Scotland.

:-)

You might also be surprised to learn that it does not rain that often either, on the East Coast.

However, yes, it does sometimes rain, even in bonnie Perth, here beside the River Tay - the largest river system in Scotland.

Today, it snowed - only the second time this winter (today is mid January).

The temperature today is plus 6 degrees celsius, so well above freezing - which is typical this time of year.

Snow does not lie long on the ground, not low down here. On the mountains, where it is colder, the snow lingers - hence some rather pathetic skiing and associated tourist stuff.

But - in general - it is Cloudy and mild, often wet and sometimes sunny. If the sun is shining, you'd do well to make the most of it. We get plenty of North Atlantic Cyclones bringing thick cloud (hence it raining more on the west of Scotland).

So, here is a picture from today, mid- January, 2005.

Fondest Memory: Warm fires, whisky and laughter ... steaming haggis, outdoor wilderness and indoor dancing.

Not every day - but often enough :-)

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Favorite Thing: With oil prices around the world going sky high, travel has become expensive, especially in Britain.

But it should not be all doom and gloom - there are ways to make you dollar go further - and think of trying to reduce your impact on the planet too. Now, more than ever, is the time to plan and think smart about where you want to go, why and how!

VirtualTourist is a great resource therefore, putting you in touch with real quality advice and real experience about a place. For example:

Travel around Scotland can be made a whole lot more simple and cheaper by following local advice (see my transport tips). Maybe now, with Global Warming and Oil running out is a good time to reapraise your own responsibilities and choices, your own behaviour and this includes how you travel, with whom and how far you go!

Try reducing your itinery and spend more quality time in the best places - instead of trying to rush about and visit all major attractions. Pick your favourites (away from the crowds) and do these.

Save yourself the hassle of driving in crowded cities and on strange winding roads - use public transport or tours - it is cheaper and hey, who doesn't like having a chauffeur?

Walk a bit - get some exercise and fresh air, work off that breakfast, feel good and get to places you would otherwise just motor on past. Bike hire is popular and especially great for exploring around an area or an island - saves you a fortune!

Only rent a car for the days you really need to get out in remote places - spend some days on public transport, under your own "steam" - or just relax in a quiet museum, book store or cafe and read - spend evenings in the local bars with the locals, enjoy the music and the drink - you cannot drink and drive anyway, so miss out the car.

Fondest Memory: Have the confidence (by asking experts on VT) to do your own thing, build your own holiday vacation - and don't get rushed into a "deal" renting a car from the airport. Keep it simple.

You will have a better time, relax more, return home happier and save lots of money!

9 dollars a gallon is not to be ignored. See my travel tips or feel free to write to me for better ways to get around Scotland - better because they are cheaper and more relaxing.

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Favorite Thing: Weather is a subjective thing - so please don't fall into the trap of thinking "Sun is good, cloud is bad, rain is awful".

We love rainbows, and they only happen when it rains, and then we get waterfalls, mystical mists, lush green vegetation, mosses and firns, browns and heather moors too. I'd hate it if two days were the same.

You'll see lots of rainbows in Scotland. Which also means the sun is shining.

It is all a state of mind!!! Just take the right clothing and enjoy.

Fondest Memory: Find that pot of gold!

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