General Discussion — visitscotland

STICKY: Welcome to the community!

VisitScotland — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 11:20:38 +0000

Welcome to I Know Scotland Online, VisitScotland's new online community for those living in and visiting Scotland.

Please introduce yourself in this thread and let people know where you are, what your interest in Scotland is and what you're hoping to get out of your membership of the community

Returning to Scotland after 7 years!

caitlinramsay — Tue, 30 May 2017 23:19:39 +0000

Hi everyone! My name is Caitlin. I'm originally from Edinburgh but moved to New Zealand in 2006 (age 11). The last time I was in Scotland was Christmas 2009. My Mum and I are finally returning for 7 weeks to kind of be tourists in our own country again. Late July - mid September.

For me this trip is a kind of get back in touch with my roots type thing - I feel more Kiwi than a Scot these days but my identity as a Scottish person is really important to me. I'd love to experience as much of Scotland as I can in those 7 weeks. We are hiring a car so can go anywhere.

So what's changed since 2009? We'd really like to experience a lot of the tourist attractions (can you believe I've never been to Edinburgh Castle?), and travel around Scotland - check out all the scenery. We have the Wild Guide Scotland book that we will be working from, but if anyone has any must go to places then I'd love to know about it. We'll be catching up with a lot of family so we can't do everything! Also, if anyone has any knowledge on good places to go snorkelling that would be cool!

Thanks!

Using the Community - Quick Guide

VisitScotlandIntro — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 08:38:43 +0000

Hello Community members! Welcome to the new VisitScotland Community.

As we now have more and more members joining, we thought we'd create a new thread with a little guidance on how to use the Community and get the most out of it. Please ask any questions you might have about the forum software in this thread and we'll do the best we can to answer them. In the meantime, here's a quick guide to the main site features.

Main navigation
The navigation at the top of the page is specific to the Community.

Home will take you back to the main forum index
Discussions will show new recent posts
Activity will show actions that you and other Community members have recently taken (like commenting on a thread or uploading a picture)
Best Of will show you threads, pictures and comments that have been liked by other members or promoted by the moderators
The Search box allows you to search the whole Community for specific things. You can search for combinations of words, or for specific phrases by putting your search term inside quotes, i.e. "Isle of Lewis"

Category list
The main way you will be able to find new threads and comments is to browse our main category listing. You will see this as soon as you enter the Community. You can select the title of the category to view that category, or jump straight to the latest post for each category on the right.

On the right of the main list you can see more navigation, including discussions that you have contributed to, draft posts you may have saved,
unanswered questions and popular tags.

Threads
A thread or discussion is where most of the interesting things in the Community happen. It's a conversation between members of the Community and you can jump right in and start commenting.

You can also post three different kinds of thread - a general post, a question (which allows you to mark responses as good answers) or a poll. Just click the arrow on the New Post button to choose the kind of content you would like to post.

Posting in a thread
To add a contribution to a thread, scroll to the bottom and use the comment window.

This is similar to a word processor, with simple controls. You can bold, italicise or add strikethrough text. You can also add bulleted or numbered lists, add emojis and left, right or centred text. If you need more space, you can use the 'Fullscreen' button on the right of your editing window to let the editor take over your whole screen. You can also quickly preview or save a draft of your post, or just post it straight away.

See below for adding files, images and links.

Adding images
There are two ways to add images. The simplest way is to simply drag an image from your desktop onto the comment window. The image will appear wherever your cursor was located. You will also see a small thumbnail of the image at the bottom of your post. If you want to move the image to a different position, click the 'X' next to the thumbnail, click to move your cursor to the new position, then click the thumbnail to reattach it.

The second way is to use the file/image upload button on your toolbar:

This allows you to drag a file or image, select it from your computer's file system, or link directly to an image on a hosting service such as Flickr, Imgur or 500px. Please don't link directly to images which don't belong to you.

Making links
To create a link, highlight the text you would like to make into a link, then click the Link symbol in your toolbar. Type or paste the URL you would like to link to and click OK to create your link.

Videos
To add a video to your post or comment, just paste in a URL from Youtube or Vimeo. It will be automatically converted into a video player. Click 'Preview' to check that your video is working before you post. Unfortunately we don't allow member's own videos to be directly uploaded to the Community as the file sizes are generally too large. But Youtube and Vimeo accounts are free to register, so feel free to share your videos of Scotland with us!

Responding to other users
To mention another user, you can use the @ symbol. Just type '@' and begin typing their username, then select the right one from the list. This will send them a notification to let them know you have mentioned them.

Managing your profile and favourites
Finally, don't forget you can upload a picture of yourself to help other member's identify you, as well as adding a signature to your posts, checking your bookmarked 'favourite' threads or just seeing what's new on the threads you've commented on. Use the menu in the top right of the screen to access your personal profile, favourites and more.

Looking for accommodation

mmm1975 — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 15:42:27 +0000

Hi everyone , just wanted to ask does anyone know of somewhere nice to stay over Xmas in Scotland we last stayed for Xmas in OBAN right on the loch however I believe they have sold all the houses for social housing except the mansion and gardener's cottage and would love to stay somewhere similar that allowed 2dogs if anyone knows of any I would be very grateful

Visiting from the US

divin_ln — Mon, 29 May 2017 22:15:28 +0000

My adult daughter and I would like to visit Scotland in December right before Christmas but I'm not sure how practical this will be. Any suggestions on places to visit, whether we'll be able to drive/navigate or should hire a driver/ride, etc. would be very much appreciated! Thank you in advance for any feedback.

Scotland in October

pittypat — Fri, 05 May 2017 06:48:36 +0000

Hi I am hoping to come back to Scotland in mid September to late October. I am planning on going to Lewis/Harris, Skye and Orkney plus whatever else I can fit in. I will be by myself and driving a hire car. What I need to know is do the castles etc. close down in October?

Scotland's visitor attractions - what's your favourite?

Samantha_Grant — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 18:25:28 +0000

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love nothing better than being surrounded by remote Scottish scenery. I'm an Edinburgher to the core though, which means I'm lucky enough to have some of Scotland's best visitor attractions right on my doorstep.

This comes in handy on the very rare occasion that the Scottish weather clips my wings and sends me out looking for somewhere to stay amused and dry!

So here are a few of my favourite local attractions:

Royal Yacht Britannia

Britannia probably won't turn out to be anything like you expect, but in a good way. You don't need to love boats or be a fan of the royal family to visit and enjoy it.

I spent a morning exploring Britannia's 5 decks recently and had a great time - there's so much to see, and some unexpected surprises too. I wasn't prepared for how much space the naval crew took up on board, or how modest the royal sleeping quarters would be. I didn't expect to see an operating theatre, or a wee pub where I could dress up in natty hats and pull pretend pints!

I loved the Royal Tea Deck best of all, and felt 'gey posh' enjoying a scone and coffee there. I'm a wee bit partial to a cheese scone, and the one I had on Britannia was delicious.

Britannia really surprised me. If truth be told I wasn't sure it would be quite my thing - it turned out to be absolutely my thing, and I'd recommend it without hesitation to anyone visiting Edinburgh.

Camera Obscura

I visited Camera Obscura last weekend, after a very long absence - 29 years to be precise! I remember loving it back then, but it was even better this time round.

It's a fantastic interactive experience for all ages. I charged about like a 5-year old who'd just swallowed a handful of blue smarties. I frequently shouted 'look', 'try this', 'come and see this' to my Husband who was every bit as hyper as I was. We danced up and down musical stairs in top hats, stumbled around in the disorientating mirror maze and felt queasy in the vortex tunnel.

The Camera Obscura itself is an Edinburgh attraction which has drawn visitors since 1853. Despite the simple concept behind it, and its age, it's still fascinating in this era of cutting edge technology.

A great place to while away a few rainy hours.

Scotch Whisky Experience

This is probably my favourite visitor attraction in Scotland. I visited last weekend and took the silver tour which lasts 50 minutes. You don't need to be a whisky buff, or even like whisky to enjoy the tour.

The tour started with a ride in a whisky barrel, which took us through the process of making whisky. It was great fun and our ghostly guide was a hoot.

Afterwards we watched a lovely short film to find out about about the different whisky regions of Scotland, and the regional characteristics of their whiskies. I could feel my eyes welling up as I watched the stunning scenery on the film. It made me feel so privileged to be able to explore such a beautiful country. It also made me long to return to Islay.

Next, we were taken through the process for making blended whiskies in a room that wouldn't have looked out of place in Hogwarts. We got to choose a whisky from one of the 5 Scottish whisky regions. I chose a peaty Ardbeg from Islay.

Then came the icing on the cake, the tasting which took place inside the most amazing shrine to Scotch whisky ever. The Diageo Claive Vidiz Whisky Collection - almost 3,500 bottles glowing like amber in a beautifully lit room - amazing.

Definitely a not to be missed visitor attraction.

Have you been to any visitor attractions in Scotland, and if so what are your favourites?

Top Tips and Hidden Scotland!

VisitScotlandChristy — Tue, 23 May 2017 09:51:37 +0000

We wanna know your top tips when visiting Scotland and where the best hidden places are! Prettiest hidden waterfall? Best pub? Most amazing views in Scotland?

Share your best hidden gems of Scotland!

Lets play Guess where I am!

fishypro — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 12:23:17 +0000

Here is a quick photo of a spot in Scotland. Does anyone have a clue where I am?

Ghost hunting in Scotland

rick4stunts — Mon, 22 May 2017 17:17:58 +0000

I have an online magazine, and I am looking for unique places to investigate and write about in the magazine.. Thank you!

Stone Circles

98406 — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:20:13 +0000

I'm staying in Glasgow and would like to see some of the stone circles. I'd rather not rent a car...are there tours, busses, or trains that I can use for transportation?

Recomendations for places to visit close to the NC5OO

IANPICS — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 13:06:45 +0000

Hi All
Just joined and introducing myself to the community.
I am an extreme sports photographer and I'm looking at doing a couple of trips this year in Scotland
The first one will be the NC500 (anti clockwise)
I have been to other areas regularly but wanted to extend the range and experiences.
So
I know a few people close by to this route who do some sports or activities but for the first time in a long time I will be wanting to 'have a go' myself and I will be carrying kayaks (sit on), bikes (mtb), kites (power) and a kite buggy (if there's enough room) as well as fishing gear (sea). - ANY good places for any of this including trails, empty beaches, MTB trails, surf locations or boat trips / fishing locations
I was also wondering if people could recommend any outstanding spots to visit that will enhance the trip.
Could be historic, cultural, food / drink (definitely a distillery or two or three ;-) ) or walking spots.
As said I'm a photographer so would like to grab a few selfies or nice pics along the way for my blogs.

Thanks

Ian

Scotland in Bloom

VisitScotlandLyndsay — Thu, 11 May 2017 14:44:36 +0000

What a perfect time of year to explore our woodlands, parks and gardens with an abundance of colourful plants, shrubs and flowers on display. From the bright pinks of the cherry blossom tress, the vibrant blue carpets of bluebells on the woodland floor, and the rhododendrons and azaleas bursting with bright reds, purples, and yellow.

Why not visit one of Scotland’s Gardens and take pleasure in seeing the country in bloom?

With so many to choose from all over Scotland, I have listed just a few below;

www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/inverewe-garden-and-estate-p255481

www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/geilston-gardens-p255651

https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/crarae-garden-p255051

https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/dawyck-botanic-garden-p249681

Here are some of my own photos taken during recent walks around the area I live

Killin - Food / Drink / Transportation

IPC2019 — Wed, 10 May 2017 04:27:05 +0000

I have a group of roughly 50-60 travelers making Killin our home base in March of 2019. I realize when we arrive that we'll make up close to 10% of the town's population, so I'm hoping people might have insights on a few things. Namely, availability and accessibility of pubs, restaurants, cabs, grocers and liquor stores. Is this a situation where we should be stocking up on our way into town, or will the town have the supplies to take care of a group of this size? Thank you!

What's on your ULTIMATE Scotland travel bucket-list?

VisitScotlandAmanda — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 14:03:12 +0000

Question of the day: What are the ULTIMATE not-to-be-missed experiences in Scotland that everyone should see/do/experience at least once in their life?

Do you have a Scotland bucket-list (either your recommendations or the things you're dying to do!)

Share the things that would make your list in the comments below!

Most underrated place in Scotland?

Horizons — Mon, 15 May 2017 13:34:59 +0000

Tourism is a big part of the Scottish economy and the Highland Tour buses that ferry loads of people across well-known destinations like Loch Ness, Glencoe and Skye are aplenty. But on the other hand, my favourite experiences have been in places far from crowds.

I'd love to know what the most underrated place in Scotland is from the members of the community. The answer I came up with is Dunoon in the Cowal Peninsula, Argyll. It is only 1.5 hours from Glasgow Central and is home to one of Scotland's best walks (Puck's Glen) and best gardens (Benmore Botanical). Plus the town has a fantastic harbour view and is in striking distance of Argyll Forest Park & Inveraray.

Here are our reasons to visit Dunoon (more pictures inside). We hope to get inspiration from the responses.

Pleating a great kilt!

alex305 — Fri, 05 May 2017 13:01:39 +0000

Hello everyone! My husband and I are coming to Scotland later this month for 2 weeks. I was wondering if anyone knows of a place where we can watch a demonstration on how to pleat, and put on a proper great kilt. I've seen it on Youtube before, it looked as though it took place on a tour in a castle somewhere. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Our Scottish Dream - advice needed for relocation!

ourscottishdream — Sun, 09 Apr 2017 21:41:31 +0000

Hi there...I'm hoping that there may be some people out there who can offer me some advice to help my family and I move to Scotland. I have loved the place since my first holiday age 13 and I have now realised, 20 years later, that Scotland is where I want to raise my children and create a better life for my family. We currently live in Manchester and we are more than desperate for a change of lifestyle. Our goal is that by March 2018 we will be gone from here and will hopefully have our own home in Scotland.

So, I am after some insider knowledge about some of the best places to live. We love The Highlands as it is the area we know best, but we are not really fixed on a particular location (although I do have a great fondness for Fort Augustus). Our budget is £100,000 and we would like something rural but not too far from a primary school. We would even go for a plot of land and live in a caravan whilst we built a home if we needed to. We are community minded hard workers and our dream is to eventually have a couple of eco-friendly holiday cabins. We are not rich people, but we have a lot of determination!

If anyone has any advice about great locations, then please let me know. Also, I'd love some info regarding planning permission issues, such as how long the process has taken for people on here and how expensive it was. Thank you all - I hope someone can help!

Map

Prima — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 18:27:07 +0000

I could really use a detailed map of the country to help me ask questions. My husband and I plan to spend 2-3 weeks in Scotland next year (2018). We are planning the trip now. If I had an easy way to reference a map here, it would make planning each day a lot easier. An example is I have read of a new road along the far western coastline. The road was said to be among the 5 best drives in the world. Count me in! But, I have no idea what you call that geographical area. And, I can't find a map showing this road. It is hard to make reservations along a road I cannot find on a map. I love a bit of adventure but, I'd like to know for certain I had a clean bed and a nice place to eat prior to getting into that cozy bed. I believe it would be a real help to many non native travelers.

Great distillery tours!

fishypro — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 10:34:39 +0000

It would be great if we could all suggest a fantastic distillery tour that we have experienced.
I will start by adding the 2 distilleries in Pitlochry.
Edradour Distillery is famous for being Scotlands smallest distillery. It is open between April & October and has a family feel to it.
The other choice would be Blair Athol Distillery which is famous for making Bells Whisky. This is open nearly all year round.