SCOTLAND

Scotland and England – the two are as different from each other as chalk and cheese and let no one convince you otherwise! Though Scotland forms a part of Great Britain, it retains its own distinct character which is evident in the traditions of the people as also in the rolling landscape. Close your eyes and be transported to another world -you can almost hear the sound of the kilt clad bagpipers playing in your ears, walk the moors and try to unravel the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster rising out of the lake.

Spend a quiet moment and savor the finest malts and scotch whiskies known to mankind. That is what Scotland is all about. From the heights of the Scottish highlands to the pure waters of Loch Lomond, from the royal ambience of the Edinburgh Castle to the cultural treasures awaiting you in Glasgow, this country has an identity and a flavor all its own. Down a glass or two of ale, and you’ll be ready to match the zeal and vigor of the feisty Scotsman.

Capital: Edinburgh

Best time to visit:

  1. The highlands are perhaps best visited during the summer months – between May and September  when the skies clear up relatively and the weather is at its warmest.
  2. Edinburgh during the festival in August is just a wee bit chilly but altogether bracing.
  3. Scotland during the winter months of November to March is absolutely freezing, and you won’t see much of the tourist rush then. So if you’re into smaller crowds, and can handle a climate step into the Scottish snow in the winter, then you could make the trip in winter.

Minimum days required: 5 days

Places of Interest:

  1. Edinburgh –Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, National Museum of Scotland, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Arthur’s Seat, St Giles’ Cathedral
  2. Glasgow– Hampden Park, The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow Cathedral, Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow Necropolis
  3. Inverness – Battle of Culloden, Urquhart Castle, Cawdor Castle, Inverness Castle, Castle Stuart, River Ness, Chanonry Point

Climate:

  1. Cool summers and temperate winters characterize the highlands and much of the remaining country.
  2. Scotland’s weather isn’t too different from that of England, as it is completely under the influence of moderating oceanic winds.
  3.  Snow is a regular feature of winters in the highlands, and winters months between December and March can be quite chilly, although the western coast is much milder.
  4. Even before you get to Scotland, you’ll surely get to hear the old round of jokes about Scottish weather and how wet it is.
  5. Well, there’s no denying that the sun doesn’t shine so bright in the Scottish Highlands. Rain is plenty and perennial, and especially in the western highlands, which are wet for most of the year. This region receives almost 4000 mm of rain in a year.
  6. The coasts make up for this and rain is much more moderate here, totaling about 600 mm a year. In general, Scotland is pleasant enough during the summer months May to September, but never too warm.
  7. July and August are the warmest months, and in the highlands you have partial sunlight till as late at 10 or 11 pm at night.
  8. Scotland is not as climatically predictable as one might wish, so you can only plan ahead so much. Apart from that, just bring along the umbrellas and leave the rest up to the rain gods.

Currency: British Pound Sterling

Things to carry:

  1. An umbrella and a raincoat is a must as the weather is most unpredictable. Good walking shoes if you plan to explore the beautiful countryside

How to get there:

Air                         

  1. Most transatlantic flights arrive at the Prestwick Airport near Glasgow. There are regular rail connections from Prestwick to Glasgow City Centre that also go on to Edinburgh.
  2. Besides that, a convenient way of getting to Scotland is flying to Heathrow London and then taking the domestic flight to Edinburgh or Glasgow.
  3. The airports at Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness or Kirkwall also have flights coming in from a number of European and English cities.