The Train to Inverness
An Advertising Feature
Increasingly, more people from the south of the UK are booking a flight to Scotland instead of using alternate modes of transport. Rising petrol prices have a lot to answer for, as do business-related trips where reducing travel time is key. A lot of said business trips are arranged last minute and that can mean that train fares are much higher than they would be in advance. But the train affords the ability to work as you travel without long check-in times and popping ears.
For those looking to holiday in Scotland, a train ticket booked far enough in advance can be much cheaper than you’d think. Some sleeper train tickets, when booked 12 weeks in advance can cost as little as £20. Most of the journey is spent sleeping on a comfortable berth in a sleeper cabin. There are washbasins and soft towels as well as a choice of coffee, tea or orange juice in the morning. Passengers are also assigned a member of staff who is on call should they need anything and who will give a knock in the morning should you wish, to give you the time to pack and get ready for when the train arrives at your destination. The sleeper train is an excellent choice for those going further north in Scotland than just Edinburgh or Glasgow.
One of the loveliest places to get the Caledonian Sleeper to is Inverness. Inverness is set in the spectacular Highlands, with the hills covered in heather growing in wonderful patterns according to where it is burned. This controlled burning keeps it young.
It is recommended that you hire a car out here, as the drives are simply breathtaking. It is possible to drive for miles and miles through the ruggedly beautiful hills barely seeing another car.
Inverness is close to Scotland’s most famous loch, Loch Ness. The loch has a long history of folklore and legend dominated by the Loch Ness Monster. An entire museum here is dedicated to Nessie. The museum is set in a converted house overlooking the loch and the exhibits are somewhat dated, with some of the dummies looking like they were dressed in the seventies. But it is an experience. Visitors are taken on a journey through several rooms where the history of the monster is explained until in the final room reaching the slightly disappointing conclusion that she almost certainly doesn’t exist. The gift shop is full of all things Nessie related, from small porcelain figures (actually made in China) to huge stuffed Nessie’s (probably also made in China).
Further along the loch is perhaps the most beautiful cemetery you will see, right next to the water and with carefully kept green, green grass surrounding the gravestones. Of note also are the Urquhart Castle ruins on the loch. Featured on many a postcard, it is thought that the site was once an Iron Age fort before a castle was built here. The castle itself changed hands between the Scots and the English several times in the Middle Ages. Today, the ruins are as peaceful as the water.
Sophie Collard (@sophontrack) writes about fascinating places to visit and people she’s met while on her travels. She’s travelled in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia and loves the sense of distance and changing landscapes.
Cameron House, Loch Lomond
When looking for a luxury weekend away, it’s still great to find some savings so looking for the cheapest flights means you can afford to choose a lovely hotel in a beautiful location.
Taking a flight to Glasgow, you can then splash out in more ways than one at the beautiful Cameron House, perched on the southwest edge of Loch Lomond. The building is grand and baronial looking with its fountain courtyard overlooking the loch.
The rooms ooze luxury, their look, a kind of contemporary chic overlaid with the warmth and comfort of the local heritage. From the classic bedrooms up to the suites all the accommodation has monsoon showers, iPod docking stations, fluffy bathrobes and really gorgeous toiletries. The family rooms have cosy snug annexes with bunks, which fill the space with textured walls, like a fantastic little hide-out which adds to the great Scottish adventure for any little ones.
For the ultimate in that romantic weekend to wow the one in your life, the Colquhoun suites have wet rooms and a free standing tub in the room, where you can sip champagne or watch a surround sound movie on the state of the art plasma TV.
The Beauty Bar and Cameron Club have a simply fabulous pool with waterslides for the adventurous and quieter areas for swimming or just lazily floating on the water. There are the staples of the spa weekend with Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, and a fully equipped gym area. Cosy treatment rooms echoing the snug décor of the bedrooms provide the perfect treat.
If you can tear yourself away from the luxury and treats indoors, the hotel has a championship 18 hole golf course at the Carrick, located a short way from the hotel with a concierge shuttle to get you there with ease.
The hotel can also arrange other great activities on, around and above the Loch itself. Seaplane trips are bookable, as are 90 minutes loch cruises. Sailing and instruction for the same are also available from the nearby marina.
The temptingly well named team of Muddy Good Fun at Cameron House will arrange quad or mountain biking, archery, clay pigeon shooting or a hawk walk, where you can don a gauntlet and wait for the hawk to land on your arm, all with expert guidance at hand.
Further afield you can visit local attractions. If you are a whisky lover and have managed to escape the well stocked hotel whisky bar, you can take a trip to the Glengoyne Distillery just under 10 miles away, to sample the malt, take a tour or master class and maybe take a bottle or two back home.
For design lovers, just under 5 miles away in Helensburgh, there is Hill House designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, along with his original or restored furnishings and fittings all commissioned by publisher Walter Blackie.
Or simply jump into a hire car and take the high road, or the low road, and explore the shores and hills surrounding Lomond. With so much to do you will definitely be pleased to have saved money on that flight.
BIO
Linda Endersby spent 19 years in the airline industry enabling her to visit many beautiful places across the world. As well as writing about the places she loves, weekends as a bookseller offer her fabulous opportunities to research future destinations.
Fascinating Things to See and Do in Edinburgh, Scotland
Scotland’s capital city is Edinburgh, which is the second largest city in Scotland. This beautiful city is in the south-east of Scotland and is near the North Sea.
The city of Edinburgh hosts many festivals all throughout the year. At New Years, there is the Edinburgh Hogmanay, and in August there is the International Festival. Other festivals throughout the year include the Fringe, the Book Festival, the Film Festival, and more.
Edinburgh has many tourist attractions; one of those attractions is Edinburgh Castle. This Castle has some very interesting history. When you walk into this Castle, you can see spectacular views in all directions. The Scotch Whisky Experience is next to the castle; this place offers a fun barrel ride through the distillery and the opportunity to learn about the process of making whisky.
The Writers Museum is located in Lady Stair’s House and was built in 1622. This museum is dedicated to some of Scotland’s best writers and artists such as Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Near the Writers Museum is Scotland’s largest library and the world centre for the study of Scotland and its people, the National Library of Scotland. Close to both of these attractions is the Royal Museum which is home to international collections and very unique material.
Your visit to Edinburgh would not be complete without seeing the Edinburgh Dungeon. You can experience what it is like to see grave-robbers, murderers, cannibals, witch-hunters, executioners, and all the victims at this spooky site. This Dungeon takes you back in time to some of the history of Edinburgh many years ago, as does the Real Mary King’s Close. The Real Mary King’s Close is a place you can walk through hidden closes and walk through streets where people used to live and died many centuries ago.
Keeping in the same mode of ghostly and ghoulish attractions such as the Dungeon and Real Mary King’s Close, is the Edinburgh’s Ghost Tours. You can see the Underground Vaults, which is considered one of the most haunted places in Britain.
Located on the Royal Mile along with some of the other mentioned attractions, is the 3D Loch Ness Experience. One of the very exciting things about this attraction is that you can look at the history, read the eye-witness accounts and facts, see the illusions and hoaxes, and decide for yourself if you think the Loch Ness truly exists.
The Palace of Holyrood is a royal place to visit; the new Scottish Parliament is located very close to it. Our Dynamic Earth is right next door to the Palace of Holyrood and the Scottish Parliament; it is an interactive visitor attraction that takes you back in time to learn about the planet Earth.
As you can see, there are so many things to see and do in Edinburgh; there are a variety of things that can be categorized under history, royalty, ghostly, and many more. Edinburgh is a fascinating place to visit and tour; there are so many attractions and things to see and do that a return visit may very well be desired. And getting to Edinburgh is extremely easy with daily flights arriving at Edinburgh Airport from all over the globe daily.
The Top 10 Walks in Scenic Scotland
Every year, thousands of tourists make their way to the heady Highlands of Scotland to enjoy the breathtaking views, wonderful landscapes and adventure. Those on activity holidays will want to get the most out of their trip; so we have created this wonderful guide to the top 10 walking locations in this beautiful country.
10. Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh
Many people are shocked to hear that there is a former volcano in the centre of Edinburgh; many more can’t help but be intrigued. Arthur’s seat is a 251 metre-high extinct volcanic plug that thousands of walkers climb each year.
Many tourists take the road which will lead you to the 20-minute ascent to the summit; however, many purists begin the walk in the centre of the city, adding an extra hour to the journey.
The view from the top looks across the entire cityscape, which encourages visitors to ponder the history of the Scottish capital.
9. Lairig Ghru, Invernesshire
Not for the faint hearted, this 22-mile hike through the Cairngorms could break those without a high level of fitness.
This walk travels across high peaks and low valleys in one of Scotland’s most remote areas. Those with a tendency to fish may want to take equipment with them, as many fish live in the black water of the glaciated valleys. Some adventurous types may want to take a dip, but this should only be reserved for the warmest of the summer months.
8. Iona
Ramblers, hikers and tourists alike will fall in love with Iona. This beautiful windswept isle will fascinate even the most experienced walkers.
Future adventure holidays will never be the same again once you have explored the island which was once the burial ground for Scottish kings, centuries ago.
Iona is a mile from Mull and tourists each year flock to the iconic Iona Abbey, famed for its ninth century St Martin’s Cross, one of the greatest examples of a Celtic cross anywhere in the UK.
7. Portmahomack, Easter Ross
The history is Portmahomack may be surprising when you discover that it was a planned fishing village built in the 1700s. However, this tiny piece of Scotland is also home to a sixth century church and what historians believe to be a Pictish monastery.
All the street names are Norse and Portmahomack houses some wonderful places to stay. A scenic coastal walk can provide some fabulous views before heading home to put your feet up with a drink in its local pub.
6. Loch Carriagean cairn, Invernesshire
This historic cairn has been described by many as a hidden gem. After the turn of the century, the laying of rail track cut the cairn off from visitors and few people have visited since.
An hour’s walk from Aviemore will lead you to a series of cairns. Loch Carriagean has been mostly untouched by humans for just over a century and it will take your breath away.
To get to this hidden location, head towards Boat of Garten from Aviemore on the B9152. After around 2 km, turn right towards the quarry. Follow the road and cross the railway line, turn left and follow the track for around 1 km. The cairn is by the lock with a large pine tree growing in the centre.
5. Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is Britain’s highest mountain; as a result, it attracts hundreds of visitors every month.
Most visitors take the steep four-hour route to the summit, though purists prefer the much longer northern route.
Some adventurous climbers attempt the Three Peaks Challenge every year. The challenge encourages climbers to ascend the summits of Snowden, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis in a single day. Although it is seen as an achievement to hit under 24 hours, some people have claimed times of around 15 hours or less; a remarkable achievement.
4. Dun da Lamh, Invernesshire
Dun da Lamh is a little more than just a scenic walk; it is also immersed in history.
The walk is fairly low level, through the Cairngorms, leading to an Iron Age fort at the summit of a 500-metre hill.
The fort itself is remarkable to look at, but the views across the landscape are fantastic. Looking out onto the river, you can almost see the history and imagine people wading through the river towards this spectacular frontier fort.
3. Beinn Alligin, Wester Ross
A Munro is a Scottish mountain that is over 3,000 ft in height; Beinn Alligin has two of them. Plenty of walkers love to come to the area to scale more than one hill in the day, giving them two opportunities to see some breathtaking views on just one car journey.
One highlight is the Horns of Alligin, the large gap that opens in the mountain. It is unadvised to attempt to walk during the winter months as ice and snow may cause problems in such a wild environment; furthermore, the summer sunset could not look more appealing than when draped over this stunning terrain.
There are plenty of old shepherds’ huts still standing in the area where farmers once lived hundreds of years ago. Those with a flair for archaeology may come to the area to dig, but ironically the best time would actually be in the winter, when a lot of the greenery has disappeared making it easier to target decent locations.
2. Quintag, Sutherland
This remote little nook of Scotland has become a favourite with many walkers as its steep cliffs and ridges provide a fun journey across this picturesque area.
A nearby car park will make things easier for those who may not want to start from the very bottom of this 800-metre summit, but either way the view from the top is very satisfying. Walkers will be able to look over what is a very ancient landscape filled with over 3.5 billion years of history.
The mountain actually translates as ‘milking stool’ in Gaelic and the name of the lower slopes (Airigh na Beinne) translates as ‘summer grazing’. The area was once a pasture for Scottish transhumance, who were eventually cleared from the land.
1. Sandwood Bay, Sutherland
Sandwood Bay is a beach hidden from everything in the middle of nowhere. Much like the beaches of remote Northumberland, it feels untouched by humans.
Ironically, the beach is directly next to Cape Wrath and as a result, the Vikings and Spanish Armada would have both sailed past this perfect bay.
Sandwood is exceptionally popular with day trippers despite its remote location. The bay is beautiful and an unforgettable place to enjoy lunch on a warm summer’s afternoon.
Stornoway
Stornoway is a natural harbour in the Western Isles of Scotland. It has been recognised as a haven for nearly a thousand years.
The main centre of commerce for the Outer Hebrides, this is a town where the Gaelic language is still spoken. It is the island’s main seaport, where it provides a link to mainland Britain.
The Stornoway Port is the entrance to a history filled island. Some of Europe’s most famous monuments, The Standing Stones of Canlais and the Brochs, can be found on the island. The famous Black Houses can be reached easily from the port.
The Lewis War Memorial, completed in 1924, is a war memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in World War I. It is situated at the highest point of Stornoway. Brochs, circular defensive towers that were used in the Iron Age, can only be found in Stornoway. The Great Broch of Carloway is one of the best preserved brochs in Scotland.
Every July, the annual Hebridean Celtic Festival is held, which attracts more than 10,000 visitors. The An Lanntair Arts Centre can be found in the Old Town Hall. Artworks by local artists can be found here. The harbour is usually full of seals and was given a nickname ‘Portrona’, which means port of seals.
The Number 3 Pier is where cruise liners put into port. Though limited in terms of facilities, smaller vessels are also found here. Located 4 km from the port is Stornoway Airport, linking the island with Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh by air.
If you’re from outside the EU and would like to spend your holiday in Stornoway, Scotland, you will need to enquire as to whether you need a tourist visa.
The Lagavulin Festival Edition Single Malt and the Caol Ila Festival Edition Single Malt
To celebrate this year’s Islay Festival of Malt & Music on 23-30 May, Diageo is once again making available two special Festival editions of its Islay Single Malt Scotch Whiskies. These very limited editions will be available only to personal shoppers, with a limit of one bottle per person.
The first-ever single cask bottling of Caol Ila™ by the Distillers is drawn from a European oak ex-sherry cask filled in December 1996, which has provided just 654 70cl bottles of 12 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The cask was hand-selected by Caol Ila distillery’s long-established manager, Billy Stitchell.
From Lagavulin™ comes a 14 year old expression of this famous Single Malt, from a European oak cask filled in 1995, and hand-picked from Warehouse No. 1 by Iain McArthur, long-standing warehouseman at Lagavulin distillery. This edition consists of 660 bottles.
Both editions are bottled at natural cask strength, and will be on sale at £69.99.
Nick Morgan, Diageo’s Scotch Knowledge and Heritage Director, said: “The Lagavulin single cask edition for the Feis Ile has been a great success in previous years, and we hope this one will bring just as much pleasure to Festival visitors. The Caol Ila bottling is a first for us: I’m sure devotees of this Whisky will find it an interesting and satisfying dram. Both are genuine bottlings made specifically for this year’s Festival and are priced very fairly, we think, to meet the pockets of the hard-pressed Whisky enthusiasts who may have travelled a very long way, and at considerable expense, on their pilgrimages to Islay”.
The Lagavulin Festival Edition will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis at Lagavulin distillery during their open day on Saturday 23 May. The Caol Ila Festival Edition will go on sale at Caol Ila distillery during their open day on Monday 25 May.
Port Ellen Voted Top Single Malt Scotch Whisky in World Spirits Competition
In a crowded field of the world’s top single malt Scotch whiskies, the cult single malt from a long-closed Islay distillery, Port Ellen™, was declared “Best Single Malt” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which announced its 2009 results this week.
The accolade (accompanied by the award of a Double Gold medal) went to the 29 year old cask-strength bottling of Port Ellen, released last year from the owner’s diminishing stocks. The distillery, on the southern coast of Islay, opened in the 1830s and closed in 1983, though its warehouses still exist today alongside the Port Ellen Maltings.
The annual releases of the irreplaceable Port Ellen are anxiously awaited by malt whisky connoisseurs and collectors, particularly those in love with complex smoky Hebridean whiskies. The 2008 release consists of only 6,660 bottles, with a recommended price of £180. Drawn from ever-dwindling stocks, the few rare bottles which are not pre-ordered sell out within days of reaching the retailers’ shelves. Some retailers are already taking orders for the 2009 release, due this September.
An extremely limited single-cask bottling of Port Ellen, distilled in 1981, was on sale last year to visitors to the Islay Festival, in an edition of a mere 200 or so bottles. They are now selling on the internet for upwards of £2000.
The 29 year old Port Ellen that seduced the judges at San Francisco is the 8th release of this rare malt. It was one of a handful of limited cask-strength single malt whiskies released last September in Diageo’s annual Special Releases series. Tasters described it as “elegant, compelling and mellow” with its characteristically powerful tar-smoky, almost antiseptic, notes playing alongside a spicy rich fruit palate.
Dead by Dawn Festival, Edinburgh
Horror film enthusiasts from around the globe have just a few weeks to prepare for the Dead by Dawn festival, which begins in Edinburgh next month.
Set to run between Thursday April 30th and Sunday May 3rd, the event features a range of different types of movies, from the very best offerings from the independent cinema circuit to premieres and previews of upcoming blockbusters.
Complementing the newer films will be a programme including a range of classic features, as well screenings of rare and obscure pieces.
Audience members are able to vote for their favourite movie in three different sections, Best Feature, Best Short and the Cutting Edge gong for debut and emerging filmmakers.
The latter sees a total of ten short films screened - both live action to animated - and can serve as a launching pad for budding George A Romeros and Alfred Hitchcocks.
People staying in Edinburgh Hotels can visit the event and are now able to purchase Dead by Dawn passes, which provide access to the entire show, for £65.
Meanwhile, tickets to the Spawn of the Dead party - which rounds off the festival on the night of Saturday May 2nd - are also available for £25.
Aviemore Highland Resort - Winter breaks from £19.99
Aviemore Highland Resort can pick you up with a well deserved winter break. treat yourself to a holiday without feeling the pinch.
Rooms at the Aviemore Inn are on offer for only £19.99 per room per night.
This offer is valid for stays between 23rd Jan to 28th Feb 2009 and uses promotion code PE3.
1,500 rooms up for grabs - first come, first served. Click here or on the banner below.
Mountain Biking Holidays in Scotland
Scotland and cycling are a winning formula – just look at what newly knighted Sir Chris Hoy achieved! Try seven of the best day rides in the world’s best mountain bike destination.
Scotland is the ‘global superstar’ of mountain bike trails according to the International Mountain Bike Association and Wilderness Scotland’s ‘The Magnificent Seven’ trip takes bikers on stunning routes, focusing on wild backcountry trails through the Highlands, and includes the longest single-track descent in Britain.
Departing 23 May 2009 it costs £695 pp including six nights guest house accommodation, most meals, transport throughout (starting and finishing Inverness) and the services of a guide. Graded: moderate plus. Call Wilderness Scotland on 0131 625 6635 (www.wildernessscotland.com).
