Scotland Guide

Travel in Scotland

Train travel in Scotland is relatively efficient for getting to a lot of places. The staff tends to be friendly and helpful and the scenery is often stunning. In particular, the track north of Edinburgh heading towards Aberdeen is stunning as it cuts across the Forth bridge and up along the coast. The line from Glasgow to Fort William is also dramatically beautiful - and much of it was used in the Harry Potter films!

The Forth Rail Bridge cuts across the Firth of Forth

As with anywhere else in the UK, booking tickets in advance will give you cheaper tickets. Also, be careful checking onward connections if you are travelling to the more rural areas of the railway network. Let's be honest - you don't want to be stuck at a small Scottish station for three days waiting for the next train!

If driving in Scotland, take care when travelling off the main roads. You might even begin to wonder if promotion in Scottish highways departments was directly related to the number of hairpin bends the employee could design into Scottish roads. In reality, this is often the only way for the roads to traverse the terrain, meaning you need to drive with caution. Also be aware of animals on the line.

Finally, hitchhiking is probably easier in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK. In fact, in many more rural areas hitchhiking is the de facto method of public transport. If you find yourself stranded, feel free to try as it is more than likely that a local will stop and pick you up.

Things to see around Scotland

Scotland's main cities are always worth a visit. Edinburgh is the capital and the seat of the Scottish Parliament. It is also a historic city, complete with castle, ancient University and the Royal Mile - and the city where J.K Rowling wrote most of Harry Potter. Edinburgh plays host to many festivals each summer, including the world-famous Edinburgh fringe and the Literary Festival. Please note that accommodation during these periods will be expensive.

If you are in Edinburgh and wanting a slightly more interesting walk, you could walk up to Arthur's Seat via the Craggs. This will give you a great view over the city and firth. Then you could finish off the walk by descending the back of Arthur's Seat to the village of Duddingston, where you will find Scotland's oldest surviving pub. This pub, known as the Sheep's Heid (Scotts for `head') has a charming atmosphere with leather arm chairs, a bonanza of interesting ornaments and a 200 year old skittles alley (though James 1st was also reputed to have played skittles here).

Edinburgh Castle was built on the remains of an extinct volcano

Glasgow is in many ways a much more modern city. There is a vibrant music and arts scene and good opportunities for shopping. It is a UNESCO City of Music and will be the Host City for the Commonwealth Games in 2014. All this works together to make Glasgow into a vibrant multicultural city which is well worth a visit.

Aberdeen in the North is a historic university city. Many of the old buildings in Glasgow are built with a local volcanic granite. Whilst this may look miserable and grey in the rain, it is worth taking a closer look when the sun shines, for little grains of minerals sparkle in the sun. If you are a fan of flowers and plants, the Winter Gardens in the centre of Aberdeen have a vast greenhouse complex with plants from all over the world grouped into different temperature levels.

The Aberdeen Angus is one of the most iconic species of cows.

The Winter Gardens in the centre of Aberdeen have a vast greenhouse complex with plants from all over the world grouped into different temperature levels.

Of course, no guide of Scotland is complete without a mention of the Highlands. These mountains, so associated with wildness and simplicity of life, have formed the backdrop for many iconic cultural elements such as 'Monarch of the Glen' and 'Harry Potter'. The best way to see the Highlands is by hiking, so get a good pair of shoes and and get going!

Scotland is known for its whisky. The distilleries are generally found towards the North of the country and often offer tours to visitors. These tours tend to include a free whisky tasting session at the end. If you prefer beer, Scotland has a growing real ale scene with some innovative and creative breweries. A lot of pubs take their ale very seriously and offer them with pride.

In terms of non-alcoholic drinks, Scotland is one of the few places known to humanity where Irn-Bru outsells Coke. This bright orange beverage is allegedly a cure for hangovers and also allegedly made from iron girders. Whether either claim is true is probably something you have to decide for yourself.

The Scottish Islands. Possibly the most beautiful place on earth

Once you have moved past the inevitable deep fried wares of the big cities (quite possibly the worst is the deep fried battered chocolate pizza), Scotland has a wide range of interesting and delicious dishes to enjoy. Haggis is one of the most famous dishes, and vegetarians will be delighted to know that vegetarian haggis is a possibility - this is generally made from a combination of lentils and spices. Another famous dish is Cullen skink - this is a slow cook fish and potato soup, which is brimming will flavour and fatal for your cholesterol.

Another famous dish is Cullen skink - this is a slow cook fish and potato soup, which is brimming will flavour and fatal for your cholesterol.

AFerry.co.uk offers the best way to find the cheapest ferry routes to Scotland with its easy to use booking form. Begin your holiday on a ferry and start relaxing straight away!