A Fascinating Land !

Informal Travelogue | Photos | Resources on the Web

August 1995, I had the pleasure of going to Scotland for two weeks. Two weeks was at minimum a week too short. The obstensible occasion of my visit was Intersection, the 53rd World Science Fiction Convention, held in Glasgow at the end of August. However, while I love reading SF and enjoy conventions, going all the way over there without seeing more than a little something of the country would have missed a major point. For me, hitting the convention was just going to assure that I'd run into folks I knew during some part of my journey.

• Part 1: Leaving home, and London Layover. About 8000 bytes.
• Part 2: Glasgow, my first day, in and around the Sautchiehall area. About 6000 bytes.
• Part 3: Edinburgh: The city herself; the Fringe Festival. About 7000 bytes.
• Part 4: Ayr, with a trip somewhat south to the Culzean Castle grounds. About 7000 bytes.
• Part 5: Arbroath, and a bit more of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival,. About 13000 bytes.
• Part 6: Highlands Tour, Part the First. Stirling, Pitlochry, Cairngorm Mtns., Aviemore. About 9000 bytes.
• Part 7: Highlands Tour, Part the Second. Loch Ness, Skye, Fort William, Glen Coe, Rannoch Moor, Inverary, Loch Lomond. About 8000 bytes.
• Part 8: Intersection Science Fiction Convention and Glasgow,. About 15000 bytes.

• Scottish Cuisine: A small discourse with remarks about the food; contrary to supposition, the food in Scotland is quite tasty, especially if one enjoys fresh fish. I'm not remotely shy about trying new foods.

The following GIF's are ready for your perusal, and were photographed in August 1995 by Diann at the indicated locations. Use as you please; they're Public Domain.

1. Stained glass window, St. Giles Cathedral, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh.
2. Parade with bagpipes, taken from the grounds of Arbroath Abbey, Arbroath, commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day.
3. St. Vigean's Church, on the outskirts of Arbroath.
4. Eilean Donan, the ruins of a castle towards the western Highland coast.
5. Facing towards Portree Harbour, from the Heritage Museum, Isle of Skye.
6. Ferry crossing, from Skye. Ahead is Kyle of Lochalsh.

• Scotland.org, which collects resources of all sorts, and encourages networking.
• Gateway to Scotland.
• National Museums of Scotland.
• Scottish history mostly Borders region.
• Scottish heraldry and clans.
• Accomodations in Scotland.
• Edinburgh general info.
• Edinburgh Fringe Festival,every late summer.
• Inverness, capital of the Highlands.
• Dalriada Celtic Heritage Trust, on the Isle of Arran, with Pictish information.
• The History of the Area (Tain), in the time of the Picts and thereabouts.

And a few sites from folks who've also traveled to Scotland...

• Piaw Na's cycling trip report and photos of Scotland. A well done site.
• Leonard Fintelman's seakayaking around Northwest Scotland page. Brrrrr! Those waters are COLD! A bit more adventure than I'd want! (How-to and pointers.)

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Last Updated: February, 1999.