Scotland Meets Thread (formerly Scotland: A Brave Adventure)

I got my clan scarf on the Royal Mile. Scarfs are everywhere - lol. And then it seemed like the place where we made Scones had a local gift shop upstairs and several people bought some things there. I did not find out about it until the end so never made it up there. There is also a small gift shop at the Callanish Stones site. These are in addition to what everyone else has mentioned.
Thanks, Blake! I can't believe I didn't think of scarfs! :) Everything noted down!

:yay:

Sayhello
 
So, I'm spending a couple of pre-days in Edinburgh on my own before heading to the Balmoral for the first day of the ABD. I need to check out of my hotel and get me and my luggage to the Balmoral. Does anyone recall what time the Guides were available at the Balmoral that first day?

Thanks!
Sayhello
 
So, I'm spending a couple of pre-days in Edinburgh on my own before heading to the Balmoral for the first day of the ABD. I need to check out of my hotel and get me and my luggage to the Balmoral. Does anyone recall what time the Guides were available at the Balmoral that first day?

Thanks!
Sayhello

I don't remember exactly, but they were there in the midmorning when we switched hotels--so estimate about 11 or noon. We had a chance to meet them before we caught our train to Stirling for the day. This was August 2013.
 
I don't remember exactly, but they were there in the midmorning when we switched hotels--so estimate about 11 or noon. We had a chance to meet them before we caught our train to Stirling for the day. This was August 2013.
Cool, thanks! That sounds like it will work out great.

Sayhello
 


So, I'm spending a couple of pre-days in Edinburgh on my own before heading to the Balmoral for the first day of the ABD. I need to check out of my hotel and get me and my luggage to the Balmoral. Does anyone recall what time the Guides were available at the Balmoral that first day?

Thanks!
Sayhello

I believe they were there around 11 (we were at the Apex Waterloo just two blocks away-great hotel btw)
 
I believe they were there around 11 (we were at the Apex Waterloo just two blocks away-great hotel btw)
Thanks, WeLoveABD. :) You guys convinced me, and I'm staying at the Apex Waterloo for my pre-days, too. I've been told it's very walkable to get me and my luggage from there to the Balmoral?

Sayhello
 
Thanks, WeLoveABD. :) You guys convinced me, and I'm staying at the Apex Waterloo for my pre-days, too. I've been told it's very walkable to get me and my luggage from there to the Balmoral?

Sayhello

Very! Across the street and two blocks up-use the ramp entrance which is before you get to the main doors. Carton Hill is just a block the other way and the Royal Mile about a 10 minute walk (head down the side of Balmoral and over the bridge and there you are just a block more ahead). Other side of Balmoral is Prince's Park and the high Scott Monument (and past that a couple of museums-free-on the mound...so called as loch dried up for park and museums on mound of dirt from that project). Carton Hill has great city views and interesting monuments. So much to do and so little time-it will be great! Have a wonderful adventure!
 


Very! Across the street and two blocks up-use the ramp entrance which is before you get to the main doors. Carton Hill is just a block the other way and the Royal Mile about a 10 minute walk (head down the side of Balmoral and over the bridge and there you are just a block more ahead). Other side of Balmoral is Prince's Park and the high Scott Monument (and past that a couple of museums-free-on the mound...so called as loch dried up for park and museums on mound of dirt from that project). Carton Hill has great city views and interesting monuments. So much to do and so little time-it will be great! Have a wonderful adventure!
Thanks, WeLoveABD!!! :) I leave in TWO WEEKS!!! :dance3:

Sayhello
 
I'm so excited, we leave on Saturday for our trip! Just a few quick questions. Is it worthwhile to pick up a Scotland travel guide book for the trip, or will we not have enough free time to make use of it? I thought it would be good to have the maps and maybe information for dining on our own.

And my other question is about some time we are adding on after our trip. We are stopping off in Dublin on our way home. We have two days there and my husband will be working so it is just me and my two kids (9 and 10 years old). Any recommendations on a tour that would take us outside of the city for one of those days?
 
I'm so excited, we leave on Saturday for our trip! Just a few quick questions. Is it worthwhile to pick up a Scotland travel guide book for the trip, or will we not have enough free time to make use of it? I thought it would be good to have the maps and maybe information for dining on our own.

And my other question is about some time we are adding on after our trip. We are stopping off in Dublin on our way home. We have two days there and my husband will be working so it is just me and my two kids (9 and 10 years old). Any recommendations on a tour that would take us outside of the city for one of those days?

Dublin Bus Tours gets good reviews. They have a number of one day trips and better still 2 kids go free with a fare paying adult. You can look at reviews on Trip Advisor. The website address is www.dublinsightseeing.ie
 
I'm so excited, we leave on Saturday for our trip! Just a few quick questions. Is it worthwhile to pick up a Scotland travel guide book for the trip, or will we not have enough free time to make use of it? I thought it would be good to have the maps and maybe information for dining on our own.

And my other question is about some time we are adding on after our trip. We are stopping off in Dublin on our way home. We have two days there and my husband will be working so it is just me and my two kids (9 and 10 years old). Any recommendations on a tour that would take us outside of the city for one of those days?
Safe travels and ENJOY!!! Make sure the weather is good for me at the end of the month! :goodvibes

Sayhello
 
Safe travels and ENJOY!!! Make sure the weather is good for me at the end of the month! :goodvibes

Sayhello

Hopefully the weather will improve. Today has been very wet and quite chilly this evening. It was bucketing when I left work this evening. The east coast is usually drier if cooler than the west coast. Whatever the weather we look forward to welcoming you to Scotland.
 
I'm so excited, we leave on Saturday for our trip! Just a few quick questions. Is it worthwhile to pick up a Scotland travel guide book for the trip, or will we not have enough free time to make use of it? I thought it would be good to have the maps and maybe information for dining on our own.

And my other question is about some time we are adding on after our trip. We are stopping off in Dublin on our way home. We have two days there and my husband will be working so it is just me and my two kids (9 and 10 years old). Any recommendations on a tour that would take us outside of the city for one of those days?

We did this ABD in August of 2013, and we had minimal on-your-own/downtime. I never felt the need for a guidebook to figure out what to do during those limited times. As far as restaurants go, the guides will give you suggestions and help make reservations.
 
Hopefully the weather will improve. Today has been very wet and quite chilly this evening. It was bucketing when I left work this evening. The east coast is usually drier if cooler than the west coast. Whatever the weather we look forward to welcoming you to Scotland.
Oh, pleasepleasepleaseplease let it clear up by then!

How chilly is "quite chilly"?

Sayhello
 
I'm so excited, we leave on Saturday for our trip! Just a few quick questions. Is it worthwhile to pick up a Scotland travel guide book for the trip, or will we not have enough free time to make use of it? I thought it would be good to have the maps and maybe information for dining on our own.

And my other question is about some time we are adding on after our trip. We are stopping off in Dublin on our way home. We have two days there and my husband will be working so it is just me and my two kids (9 and 10 years old). Any recommendations on a tour that would take us outside of the city for one of those days?

I would agree with Calfan that a guidebook is not really needed. I did buy one and it was a good intro but I did not find myself using it a lot. If you need some info once in Edinburgh and about that city, the visitor's center is located just to the right of the Balmoral if you were looking right at it.
 
We had a Steves Scotland book which provided great background info during the whole trip and a top 10 Edinburgh book which proved informative and useful during our pre days and during the city tour. The books had great tips re restaurants and small gems like the writer's museum and good maps.
 
We are stopping off in Dublin on our way home. We have two days there and my husband will be working so it is just me and my two kids (9 and 10 years old). Any recommendations on a tour that would take us outside of the city for one of those days?

On O'Connell St., after the bridge on your right, there are a couple of offices there which offers tours. It is right across the bookstore. Several people offer hop off hop on bus tours there as well. Some places you can check out on your own - Dublin Castle and the Leprechaun Museum. You can also check out Christ Church Museum. Outside the city, that would be Blarney Castle.
 
We had a Steves Scotland book which provided great background info during the whole trip and a top 10 Edinburgh book which proved informative and useful during our pre days and during the city tour. The books had great tips re restaurants and small gems like the writer's museum and good maps.
Rick Steves also has an app with podcasts that discuss various areas of Scotland (including Edinburgh) and includes a walking tour of The Royal Mile in Edinburgh. I'm planning on using the walking tour during one of my pre-days.

Sayhello
 
I'm so excited, we leave on Saturday for our trip! Just a few quick questions. Is it worthwhile to pick up a Scotland travel guide book for the trip, or will we not have enough free time to make use of it? I thought it would be good to have the maps and maybe information for dining on our own.

And my other question is about some time we are adding on after our trip. We are stopping off in Dublin on our way home. We have two days there and my husband will be working so it is just me and my two kids (9 and 10 years old). Any recommendations on a tour that would take us outside of the city for one of those days?

DCPhotoGal...my husband and I will be on the same trip (no children with us), so will have to try and figure out who each other is. :-)
 
Oh, pleasepleasepleaseplease let it clear up by then!

How chilly is "quite chilly"?

Sayhello

I think it went down to 12°C (think that's about 53°F). Scotland can get a lot cooler than this but it's still supposed to be summer. Another very wet day here. You may get lucky and it just be cloudy. Nobody comes to Scotland for the sunny climate but the scenery, history and hopefully the warmth of the people should make up for that.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!










Top