My attempt to meld great tufbuf photos with my text failed--for now. I'll get it figured out and hopefully there will be an accessible trip report soon. In the meantime--sorry about this--here is my loooooong (but complete) text trip report
ABD Scotland Trip Report (June 29-July 7, 2014)
We like to have a few pre-days before an ABD trip, especially where there is a significant time difference (8 hours, for this trip). Plus we want to give additional time on the front end in case we have to deal with lost luggage or delayed flights.
This time around, we went to Northern Ireland (Belfast), flying on United from San Diego to Newark, then Newark to Belfast. We left on Monday (23rd) and arrived in Belfast late morning on Tuesday. There are buses (with luggage racks) that leave from just outside the baggage terminal that go to the bus station in downtown Belfastwhich is on the back side of the Europa Hotel, where we stayed for three nights. Excellent hotel, very central locationmuch of what we wanted to see was walkable from this hotel.
Tips: Rick Steves book on Northern Ireland was an excellent guide. Northern Ireland and England share the same coins but NI has its own bills (same value as the British Pound)but it will be difficult to use the NI bills outside of NI, so be sure to either spend them or exchange them before you leave. Merchants DO accept British Pound notes. We decided to get pounds before leaving the states (from Travelex)enough to avoid their standard fees, although the exchange rate wasnt great. However, we had sufficient currency for the entire trip to avoid relying upon ATMs; we also found a credit card (with chip) that did not charge a transaction fee for each use overseas. (We brought backup cardsalso all with chipsjust in case). (For guide tips, we brought them in envelopes and stored them away in hotel safesall in US currency; it was also our emergency backup cash should we have needed itand if we had British pounds left at the end of the trip, we could put that into the tip envelopes and take out some of the US currency to take back home with us).
We did all we could to stay awake on Tuesday until evening, to fight through jet lag. We mostly walked the inner cityas it happens, the Queen was in Belfast and her motorcade passed us by as we walked to City Hall. Highly recommend taking the free tour of City Hall (you need to reserve a time), and seeing the Linen Library (also free)it has interesting posters on the walls relating to the Troubles. Large modern mall is nearby (Victoria Square) with a great view of the city from its central tower. An old saloon is across from the Eurpoa (called the Crown Liquor Store)worth a look inside, and the food is very good.
Belfast Attractions Tour
We booked in advance an all day tour with a private driver/car (for 4) to see the Giants Causeway, Dunluce castle ruins, the Titanic shipyard and the area murals (for both sidesProtestant and Catholic, or Royal and Independent). Our guide was greatcould not have gotten a more detailed review of the political turmoil that has rocked Belfast over the decades. We also stopped for lunch (with food our guide broughthomemade sandwiches!), and saw various locations used for Game of Thrones (the main studio is near the shipyard/Titanic Museum, and we strolled the Dark Hedges which is used in the series).
By the time Thursday rolled around, we were all in the correct time zone. We walked to the Queens Museum and spent a good deal of time enjoying the Botanical Gardens (and Palm House green house) next to the University. On the other end of the gardens was the Ulster Museum, which had a terrific art exhibit on the Troublesvery moving, especially after our tour the day before. Lunch at a Steves recommended place called Maggie Mays (very good), and then later a walk to City Hall for our tour and then over to St. Annes Cathedral for a self-tour. Place across from the hotel called Jazz Pizza was great. That evening, DW and I went to a play (WWI-era setting, called Birdsong) at the opera house next door to the Europa.
Onward to Edinburgh
Spent off our Belfast bucks at the airport (on a breakfast sandwich called bops), then flew Easyjet for a short flight to Edinburgh. The tram (with baggage racks) from the airport to city center was clean, efficient and much cheaper than cabs. (While the tram is easy, it has interrupted the flow of vehicle traffic in and out of Edinburgh). We walked a few blocks from the tram stop to our pre-ABD hotel, Apex Waterloo (much less than the Balmoral, but only a few blocks away). The Apex had lots of nice amenities, including free snacks, coupons for use in the restaurant and bar, small gym and pool/sauna. It was also a 5 minute walk to the Carton Hill area, which has fantastic views of the city. (There was a student-run art/music show in the old observatory in Carton Hill).
We had a late lunch reservation at The Witchery (in the Secret Garden)reservations can be made on line and it is recommended. It was expensive. And while it is a must do stop, I was not wowd by the interiorthe garden room area is not as lush as I had imagined. We followed our 3 pm reservation with a 5 pm Real Mary Kings Close tour, which was cheesy fun.
Tip: most credit cards are put into a hand-held machine; needs to stay in the machine until it gets properly read (at a store I put the card in and pulled it right outmessed everything up and a manager had to be called). Alsoif you are leaving a tip (usually 10 percent), let the waiter know as otherwise the card will only be charged for the pre-tip amount and then youll need cash for the tip (or run).
It was light out past 10 pm, so while the kids enjoyed the hotel pool/TV, DW and I walked the areamostly the Royal Mile and Princess Street. If you have time, stroll the park along Princes Street (behind the Scott Memorial)it was once a lake (loch), and is below street level.
Outward from Edinburgh
Another great thing about the Apex Waterloo was its convenient location to the tour bus stop, right across the street. We had booked in advance a tour with the highly recommended Heart of Scotland tour company. We spent our Saturday on this tour, going through the Borders to Rosslyn Chapel (featured in Da Vinci Code and in the movie), a stop in the town of Melrose (where we went from market to market to put together a great picnic lunch), through the lowlands into England and Hadrians Wall (to a section where we could walk on the wall). Cool weather, but no rain when we were out and about. We returned around 7:30 and went to an Italian restaurant next to the Apex called Martone (excellent foodand we thought it was reasonably priced; we were, however, too full for gelato).
Just About ABD Time
Sunday morning we had bfast in our room with food we got the night before at a nearby Tesco supermarket (there are refrigerators in the rooms). Walked a couple of blocks with our bags to the Balmoral. We met up with our friends (two families we met on the Greece ABD) and took Bus 22 (right out front of the Balmoral) to its endthe harbor area, where the Royal Yacht Britannia was located. Had a wonderful lunch on board (with tea, desserts), then took the tour. The ship is aside a mall, so everyone walked the mall a bit after the tour, before busing back to the Balmoral. The hotel has a fantastic gymlarge indoor pool, sauna, steam room and four rooms of exercise equipment.
Tip: there are no coffee makers in the room; however, coffee is made in the gym (which opens up at 6:30)and newspapers are available there as well. (And tea, and fruit).
We met the group (40 total, including a family group of 12) and our guides, Michael and Lenora. Dinner in the hotel.
ABD Starts!
The one thing different on this ABD trip was having two American guides, rather than one from the US and one from Scotland. Both guides were greatefficient, funny, friendly. But there is an added bonus when there is a native on board who can discuss growing up in that country. The other notable difference was the absence of the back of the bus kid crowdand there is quite a bit of bus time on this trip. In large part I think it was due to the fact that we had a large multi-unit family group who stuck together, so the kids all stayed up in the front half of the bus where these families situated themselves.
The Queen was coming to town, so we could not go to the Palace of Holyroodhousedisappointing (and now on our must do list for a future visit), and compounded by its replacement being St. Giles Cathedral, which we had visited on our own. (ABD did send a letter about this change, but we had left for Northern Ireland before it arrived). On the up side, our guide for this day was a 74-year-old Scotsman named David who sang and joked and provided a good overview of Edinburgh (he is a Blue Badge Guide). He did not get into detail because he was concerned about the attention span of the kids on boardbut for a tour around town, maybe it was sufficient. We had a great time at the National Museum of Scotlandbut Id recommend selecting a few highlights on the history side (such as the Lewis chess pieces) and then go to the art and science side (which includes the stuffed sheep Dollythe first cloned animal). Lunch at the museum was excellent and the storyteller who came in held us all captivated. We next visited Dovecot Studios for family weaving activities (it was funthese things are always more fun than they sound!)but we were divided into two groups (for two different activities)and in some of the down time it would have been nice to have our guide David around to talk to. (However, there is some sort of time limitation so he could not hang out at the museum under his current contract). The day was capped with a tour of Edinburgh Castle (partially with David, partially on our own)we say the soldiers lining up by the cannons in preparation for the 21-gun salute for the Queens arrival (and saw the guns go off as we walked across Waverley Bridge).
Tip: with long days, this was the right time to head down the Royal Mile for dinner at one of the pubs then onward to see the quirky new Parliament building, Holyrood and then walk up to the top of Arthurs Seat (takes about 30 minutes to walk up the pathsometimes steep, frequently unevenbut man! What a view!). We had toyed with buying provisions and picnicking at the topbut that would have been a long haul.
Isle of Skye
Our lucky streak of beautiful weather held out, and our bus (half asleep) wandered by gorgeous green hills, lochs and mountains into the Highlands, through Glencoe (Bonnie Prince Charlie territory) to our lunch stop at Ft. Williams. Rick Steves recommendation was to drive on by, but he was wronga lovely little town and a variety of eateries (once again, Fish and Chips for me), a young female bagpipe player in the town square and plenty of shops. I bought a shirt that said Malt Whisky in the Disney font, with whisky bottles forming the shape of a castleperfect for the whisky tasting that evening! From Ft. Williams we went to the Eilean Donan Castleused in Brave, and also the castle you see in the ABD ads with the parents and kids running up a stone bridge. Guides were on site for an overview, and then you roamed. The castle is less than 100 years old (rebuilt in the early 1900s using existing ruins and drawings dated from a 1714 surveythe Brits drew it then destroyed it).
From this stop we went on to the Isle of Skye to the Cuillin Hills Hotel in Portree. Most of the town closes for the winter, but Cuillin Hills Hotel is one of the few year-round hotels. This was Junior Adventure nightwhile they were off, the adults who were interested went to the whisky tasting followed by an ABD-provided dinner at the hotels restaurant.
By the way, the Balmoral and the Kingsmill (Inverness) both had room safesthe Cuillin Hills Hotel did not, but if you wanted to have the front desk put your valuables in a hotel safe they would do so. All hotels had wifi (good free wifi reception in Balmoral rooms, we had reception in our room in Cuillin Hillsmay have been due to our location on the first floor, and Kingsmill had free wifi in lobby but a paid plan for rooms), all hotels had hairdryers and plenty of outlets. The towel racks at the Balmoral and Cuillin were heatedthe Cuillin were VERY warm to hot, so beware! Excellent pool at Balmoral, decent gym and pool at Invernessno gym or pool at Cuillin. However, the lawn area overlooking the Portree harbor was stunningtry to find some time to sit there if you can. One other thing: little biting bugs (like mini-mosquitos) can become a problem; if so, bug spray is not very effective but the guides have spray on hand that should do the trick. We some a few of the midges but they were not a problem on this trip.
Our wildest weather day was July 2 (Wed), which we spent on Skye on its Trotternish Peninsula. The wind howled and whipped us about as we visited a few cliff-side areas (walking down some pathways, stopping at Kilt Rocks area). From there we went to the Quirainga popular destination for hikers; we hiked up into the hills and as we went further and further in, the clouds grew darker and the winds more intense. It was very dramatic, and breathtaking in many ways. On the return hike, some rain. My DW had purchased plastic pants to go over her clothingand we brought lightweight rain jackets with hoodsall of which came in handy for the hike (but not really used again on the trip). Since the weather is so unpredictable, it is worth the small investment to bring these with you.
After the hike, we stopped at the Uig Hotel for a decent buffet lunch (nothing spectacular), then back to Portree for shopping time before a scone-making activity at a local bakery (be sure to check out the art studio in the bakery, on the second floor). Back at the hotel, an area dance studio (youth) provided a variety of music and dance performances; after that, we left for Portree (on foot, 15 minute walk) for a great fresh seafood dinner at the Rosedale Hotel on the harbor.
Wherefore art thou Nessie?
Thursday, July 3. Daylight. We are on the search for a reported serpent beast. Name of Nessie.
Now this was a Scottish day. We traveled along the Loch Ness (one of three lochs that essentially create a west to east channel across the Highlands); the loch is deeper than the North Sea. We toured a very interesting museum at the Loch Ness Center, followed by lunch and a talk by the curator of the museum (and foremost Loch Ness Monster researcher), Adrian Shine. After lunch we split into three groups, with one group taking canoes out into the loch, one riding a boat (with sonar and a glass bottom) around the loch and the third touring the ruins of nearby Urquhart Castle. We toured and then canoed (switching with the group that canoed first, then toured)because of the weather/high wind, our canoes were tethered to a long rope, but that was OK. During the middle of the canoeing the sun broke out from behind the clouds and we all laid down our oars and sunbathed on the Loch Ness. From there, to our hotel in Inverness (the Kingsmill). Time enough to unwind, take in the pool and exercise room and then meet up with the group again for dinner at the hotel. The highlight: the presentation of the Haggis, with a reading from the works of Robert Burns (Burns Address to a Haggis recited by a wonderful local poet). I swore Id never have Haggis, but I tried it
freshly cut open, steamingand it was good!
Friday July 4
Sick all day in bed. Damn Haggis.
Friday July 4, Actually
Just kidding! The Haggis WAS very goodspicy, like a crumbly meatloaf, sort of. Best not to think too much about it.
On this date we flew to the Isle of Lewis (ABD chartered planemuch better treatment and snacks than any domestic Delta flight). The weather held, although it seemed like it could storm at any moment.
Our local tour guide was very goodgave us a lot of background on Lewis (the mass is actually two islandsLewis and Harris, of Harris Tweed fame). We visited a Blackhouse Village (thatched roof, peet burning inside)these were used as models for the witchs house in Braveand nearby was the Carloway Broch (a tribal home designed for defense, over 2000 years old). Beautiful setting. It is so hard to capture some of these settings on camerause panorama on your cameras if you have it.
The highlight was visiting the Callanish standing stonesthese upright flat rocks are up to 6 feet underground, and rise above ground 10 feet or more. We had plenty of time to roam around the stones. There was a small shop nearby and a cool solo artist show in a room below where the shop was located.
Lunch was in a restaurant along the main drag of Stornoway (with many good shopsgreat place to get Harris Tweed). As we sat there talking, we realized it was the 4th of July and that there was nothing particularly planned, so a few of us started singing the Star Spangled Bannerit ended with the whole room of ABDers standing and singing. It was a pretty cool moment. You have time after lunch to roam the town, or head across the river to see the Lewis Castle (I did thatit was being renovated, but the park surrounding it made for a really great walk. Most of Lewis is flat, tree-lessso this walk offered a nice small forest so different from the rest of the island). We flew back, had some time (not much) at the hotel, before catching our bus for dinner at the Mustard Seed (one of the Steves-recommended restaurants in Inverness; it was an old church). We opted to walk the town after dinner (again, light until after 10)about 20 minutes from the hotel on foot, and we walked through some nice neighborhoods, adding flavor and character to our view of the town.
Estate Planning
This day offers what many on this trip have said was the best dayvisiting a local estate (20,000 acres, with forest, lochs, mountains, farming). The Rothiemurchus Estate. We would never have been able to do all that we did had we tried to plan this trip on our ownit is the sort of experience that keeps us coming back to ABD.
While the Jr. Adventurers went out on a horseback ride, the adults toured the grounds by van
to scenic spots to try to take in the whole of the estate, to a field full of deer (to feed), to seeing hairy coos (er, cows) up close
we all met up for a really good lunch in a tent outside (including venison sausages, which my DS noted after that we fed the deer and then they fed us). (Sorry). In the afternoon we broke into two groupsone started on a nice long bike ride (ending at a loch) while the other did archery, then switched. Frankly, after all of the history and castles and scenery, the kids were ready for some play time (adults too!).
We had dinner on our own, so our group of 10 walked to Inverness to a guide-recommended restaurant called Taste of Joymix of food, good value, nice atmosphere.
And So The End is Near
A 6:30 AM departure back to Edinburgh. A sleepy group on the busbut when we stopped at a Burger King in the coastal town of Aberdeen, everyone gave coffee/hot chocolate orders and then headed to the nearby beach to take a foot dip (or more) into the North Sea. From there, a relatively short drive to Dunnottar Castle, which has an interesting history (including being the hiding place of the Crown jewelsfrom Cromwell). The Castle ruins overlook the North Seathe weather was fantastic, the air crisp and the cliff/ocean views breathtaking. We departed for Glamis Castle, the ancestral home of the late Queen Mother. Parts of the castle were over 600 years oldand it is said Shakespeare used the old parts as the setting for Macbeth. King Macbeth pre-dated the castle.) We had lunch here, with a little bit of time after to walk about or check out the gift shop. It started to rain as we were leaving, but cleared by the time we got back to Edinburgh. The ride back was entertaining, and fulfilled what many had hoped for. Just sayin.
That evening was our farewell dinner. Our guides were in full kilt, and many of the older teens were dressed in kilts (either bought along the way, or brought with them). Everyone was encouraged to wear something Scottish, and most did (scarves, hats etc.). We took the bus over to Edinburgh Castle, which was now only open to ABD, walked the grounds, went to see the Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny (with a private guide telling us about all of it)then to a beautifully set room for dinner. (This is the time to give your guides their tips).
In Conclusion
Happily our flight didnt leave until 12:30, so we had the morning to relax at the hotelhave a leisurely breakfast, use the sauna/gym, walk Princes Street Park. Part of our group left the next day, and went back to see the Palace of Holyroodhouse (which had reopened after the Queens departure). We are always on the fence about post-days, as our kids are anxious to get back. We always do pre-days, and always willbest way to get adjusted to the time difference before the ABD trip gets underway, and to buy extra time if needed due to travel delays. I have read elsewhere that the departure city is usually given less attention on an ABD trip, and that seems to be generally sowe loved having the opportunity to do a lot of things on our own before meeting the group (especially the Royal Yacht, and the day trip down to Hadrians Wall).
A good, solid ABD trip, excellent itinerary and lots to learn if you take the extra effort. I am now about three weeks post-trip, and have to say it is holding up very well and gets better and better upon reflection.
Just to warn you, I *may* not read it in depth until after I get back. I've forgotten a lot of the details from last years' reports, and I kind of want to keep it that way for more surprises. But I *will* read it eventually! 
