Scotland Meets Thread (formerly Scotland: A Brave Adventure)

[amymeadors]

I'm very interested to hear how this one was. I've always wanted to go to scotland!

 

[sayhello]

Other than a few moments of rain, the weather for the June 29-July 7 trip to Scotland was great. The tram from the airport to downtown Edinburgh was easy, and we got off just a couple of blocks from our pre-ABD hotel (Apex Waterloo--excellent hotel/location, just a few blocks away from the Balmoral,and directly across the street from a specially marked bus stop for other tours--including the Heart of Scotland tour group).

More later in a trip report. Guides were Michael and Lenora--both American guides (not the usual mix of one American and one from the country being toured).

Looking forward to your report! I've only got 7 weeks of planning to go!

Sayhello

 

[Callymum]

Thank you for the reassurance and the tips! I think that getting a rain jacket there is BRILLIANT suggestion.

If you are buying a Rain jacket in Edinburgh make sure the shops not on the Royal Mile, everything is dearer for the Tourists. Pop into an Asda or Marks and spencer.

 

[rebeccam31]

If you are buying a Rain jacket in Edinburgh make sure the shops not on the Royal Mile, everything is dearer for the Tourists. Pop into an Asda or Marks and spencer.

Thanks so much!

 

[Princess Leia]

If you are buying a Rain jacket in Edinburgh make sure the shops not on the Royal Mile, everything is dearer for the Tourists. Pop into an Asda or Marks and spencer.

If you look online you will see details of where stores are located. I would recommend getting a proper waterproof jacket (just in case) so look at going to an outdoor shop such as Trespass or Cotswold.

 

[CarrianneB]

Other than a few moments of rain, the weather for the June 29-July 7 trip to Scotland was great. The tram from the airport to downtown Edinburgh was easy, and we got off just a couple of blocks from our pre-ABD hotel (Apex Waterloo--excellent hotel/location, just a few blocks away from the Balmoral,and directly across the street from a specially marked bus stop for other tours--including the Heart of Scotland tour group).

More later in a trip report. Guides were Michael and Lenora--both American guides (not the usual mix of one American and one from the country being toured).

We loved Michael in Peru! He found out on our trip that he was going to be doing the Scotland tours starting in the spring.

 

[WeLoveABD]

If you are buying a Rain jacket in Edinburgh make sure the shops not on the Royal Mile, everything is dearer for the Tourists. Pop into an Asda or Marks and spencer.

agree! Wait to shop until after leaving Edinburgh--OR, there is a mall a couple of blocks away from the Balmoral (and a large dept store--Marks I think--across the street). I think it is better to spend free time in Edinburgh seeing sights--Carton Hill is close, or climb the Scott Monument (or walk the nearby Princess Street garden--formally a loch), or walk the Royal Mile toward Holyrood House and check out the interesting parliament building and then continue on to hike up the hill to Arthur's Seat (what a beautiful view from the top!). We also took a bus to the harbor to tour the Royal Yacht which was great (the bus leaves right in front of the Balmoral and returns you there--bus 22 I think). I failed in my quest to get into the Writer's Museum (kept missing the open hours--it is a free museum and Rick Steves featured it)--so that is one of the things left undone for another trip!

 

[sayhello]

So any suggestions of places to eat on this trip? Edinburgh for my pre-days? Anything else for the on-your-own times? I'm trying to stay away from the Trip Reports. I read them all when they were posted, but being old I've forgotten some of the details, and I want to keep it that way until after I go. 2BNDisney already recommended Patisserie Valerie to me - looks excellent. The more suggestions, the better!

Shouldn't I be getting my box soon????

Thanks!
Sayhello

 

[tufbuf]

So any suggestions of places to eat on this trip? Edinburgh for my pre-days? Anything else for the on-your-own times? I'm trying to stay away from the Trip Reports. I read them all when they were posted, but being old I've forgotten some of the details, and I want to keep it that way until after I go. 2BNDisney already recommended Patisserie Valerie to me - looks excellent. The more suggestions, the better! Shouldn't I be getting my box soon???? Thanks! Sayhello

If you are into pasta (DD is), Prezzo and Mantone are excellent choices. Both are very near the Balmoral, the former across the North Bridge and the latter across the hotel. Mantone also serves sumptuous gelato and tiramisu. The meal prices are expensive! For a family of three, we easily spend £40-60 per meal which is about $70-100!! I highly recommend eating at the Witchery. The lamb Wellington, which calypso showed in her trip report is an excellent choice. It's good for two though.

If you have a chance, visit the Britannia. Their high tea menu is excellent as well!

It's great not to know the details of the trip. I went day by day and it's nice to be awed by the sights!! I read calypso's report several months back and forgot about the details too. I read it again yesterday and she mentioned some things there that were not in the itinerary, kinda like a surprise. Since I forgot about it, it was a nice surprise!!

The hotel in Inverness is a 15-minute walk to town. We ate in a restaurant called The Taste of Joy. It sounded Chinese to me but their food was great! And no, they don't serve Chinese food. Their cheese soufflé was yummy and I enjoyed my fish dish. Again soups here are puréed so they are thick. One of the common starters is called Cullin skink soup, I still haven't found out what a skink is but it's pretty good.

 

[sayhello]

If you are into pasta (DD is), Prezzo and Mantone are excellent choices. Both are very near the Balmoral, the former across the North Bridge and the latter across the hotel. Mantone also serves sumptuous gelato and tiramisu. The meal prices are expensive! For a family of three, we easily spend £40-60 per meal which is about $70-100!! I highly recommend eating at the Witchery. The lamb Wellington, which calypso showed in her trip report is an excellent choice. It's good for two though.

If you have a chance, visit the Britannia. Their high tea menu is excellent as well!

It's great not to know the details of the trip. I went day by day and it's nice to be awed by the sights!! I read calypso's report several months back and forgot about the details too. I read it again yesterday and she mentioned some things there that were not in the itinerary, kinda like a surprise. Since I forgot about it, it was a nice surprise!!

The hotel in Inverness is a 15-minute walk to town. We ate in a restaurant called The Taste of Joy. It sounded Chinese to me but their food was great! And no, they don't serve Chinese food. Their cheese soufflé was yummy and I enjoyed my fish dish. Again soups here are puréed so they are thick. One of the common starters is called Cullin skink soup, I still haven't found out what a skink is but it's pretty good.

Ooo! Thanks, tufbuf! I don't eat a lot of pasta (diabetic) but the others sound great! I remember calypso mentioning the Witchery. Lamb *anything* sounds great to me!

And I'm a huge fan of thick soups. I spent a semester as a foreign exchange student in England, and the only decent food in the dorms were the soups (which were *fabulous*) and you could have as much soup as you wanted! I became a huge fan of soup during that semester. Do you know if they had scotch broth? It was one of my favorites, and you just don't find it around here....

No idea what a skink is, either!

Where is the Britannia? I *am* looking to do at least one high tea, or at least an afternoon tea.

Sayhello

 

[Bobo912]

Martone was next to our hotel and we stopped there twice for ice cream. I didn't have any, but DS loved it. They have some interesting flavors. We also had lunch there one day and it was good. Sayhello, if you happen to go there can you find out what brand of lemonade they have? DS and I both ordered the lemonade, and it's not regular lemonade, but sparkling lemonade from a can and very good. I saw our waiter pouring it from a blue can, but I couldn't see the brand and didn't think to ask until it was too late. We spent the rest of the trip in Edinburgh and Ireland looking in stores for the blue can or trying to find one as good, but we failed.

We also had a meal at Whiski Bar and Restaurant and it was good. We tried the haggis appetizer there (since we had to try haggis, right?) and it was quite good. Overall, if was good pub food and our server was just great.

 

[sayhello]

Martone was next to our hotel and we stopped there twice for ice cream. I didn't have any, but DS loved it. They have some interesting flavors. We also had lunch there one day and it was good. Sayhello, if you happen to go there can you find out what brand of lemonade they have? DS and I both ordered the lemonade, and it's not regular lemonade, but sparkling lemonade from a can and very good. I saw our waiter pouring it from a blue can, but I couldn't see the brand and didn't think to ask until it was too late. We spent the rest of the trip in Edinburgh and Ireland looking in stores for the blue can or trying to find one as good, but we failed.

We also had a meal at Whiski Bar and Restaurant and it was good. We tried the haggis appetizer there (since we had to try haggis, right?) and it was quite good. Overall, if was good pub food and our server was just great.

You stayed at the Apex Waterloo, right? I've ended up staying there, also. So this Martone is next to the Apex Waterloo? That could be dangerous! I'll be happy to find out about the lemonade. I just hope I remember! I'm old, you know!

Whiski Bar and Restaurant. Check. Good pub food is nice from time to time, too!

Thanks!

Sayhello

 

[Bobo912]

You stayed at the Apex Waterloo, right? I've ended up staying there, also. So this Martone is next to the Apex Waterloo? That could be dangerous! I'll be happy to find out about the lemonade. I just hope I remember! I'm old, you know!

Whiski Bar and Restaurant. Check. Good pub food is nice from time to time, too!

Thanks!

Sayhello

Thanks! We did stay at the Apex Waterloo. Room was nice (good size bedroom and bathroom) and the wifi was decent and free. There is a "hidden" cabinet behind one of the mirrors in the bathroom and that is where they keep the wash cloths and extra roll of toilet paper. I didn't discover that for a couple of days and I was a little annoyed about the absence of wash cloths and I kept telling DS not to use up all the TP. I wouldn't recommend the restaurant at the hotel. We took a tour to Loch Ness one day and when we got back we were just too tired to go out, so we had dinner there. It was about $100 for the two of us and the food was just okay. I had one glass of wine and DS just had water. We both had dessert. The waiter who brought out the food for us and the other guests looked like he was terrified that he was going to drop it. That was kind of entertaining. There is a little store next to the hotel where you can get some snacks or drinks, if you need something before you join up with the group.

 

[tufbuf]

Oh, I forgot about the haggis! One of our friends say it tastes like meatball Parmesan. At the Kingsmills Hotel, it's served during breakfast every morning! Yum!!! They also have them canned in stores.

 

[2BNDisney]

So any suggestions of places to eat on this trip? Edinburgh for my pre-days? Anything else for the on-your-own times? I'm trying to stay away from the Trip Reports. I read them all when they were posted, but being old I've forgotten some of the details, and I want to keep it that way until after I go. 2BNDisney already recommended Patisserie Valerie to me - looks excellent. The more suggestions, the better!

Shouldn't I be getting my box soon????

Thanks!
Sayhello

My friend who lives in Edinburgh also suggested Deacon Brodie's and then Angels with Bagpipes as places to eat. Unfortunately I did not have time to do all the places she gave me. Both of these are on the Royal Mile. Be sure and get fish and chips somewhere if you like that. As far as shopping, Neanie Scott on the Royal Mile was a good shop as this was one of the few Scottish owned tourist shops on the Mile from what she told me. The employees were very nice and gave me lots of info about the other Scottish shops and about the area around there. If I remember right, it was on the left (closer to Holyrood end of the Mile as you walk that way). And there was a tea room right down from there named Clarinda's.

 

[2BNDisney]

So any suggestions of places to eat on this trip? Edinburgh for my pre-days? Anything else for the on-your-own times? I'm trying to stay away from the Trip Reports. I read them all when they were posted, but being old I've forgotten some of the details, and I want to keep it that way until after I go. 2BNDisney already recommended Patisserie Valerie to me - looks excellent. The more suggestions, the better!

Shouldn't I be getting my box soon????

Thanks!
Sayhello

Oh, and don't forget to try Scotland's national soda, Irn Bru, so you can say you have tried it.

 

[sayhello]

Thanks! We did stay at the Apex Waterloo. Room was nice (good size bedroom and bathroom) and the wifi was decent and free. There is a "hidden" cabinet behind one of the mirrors in the bathroom and that is where they keep the wash cloths and extra roll of toilet paper. I didn't discover that for a couple of days and I was a little annoyed about the absence of wash cloths and I kept telling DS not to use up all the TP. I wouldn't recommend the restaurant at the hotel. We took a tour to Loch Ness one day and when we got back we were just too tired to go out, so we had dinner there. It was about $100 for the two of us and the food was just okay. I had one glass of wine and DS just had water. We both had dessert. The waiter who brought out the food for us and the other guests looked like he was terrified that he was going to drop it. That was kind of entertaining. There is a little store next to the hotel where you can get some snacks or drinks, if you need something before you join up with the group.

Thanks, Bobo912! I'm hoping not to eat at the hotel. But I totally get the "too tired to go *anywhere*" thing. You pay for the convenience.

Oh, I forgot about the haggis! One of our friends say it tastes like meatball Parmesan. At the Kingsmills Hotel, it's served during breakfast every morning! Yum!!! They also have them canned in stores.

I've already had haggis. I did like it, and will probably try it again. Good to know it will be at breakfast at the last hotel. I won't have to go look for it!

Sayhello

 

[Calfan]

My friend who lives in Edinburgh also suggested Deacon Brodie's and then Angels with Bagpipes as places to eat. Unfortunately I did not have time to do all the places she gave me. Both of these are on the Royal Mile. Be sure and get fish and chips somewhere if you like that. As far as shopping, Neanie Scott on the Royal Mile was a good shop as this was one of the few Scottish owned tourist shops on the Mile from what she told me. The employees were very nice and gave me lots of info about the other Scottish shops and about the area around there. If I remember right, it was on the left (closer to Holyrood end of the Mile as you walk that way). And there was a tea room right down from there named Clarinda's.

We had lunch at Deacon Brodies's the day we arrived in Edinburgh and enjoyed it a lot. I think I had the fish and chips.

 

[sayhello]

My friend who lives in Edinburgh also suggested Deacon Brodie's and then Angels with Bagpipes as places to eat. Unfortunately I did not have time to do all the places she gave me. Both of these are on the Royal Mile. Be sure and get fish and chips somewhere if you like that. As far as shopping, Neanie Scott on the Royal Mile was a good shop as this was one of the few Scottish owned tourist shops on the Mile from what she told me. The employees were very nice and gave me lots of info about the other Scottish shops and about the area around there. If I remember right, it was on the left (closer to Holyrood end of the Mile as you walk that way). And there was a tea room right down from there named Clarinda's.

Cool, Blake, thanks! I'm writing those down, too! And I much prefer to go to shops run by locals!

Oh, and don't forget to try Scotland's national soda, Irn Bru, so you can say you have tried it.

Irn Bru. Gotcha!

We had lunch at Deacon Brodies's the day we arrived in Edinburgh and enjoyed it a lot. I think I had the fish and chips.

I do love a good fish and chips. I'll keep this one in mind!

Thanks!
Sayhello

 

[edinburghlass]

Up by the Apex Waterloo you will find Howies, I've eaten there its good and not too expensive for that "too tired to go far meal".

http://www.howies.uk.com/

Also agree with Deacon Brodies but be aware you will probably have to wait for a table as its very busy. We elected to share with a lovely Canadian couple we met in the queue which meant we both got a table quicker. I had taken a visitor on the on/off bus tour of the city which stopped outside and the driver recommended it.

http://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/deaconbrodiestavernroyalmileedinburgh/

You have me wondering about lemonade in a tin now, I'm off to browse the shelves in Tesco online groceries