Frommer's Scotland

481 Pages·2004·7.76 MB·English

by  Darwin Porter, Danforth Prince

Scotland
8th Edition
by Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince
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About the Authors
Darwin Porterhas covered Scotland since the beginning of his travel-writing
career as author of Frommer’s England & Scotland.Since 1982, he has been joined
in his efforts by Danforth Prince, formerly of the Paris Bureau of the New York
Times. Together, they’ve written numerous best-selling Frommer’s guides—notably
to England, France, and Italy.
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Contents
List of Maps vii
What’s New in Scotland 1
1 The Best of Scotland 3
1 The Best Travel Experiences . . . . .3 9 The Best Ruins . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
2 The Best Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 10 The Best Museums . . . . . . . . . .14
3 The Best Fishing . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 11 The Best Luxury Hotels . . . . . . . .14
4 The Best Countryside Drives . . . . .8 12 The Best Moderately Priced
5 The Best Bike Rides . . . . . . . . . . .9 Hotels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
6 The Best Hikes . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 13 The Best Restaurants . . . . . . . . .17
7 The Best Castles & Palaces . . . . .11 14 The Best Pubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
8 The Best Cathedrals . . . . . . . . . .12 15 The Best Shopping . . . . . . . . . .18
2 Planning Your Trip to Scotland 20
1 The Regions in Brief . . . . . . . . .20 9 Planning Your Trip Online . . . . . .38
2 Visitor Information . . . . . . . . . . .23 Frommers.com: The Complete
3 Entry Requirements & Travel Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 10 The 21st-Century Traveler . . . . . .39
4 Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Online Traveler’s Toolbox . . . . . .41
5 When to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 11 Getting There . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Scotland Calendar of Events . . . .29 12 Getting Around Scotland . . . . . .46
6 Travel Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Getting Your VAT Refund . . . . . .50
7 Health & Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 13 Recommended Books . . . . . . . .52
8 Specialized Travel Resources . . . .34 Fast Facts: Scotland . . . . . . . . . .54
3 The Active Vacation Planner 59
1 Teeing Off:Golfing in Scotland . . .59 3 Biking,Walking & Other
2 Fishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 OutdoorPursuits . . . . . . . . . . . .65
4 Edinburgh & the Lothian Region 70
1 Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 3 Where to Stay . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
The Neighborhoods in Brief . . . .72 Family-Friendly Hotels . . . . . . . .85
Finding an Address . . . . . . . . . .73 4 Where to Dine . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Family-Friendly Restaurants . . . .92
Fast Facts: Edinburgh . . . . . . . .75 5 Exploring the City . . . . . . . . . . .95
iv CONTENTS
Frommer’s Favorite Edinburgh 7 Spectator Sports &
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Outdoor Pursuits . . . . . . . . . . .110
The Father of Dr. Jekyll & 8 Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Mr. Hyde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Tracing Your Ancestral Roots . . .115
Britannia:The People’s 9 Edinburgh After Dark . . . . . . . .116
Yacht . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
10 Side Trips from Edinburgh:The
6 Special Events & Festivals . . . . .109
Bestof the Lothian Region . . . .119
5 The Borders & Galloway Regions 126
1 Jedburgh:Gateway to Sir Walter Scott: Master of
the Borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Romance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
2 Kelso:Abbey Ruins & 5 Peebles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Adam Architecture . . . . . . . . . .132 6 Moffat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Robert Adam: Architect to 7 Dumfries:An Ode to Burns . . . .150
the King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
8 Castle Douglas . . . . . . . . . . . .154
3 Melrose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137
9 Kirkcudbright:An Artists’
A Walk Along the Borders . . . .139
Colony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
4 Selkirk:At the Heart of
10 Portpatrick:Where the Southern
Scott Country . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Upland Way Begins . . . . . . . . .159
6 Glasgow & the Strathclyde Region 161
1 Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162 Frommer’s Favorite Glasgow
The Neighborhoods in Brief . . .165 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . .166 6 Special Events . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Fast Facts: Glasgow . . . . . . . . .168 7 Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193
3 Where to Stay . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 8 Glasgow After Dark . . . . . . . . .196
Family-Friendly Hotels . . . . . . .173 9 Side Trips from Glasgow:
The Best of the Strathclyde
4 Where to Dine . . . . . . . . . . . .177
Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Family-Friendly Restaurants . . .179
Robert Burns: National Poet &
5 Seeing the Sights . . . . . . . . . . .183 Penniless Genius . . . . . . . . . . .204
A Man Ahead of His Time:
CharlesRennie Mackintosh . . . .188
7 Argyll & the Southern Hebrides 210
1 The Isle of Arran:Scotland in 5 The Isle of Jura:Deer Island . . .226
Miniature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
6 Inveraray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227
2 The Kintyre Peninsula . . . . . . . .217 Hiking in Argyll Forest Park . . .228
3 The Isle of Gigha & Scotland’s 7 Loch Awe:Scotland’s
Finest Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . .221 Longest Loch . . . . . . . . . . . . .230
4 The Isle of Islay:Queen of 8 Oban:Gateway to Mull &
the Hebrides . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222 the Inner Hebrides . . . . . . . . . .232
CONTENTS v
8 Fife & the Central Highlands 239
1 Dunfermline & Its Great The True Story ofBraveheart . . .260
Abbey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239 5 Dunblane & Its Grand
2 East Neuk’s Scenic Cathedral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
Fishing Villages . . . . . . . . . . . .244 6 Callander & a Trio of Lochs . . . .266
3 St.Andrews:The Birthplace 7 Aberfoyle:Gateway to
of Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249 the Trossachs . . . . . . . . . . . . .269
A Princely Attraction . . . . . . . .249
8 On the Bonnie,Bonnie Banks of
4 Stirling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257 LochLomond . . . . . . . . . . . . .271
9 Aberdeen & the Tayside & Grampian Regions 275
1 Aberdeen:The Castle 6 Pitlochry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298
Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275
7 Dundee & Glamis Castle . . . . .302
2 Perth:Gateway to the Highlands In Search of Peter Pan . . . . . . .306
& Scone Palace . . . . . . . . . . . .287
8 Ballater & Balmoral Castle . . . .307
3 Gleneagles:Hitting the Links . .293
9 Braemar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .310
4 Crieff & Drummond Castle
10 Speyside & the Malt
Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294
Whisky Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .312
5 Dunkeld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296
10 Inverness & the West Highlands 321
1 Around Loch Linnhe & Spotting Nessie . . . . . . . . . . . .335
Loch Leven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322 6 Inverness:Capital of
2 Fort William:Gateway to the Highlands . . . . . . . . . . . . .337
Ben Nevis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .325 7 Nairn & Cawdor Castle . . . . . .346
Climbing Britain’s Tallest
8 The Black Isle Peninsula . . . . . .349
Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327
9 Sutherland:The Gem of
3 Invergarry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .330
Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .352
4 Aviemore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .331
10 Caithness:Unspoiled
5 Along Loch Ness . . . . . . . . . . .334 Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .355
11 The Hebridean Islands 361
1 The Inner & Outer Hebrides: The Young Pretender . . . . . . . .371
AnOverview . . . . . . . . . . . . . .361 4 Rhum (Rum) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .374
2 Kyle of Lochalsh:Gateway to 5 Eigg & Muck . . . . . . . . . . . . . .375
the Isle of Skye . . . . . . . . . . . .364
6 Coll & Tyree . . . . . . . . . . . . . .377
3 The Isle of Skye:Star of
7 Mull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .379
the Hebrides . . . . . . . . . . . . . .365
8 Iona & Staffa:An Abbey &
Sailing the Hebrides . . . . . . . . .365
a Musical Cave . . . . . . . . . . . .385
Crafts on Skye . . . . . . . . . . . . .368
vi CONTENTS
Staying at Iona Abbey . . . . . . .386 12 North & South Uist . . . . . . . . .394
9 Colonsay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .388 13 Barra:Garden of
10 Lewis:Island of Heather . . . . . .388 the Hebrides . . . . . . . . . . . . . .398
11 Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .392
12 The Orkney & Shetland Islands 400
1 The Orkney Islands:An 3 The Shetland Islands:A Land of
Archaeological Garden . . . . . . .400 Stark Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . . .417
2 Fair Isle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .416 Up Helly Aa! . . . . . . . . . . . . . .422
Appendix:Scotland in Depth 431
1 History 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .431 How the Scots Say It . . . . . . . .442
Dateline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .431 Garb o’ the Gods . . . . . . . . . .444
The Stone of Destiny, 3 A Taste of Scotland . . . . . . . . .444
Home at Last . . . . . . . . . . . . .438
2 A Portrait of the Scots . . . . . . .440
Index 448
List of Maps
Scotland 4 The Kingdom of Fife 241
Scotland’s Best Golf Courses 60 Stirling, Loch Lomond &
Greater Edinburgh 71 the Trossachs 259
Edinburgh Accommodations & The Tayside & Grampian
Dining 78 Regions 277
Edinburgh Attractions 96 Aberdeen 279
Side Trips from Edinburgh 121 Speyside & The Malt
Whisky Trail 313
The Borders & Galloway
Regions 127 The West Highlands 323
Greater Glasgow 163 Inverness 339
Glasgow Accommodations & The Far North 351
Dining 170 The Hebrides 363
Glasgow Attractions 184 The Isle of Skye 367
Side Trips from Glasgow 201 The Orkney Islands 401
Argyll & the Southern The Shetland Islands 419
Hebrides 211
The Isle of Arran & the Kintyre
Peninsula 213
An Invitation to the Reader
In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants,
shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share
the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed
with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommer’s Scotland,8th Edition
Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744
An Additional Note
Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is
especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirma-
tion when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held
responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us,
however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a
close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.
Other Great Guides for Your Trip:
Frommer’s Great Britain
Scotland For Dummies
Frommer’s Britain’s Best Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns
Frommer’s Britain’s Best-Loved Driving Tours
Frommer’s European Cruises & Ports of Call
Frommer’s Star Ratings,Icons & Abbreviations
Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality,
value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system.In country, state,
and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices
and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (rec-
ommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and
regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star
(highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).
In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature iconsthat point you
to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from
tourists. Throughout the book, look for:
Finds Special finds—those places only insiders know about
Fun Fact Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips
more fun
Kids Best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family
Moments Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of
Overrated Places or experiences not worth your time or money
Tips Insider tips—great ways to save time and money
Value Great values—where to get the best deals
The following abbreviationsare used forcredit cards:
AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa
DC Diners Club MC MasterCard
Frommers.com
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