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Sunday, March 21, 2021

Scotland Travel: A Land of Beauty and Adventure

The best time to visit Scotland is during spring (late March to May) and fall (September to November). Temperatures are warmer by spring, with averages of 43°F-59°F, although there will still be snow in the mountains of the Highlands and the Cairngorms.

The cheapest way to travel in the UK is taking MegaBus which offers some routes for as low as £1.[3] They don’t cover all routes though, so it depends on your destination, but for value, they really are hard to beat!


Figure 1.  Edinburgh city center (source: [2])

Best Cities to Visit


Edinburgh


The quaint medieval Old Town will win you over with its quaint Scottish pubs and bars, narrow, winding streets and centuries old buildings. Then there’s the New Town where you’ll find a buzzing atmosphere, plenty of shopping opportunities, beautiful Georgian townhouses and fantastic museums.[6]
Edinburgh’s biggest star performer, the castle, is transformed by displays of Mariah Carey-esque proportions into the Castle of Light until Sunday01/09/2021.[7]
As for somewhere to stay, the Observatory House, a grand, astronomical observatory perched on Calton Hill and owned by the Collective Art Gallery, is set to be Edinburgh’s most impressive Airbnb
There’s more food at West End bistro The Palmerston, which elevates comfort food – roast partridge, crispy pig’s head croquettes – to a whole new level (its owners previously worked at Skye Gyngell’s Spring and The Harwood Arms), while Edinburgh veggie legend Henderston’s has reopened at Bruntsfield Links, doing wonderful things with cauliflower, roasted carrots, pumpkin and sage.

 

Glasgow


Glasgow recently topped Condé Nast Traveller’s list of best cities to visit in 2022 and if that’s not enough to make you want to book a break, here are some more great reasons to visit:[8]
  1. World-class museums and attractions
  2. Iconic music scene and live entertainment
  3. Dear Green Place
  4. First for friendliness
  5. Scottish experiences
  6. Ever-evolving food scene
  7. History and heritage
  8. Architecture and design
You can plan your visit with Condé Nast Traveller’s guide to the best vegan restaurants in Glasgow, the best things to do in Glasgow and the best restaurants in Glasgow.

Travel Videos




Video1.  Edinburgh (YouTube link)

Video 2.  Scotland's Highlands (YouTube link)

Video 3.  Scotland's Islands (YouTube link)

Video 4.  Glasgow and Scottish Passions (YouTube link)



Video 7.  Scottish Highlands (denniscallan; YouTube link)

Video 8.  Edinburgh, Scotland (denniscallan; YouTube link)

References

Friday, March 19, 2021

England Travel

Boris Johnson had chosen Cornwall to host G7 Summit in June 2021.   As if in tribute to Cornwall’s new importance, a glut of Cornish-themed TV rolls out, with varying degrees of accuracy or, more often, romance.

If you plan to visit England this Summer, here is a list of places for your consideration.  Please read the references for the details of recommended castles, cathedrals, or places.



Fairytale Castles 

Fairytale Castles in England

C1 Arundel Castle
C2 Alnwick Castle
C3 Herstmonceux Castle

Fairytale Castles in Scotland

C4 Eilean Donan Castle

Meteor over Stonehenge


22 Places To Visit

  1. Lake District
  2. Corfe Castle
  3. The Cotswolds
  4. Cambridge
  5. Bath
  6. Bristol
  7. Oxford
  8. Norwich
  9. Stonehenge
  10. Jurassic Coast
  11. Watergate Bay (Cornwall)
  12. St Michael’s Mount
  13. Robin Hood’s Bay
  14. Castle Howard
  15. London
  16. Holy Island
  17. Birmingham
  18. Cirencester
  19. Manchester
  20. Straford-upon-Avon
  21. Worcester Cathedral
  22. Snowdonia National Park
    • Snowdonia attracts more than 100 million visits a year.  It has the most popular paths according to an OS Maps service.

Rick Steves' England (Youtube)

References

  1. Magical Fairytale Castles in Europe You Can Actually Visit
  2. Worcester Cathedral a historical building to visit in Worcestershire, England
  3. The 19 Prettiest And Best Places To Visit In England
  4. 7 pretty towns on the UK’s south coast
    • Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Deal, Folkestone, Hastings, Eastbourne
  5. THE 20 MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES IN THE UK AND IRELAND
  6. THE BEST ROAD TRIPS IN IRELAND
  7. The most amazing castles in Wales
  8. The 39 Greatest Constructions of Gothic Architecture in the World
    • The Cathedral of Canterbury
    • Lincoln Cathedral
    • Wells Cathedral
    • Westminster Abbey
    • Bath Abbey 
    • Palace of Westminster
  9. The prettiest cities in Europe
  10. 14 of the Best National Trust Gardens You’ll Love!
  11. 5 Days in Cornwall Itinerary: Where To Go & Where To Stay