Scotland Vacations

The soul and pride of Scotland can be summed up in the spirit of a few of its heroes: Rob Roy MacGregor, Robert the Bruce, and Robbie Burns. 

Robert Roy MacGregor, better known as simply Rob Roy, is a folk hero and outlaw (a Scottish Robin Hood) who challenged the authority of the British government and the Highland landowners in the 17th century. His life was popularized, and somewhat romanticized by Sir Walter Scott’s novel ‘Rob Roy’ published in 1817.

Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, reigned from 1306 to 1339. His bloodlines had familial ties to both Scotland and England, but he ultimately declared himself King of Scotland and embarked on a campaign to secure Scotland’s freedom and sovereignty. 

Robbie Burns is a celebrated poet and a cultural icon. He was a ploughman (farmer) in his early years and those experiences informed his later works as well as his political leanings. His writing celebrates the natural world and explores the emotions of love and passion.

He was concerned with social issues and rebelled against moral shortcomings of society and the hypocrisy of the religious elite and the ruling class.

Another part of Scottish culture deeply etched in the heart of the country are the Scottish Highlands. It’s the most mountainous part of the UK, filled with Scotch pine forests, red brindle Highland cattle, badgers, puffins, martens, the golden eagle, otters, and the Scottish wildcat. The lochs mirror the stars, and the fresh air and sweeping natural vistas might actually make you weak in the knees.

Literary greats who hail from Scotland include Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island (1883) and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes (1887), Robert Burns, Auld Lang Syne (1788), and Muriel Spark, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961).

The climate in Scotland can be somewhat unpredictable, so it can be a bit of a crapshoot and your trip plans might balance on your particular sense of adventure and preferences for activities.

Summertime is warm and sunny with days that stretch on and on, but it can turn cool at night, and there are occasional rain showers. Hiking is at its most pleasant at this time of year, and if you were ever going to try the excruciating mind game that is the game of golf, you might want to do it here. Whether the sport’s early influences belong to the Romans or the Chinese, the modern game was born in Scotland and the 18-hole round was created at the Old Course at St. Andrew’s in 1764, just 65 kilometres from Edinburgh.

*A note on golf – It is exceedingly difficult and filled with highs and mostly lows, as any honest golfer will tell you – but it’s still awesome. (Robin Williams did a comedy bit on the origins of golf that’s worth a search.)

Also, festival season hits in the summer with highlights at the Edinburgh International Improv and Fringe festivals – these are events that bring about some of the world’s best, often filled with raucous laughter and poignant themes.

Spring and autumn, inclusive of the shoulder seasons, begin to cool down and warm up and offer less crowding in popular hotspots. Plants bloom and heather-clad hills erupt in reds and purples in the late spring and early autumn. That, in combination with the fall foliage, is a wonder of Mother Nature, especially in the Highlands.

Scottish winters are cold, wet, and dark. The tilt of the Earth puts Scotland further away from the sun’s warmth and light, but this is a magical time too, especially if you enjoy a festive Christmas market and holiday season. Then, there’s always winter hiking, or skiing in the Cairngorms or Glenshee. To warm up from those experiences, a whiskey tasting should bring the feeling back to cold fingers and toes.

If you’re heading to Scotland to have a good time, prepare for a ceilidh – a social gathering with dancing, singing, and storytelling – and give in to your best instincts to move to the rhythms, notes, and beats. One could make a few new friends in that jubilant environment.

Travelling in winter may not be for everyone, but Scotland does some pretty serious celebrating over the winter holidays. Scots celebrate Christmas and the season with warmth and light during a dark time of the year. It’s a time of joy and togetherness, and the markets are full of mead, song, and merriment in the Land of Cakes*.

*Scotland, named for popular oatmeal cakes, as oats are a staple crop.

And in the same season, Hogmanay (New Year’s) is an even more highly anticipated cultural event in Scotland. The Scottish have great enthusiasm at this time of year and some unique ways to celebrate the universally recognized holiday.

On the last day of December, fireworks pop and bonfires roar to keep people warm and the sky lit while they celebrate into the night. The melancholic Auld Lang Syne, the famous song written by Scottish poet Robert Burns, takes over throughout the night. There are few songs in popular culture that bring people together like that one on New Year’s. You’re celebrating with kith and kin, hopeful for what the new calendar may bring, and a lovely song that everyone knows comes on, and you’re just supposed to hug and kiss the crowd – it’s magic!

First-footing, one of the most traditional Hogmanay customs, is when the first person to enter a home after the stroke of midnight becomes the first-footer. It’s considered good luck if this person is a dark-haired male and brings symbolic gifts such as whiskey, shortbread or coal for warmth. This tradition has evolved and adapted to be more inclusive of women and children, and the lucky first-footer is often tasked with bringing goodness and joy to the household.

Depending on your particular shape on January 1st, Scots also do a Loony Dook, which involves taking a dip in cold Scottish waters, often donned in fancy dress.

Haggis is perhaps the most notorious of all Scottish culinary delights. It’s made from minced sheep organs along with, with oats, suet, and spices, which is all encased in a sheep’s stomach. Often served with neeps (mashed turnips) and tatties (mashed potatoes), this meal, with a dram of whiskey, is the quintessential Robbie Burns meal.

Dundee cake is a flavourful fruitcake with candied peel and almonds eaten on special occasions. A Scotch pie is a small round pastry filled with minced meat (mutton or beef), often served at football matches and in bakeries. And a Scotch broth, a hearty soup with barley and root vegetables is popular, especially in the colder months. Cullen skink is another comfort food – a creamy chowder that hails from the town of Cullen and is made with smoked haddock, potatoes, onions and milk.

Stovies, or stovy tatties, are simple one pan meals made with leftover meats (usually beef), onions, potatoes all cooked together in a pan until tender. It is well served with crusty bread and a beer. Porridge is a simple staple breakfast dish made from oats and cooked with milk or water with a drizzle of honey or brown sugar. And a proper Scottish fish and chips comes served with mushy peas.

If you’re in search of the promised land of Scottish food, Glasgow is a haven for foodies. It’s got all you could ask for in traditional Scottish dishes and international cuisine.

Scotch whiskey, known as just whiskey in Scotland, is a vital part of Scottish culture. Among Scotland’s glens and the moorlands, are dozens of malt and grain distilleries supporting its huge global industry. The stuff is aged for at least 3 years in oak casks, the longer they’re aged, the deeper and more complex the flavour becomes. The name whiskey comes from the Gaelic ‘uisge beatha’, meaning ‘water of life’. Plus, Queen Elizabeth II was known to enjoy a glass of Scotch, so you know you’re in fine company imbibing Scotland’s finest. Famous and delicious brands include Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Macallan, Lagavulin, Glenmorangie. It might just be the right time to hit the whiskey trail.