But there is a hidden, overlooked Scotland. One that is traveled through, but yet is teeming with history and tradition. It is of course the South.

Historically, southern Scotland is one of the most bloodiest regions in the country, with scotsmen defending thier homes and lands against invading english armies, and many of the battle sites are now popular tourist attrcations. The town of Berwick, which was virtually destroyed by Edward the 1st in 1291, still shows the hallmarks of a town that played a part in the formation of Scotland as an independent country. The sites of many of the historic chapters in the Scottish wars of independance are still marked and easy to see.The towns walls are still standing, and the fortress is still visable today.

Once you have moved on from blood and gore that is the History of Berwick, you should pop into Gretna and visit the old blacksmith.

For years it was the destination for rosey eyed, loved up couples who were too young to get married in England, so as in Scotland the restricted age was younger than that in England, many would elope and get married at the old blacksmiths shop.

Gretna still holds that magesty of romance, with a bustling town hidden away from the motorway that is teeming with stories of couples in love and secret romance.

Gretna also is the home to the Gretna Gateway outlet village, where you can buy designer clothes and goods at 50% off the rrp. Its one of Southern Scotland’s best kept retail secrets, and is really worth a visit, but do keep a lot of time free in you schedule, as its very easy to lose hours when shopping here!!

Once you have suitably “styled up” you head further north along the M74 untill you hit Glasgow, but make sure and keep your eyes peeled along the way for the changing landscapes of the south. The rolling hills that kept invaders at bay are now home to windfarms and Tree plantations, and if you keep your eyes peeled even closer you can see the initals of one of the local farmers spelld out in the tree line!

The South of Scotand has a lot to offer the passing through visitor, so when driving up to see the Scotland we all know, pop in and familarise yourself with the sights and sounds of the south.

So protect yourself with adequate insurance coverage and get ready to visit some marvelous places in Scotland-

1. Watch the historic locations and Highland sights linked to the 17th century Jacobite movement of Scotland. Don’t forget to visit Loch Ness, Fort William, Dunkeld and most popular Jacobite steam train, which is featured in the famous Harry Potter movies.
2. Enjoy the Highland attraction of the famous Isle of Skye while taking excursions through Edinburgh. Don’t miss the magnificent scenery of Cuillin Mountains and Old Man of Storr during the tour.
3. If you want to know the truth behind Holy Grail, Rosslyn Chapel is one of the must visit places in Scotland. During the small tour to Scottish borders, you can know the history of Rosslyn Chapel and also get an opportunity to visit beautiful town Melrose.
4. Explore some of the highly beautiful and dramatic scenery of Scotland’s craggy west coast during the visit to the islands of Staffa and Iona.
5. Offer reverence to the home of golf at St Andrews and don’t forget to take stopover at the Fishing village of East Neuk. This special location will surely give you truly pleasant and mesmerizing experience during your tour to Scotland.
6. Witness the real natural beauty of Scotland by taking a tour to Northern Highlands and Lowlands. You can explore marvelous range of landscapes, peaks and sights like Ben Nevis in the route.
7. Apart from these, the Royal Yacht Britannia is the leading visitor attraction of Scotland, which should be your first preference out of all destinations you are going to visit during your tour to Scotland.

I really like East Lothian. The beaches are beautiful for scenic walks. The inland towns and villages are interesting. I would recommend East Lothian as a holiday base, if you prefer not to stay in Edinburgh. Driving and parking in Edinburgh can be difficult. Whereas if you stay in East Lothian, it’s not congested and fairly easy to park, yet Edinburgh is easily accessible by public transport.

GETTING THERE

Edinburgh city buses run between Princes Street, in the centre of Edinburgh, and the closest towns such as Musselburgh and Prestonpans, with a flat single fare of £1 or on off peak day return for £2.50 Trains run on a branch line between Edinburgh Waverly and North Berwick and the main east coast rail line line down to Dunbar. If you want to fully explore East Lothian it’s advisable to bring your own car or hire a car.

MUSSELBURGH

Musselburgh is the first town in East Lothian as you travel east out of Edinburgh. The area round Fisherow harbour has been renovated recently with a new free car park with clean toilets and attractive new silver benches. In the photo below you can see the three Lomond Hills in Fife, across the Forth Estuary. There is a pleasant walk along the prom.
Musselburgh is best known for its Horse Racecourse, which contains some of the holes of the golf course in its centre.

When I’m in the area I usually visit the Inveresk Lodge Gardens. pictured opposite. It’s generally very quiet, I often have the place to myself. There are wicker chairs in the greenhouse where you can sit if it’s a cool day. There is a an aviary in one section of the greenhouse.

Newhailes is a 17th century country house with an 18th century landscaped garden which was one of the centres of the Enlightenment in Scotland when owned by the Dalrymple family.

PRESTONPANS

Prestonpans derived its name from the medieval salt extraction industry carried out by monks. Sea water was boiled in pans on the beach. Prestonpans Market Cross dates from the early 17th century. It is regarded as one of the finest market crosses in Scotland still in itts original site although that is now in the middle of a housing estate, The nearby Preston Tower was built in the 15th century with the upper two of the six storeys added in the 17th century.

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The Battle of Prestonpans took place in 1745 between Bonnie Prince Charlie and Government troops. The battle is commemorated by a small stone cairn on the outskirts of the town.

The “Prestonpans Murals” are a fascinating portrayal of past life in the town There are several murals in various locations around the town on the “Murals Trail”. One of the murals on the beach walls, depicts miners at the Prestoungrange Colliery in 1911. There’s also a totem pole next to the beach. The Prestoungrange Industrial Museum lies just east of the town.

ABERLADY

Aberlady is pretty coastal conservation village. Aberlady Nature Reserve is popular with birdwatchers. Myreton Motor Museum has a large collection of motor cars dating from 1899 to the 1970s. The Museum of Flight houses the first Concorde to be used for commercial flight by British Airways. In 1919 the R34 airpship took off from the airfield here to embark on the first east west transatlantic flight.

NORTH BERWICK

North Berwick stands on the coast, around 25 miles east of Edinburgh. It is easily reached by train from Edinburgh so it makes an ideal day trip from the capital. There is a small harbour and a lovely beach with views out to the Bass Rock. The Seabird Centre has remote cameras where you can watch the famous gannets and other birds on the rock. Boat trips around the Rock are available in the Summer. There are two golf courses in the town and several others nearby, so it’s a great location for golf fans, you could play a different course every day of the week.

The Law is a rocky peak just behind the town. It was formed by the volcano mouth being choked with its own molten lava. If you climb to the top, on a clear day you can see right up to Edinburgh Castle.

Tantallon Castle lies three miles east of North Berwick. It was partially destroyed by Cromwell’s army in 1651 but lies in a strategic position with great views over to the Bass Rock.

EAST LINTON

East Linton is a lovely small village just of the A1, around 20 miles east of Edinburgh. If you’re travelling on the A1 and looking for an attractive pit stop, it’s only a slight detour from the main road. The square is the prettiest part of the village with the gilt fountain adorned with three lamps surrounded by flowers.

I like the Votadini Cafe, opposite the square. The cafe is named after the Votadini tribe who lived in the south east of Scotland during Roman times. Afternoon tea is good, for £3.50 it includes a freshly made sandwich of your choice, a scone with butter and jam, a cake and a pot of tea. The cafe has a pleasant relaxed ambience, also selling fruit, veg, flowers and gift items. It has a good supply of tourist information literature.

Preston Mill lies just a the edge of the village. It’s an 18th century mill in which the machinery is in operation during official opening hours. However you can get in to the grounds any day to see the exterior of the mill. Falling visitor numbers mean that the mill is now only open Thursday – Monday 1 – 5pm until the end of September. I think it’s a pity that only leads to confusion about when the mill is open and further decline in visitor number.

DUNBAR

Dunbar is situated 30 miles east of Edinburgh. It was an important fortress during the Middle Ages. The 17th century Town House and High Street are fairly intact. The harbour still operates as a small fishing port. At one end of the harbour lies the crumbling Dunbar Castle, a defensive stronghold since the Romans entered Scotland.

John Muir, the pioneer of conservation was born in Dunbar. You can visit his birthplace in the High Street to find out about his boyhood in the area before he emigrated to the US.

By the harbour there is an enormous four ton ships propeller, unveiled in September 2003, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert Wilson who is credited with the invention of ships’ propellers. Wilson lost his Father in a marine accident when he was aged seven and is believed to have been inspred by watching a windmill turning.

You can read the complete guide with photos and accommodation options at: http://www.europealacarte.co.uk/Scotland/eastlothian.html Karen Bryan is a UK based independent travel consultant and writer. Her website Europe a la Carte, http://www.europealacarte.co.uk, features less well known destinations in Europe. Karen believes that if you venture even slightly off the beaten tourist track that you will see more of the real Europe.

Scotland is traveler’s delight with its splendid natural beauty, beautiful landscapes, rich history, mesmerizing castles and cultural heritage sights. The natural beauty all around compels you to come and spend some moments of tranquility and romance. Sharing its border with England to the South, Scotland is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the east and the Irish Sea and the North Channel to the Southwest.

The best part is that the country includes more than 790 islands. The great natural beauty, serenity, romance, rich culture and tradition, authenticity, incomparable hospitality and delicious Scottish cuisine make your journey unforgettable. The country is also known for the world’s finest golf resorts. There are many elegant and beautiful Scotland luxury hotels located in or near all the major cities in Scotland such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Dumfries, Inverness and Stirling.

The available hotels in Scotland comes in several categories 5 star hotels, 4 star hotels , 3 star, budget hotel, depending on the facilities they offer. These hotels are wonderfully decorated with warm welcoming atmosphere and superb service. The Scotland luxury hotels are wonderfully decorated with world class ambience and provide the all possible elite amenities such as gym, Jacuzzi, swimming pool, business centre, meeting facilities, Wi-Fi internet access, airport shuttle, soundproofed rooms, television, telephone, refrigerator, laundry service, etc. These Scotland luxury hotels also have fine dining restaurants that provide delicious multi-cuisine food. If you are on a business trip and planning a business meeting then, you can get the facility of a well maintained meeting room, conference room, seminar room and function rooms. These rooms are equipped with all the modern facilities such as projectors, document replication, fax machine, microphones etc.

Most of the hotels in Scotland provide quick online hotel booking to all their guests from different parts of the world. Go ahead and make your stay longer and memorable!!

An excellent example is not a Scottish cottage but a loch side lodge. Bracken Lodge at Kilfinnan, five miles from Invergary, sits on a five acre lochside setting. In the heart of the Great Glen, this small group of south-facing Scandinavian pine log lodges all have superb panoramic views of Loch Lochy and the mountain range beyond. The location is designed to be out of door.

Mountains ideal for climbing and walking lie on your doorstep. The Great Glen long distance trail passes the entrance to the chalet park and is very popular with walkers, cyclists and mountaineers. Free fishing is available on Loch Lochy and the use of a boat with ghillie can be arranged at extra cost. There are water sports at the centre 3 miles and in the winter months, skiing and snow-boarding can be enjoyed at Nevis Range. For those interested in natural history, the area abounds with wildlife – deer, osprey, pine martens, golden eagles and buzzards, to name a few. The pine martens resident near the lodges regularly visit the verandas to be fed their favourite titbits of a jam or peanut butter piece. In fact the whole area is like a giant out of doors theme park.

Poolewe is a Scottish cottage stone built it is situated in a quiet position surrounded by croft land and open countryside, just a few minutes’ walk from the shoreline of Loch Ewe, by a quiet minor road. Poolewe is an ideal base for touring the scenic West Coast, the world famous Inverewe Gardens are within a short walk and there are some lovely unspoilt sandy beaches within easy reach. This is a very good bird-watching area and other activities include fishing, walking, sailing and boat hire. This is a long way north but the scenery make up for the drive.

Carrbridge is easier to reach but is in a quiet wooded residential lane on the edge of the village, this charming timber lodge is the ideal base for touring the Central Highlands and Speyside. Carrbridge lies within the Cairngorm National Park which offers a wealth of outdoor activities including walking, climbing, bird-watching, winter sports, water sports, golf, off road driving and horse riding. The village is home to the famous Landmark Heritage Centre, which offers entertainment for all ages all year round. Carrbridge also has a shop, cafe and pub while Inverness is a half hour drive with all the facilities of a major city. This is another excellent chance to get away from it all.

There are available rented rooms, hostels, and motels to choose from. Though luxury hotels are also available all over the country if you want to pay luxury accommodation prices. There are also cheaper options if you don’t want to spend much on your accommodations. Bed and breakfast place can start from £10 per night, or you can go to hostels, inn, bunkhouses, or even campus dorms.Campervan would also be a good choice if you consider touring around UK.

The United Kingdom is a sovereign state which is an island country that is composed of four countries, namely Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. There are a lot of places to explore in UK but the most popular ones are London, Belfast, Cardiff, and Edinburgh. They are the capital cities of England, Northern island, Wales, and Scotland respectively. Other big cities in UK include Bristol, Liverpool, York, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leicester and New Castle. Though it doesn’t really matter how big or small the cities that you are visiting in UK because there are plenty of things to do around.

It easy to travel around UK. You can take a bus ride, train, or car. You can also use bikes or ride on a taxi in the city and you can take the ferry if you want to go and explore some islands. With each UK country having its own language, history and culture, you will always have something to do and explore during your holiday vacation in UK whether you’re traveling on your own or together with your family or group of friends. You can go to museums and galleries to know more things about UK and its history. You can also go shopping and buy some souvenirs. If you like sports, you will surely enjoy some outdoor or indoor ones like golf, tennis, football or rugby, and cricket. while you can also go to a pub if you want to.

If you want to tour around UK, you can take a Great British Heritage Pass which was created for holiday makers who like to have a cheap holiday. You will have a free entrance in more than 500 places around the United Kingdom if you have the Great British Heritage Pass. The Stonehenge, Buckingham palace, Big Ben, the wax museum, and Roman Baths are just some of the great and popular places that you can visit in UK. There are several national parks and scenic areas in UK that you can visit as well as places with fascinating natural beauty. If you like to visit some historical places, there are numerous churches and cathedrals that you can go to like the famous Canterbury Cathedral, the York Minister and Westminster Abbey.

You may also want to take note of the botanical garden, the Eden Project, the natural wonder, Giant’s Causeway, the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and the well-known universities of Cambridge and Oxford. There are a lot more to visit this wonderful place of the United Kingdom – churches, cathedrals, museums, exhibitions and festivals, parks, galleries, and many more. Most of these places has a free admittance so you will surely enjoy your cheap holiday vacation at UK.

two miles inland from St Monans and Pittenweem, is a charming Scottish cottage. If you cannot get a round on the Old course then there are many excellent courses nearby.

Another of our Scottish cottage is Upper Largo in Largo – Fife (Sleeps 2). One of the prettiest positioned cottages in Scotland  it is in a quiet winding street opposite the historic church, this charming studio apartment forms part of a restored 18th century terrace and offers a delightful holiday home for a couple. This pretty Scottish cottage it has been fully modernized and there are many golf courses and lovely walks to explore.

Should you be looking cottages in Scotland further north along the east coast then Carnoustie golf course may be your destination. Luckily then we also some beautiful Scottish cottages in Angus.

Nr Carnoustie – Angus (sleeps 10) and is one of the best cottages in Scotland from which to explore the Angus countryside.

In a beautiful, tranquil, elevated location amidst rolling farmland 2 miles inland from Carnoustie, this charming south-facing Scottish cottage enjoys panoramic views to the sea. It has been completely refurbished to a very high standard – all rooms are well-furnished and particularly spacious providing ample living space for extended families or groups. There is a safely enclosed garden with patio and garden furniture and the property is on a working farm.

Carnoustie has good local shops and pubs, a championship golf course and lovely beaches. Along the coast are sandy coves, picturesque fishing towns and villages, coastal paths and challenging links courses while inland lie the famous Angus Glens. Arbroath is 4 miles away and Dundee is 15 miles.

If you prefer your cottages in Scotland to slightly smaller then Friockheim – Angus (Sleeps 2) is a good choice. The Scottish cottage is ideally placed for exploring the coast with its quaint old fishing villages such as Auchmithie and Gourdon and miles of golden sands at St Cyrus and Lunan Bay or the spectacular Angus glens where trails lead into the magnificent scenery of the Cairngorm mountains. Though Carnoustie is not far away you have a choice of nearby golf courses, good angling, lovely walks and nature reserves. The village has a shop and two excellent pubs.

Wherever you choose to stay Mackays has Cottages in Scotland to suit your needs and your golf handicap.

As well as the mainland countryside there are many picturesque islands in the Hebrides such as Skye.  Skye is the largest island just off the cost of mainland Scotland and is so close to the mainland that it is now in fact connected by a road bridge.

Skye’s main businesses are tourism, farming and whiskey distilling and it is one of the more popular tourist hot spots in Scotland.  The main town Portree is the largest settlement and obviously the villages of Skye are popular; so is the nature surrounding these places.

Skye is home to a diverse range of wildlife from Red-throated deer to the Majestic Golden Eagle, nature lovers and bird watchers have a wealth of wildlife to witness on the island of Skye.  If nature isn’t your thing then there’s always the Island of Skye Music Festival where acts such as Fun Lovin’ Criminals and Mylo, who was born on Skye, have performed.

Staying in Scotland and Skye in particular there are plenty of options with tourism being a primary industry on the island.  There are plenty of hotels and Bed and Breakfasts on the island run by friendly locals located in picturesque villages with breath taking views of the lochs and hills surrounding the land.

For those who want a bit more personal space there are many self-catering cottages and country homes to rent.  Being able to fend for yourself and not be hassled by the maid calling round is a big bonus for many people who have come for holidays without having to deal with the stresses of working life.

The island of Skye is the perfect country getaway and can prove to be a great holiday where you don’t have to worry about cancelled flights or expensive holiday destinations.  Being able to drive to the island using the Skye Bridge is not only the best way to access the island but gives you a glimpse of the amazing views you’re about to encounter, so consider travelling north for your next holiday and try Skye.

Lonely Planet
On our tour through Scotland we always had the Lonely Planet guide with us. It’s full of information and we even got to see some places where we would have otherwise never gone. For example because there was a coral beach nearby according to the guide we went there. And it was amazing. There were only few people there and it was one of the best places we visited in Scotland.

A Large Map
While traveling we also had another bigger map we always took with us. This was particularly useful since the map in the Lonely Planet is rather small and doesn’t offer as much detail as a big map can.

I can truly recommend buying a larger map especially if you plan on traveling by car around Scotland.

Good Boots
One thing I learned from Scotland is that you should always be prepared for unexpected weather. When we went to the coral beach the sun was shining. As we returned half an hour later it already started to rain.

That’s why I can highly recommend to have good hiking boots that are waterproof. Nothing sucks more than having to walk in shoes that are soaking wet. It can completely ruin the day (believe me I have made that experience myself).

the hotel Prestwick has seem many more couples flying from all across the world to the hotel to spend their honeymoon as with the lower air fare, the town of Prestwick has just become more accessible to the people from around the world.

The romantic charm of Scotland can also be attributed to the increase in the number of honeymooning couples from around the world. There are many reasons why one should make Prestwick, a small town in the south of Scotland their choice for honeymoon. The town is peaceful and lazy and ideal for vacation. It will give you the privacy that you will need to spend some quite time with your newly married partner. Also if you are going to be married then Scotland is the ideal place to be married.

There are no requirements for residency. People from all over the world can get married in Scotland. This is because it is usual for people in vacation to get married in Scotland. You are not required to be a resident of Prestwick or even a citizen of the UK to be married in Scotland. Therefore all you need to really do is be in love and complete the legal formalities and you can be happily married. There are many places that you can choose for your marriage. It can be the hotel Prestwick, or the beach or a mountain outside the town almost anywhere where your imagination takes you. Therefore, there are no restrictions that are applied when it comes to your marriage and your honeymoon as well and this makes your time there special.

There are many venues that are licensed for the civil ceremony. This includes the hotel Prestwick. Also you have lot of other choices that you can look upon. After your marriage you can move to the honeymoon suite of the hotel Prestwick. There are great offers that are available for couples on honeymoon to Prestwick and these will help you to make the best of your visit there.

There are many romantic spots in and around Prestwick that you can visit. These include the lovely isolated beaches of the cottages on top of the mountains where you can spend some quality time with your loved ones. Also you can take boat rides and even have activities like mountain climbing and camping that will make your honeymoon a most favorable one. A honeymoon is would come only once in your life and therefore you must make sure that you do everything possible to ensure that you would remember it for the rest of your life. you should do all that you can to make it special for your partner and what more can be special that a honeymoon in Scotland.