Scotland
November 4th, 2007 at 12:58pm
Under Scotland
Arriving by ferry, you’ll disembark at the new ferry terminal, which also houses the tourist office (April-Oct Mon-Sat 8am-5pm, Sat 9am-4pm & Sun 10am-3pm; Nov-March Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; tel 01856/850716). As far as hotels go, the venerable Victorian Stromness Hotel (tel 01856/850298, ; Ł70-90) - the town’s first - is probably your best bet. As for B&Bs , there’s a traditional end-on waterfront house next to the museum at 2 South End (tel 01856/850215; Ł40-50; April-Oct); if you’ve got your own transport, you might prefer to head to the modern Thira (tel 01856/851181; Ł50-60), up on the hill above the town, boasting great views overlooking Hoy. Stromness has an SYHA hostel on Helliehole Road (tel 01856/850589, ; mid-May to Sept), signposted off the main street; it has a curfew and single-sex dorms. More laid-back is the family-run Brown’s Hostel , 45-47 Victoria St (tel 01856/850661). There’s also a campsite (tel 01856/873535; May to mid-Sept) in a superb, but exposed setting a mile south of the ferry terminal at Point of Ness.
Stromness has a couple of decent
places to eat , starting with
Julia’s Café and Bistro (lunchtime only except in the height of summer), opposite the ferry terminal. The moderately expensive
Hamnavoe Restaurant , at 35 Graham Place (tel 01856/850606; Thurs-Sun eves only), offers the town’s most ambitious cooking in a very pleasant setting. For something less formal, try the specials on offer in the upstairs lounge bar of the
Stromness Hotel .
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November 4th, 2007 at 12:54pm
Under Scotland
A beguiling combination of green pastures, white sands and clear turquoise bays, Stronsay has seen two economic booms in the last three hundred years. The first was built on collecting vast quantities of seaweed and exporting the kelp for use in the chemical industry, particularly in making iodine, soap and glass. Later, fishing on a grand scale came to dominate life here, as Whitehall, in the north of the island, became one of the main Scottish centres for the curing of herring. By the 1840s, up to four hundred boats were working out of the port, attracting hundreds of women herring-gutters. By the 1930s, however, the herring stocks had been severely depleted and the industry began a long decline.
WHITEHALL remains the only real village, made up of rows of stone-built fishermen’s cottages set between two large piers. Wandering along the tranquil, rather forlorn harbourfront today, you’ll find it hard to believe that the village once supported five thousand people in the fishing industry during the summer season, as well as a small army of coopers, coal merchants, butchers, bakers, several Italian ice-cream parlours and a cinema. It was said that, on a Sunday, you could walk across the decks of the boats all the way to Papa Stronsay , the tiny island that shelters Whitehall from the north, on which a new monastery is currently being built. The old fish market by the pier used to house a museum , with a few photos and artefacts from the herring days; ask at the small café (closed Tues) to see if it’s still open.
Stronsay is served by a regular car ferry service from Kirkwall to Whitehall (2 daily; takes 1hr 40min-2hr), and weekday flights , also from Kirkwall (Mon-Fri 2 daily; takes 25min). There’s no bus service, but D.S. Peace (tel 01857/616335) operates taxis and rents cars . Good accommodation choices are the Stronsay Fish Mart hostel (tel 01857/606220) in the old fish market by the pier, or the newly refurbished Stronsay Hotel (tel 01857/616213; Ł60-70) opposite. A cheaper alternative is the Stronsay Bird Reserve (tel 01857/616363; Ł40-50), a nicely positioned B&B in a lovely old crofthouse, which also tolerates camping on the shores of Mill Bay. The Stronsay Hotel does good pub food .
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November 4th, 2007 at 12:53pm
Under Scotland
The great bulk of the West Mainland is fertile, productive farmland, fenced off into a patchwork of fields used either to produce crops or for cattle grazing. It is, however, fringed by some spectacular coastline, particularly in the west, and littered with some of the island’s most impressive prehistoric sites, such as the village of Skara Brae , the standing Stones of Stenness and the chambered tomb of Maes Howe .
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October 27th, 2007 at 05:39pm
Under Scotland
The combination of an inclement climate and a British temperamental aversion to casual chat makes the simple café a rare phenomenon outside the biggest cities. A growing number of pubs now serve tea and coffee during the day, but in most places you’ll attract consternation by asking for a cup; in the more genteel tourist towns - such as Stratford, Harrogate and York - you’ll find plenty of teashops , unlicensed establishments where the normal procedure is to order a slice of cake or some other pastry with your tea or coffee. Increasingly common in the big cities are brasseries or equivalent establishments, where the majority of customers are there for a bite to eat, but where you’re generally welcome to spend half an hour nursing a cappuccino or glass of wine.Nothing is likely to dislodge the pub from its status as the great British social institution. Originating as wayfarers’ hostelries and coaching inns, pubs have outlived the church and marketplace as the focal points of communities, and at their best they can be as welcoming as the full name - “public house” - suggests. Pubs are as varied as the country’s townscapes: in larger market towns you’ll find huge oak-beamed inns with open fires and polished brass fittings; in the remoter upland villages there are stone-built pubs no larger than a two-bedroomed cottage; and in the more inward-looking parts of industrial Britain you’ll come across no-nonsense pubs where something of the old division of the sexes and classes still holds sway - the “spit and sawdust” public bar is where working men can bond over a pint or two, the plusher saloon bar, with a separate entrance, is the preferred haunt of mutually preoccupied couples, the middle classes and unaccompanied women. Whatever the species of pub, its opening hours are daily 11am-11pm (in quieter spots, closed between about 3pm and 5.30pm), with “last orders” called by the bar staff about twenty minutes before closing time. The legal drinking age is eighteen and unless there’s a special family room or a beer garden, children are not usually welcome.
Most pubs are owned by large breweries who favour their own beers and lagers , as well as some “guest beers”, all dispensed by the pint or half-pint (a pint costs anything from Ł1.20 to Ł2.70, depending on the brew and the locale of the pub). Cider , the fermented produce of apples, is a sweet, alcoholic beverage produced in the English West Country, where it’s often preferred to beer; the far more potent and less refined scrumpy is the type consumed by aficionados of the apple. The cider sold in pubs all over Britain is a fizzy drink that only approximates the real thing. As with beer, the best scrumpy is available within a short radius of the factory, but the drink has nothing like the variety of beer. Wines sold in pubs are generally appalling, a strange situation in view of the excellent range of wine available in off-licences and supermarkets. The wine lists in brasseries and wine bars are nearly always better, but the mark-ups are often outrageous, and any members of the party who prefer beer will have to be content with bottled drinks. Nonetheless, many people are prepared to pay the extra in return for a less boozy and less male-dominated atmosphere.
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October 27th, 2007 at 05:01pm
Under Scotland
Virtually all post offices are open Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-12.30 or 1pm; in small communities you’ll find sub-post offices operating out of general stores; these are open standard post-office hours, even if the shop itself is open for longer. Stamps can be bought at supermarkets and newsagents, as well as from post office counters, in books of six or twelve. A first-class stamp for letters and postcards to anywhere in the British Isles currently costs 27p and should - in theory, at least - arrive the next day; second-class costs 19p and takes from two to four days. Airmail weighing less than 20g (0.7oz) to European countries costs 37p and elsewhere overseas from 45p for 10g, and 65p for 20g. Pre-stamped airletters conforming to overseas airmail weight limits of under 10g can be bought for 40p from post offices only. For more information about Royal Mail postal services, call 08457/740740.
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October 27th, 2007 at 01:13pm
Under Scotland
In terms of the number of tourists they attract, the biggest occasions in the English calendar are the rituals that have associations with the ruling classes - from the courtly pageant of the Trooping of the Colour to the annual rowing race between Oxford and Cambridge universities. In Scotland many visitors home straight in on bagpipes, ceilidhs and Highland Games; such anachronisms certainly reflect the endemic British taste for nostalgia, but to gauge the spirit of the nation you should sample a wider range of events. London’s large-scale festivals range from the riotous street party of the Notting Hill Carnival to the Promenade concerts, Europe’s most egalitarian high-class music season, while the Edinburgh Festival and Welsh National Eisteddfod are vast cultural jamborees that have attained international status. Every major town in Britain has its own local arts festival, the best of which, along with various other local fairs and commemorative shows, are mentioned in the guide; we’ve listed the very biggest ones.
To see Britain at its most idiosyncratic, take a look at one of the numerous regional celebrations that perpetuate ancient customs , the origins and meanings of which have often been lost or conveniently forgotten. The sight of the entire population of a village scrambling around a field after a barrel (that they call a bottle), or chasing a cheese downhill is not easily forgotten. Some of these strange rituals are mentioned in the Guide and included in the list. Bear in mind that at a few of the smaller, more obscure events casual visitors are not always welcome. If in doubt, check with the local tourist office.
Also included in the list are the main sports events , which may often be difficult to get tickets for, but are invariably televised. In addition to these, there are of course football matches every Saturday (and some Sundays) from late August till early May, and cricket matches every day throughout the summer - both interesting social phenomena even for those unenthralled by team sports.
Events calendar
Mid- to late Jan Celtic Connections, Glasgow. A major celebration of Celtic and folk music held in venues across the city. Jan 25 Burns Night: Scots worldwide get stuck into haggis, whisky and vowel-grinding poetry to commemorate…
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October 27th, 2007 at 10:26am
Under Scotland
Mid- to late Jan Celtic Connections, Glasgow. A major celebration of Celtic and folk music held in venues across the city.
Jan 25 Burns Night: Scots worldwide get stuck into haggis, whisky and vowel-grinding poetry to commemorate Scotland’s greatest poet, Robert Burns.
Mid-Feb Chinese New Year. Festivities in London’s and Manchester’s Chinatown districts.
Feb-March Six Nations Rugby tournament between Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy.
March 1 St David’s Day. Hwyrnos and celebrations all over Wales.
March 1 Whuppity Scourie, Lanark. Local children race round the church beating each other with home-made paper weapons in a representation (it’s thought) of the chasing away of winter or the warding off of evil spirits.
Mid-March Cheltenham Gold Cup meeting. England’s premier national hunt horseracing event.
End of March or early April University Boat Race. Hugely popular rowing contest on the Thames, between the teams of Oxford and Cambridge.
Shrove Tues Purbeck Marblers and Stonecutters Day, Corfe Castle, Dorset. Ritual football game through the streets of the village.
Maundy Thurs The Queen dispenses the Royal Maundy Money (at a different cathedral annually).
Easter Mon Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle-Kicking, Hallaton, Leicestershire.
Late March or early April Grand National meeting, Aintree, Liverpool. Cruelly testing steeplechase that entices most of Britain’s population into the betting shops.
April Scottish Grand National, Ayr. Not quite as testing as the English equivalent steeplechase, but an important event on the Scottish racing calendar nonetheless.
April 6 Tartan Day. Over-hyped celebration of ancestry by North Americans of Scottish descent on the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320. Ignored by most Scots in Scotland, other than journalists.
May English FA Cup Final. The deciding contest in the country’s premier football tournament is currently without a home of its own. For the time being, the English national game’s most important fixture will be held in the Welsh capital, Cardiff.
May Scottish FA Cup Final in Glasgow. Scotland’s premier football event.
May 1 Padstow Hobby Horse, Padstow, Cornwall. Processions, music and dancing through the streets.
May 8 Helston Furry Dance, Helston, Cornwall.
Last Mon in May Cheese Rolling, Brockworth, Gloucestershire. Pursuit of a cheese wheel down a murderous incline - one of the weirdest customs in England.
Late May: Hay-on-Wye Festival of Literature. London’s literati flock to the Welsh borders for a week.
Last week in May St David’s Cathedral Festival. Superb setting for classical concerts and recitals.
Last week in May Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London. Essential event for Britain’s green-fingered legions.
Late May and early June Bath International Festival. International arts jamboree.
May-July Glyndebourne Opera Festival, East Sussex. The classiest and most snobbish arts festival in Britain.
June Aldeburgh Festival. Jamboree of classical music held on the Suffolk Coast. Established by Benjamin Britten.
June Shinty Camanachd Cup Final. The climax of the season for Scotland’s own stick-and-ball game, normally held in one of the main Highland towns. Also marks the beginning of the Highland Games season across the Highlands, northeast and Argyll.
First week in June Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Urdd. The largest youth festival in Europe, alternating between North and South Wales.
First week in June Derby week, Epsom racecourse, Surrey. The world’s most expensive horseflesh competing in the Derby, the Coronation Cup and the Oaks.
First Fri in June Cotswold Olimpicks, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. Rustic sports festival and torchlight procession.
First or second Sat in June Trooping the Colour, Horse Guards Parade, London. Equestrian pageantry for the Queen’s Official Birthday.
Mid-June Cardiff Singer of the World competition. Huge, televised week-long music festival, with a star-studded list of international competitors.
Mid-June Appleby Horse Fair, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria.
Mid-June Royal Ascot, Berkshire. High-class horseracing attended by high-class people; the best seats go to royalty and their satellites, while the proles mill around in the outfield.
End of June World Worm-Charming Championships, Willaston, Cheshire.
Last week of June Glastonbury Festival, Somerset. Hugely popular festival, with international bands, indie music and loads of hippies.
Last week of June and first week of July Lawn Tennis Championships, Wimbledon, London. Queues are phenomenal even for the early rounds, and you need to know a freemason or ex-champion to get in to the big games.
Late June Royal Highland Agricultural Show, at Ingliston near Edinburgh.
July Scottish Open Golf Championship, held at a different venue each year. Also Highland Games at Caithness, Elgin, Glengarry, North Uist, Inverness, Inveraray, Mull, Lewis, Durness, Lochaber, Dufftown, Halkirk.
Early July Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod. Over 12,000 participants from all over the world, including choirs, dancers, folk singers, groups and instrumentalists.
Early July Glasgow International Jazz Festival, and T in the Park - the latter Scotland’s biggest outdoor music event, held in Glasgow’s Strathclyde Park with a star-studded line-up of contemporary bands.
First week in July Henley Royal Regatta, Oxfordshire. Rowing event attended by much the same crew as populates the grandstands at Ascot.
First week of July Tynwald Ceremony, St Johns, Isle of Man.
Second weekend in July Gűyl Werin y Cnapan, Ffostrasol, near Lampeter, Ceredigion. The best folk and Celtic music festival in the world.
Second week in July York Early Music Festival. The premier early music festival lasts for ten days.
Second or Third Sat in July Durham Miner’s Gala, Durham.
Mid-July British Open Golf Championship, variable venue. The season’s last Grand Slam golf tournament.
Third week in July Swan Upping, River Thames from Sunbury to Pangbourne. Ceremonial registering of the Thames cygnets.
Last week in July Royal Tournament, Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre, London. Precision military displays.
Last week in July Cambridge Folk Festival. Biggest event of its kind in England.
Late July WOMAD, Reading. Three-day world music and dance festival.
Last week in July to first week in Aug Cardiff Festival. Incorporates music, art, drama, opera, literature and street entertainment.
July to early Sept The Promenade Concerts (”The Proms”), Royal Albert Hall, London. Classical music concerts ending in the fervently patriotic Last Night of the Proms.
Aug Edinburgh Festival, one of the world’s great arts jamborees.
First week in Aug Royal National Eisteddfod. Wales’s biggest single annual event: fun, very impressive and worth seeing if only for the overblown pageantry. Bardic competitions, readings, theatre, TV, debates and copious help for the Welsh language learner.
Early Aug The two-day Lammas Fair at St Andrews, the oldest medieval market in the country.
Early Aug Sidmouth Folk Festival. Folk and roots performers from around the world, plus theatre and dance.
Weekend in mid-Aug Bristol Balloon Fiesta. Hundreds of balloons take to the skies early morning and evening.
Aug Bank Hol Notting Hill Carnival, around Notting Hill, West London. Vivacious celebration by London’s Caribbean community - plenty of music, food and floats.
Aug Bank Hol Reading Festival, Berkshire. Three-day hard rock jamboree.
Last Sun in Aug Plague Memorial, Eyam, Derbyshire.
Early Sept Ben Nevis Race (for amateurs), held on the first weekend in the month, running to the top of Scotland’s highest mountain and back again. Also Highland Games at Braemar.
First Mon after Sept 4 Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire. Vaguely pagan mass dance in mock-medieval costume - one of the most famous ancient customs.
Early Sept to early Nov Blackpool Illuminations, Lancashire. Five miles of extravagant light displays.
Oct Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts. Concerts, jazz, drama, opera, ballet and art events throughout the city.
Late Oct Glenfiddich Piping Championships at Blair Atholl for the world’s top ten solo pipers.
Late Oct to early Nov Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. One of Europe’s premier showcases for up-to-the-minute highbrow music.
First Sun in Nov London to Brighton Veteran Car Rally. Ancient machines lumbering the 57 miles down the A23 to the seafront.
Nov 5 Guy Fawkes Night. Nationwide fireworks and bonfires commemorating the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 - especially raucous celebrations at York (Fawkes’ birthplace), Ottery St Mary in Devon and at Lewes, East Sussex.
Mid-Nov Lord Mayor’s Procession and Show, the City of London. Cavalcade to mark the inauguration of the new mayor.
Nov 30 St Andrew’s Day, celebrating Scotland’s patron saint.
Dec 31 New Year Walk-In, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys. A boozy stagger around the town.
Dec 31 Tar Barrels Parade, Allendale Town, Northumberland.
Dec 31 & Jan 1 Hogmanay and Ne’er Day: traditionally more important to the Scots than Christmas, known for the custom of “first-footing”, when groups of revellers troop into neighbours’ houses at midnight bearing gifts. More popular these days are huge and highly organized street parties, most notably in Edinburgh, but also in Aberdeen, Glasgow and other centres.
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October 27th, 2007 at 10:18am
Under Scotland
Homosexual acts between consenting males were legalized in Britain in 1967, but it wasn’t until as recently as 1994 that the age of consent was finally reduced from 21 to 18 (still two years older than that for heterosexuals). Lesbianism has never specifically been outlawed, apocryphally owing to the fact that Queen Victoria refused to believe that such a thing existed.
As with so many other aspects of British life, attitudes on homosexuality are riven with contradictions. Despite its draconian laws and the sensationalist trash in the tabloid press, England, at least, offers one of the most diverse and accessible lesbian and gay scenes to be found anywhere in Europe. Nearly every town of any size has some kind of organized gay life - pubs, clubs, community groups, campaigning organizations, shops and phone lines - with the major scenes being found in London, Manchester and Brighton. The Scottish scene is lively in Edinburgh and in Glasgow, but pretty much non-existent in the more rural areas. In Wales things are a lot more muted, with few venues outside the main centres of Cardiff, Newport and Swansea. We’ve listed many venues throughout this guide, and you’ll be able to pick up a free gay listings sheet in almost any one of them.
Of the nationwide publications , the weekly Pink Paper is informative and contains limited listings; also worth checking are the frothy weekly Boyz , and its monthly women’s sibling, Diva . The best bet for a comprehensive national directory of pubs, clubs, groups, gay accommodation and local lesbian and gay switchboards is the glossy monthly Gay Times , available from many newsagents and alternative bookshops. Gay Men’s Press produce guides aimed primarily at gay men, although with some lesbian information included too; there’s currently London Scene , which includes Brighton. Much of the information in such publications applies both to men and women, as the British scene is far more mixed than in most other European nations.
Useful contacts for gay and lesbian travellers in the UK
Information on events, restaurants and travel, with good links. Lists gay venues by location. Online gay and lesbian travel agent, offering good deals on all types of holidays.
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October 27th, 2007 at 08:28am
Under Scotland
Memorably dramatic ruined Scottish fortress, surrounded by giddy sea cliffs.
West Highland railway
One of the great railway journeys of the world.
Iona
The home of Celtic Christian spirituality, an island of pilgrimage today as in antiquity.
Kinloch Castle, Rům
Stay in the servants’ quarters of this Edwardian Scottish-island hideaway or in one of its few remaining four-poster beds.
Caledonian forest
The few gnarled survivors of the great ancient Highland forest are majestic characters.
Loch Shiel
Among Scotland’s myriad lochs, Shiel stands out for its serene beauty and compelling history.
Calanais, Lewis
Prehistoric standing stones that occupy a serene lochside setting in the Western Isles.
Gearrannan, Lewis
Stay in the thatched blackhouse hostel in this beautifully restored former crofting village in the Western Isles.
Maes Howe, Orkney
Europe’s best-preserved Neolithic chambered cairn also contains fine examples of Viking runic inscriptions and drawings.
Tobermory
Scotland’s most picturesque fishing port, bar none.
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October 27th, 2007 at 07:58am
Under Scotland
No matter where you are in Britain, you’re never far from a stretch of countryside where you can lose the crowds on a brief walk or cycle ride. For tougher specimens, there are numerous long-distance footpaths, as well as opportunities for the more extreme disciplines of rock climbing and potholing (caving). On the coast and many of the inland lakes you can follow the more urbane pursuits of sailing and windsurfing, and there are plenty of fine beaches for less structured fresh-air activities or just slobbing around
Walking and climbing
Walking routes trace many of Britain’s wilder areas, amid landscapes varied enough to suit anyone. More sedate walkers will be happy enough in England, where many of the footpaths traverse moorlands, but if you’re after more demanding exercise, or a…
Cycling
Although there has been a boom in the sale of mountain bikes and a rise in the number of towns and cities that have incorporated designated cycle routes into their traffic schemes, cyclists tend to be treated with disrespect by many motorists….
Beaches
Britain is ringed by fine beaches and bays, the best of which are readily accessible by public transport - though of course that means they tend to get very busy in high summer. For a combination of decent climate and good sand, southwest England …
Golf
There are over 400 golf courses in Scotland , where the game is less elitist, cheaper and more accessible than anywhere else in the world. The game as it’s known today took shape in the sixteenth century on the dunes of Scotland’s…
Spectator sports
As a quick glance at the national press will tell you, sport in Britain is a serious matter. Football, rugby and cricket are the major spectator sports, and horseracing also has a big following, though a fair proportion of its public has little interest…
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October 27th, 2007 at 07:54am
Under Scotland
Walking routes trace many of Britain’s wilder areas, amid landscapes varied enough to suit anyone. More sedate walkers will be happy enough in England, where many of the footpaths traverse moorlands, but if you’re after more demanding exercise, or a feeling of isolation, head for Wales or Scotland. Welsh Snowdonia and the Scottish Highlands offer Britain’s best climbing and have acted as training grounds for some of the world’s greatest mountaineers.
Numerous short walks and several major walks are covered in the guide- however, you should use these notes only as general outlines and always in conjunction with a good map . Where possible we have given details of the best maps to use - in most cases one of the Ordnance Survey (OS) series - along with advice, leaflets and specialist guidebooks from tourist offices and shops in walking areas. In England and Wales you need to keep to established routes as you’ll often be crossing private land, even within the National Parks: all OS maps mark public rights of way. Scotland, in contrast, has a tradition of free public access to most of the countryside, restricted only at certain times of the year.
At the time of writing, some footpaths were closed as a precaution against the further spreading of the Foot and Mouth epidemic. For the latest on this situation, contact any local tourist office or one of the companies we’ve listed.
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October 27th, 2007 at 07:51am
Under Scotland
Although there has been a boom in the sale of mountain bikes and a rise in the number of towns and cities that have incorporated designated cycle routes into their traffic schemes, cyclists tend to be treated with disrespect by many motorists. British cyclists are estimated to be twelve times more likely to be killed or injured on the road (per miles cycled) than their counterparts in Denmark, where a network of safe cycle paths and traffic-calming schemes has been created, although the organization SUSTRANS is attempting to go some way towards addressing this problem
Surprisingly, cycle helmets are not compulsory in Britain - but if you’re hellbent on tackling the congestion, pollution and aggression of city traffic, you’re well advised to get one. You do have to have a rear reflector and front and back lights when riding at night, and are not allowed to carry children without a special child seat. It is also illegal to cycle on pavements (sidewalks), and in most public parks. A secure lock (preferably some kind of “D” lock) is also indispensable and it’s always a good idea to make a note of your frame number in case you have to report a theft to the police.
Bike rental is available at cycle shops in most large towns, and at villages within national parks and other scenic areas; the addresses and telephone numbers of these appear in the relevant sections of the guide. Expect to pay in the region of Ł10-20 per day for something sturdy, with discounts for longer periods.
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October 27th, 2007 at 07:45am
Under Scotland
Britain is ringed by fine beaches and bays, the best of which are readily accessible by public transport - though of course that means they tend to get very busy in high summer. For a combination of decent climate and good sand, southwest England is the best area, especially the coast of north Cornwall and Devon. The beaches of England’s southern coast become more pebbly as you approach the southeastern corner of the country - resorts round here are more garish than their southwestern counterparts. Moving up the east coast, the East Anglian shore is predominantly pebbly and very exposed, making it ideal for those who want to escape the crowds rather than bask in the sun, while right up in the northeast there are some wonderful sandy strands and old-fashioned seaside resorts, though the North Sea breezes often require a degree of stoicism. Over in the northwest, the inland hills of Cumbria are a greater attraction than anything on the coast, though Blackpool has a certain appeal as the apotheosis of the “kiss-me-quick” holiday town.
Many of Scotland’s beaches and bays are deserted even in high summer - perhaps hardly surprising given the bracing winds and icy water. Though you’re unlikely to come here for a beach holiday, it’s worth sampling one or two beaches, even if you never shed as much as a sweater. A rash of slightly melancholy seaside towns lies within easy reach of Glasgow, while on the east coast, the relatively low cliffs and miles of sandy beaches are ideal for walking. Despite the low temperature of the water, the beaches in the northeast are beginning to figure on surfers’ itineraries, attracting enthusiasts from all over Europe. Perhaps the most beautiful beaches of all are to be found on Scotland’s islands: endless, isolated stretches that on a sunny day can seem the epitome of the Scottish Hebridean dream.
In Wales the best areas to head to for sunbathing and swimming are the Gower peninsula, the Pembrokeshire coast, the Llyn and the southwest coast of Anglesey. The southwest-facing beaches of Wales offer the best conditions for surfing, key spots being Rhossili, at the western tip of the Gower, and Whitesands Bay near St David’s. Windsurfers tend to congregate at Barmouth, Borth, around the Pembrokeshire coast and at The Mumbles. Though the north coast has more resorts than any other section of the Welsh coastline, its beaches are certainly not the most attractive and nor is it a good place to swim.
It has to be said that Britain’s beaches are not the cleanest in Europe, and many of those that the British authorities declare to be acceptable actually fall below EU standards . Although steps are being taken to improve the situation, far too many stretches of the coastline are contaminated by sea-borne effluent or other rubbish. For annually updated, detailed information on the condition of Britain’s beaches, the Good Beach Guide (Ł3.50), compiled by the Marine Conservation Society (tel 01989/566017, ), is the definitive source.
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October 27th, 2007 at 07:40am
Under Scotland
There are over 400 golf courses in Scotland , where the game is less elitist, cheaper and more accessible than anywhere else in the world. The game as it’s known today took shape in the sixteenth century on the dunes of Scotland’s east coast, and today you’ll find some of the oldest courses in the world on these early coastal sites, known as “links”. If you want a round of golf, it’s often possible just to turn up and play, though it’s sensible to phone ahead and book, and essential for the championship courses. It’s worth asking at the tourist office for the Golf Pass Scotland which will give you a discount on courses for either three or five days. Prices vary according to area.
Public courses are owned by the local council, while private courses belong to a club. You can play on both - occasionally the private courses require that you be a member of another club, and the odd one asks for introductions from a member, but these rules are often waived for overseas visitors and all you need to do is pay a one-off fee. The cost of one round will set you back between around Ł10 for small, nine-hole courses, up to more than Ł40 for eighteen holes. Simply pay as you enter and play. In remote areas the courses are sometimes unmanned - just put the admission fee into the honour box. Most courses have resident professionals who give lessons, and some rent equipment at reasonable rates. Renting a caddy car will add an extra few pounds depending on the swankiness of the course you are playing.
Scotland’s championship courses , which often host the British Open tournament, are renowned for their immaculately kept greens and challenging holes, and though they’re favoured by serious players, anybody with a valid handicap certificate can enjoy them. St Andrews (tel 01334/466666, ) is the top destination for golfers: it’s the home of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the international controlling body that regulates the rules of the game. Of its six courses, the best known is the Old Course, a particularly intriguing ground with eleven enormous greens and the world-famous “Road Hole”. If you want to play, there’s no introduction needed, but you’ll need to book months in advance and for the Old and the New Courses have a handicap certificate - handicap limits are 24 for men and 36 for women. You could also enter your name for the daily lottery - call before 2pm on the day you’d like to play. One of the easier championship courses to get into is Carnoustie , in Angus (tel 01241/853249; Ł75), though you should still try and book as far ahead as possible; a handicap certificate is required - 28 for men and 36 for women. Other championship courses include Gleneagles in Perthshire (tel 01764/662231; Ł100), Royal Dornoch in Sutherland (tel 01862/810219; Ł60) and Turnberry in Ayrshire (tel 01655/331000; Ł120). Near Edinburgh, Muirfield (tel 01620/842123; Ł85; Tues & Thurs only), considered by professional players to be one of the most testing grounds in the world, is also one of the most reactionary - women can play only if accompanied by a man, and they aren’t allowed into the clubhouse.
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October 27th, 2007 at 07:38am
Under Scotland
As a quick glance at the national press will tell you, sport in Britain is a serious matter. Football, rugby and cricket are the major spectator sports, and horseracing also has a big following, though a fair proportion of its public has little interest beyond the Grand National, the Brits’ most popular opportunity for a gamble until the National Lottery came along. The calendar is chock-full of one-off quality sports events, ranging from the massed masochism of the London Marathon to the Wimbledon championship, one of the world’s greatest tennis tournaments.
For the top international events it can be almost impossible to track down a ticket without resorting to the services of a grossly overcharging ticket agency, but for many fixtures you can make credit card bookings. Should you be thwarted in your attempts to gain admission, you can often fall back on TV or radio coverage. BBC Radio 5 has live commentaries on major sporting events, while TV carries live transmission of the big international rugby and cricket matches, though very little is available on the basic analogue stations, many pubs offer free big-screen viewing of major sporting events to draw in custom
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September 11th, 2007 at 06:46pm
Under Scotland
At 10 a.m. Scotland time on September 5th, the advanced reservations systems for tee times on the Old Course for 2008 opened, and within 15 minutes, 1100 requests had been made, a new record, mostly via email from around the…
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