A Wee Tour of Scotland

A Wee Tour of Scotland

This year I decided to go on a short tour of Scotland, taking in both the Lowlands and the Highlands. Because I had a limited time to take in the attractions I decided to start on the West Coast of Scotland. I saw a few famous castles and an abbey before going to view Glen Nevis, a wonderful and scenic moor at the foot of Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Scotland, just outside Inverness. I finished my trip with a visit to the last place in Britain where a civil war had been fought.

My trip started when I went to Dumfries and Galloway on the south coast, a county that borders on England. I already knew a little bit of the history of the area, and I wanted to see one of the historical buildings I had seen on the internet. This was Sweetheart Abbey.

New Abbey, also known as Sweetheart Abbey, lies eight miles south of Dumfries. It was founded in 1275 by Dervorguilla of Galloway, daughter of Alan, Lord of Galloway. She did so in memory of her husband John de Balliol.

His embalmed heart was buried alongside her in a casket of ivory and silver when she died. The monks at the Abbey renamed the Abbey in tribute to her. The couple’s son, John, became king of Scotland. His reign was tragically short. The graves became lost over the years of depredations.

New Abbey is made of local sandstone and was founded as a daughter house to Dundrennan Abbey. The Novum Monasterium, New Monastery, became known as the New Abbey.

I left Dumfries and Galloway and travelled to just outside Ayr, in the county of Ayrshire, where I found Culzean Castle and Country park, which was given to the National Trust by the Kennedy family and covers a total of five hundred and sixty-three acres.

Robert Adams, his father and brothers were famous designers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of their buildings still exist in various parts of Britain and are protected as listed buildings. Culzean Castle is one of these. Robert Adams designed the Castle and it is regarded as his final masterpiece. The castle is associated with the turbulent history of the Clan Kennedy.

The castle contains an exquisite collection of pictures and 18th Century furniture alongside an armoury which was set up in the 19th century. The beautiful Oval Staircase is Robert Adam’s final masterpiece of interior design and there is no more fitting tribute to this wonderful architect. I would urge anyone visiting Scotland to consider coming to this impressive building.

President Eisenhower was given the freedom of Culzean after the Second World War and was granted his own apartment in the building for the rest of his life.

Moving up from the outskirts of Ayr, I soon came to Kilmarnock where I found the fully restored Dean Castle. This fine building was (not suprisingly) known as Kilmarnock castle until it was presented to the town of Kilmarnock by Lord Boyd in the 1960’s and renamed after the surrounding Dean Forest.

The castle originally belonged to the Soulis clan, who were descended from the French rulers of Britain, arriving after 1066. The castle then passed into the hands of the Boyd clan in the 16th century. The titular Lord Kilmarnock had the distinction of being beheaded in 1746 in London after taking the wrong side in the Jacobite rebellion.

The castle itself was largely ruined. The only full original building is the Dower House, a large residence built by the owners in the early 20th century. The house was badly needed, because the castle was a ruin. It has now been restored by a combination of subscription and public funding. The great hall of the castle has walls over three metres thick, there is a keep tower, a dungeon into which I descended and sat without a light for a few seconds, and a well in the courtyard. Along the wall of the castle is a wooden, enclosed walkway that would have been used by the mistress of the house in wet weather when needing a quiet stroll. This is called Lady’s Walk.

Still in Ayrshire, but crossing the water by ferry to do so, I went to visit Arran, leaving Ardrossan shore to get there. Brodick Castle is a red sandstone castle nestling quietly in a wooded area at the foot of Goatfell Mountain. Its stunning position allows a breathtaking view across Brodick Bay. The name Brodick originates from the Norse word meaning broad bay. Arran means peaked island in Gaelic.

The castle was built on the site of a Viking fortress. Its contents include quality silver, exquisite porcelain, paintings and sporting trophies.

The castle contains both a beautiful garden and the rest of the surrounding countryside has been designated as a country park. The woodland garden was started in 1923 and is now home to an internationally acclaimed rhododendron collection. You can see a restored Victorian garden during your visit through the Park and enjoy waterfalls, gorges, a nature room, wildlife garden and signposted trails.

Look out for the Ice House. This was where they used to pack ice in the winter in a hole in the ground and then store it in readiness for the summer. The Bavarian Summer House of 1845 is a hexagonal wooden structure decorated with elaborate arrangements of fir cones.

Leaving Ayrshire I travelled in my hired car via Loch Ness, where the famous monster is supposed to live, through Glencoe and up to Glen Nevis, which comes from the Gaelic Gleann Nibheis.

The magnificent Glen Nevis is home to one of the three highest waterfalls in Scotland, including Steall Falls, where the Allt Coire a’Mhail joins the Water of Nevis. Below the waterfall is a steeply walled and impressive gorge.

The Highland Council have ensured that for travellers into Glen Nevis, there is a car

park at the entrance to the path that runs along the gorge. There is a rather steep climb up the path, and it leads into the peaceful glen. A wire bridge leads across to the base of the waterfall. There is a sign at the car park that warns that the steep path is potentially lethal, but the council has eased access and reduced soil erosion with some of their building measures on the route. Soil erosion is an unfortunate effect of the many interested walkers to this area. But the measures taken by the Council have reduced this problem.

One of the reasons for the fame of this area is that its outstanding natural beauty means that it was chosen as one of the prime locations in the ‘Harry Potter,’ movies. I was not surprised to find that Glen Nevis was also used in principal filming for Braveheart with Mel Gibson, and Rob Roy, which starred Liam Neeson. The Fort William authorities are clearly forward-looking and know that encouraging the making of feature films will bring in revenue and show the beauty of the area, encouraging future tourism.

Now that I was in the Highlands, I decided to visit Inverness, which is further up from Fort William. Just outside Inverness is an area of historical importance called Culloden or Drumossie Moor. It is here that the Battle of Culloden happened on the 16th of April 1746. This is the last battle to be fought on mainland Britain. It was between the French-supported Jacobites and the British Hanoverians, and was brought about by the Jacobites attempt to restore the House of Stuart to the throne of Britain.

The Jacobites supported Charles Edward Stuart’s claim to the throne – he was known also as Bonnie Prince Charlie. The Duke of Cumberland, known as Butcher Cumberland, supported his father’s cause. He was the younger son of the Hanoverian sovereign, King George II. He acquired the nickname of ‘Butcher’ because of his brutality during and after the battle, when his command was to leave no man standing.

Culloden boasts a Visitors Centre where you may view weapons and artefacts associated with the battle, an audio-visual program in a variety of languages, a shop and restaurant. There are facilities for visitors with disabilities. The last audio-visual show is half an hour before closing.

I enjoyed my visit to the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland. With a limited time for my trip – five days in my case – I was not able to visit all the attractions I wanted to see, but that just means I will have to return soon to see what else this wonderful country has to offer.

All the attractions I went to can be seen in a new web directory. This is:

www.scotland-placestovisit.com

Scotland – Places to Visit has directory entries and pictures of Scottish attractions and activities. In addition it contains a whole series of articles about Scottish words, recipes, and places to eat. It is a great resource for the traveller, with every entry giving exact locations, addresses and contact numbers. Links are given to multimap and websites of the attractions involved. Try it, you won’t be disappointed.

A Trip to Africa With Peace of Mind

A specialist trip like Africa demands the best from your travel insurance package. You will need a policy that suits your needs, whether that is just a single-trip plan or one that extends beyond your safari.

The best deals on travel insurance are just a few clicks of the mouse away. Visit travel-insurance-discounts to find a quick and easy-to-use service that can be tailor-made to consider the demands of your African adventure. This protection is at a price that will barely register on the total cost of your holiday, yet it could end up being the most important part of your plans.

To get a quote, simply state when you want to go and how long you would like the policy to last, along with the number of persons you want to be covered and their ages. For Africa, simply choose world travel insurance coverage (excluding Canada and the USA). You will then be offered a range of packages designed to suit your needs, from Standard coverage to Essential Plus.

For your African adventure, you will want to be adequately covered to meet the possible demands of a safari. At just a few pounds extra, Essential Plus coverage guarantees solutions to a range of possible scenarios. Direct backpacker insurance coverage

You will be backed up financially in the event of a mugging or even a plane hijacking, all at no excess charge on top of your travel insurance package, which is likely to be less than ?30. Also included is up to ?2 million in personal liability costs and a staggering ?5 million in emergency medical coverage, guaranteeing peace of mind.

And if you miss your departure or even decide to abandon your safari altogether when something unexpected demands your undivided attention, you will be covered for the costs involved. Lost your passport or suffered as the target of a petty theft? A travel insurance plan will ensure these events don’t ruin your African holiday.

The only excess you will have to pay will be ?100 in the event of high medical expenses, compared to thousands or more if you decide to go at it alone without the protection afforded by a tailor-made package.

If you want to keep yourself covered, you can extend the policy past your return date. This way you will be covered for further travel plans during the year and pay less than ?20. Other extras like superior cover will add little to the cost of your package and ensure your coverage is fully-comprehensive while reducing excess payments.

Whether you just choose the single-trip coverage lasting up to 31 days or an extended plan for 12 months, you will have chosen a package that safeguards your African safari holiday, no mater how wild things get. Online single trip insurance

Botswana – Perfect Country for Safari Adventures

If you are looking for an amazing African vacation try a Botswana Safari Holiday. The wildlife and landscape of this African country are simply awe inspiring. Watching wildlife safari on The Discovery Channel or on National Geographic is one thing, nice but ho hum. Seeing it with your own eyes, smelling it and hearing it in person is the ultimate travel experience.

There are many provinces in Africa where you can safari and take tours. The Botswana area is less overrun by tourists and gives a person much more freedom to explore on their own (or get in trouble if not careful). If you’re looking for ultimate in adventure, I recommend Botswana Safari Holidays, you will love it.

Botswana Hotels

Tourism is one of Botswana’s main economic industries and the government has been working to improve services. Quality hotel chains now have offerings in Botswana so that only the safari needs to be long, hot & dusty while accommodations can be clean and comfy. Many Botswana hotels have been built into the natural surroundings to bring the wildlife and scenery close adding to your holiday experience.

Let’s explore some of the best Botswana Safari Locations

Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta in Botswana is the largest inland delta in the world. The area’s waterways pass through the Kalahari Desert without flowing into the sea and irrigate the richly growing land creating a mosaic of palm islands. These islands are overgrown with lush grass and a variety of flora. While touring the Okavango Delta you might stumble upon any number of exotic birds and mammals, including elephant, buffalo, and giraffe. The Delta offers spectacular photo opportunities.

Moremi Reserve

Located in the heart of the Okavango Delta the Moremi Reserve bears the name of Chief Moremi of the BaTawana tribe. This reserve is regarded as one of the most beautiful on the entire African continent. At the Moremi Reserve you can get up close and personal with a huge variety of wildlife.

Xakanaxa Lagoon

The Xakanaxa Lagoon is right in the heart of Moremi and is known for its large herds of antelope, along with wild dogs and leopard. There is lodging available right on the lagoon for added interest and excitement. You can choose to “camp” according to your luxury expectations and your budget. There are several different private camps set-up along the edge of Xakanaxa. “Chiefs Safari Camp” and “Camp Moremi” are integrated into landscape in such a fashion that you can stay within the safety of the camp while still observing wild game in action.

Desert

If you go to Botswana during animal migration season – between March and May, you can hire a 4?4 and take it into the desert for some real safari sightseeing. There is no lodging in the desert, so you would be wilderness camping and sleeping underneath the stars. This can be amazing fun and very dangerous. Do not underestimate the desert. Sufficient supplies and a guide are a must. Hyena, jackal, antelope, lion, snakes and i countless species of birds and reptiles live in the desert. There is something to see any time of the year. Wisdom and caution are a must no matter when you go into the desert.

Safari in Botswana on the Cheap

Adventure travel packages are not the cheapest of holidays – often costing $4500 or more. This is the way to go for some people especially if your pockets are deep. However if you don’t like spending money there are less expensive ways. For a cheap Botswana Safari holiday, book nothing but the flight to Botswana. Then rent your 4?4 when you arrive. Do some studying before you go so that you will be able to book what you want to do and where you want to go when you arrive. It will be more adventurous than having everything prearranged. Although maybe a little more stressful if you are someone who likes to know everything is taken care of. You have more freedom to roam and enjoy the sights since you’re not stuck with someone else’s schedule. It’s easy to stay at a camp in Botswana and arrangements can be made on the spot, in person. If you travel this way, you’ll get your Botswana Safari trip for much less money, saving about 50% of an otherwise high cost adventure.

At The Large Eastern Islands Of The King’ S Garden

If you accept our suggestion appearing  in the former issue, the trip continues from San Jose del Lago, Mayajigua, towards Moron after passing Chambas and Falla villages, and traveling about 35 km. Moron is a city that offers multiple choices for those who love nature as well as those who prefer social and cultural activities. You will be informed about this in our next issue so you can choose the best, according to your preferences.

We would suggest not stopping in Moron but going directly to the “pedraplen” (a road built to join the main island with smaller islands and keys)* that leads to the islands, which is known as Cayo Coco Pedraplen. These islands are larger than those you visited before; some of them are even bigger than the small insular countries of the Caribbean. This pedraplen was the first built in Cuba and it has about 17 km. Its construction is solid and, as well as the one that joins Caibarien with Santa Maria Key, it suffered little damage when the hurricanes Gustav and Ike lashed the country a year ago.

Once you leave Moron, you take the road that leads to Bolivia (formerly known as Cunagua) and Esmeralda Villages. After traveling 3km, you turn left towards Holandes and San Rafael Villages, not far from Laguna de la Leche ( Milk Lagoon), the largest in Cuba. After driving 20 km, you arrive in the first town, which we recommend visiting for its peculiar constructions that remind us of those traditional buildings in Holland. There is the Horse Breading Center “Quarter Horses”, where you can see thoroughbreds and Santa Gertrudis livestock.

After visiting this town, the road crosses San Rafael village and goes into Los Perros Bay (Dogs’ Bay) where the pedraplen starts. This bay is not very deep and occasionally you can see little islets in both sides of the road. These islets become more numerous before you arrive in the main destination of our suggestion: Cayo Coco. In one of these small keys, there is a rustic restaurant named La Silla (the chair), one of the best places to watch the pink flamingos.

This island is low, it does not have surface streams and its southern coast is swampy while its northern coast is sandy and more elevated, here lies its main tourist attraction. In this island, eastwards, there is an international airport known as Jardines del Rey ( The King’s Gardens ).

If the trip to this place is fascinating, it is even better staying some days here. You can make different optional tours to these four islands: Coco, Guillermo, Paredon Grande and Media Luna.

In Cayo Coco (Coconut Key ), named after the white birds commonly known as “cocos”, which inhabit the island, there are places where to stay in the hotel area, located along a road which is a in very  good shape. Among these hotels we can mention Melia Cayo Coco, Sol Cayo Coco, Blau Colonial Cayo Coco, NH Cristal Laguna, Tryp Cayo Coco , as well as the Oasis Playa Coco Hotel. There is also a sea sports center, a communication center, a gas station, a restaurant (La Guira ), an international diving center and some beaches like Uva Caleta, La Jaula, Flamencos and Las Coloradas. Besides, there is the Spa known as Talaso Acuavida Cayo Coco where you can enjoy hydro massage, massage with essential oils, a gym, special treatment with sea mud and other benefits of the kind, made by qualified personnel that will help you to improve your health and personal appearance.

In Cayo Coco there is also the Natural Park “El Baga” which you can visit by car or by a tourist train that goes along the island. In the Park you can make different activities such as watching the coastal landscape from a rustic belvedere of more than 25 meters of height. The tours can be made by rustic means of transportation and you are able to observe indigenous species such as deer, iguanas, turtles, crocodiles, flamingos, birds and other species in their own habitat. Also, in a farm known as Sitio La Guira, there are replicas of a natives’ settlement and of a coal makers village of the 19th century, although the latter still existed in some other places of the Cuban swamps  until the triumph of the Revolution, as in the Zapata Swamp and Pinar del Rio.

Next to the gas station, the pedraplen branches to the East and West. Towards the East, it crosses Cayo Romano, the third largest island in Cuba; not far, there is another road that leads to Paredon Grande Key. This is a small key with no hotels but an international fishing center, excellent beaches such as Los Lirios, Los Pinos and Del Norte, and also small islands with beaches where to enjoy being on your own, such as Del Sol and Chica.

A very interesting visit is that of Diego Vel?squez Lighthouse, almost 160 feet tall, built around the second have of the 19th century.

The road bifurcation towards the West in Cayo Coco leads to the Natural Park “El Baga”, already mentioned here. The road becomes a pedraplen, crosses some small keys and gets to Guillermo and Media Luna Keys.

In Cayo Guillermo you will find four hotels: Sol Cayo Guillermo, Melia Cayo Guillermo,Villa Cojimar and Iberostar Daiquiri, as well as an international marina. In Media Luna Key, which is surrounded by a coral reef, there is the wonderful beach “Pilar”. This place is highly recommended for sea sports and diving.

In general, this area is considered a great fishing area, particularly where there are  reefs, to the East of Paredon Grande Key, where you can practice all fishing modalities, such as trolling, fly fishing and others. You can also travel by boat to visit interesting places in the islands, such as the natural dunes of Guillermo Key. In some beaches you can go horse riding and  snorkeling in the coral reef.

It is hard to refuse enjoying these places. The many cuban hotels and villas are at your disposal. Do not miss the chance.

On your way back to Moron, other surprises await you.

Book a Limousine Service to Have a Romantic Trip With Loved One at Miami

In booking a limousine service for a trip in Miami with loved one, you can have 100 quality time together. And if this trip is your way to show you treasure her or him, then you can have 100% attention to her or him, since you do not have things to worry and think about. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy.

If you’ve been busy for long period of time, so it is high time for you to make you loved one happy even for a day by visiting Miami with the use of limousine service. You can definitely have wonderful time together by booking a limousine.

There are plenty of beautiful places in Miami that you and your loved one can go and enjoy at.

If you are both nature lovers, you can both go to Biscayne National Park. Both of you can go on diving, fishing, boating, picnicking, camping and even wildlife watching. These are just few of the things that you and your love one can go in this national park. Definitely, both of you will have wonderful time together at Biscayne National Park.

If you both feel hungry, you can ask your limousine driver to bring you to a fantastic restaurant. Azul, Miami is one of the finest and great restaurants where you can bring your loved one. Absolutely, our loved one will enjoy at this wonderful restaurant. There are a lot of fine dishes that you and your loved ones can choose from such as Braised Shank Bastila and Feta, Raw Tuna, Tempura Avocado, Asian Sauces with Ossetra Caviar, Grilled Chop and Loin of Colorado Lamb with Harrisa, Charred Eggplant and many more.

When you and your loved one want to relax, simply ask your limousine driver to bring you to a hotel. You can ask the driver to bring you both at Fairwind Hotel and Suites in Miami Beach. You will definitely enjoy and can absolutely relax at this hotel. The rooms here are set with in-room safes, dial-up Internet access, complimentary toiletries and cable television. It also possesses dining premises and bar, so you can definitely enjoy your night at this hotel.

Yes, hiring a limousine service can make your trip a romantic and memorable one. So if you have plans to go on a vacation, better to book a limousine service ahead of time to find and have the great services you need.