The Isle of Arran is the ideal place to take a break (regardless of whether you’re a Scottish local or new visitor to the country). Being one of Scotland’s larger islands, there’s plenty of things to do in Arran; with its proximity to the mainland meaning those short on time can visit most of the main attractions without feeling rushed. As the conversation around climate change increases, we see more and more Eco-conscious explorers looking for ways to minimise their carbon footprint. With that thought, here’s my top recommendations for a several days in Arran; including how to get around, what to do and where to eat … How to…
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The Secret Scottish Pyramid in Cairngorms National Park
Tourists flock to Scotland for its famous crumbling castles, challenging mountain ranges and glorious green landscapes. But something you wouldn’t expect to see hiding amongst the forests of this little Northern European country is a triangular shrine dedicated to the loved one of Queen Victoria; a secret Scottish pyramid! I first heard about the pyramid in Scotland whilst digging around for some off-the-beaten-track style places to hit up on my next trip North. This large monument is actually one of eleven Scottish cairns (man-made pile of stones) commemorating members of the British royal family. Prince Albert’s cairn (the largest) was built after his death in 1861 and now stands proudly…
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The best castles on the West coast of Scotland
Fairy-tale castles, historic castles, haunted castles, battlefield castles – Scotland has them all! On a recent road trip up the Scottish West coast, I decided to make the most of things and explore the castles in West Scotland. There are literally thousands of these buildings across my home country – so many that I haven’t even managed to get through all of the ones around my hometown of Edinburgh! With that in mind, here’s my list of the best castles on the West coast of Scotland … Heading North? Don’t forget to check out my 1-day itinerary for the Best things to see in Skye. Eileen Donan – the most…
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The best things to see in Skye – 1 day Itinerary
For me, the Isle of Skye is the most magical place is Scotland. The lack of transport, although somewhat frustrating, comes with a certain charm that forces you to embrace local life, hire a car or stick out your thumb and hope for a lift. The island’s twisty one-lane roads, isolated white-painted houses and abundance of sheep throw you back in time to a more simplistic way of life that (as a Scott) I can’t help but feel proud of. With so much to see and do on Scotland’s famous Isle, here’s my list of the best things to see in Skye when navigating on a short 1 day time…
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100 Free things to do in Edinburgh
Edinburgh has been my home for years and, despite a couple of moves, I’ve found myself coming back every time for a hundred reasons. Some of these reasons are listed right here in my list of 100 free things to do in Edinburgh. Throughout this post, I’ve tried to group activities and places into categories, hopefully making it a little easier for you to choose one of two things together through during your time here (though I challenge you to try all 100!).
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Vegan at The Ivy, Edinburgh
The Ivy is a strong contender for an upmarket vegan visit in Edinburgh.
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Vegan menu Edinburgh Dishoom
Edinburgh Dishoom has always had vegan options, but now they've added a breakfast main.
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Harmonium vegan bar and kitchen, Edinburgh
Harmonium is Edinburgh's newest vegan bar and kitchen, giving the Glasgow market a run for it's money.
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6 Photos to give you Scotland Wanderlust
For all my travelling, I was a late starter in the exploration of my own little country (much to the dismay of my very patriotic father). Looking back, my lack of Scotland exploration was shameful, given that a weekend trip to the highlands from Edinburgh is more than doable with a little forward planning. In 2017, Scotland was voted Rough Guide’s “most beautiful country in the world”, pipping New Zealand, Canada and Italy to the top spot. Our enormous lochs, dramatic landscapes and crumbling castles had the reader poll singing the country’s praises, and inspired a whole new set of travellers to book their tickets to see what all the…
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The stories behind the 2016 photos
I’ve taken so many trips in 2016, that I’ve actually lost count (sorry!). I clocked in 4 new countries, and a good few new cities and towns. This post is dedicated, not to the photos that got the most likes, but those that served as my best 2016 stories and memories… Edinburgh For a capital city, I always feel like my home town doesn’t have the same volume of cool new architecture that some bigger places have to offer. The structures around the newer parliament buildings are still up for debate, but I always think they look pretty cool. I also wrote my first post about the city this year, highlighting some…
