Author Archive
Unique Vacations In Stornoway
June 3, 2010
Large numbers of people like to take vacations with a difference and increasing numbers of visitors are finding the usual seaside vacations increasingly tedious. The need to find is forever increasing and vacation planners are ceaselessly looking for new and exciting places to visit or that offer something extraordinary. In the following article I examine Stornoway on the remote Hebridean Isle of Lewis and describe the reasons why this is a fantastic vacation destination.
The Isle of Lewis
The Isle of Lewis, with Harris, is the biggest island in the Western Isles. The archipelago is a fair distance from the west coast of Scotland further out from the Isle of Skye, needing a ferry journey or flight to travel to it. As a result of the extreme remoteness it has only been during the last few decades that ordinary, working class, folk are able to access to the islands for a vacation, prior to this it was only those with enormous funds who could afford to pay for the journey. The only other option to get to the Western Isles was to arrive to work.
The Town Of Stornoway
Way back in the past the town of stornoway was a very busy fishing port. The main quarry of the fishermen was herring and during the herring fishing season the population of Stornoway grew from about 6,000 to well over 30,000. An astounding amount of Stornoway Hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts were built to satisfy the needs for lodging the the immense influx of temporary inhabitants created. Currently Stornoway’s population stays at just more than six thousand (not including tourists).
Unfortunately the herring industry heavily declined following World War One with the utter collapse of the the markets in Russia and Germany. You will still find a tiny fishing fleet in Stornoway however few buildings remain from that era and Stornoway suffered a great loss of character during the extensive redevelopment of the 1970′s.
Recently the Western Isles Council has enhanced, rather sympathetically, Stornoway town centre with several works of art heavily focused upon past associations with the herring industry as well as also adding areas of flower beds and even fountains. New buildings are also more sympathetic to the environment, for example An Lanntair, the local arts centre.
Although there are a great deal less Stornoway hotels in existence, just the Royal Hotel can be traced back to the peak of the Herring industry, there remains a huge number of bed and breakfasts in Stornoway, plus hostels, guest houses and inns. You will even find a caravan site on the outskirts of town.
If you are considering a vacation in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland please take a look at our comprehensive list of Stornoway hotels.
If you are planning a vacation and you are considering Stornoway Hotels please visit our site where you will find our listings of Stornoway Hotels and other accommodation in the town.
Leverburgh In The Western Isles
May 28, 2010
For a long time sailing to the remote Scottish islands has really only been available to the very rich. In the last few decades the infrastructure of the Highlands has improved dramatically. Because of this the Highlands and islands are now open to the majority of tourists and islands such as the Outer Hebrides (also known as the Western Isles) can now be reached via ferry or plane. One of the key reasons why tourists visit islands, such as Harris and similar, is that, although tourism is a major contributor to the local economy, they are totally unspoiled. In the article below I introduce the relatively small village of Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris in the Western Isles of Scotland. Leverburgh is the 2nd largest settlement on the island with Tarbert being the largest.
Most probably the main attraction of the Isle of Harris is the numerous incredible beaches of golden sand which are located along the west coast of the island. These beaches have some of the cleanest waters in the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Beaches such as Nisabost, Huishnish, Luskintyre and Seilabost are amongst the most popular, but you must not expect to be confronted with huge numbers of beach towels, sand castles, buckets and spades and wind breaks as it is extremely common to find yourself the only person enjoying the astonishing panoramas.
The majority of the finest beaches are located on South Harris and all are within a few minutes drive away from the village of Leverburgh. The village features a number of accommodation including Grimisdale Guest House, with superb self catering houses and cottages a short distance away and a few crucial amenities such as a general store, Leverburgh is a highly suitable place to stay for a Western Isles touring vacation.
Lodging in Harris bed and breakfast is a relaxing experience. The hospitality of the Isle of Harris is world renowned and all providers of accommodation work extremely hard to make sure that all visitors have an excellent vacation. Hotels and guest houses are always incredibly clean with fresh bedding and towels and if you need advice staff are always keen to assist.
The spectacular landscape of the Outer Hebrides supports a an immensely wide range of wildlife and flowers, some of these are incredibly rare or unique species. While it is rare to see a naturally growing tree on the island you will find a small selection of plantations across the Western Isles. A few small pine forests where planted long ago and, thankfully the majority of recent plantations are of native species more suitable to the unique environment and certainly far more beautiful.
The impact of man on the Isle of Harris is considerable at one time Harris was tree covered. When man first settled on the island, thousands of years ago, they they lived on the coast. making a living by hunting and fishing, and using the trees as fuel, over time they settled inland. Today fishing still has a vital role in the local economy and many local folk own a croft (a small holding where they cultivate crops such as potatoes.
Farming the land creates land which is ideal for endangered and rare birds such as the Corncrake. A great many species of flora & fauna, Golden Eagles are frequently spotted and around Leverburgh are countless great places to go birdwatching. Annually crowds of birdwatchers (twitchers) arrive on the islands to catch a brief look of a rare bird. Many folk choose to spend some time in Leverburgh and then sail on the ferry over to the Uists to visit such places as the RSPB sanctuary.
If you are planning a vacation in Leverburgh please take a look at our listings of Harris bed & breakfast
Amazing Scotland Vacations And Arran
May 23, 2010
Scotland, in the United Kingdom, is a tremendous destination to have a vacation featuring a large amount of visitor attractions including some of the greatest museums and galleries in the whole of the British Isles, countryside ideal for hill-walkers, mountain climbers, ramblers, hikers and others as well as a multitude of historical buildings, country houses, fortified houses and castles. Below I discuss the Isle of Arran and explain why the island is such a fantastic place in which to take a vacation.
The Isle of Arran is the seventh largest island in the country of Scotland and even though the island is often classed as part of the Hebrides it is in fact located further south in the Firth of Clyde. With tourism being the Isle of Arran’s main industry you will not find it surprising that there is a massive selection of Arran hotels. Even though the overall majority of people take vacations on the island in order to enjoy the awesome scenery the island also has a reasonable collection of tourist attractions including; Arran Heritage Museum, Arran Transport Museum, Brodick Castle and Kildonan Castle.
There are a number of centres of population, the biggest is Brodick, the site of the ferry terminal with sailings to Ardrossan in North Ayrshire. Lamlash, located 4 miles to the south of Brodick, is where you can grab a boat to Holy Island.
Lochranza is largest population centre in the northerly part of the island and will find the the site of the ferry terminal where you can sail to Claonaig on the Scottish mainland. Please note that the ferry only runs in the summer. Lochranza is located in a large, and extremely pretty, bay with the ruined Lochranza Castle being the main attraction.
Blackwaterfoot is the most populous village on the west coast of the island. It has a pub, a tiny harbour and a garage (including a petrol station). Different places to visit include; Whiting Bay (south of Brodick), Catacol (in the north), Kilmory (south coast), Corrie (north of Brodick) and lastly Pirnmill where the most beautiful beach on the island is located.
If you are considering an Isle of Arran vacation please take a look at our listings of Arran Hotels and bed and breakfast on Arran
Birmingham Vacations, Places To Visit & The Ikon Gallery
April 29, 2010
Birmingham is a vibrant city in the English county of the West Midlands, it is an incredibly popular destination for weekend city breaks. The city has an incredible variety of first class tourist attractions including many Grade I Listed churches and historic houses as well as many museums and galleries, including Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery.
Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery is an art gallery which specialises in contemporary art which is housed in the former Oozells Street Board School, Brindleyplace, however it was not always in such surroundings.
The gallery was founded in 1964 by 4 art students and Angus Skene. The four artists were; Jesse Bruton, Robert Groves, David Prentice and Sylvani Merilion. Skene had acquired a piece of art by David Prentice and the pair of them talked about the numerous problems faced by local artists, which included the lack of support and venues. The discussion resulted in the basic concepts for Ikon which was to be a “gallery without walls”.
Angus financed the project initially, which consisted of mobile exhibitions in such unusual locations as post offices and cinemas in a motorcycle sidecar, the idea was to make art more accessible to the general public. In order to reduce expenses staffing duties was by the founding artists who did not charge. In 1965 the Gallery established itself in a glass walled kiosk in the Bull Ring shopping centre.
Over the 2 couple of decades the Ikon Gallery moved from location to location until 1997 when it bought, with help from the National Lottery, its current premises, the former Oozells Street Board School. In recent years the Ikon Gallery has put on a number of exhibitions and its continual ability to produce the superb has led to it becoming incredibly popular, to such an extent that in 2006 it opened another gallery, the Ikon Eastside in Digbeth.
If you are thinking about a vacation in the city of Birmingham remember to factor in some time for a visit to the Ikon Gallery. Also it is important to know that although there are many hotels and guest houses in Birmingham finding bed and breakfast in Birmingham can sometimes be pretty difficult. It is therefore vitally important to book your accommodation at the earliest opportunity. You should be aware that Birmingham Airport is roughly eight miles from the center of the city just off the A45 and near the M42 (junction 6). You will discover that there is a lot of hotels not too far from the airport.
If you are planning to stay in bed and breakfast accommodation in Birmingham you may be interested in our listings of accommodation close to the Ikon Gallery
Vacations In Harris And Some Useful Info
April 26, 2010
Are you and your friends deliberating about taking a short break in Britain? Even though the larger number of folk having a British Isles vacation choose to stay in famous places such as London, other tourists would rather take a vacation in Scotland. In the following article I describe the Isle of Harris and why it is such a superb destination for vacations.
Although London might feature some of the best museums and galleries in the UK together with some of the world’s most well known tourist attractions the capital of England can not appeal to all visitors.
Some folk much prefer more relaxed vacations and others would rather have more thrilling vacations such as sports vacations. Strangely the island of Harris, in the Western Isles (which are also know as the Outer Hebrides) of Scotland, is superb for both types of visitor.
Like a great many other people staying on the beach for most of my summer vacation isn’t my idea of fun. Don’t get me wrong, I often spend time relaxing on a beach, and the Isle of Harris certainly features some of the most astounding beaches in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, however, I like to travel inland a little too. I love to soak in the atmosphere, which is often unique, I also like to experience the local culture and especially enjoy sampling the food. To be honest each year I like to experience something new and I go to great lengths attempting to find somewhere one hundred percent unique and different. This is why, most probably, I so thoroughly enjoy visits to the island in the Hebrides named the Isle of Harris and why I frequently choose to book a self catering house on the Isle of Harris.
One of the main reasons people travel to the Isle of Harris is to enjoy the islands landscape and culture. The Isle of Harris culture has, over hundreds of years been massively influenced by the English, Scottish, Celtic and Norse races. Today the vast majority of folk speak in the Gaelic language and although some talk in English, it is more often than not their second language. The Harris inhabitants are amongst the most friendly on the planet and the hospitality is extremely well known. The Isle of Harris folk are incredibly proud of the awesome beauty of the island and go to some length to keep the island very tidy so it is incredibly important not to leave any litter behind.
Remember that litter doesn’t just make the countryside appear a mess it is also incredibly dangerous to native wildlife.
A further important point to learn is that the roads on the Isle of Harris are not the same as elsewhere in the UK in some areas the roads are single track and you will often be forced to used passing places to allow traffic to pass from ahead and behind. Simply pull over into the left hand side. If it is a very big vehicle wishing to get past you and the passing place is on your right you may carefully pull over into to it to let the large vehicle pass easily but be careful not to drive off the road too much.
I hope that my above article interests you sufficiently in taking a vacation or short break on the Isle of Harris. Large numbers of people the Outer Hebrides of Scotland choose to stay in two places. There are a few other islands to visit including South Uist, North Uist and Lewis. Why not consider staying in a self catering house on the Isle if Harris for a few days and then book a room in a hotel on North Uist or a South Uist hotel for the remainder of your holiday?
If you are considering a Uist vacation please take a look at our listings of South Uist hotels and Hotels in North Uist
Taking East Sussex Vacations
April 13, 2010
East Sussex, England is an immensely popular diverse vacation destination. Diverse types of vacations can be taken ranging from South Downs rambling vacations to typical seaside vacations. East Sussex really does offer an amazing range of vacation opportunities.
Many people enjoy visiting the seaside and the southern part of the county of East Sussex has a long stretch of coast, where you will find towns such as Hove, Eastbourne, Hastings, Brighton and Bexhill-on-Sea.
The most popular seaside resort in East Sussex is Brighton, the largest seaside settlement in Britain. In the 16 th and 17 th centuries Brighton was little more than an unimportant fishing village but around 1750 a nearby physician started to suggest that people should bathe in, and drink, seawater for their health, declaring that the water at Brighton was the finest. A few years later, in 1780, Georgian terraces started to be built and the Brighton tourism industry was established.
Tourism was increased further by a visit by the future King George IV in 1783 and again when the railway arrived in 1841 (bringing with it huge numbers of day-trippers from the surrounding area and as far away as London). Nowadays the city gets roughly eight million visitors per annum and sometimes it appears that you can hardly move for Brighton bed and breakfasts and tourists.
Another popular East Sussex seaside town is Eastbourne. Situated towards the eastern end of the South Downs, it is one of the most sunny towns in Britain. The main industry in Eastbourne is tourism and it has the expected pier alongside many other visitor attractions including a beach (of shingle rather than sand), museums, four theatres and numerous parks & gardens, and I mustn’t forget the bandstand. Luckily it is relatively easy to find cheap B & B, at the least a little more affordable than many Brighton bed and breakfasts.
As well as the 2 popular seaside resorts mentioned above, East Sussex also has the less well known, but very beautiful, seaside towns of Rye, Hastings and Bexhill-on-Sea, and numerous interesting towns further inland such as the former market towns of Heathfield, Hailsham and Uckfield. Another interesting East Sussex town well worth a visit is Crowborough (located in the centre of the Ashdown Forest), plus Battle and the county town of Lewes as well as many others.
If you are planning to visit East Sussex ten you may find our listings of cheap Brighton bed and breakfast useful
Useful Information About Vacations In Loch Ness, Highlands
April 12, 2010
Scotland is a fantastic vacation destination. It is intensely popular with ramblers, mountain climbers, hill-walkers, hikers and other people who enjoy this type of vacation. nearly al folk enjoy the diverse and lovely countryside which has a supreme choice of places to visit including some famous, and awe-inspiring, areas of outstanding beauty. One of these sites which is, most likely the most famous is Loch Ness and the famous monster. In the article below I introduce this most interesting Loch Ness as a vacation destination.
Incredibly deep, Loch Ness is a extensive area of water located in the awe-inspiring Scottish Highlands not too far from Inverness (see below). Surrounded by the most pretty countryside, which features mysterious areas of ancient woodland, huge mountains blanketed in heather, the loch is much more well known for being the home of the world famous Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.
The monster of Loch Ness is first mentioned in history in the autobiography of Saint Columba by Saint Adamnan. The document states that the respected saint forced a monster back into the waters after the beast had been creating havoc with one of the party.
During the nineteen thirties a road was built running alongside the loch. After only a couple of years in 1934 stories relating to sightings of a huge monster began to be written in newspapers.
Inverness, frequently called the capital of the Highlands of Scotland, was ceremoniously granted city status in two thousand and one and at the moment is the only city in the region. Uniquely (in Britain) Inverness has no legal boundaries which can cause problems when estimating populations. The problems are exaggerated by the fact that the population is on the increase, the city has the highest growth rate of any city in Great Britain. One thing we know for certain is that Inverness has a very fairly population, in 2008 the city of Inverness came 5th in a survey taken, by the Telegraph, of 189 British cities for quality of life. So we can say that Inverness is a pretty alright city in which to stay for some time and this is most likely one of the factors which make the city incredibly popular with tourists. It is lucky then that there is a great deal of Inverness hotel accommodation with the majority being available to book online.
One important thing you should know is that the nearest airport to Inverness is, approximately, 7 miles east of the city at Dalcross. It is relatively easy to hail a cab or catch a bus to the small and busy airport which is fairly cheap. If you will be needing maps of Inverness then you will find them free at the tourist office, in the town center. While you are enjoying your Inverness vacation you should make a point to visit Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Inverness Castle, the Mercat Cross and ‘stone of tubs’ especially the Castle Garrison Encounter, an interactive experience which is great fun.
If you are considering having a Scottish vacation based in Inverness and Loch Ness then you will find Inverness bed and breakfast online by by putting “Inverness hotel accommodation” or “Inverness bed and breakfast” into your favorite search engine (the inverted commas can help greatly).
If you are considering a Loch Ness & Inverness vacation please take a look at our listings of Inverness hotels and Inverness bed and breakfast
Useful Info On Vacations In Pitlochry
April 7, 2010
Scotland is a mixed nation, stunning rural districts with a marvelous number of magnificent sites of beauty, stately homes, historical buildings, fortified houses and castles compared with central belt towns and cities with a wealth of top class attractions including some of the best galleries and museums in the UK. In the following article I talk about the very popular Scottish vacation destination, the town of Pitlochry.
Situated on the banks of the River Tummel, in the council area of Perth and Kinross in Scotland, is the rather small burgh of Pitlochry. Widely known as the “Gateway To The Highlands” the rather small town is highly popular with hill-walkers, ramblers, mountain climbers, hikers and other visitors who enjoy this type of vacation. Of course a diverse range of many more activities of this ilk are able to be thoroughly enjoyed in Pitlochry’s surrounding countryside and there is a big list of visitor attractions more than worth a visit. Because of the huge appeal there is a fine choice of Pitlochry hotels, which are mainly congregated on the high street of the town.
Visitor Attractions To Visit In Pitlochry
Blair Castle: Dating back to the thirteenth century is Blair Castle, which is the ancient seat of the Earls and Dukes of Atholl. The building of Blair Castle started in the year twelve sixtynine, under the supervision of John I Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, a nearby acquaintance of the Earl of Atholl. The Earl was absent, fighting in the Crusade’s, when John I Comyn started construction of Blair Castle on his land. When he returned, the Earl bitterly complained to Alexander III, the king of Scotland about the interloper, and his lands were returned. Rather than pulling down the tower than John I Comyn had built, the Earl decided to merge the tower into his own castle. A Great Hall and a series of vaulted chambers were incorporated into the castle over the centuries, by various Earls. It was the 2nd Duke of Atholl who, in 1740, decided to redesign the castle as a Georgian Mansion.
Killiecrankie Visitor Centre: During the period of the Jacobites Killiecrankie, not a great distance from Pitlochry, found itself filled with the sounds of battle. The government soldiers were completely overwhelmed by the Jacobites, under the command of Bonnie Dundee. During the bloodthirsty battle a soldier evaded capture by leaping over the River Garry, which gained the name, Soldier’s Leap. The area of the Pass and gorge were a popular haunt of Queen Victoria. To discover facts concerning the famous battle one should pay a visit to the Killiecrankie Visitor Centre. The Killiecrankie Visitor Centre has a number of otherexhibitions and services, which include; guided walks, a natural history of the area and ranger service’s and many more.
Pitlochry Hydro-Electric Power Station: A power station is an extraordinary location for a visitor center, but this is exactly where you can find the Scottish Hydro Electric Visitor Center. The hydro center can be found within the resplendent Pitlochry Power Station, and includes interactive exhibits describing the history of hydro power in Scotland, dating from the nineteen forties right up to the present day. The Pitlochry Dam, which was built between 1947 and 1951, gives you the thrilling chance to observe the renowned salmon ladder through 3 viewing chambers. Inside the Scottish Hydro Electric Visitor Centre, you will find audio-visual presentations (interactive) explaining this naturally occurring phenomenon. The turbine hall of Pitlochry Hydro-Electric Power Station can also be seen from inside the Visitor Center.
If you are thinking about having a Scottish vacation based in Pitlochry then you can discover Pitlochry bed and breakfast online by using the search “Pitlochry hotel accommodation” or “Pitlochry bed and breakfast” into your favorite search engine (the inverted commas/quotation marks can help a great deal).
If you are looking at taking a Pitlochry vacation please take a look at our listings of Pitlochry hotels and Pitlochry bed and breakfast
Things To Do In Perth, Scotland
April 6, 2010
The Scottish town of Perth is also frequently referred to as ‘Gateway to the Highlands’. Situated on the River Tay’s banks, the town of Perth was, for hundreds of years, Scotland’s capital and in the medieval period the busy little town was locally known as Saint Johnstoun (St. John’s Town). The name of Perth, or Peairt in Gaelic, is a derivative of a word of the Picts meaning a copse. Today this picturesque little market town is the perfect place for a vacation with an extensive amount of Perth bed and breakfast accommodation to choose from ranging from the less expensive inn to the surprisingly highly priced finest luxury hotels with spas and gyms with a great deal of services and facilities.
Whether you choose to stay for just a single day or longer you will very quickly see that there is a huge amount of things to keep you busy in Perth and the surrounding region. Visitor attractions range from; historical attractions, restaurants, shopping and sport and leisure pursuits and various other entertainments. It was not that long ago that the town was an extremely busy port mainly dealing in the export of leather, bleached products, linen and whisky. In more modern times the tourism trade generates much needed wealth and much appreciated jobs for the younger locals who happily take up jobs in the many hotels in Perth and other similar enterprises.
One characteristic of the city of Perth that is incredibly difficult for any other city to surpass is the neighbouring countryside which is far greater than just incredible, words fail. Dotted around are countless fascinating places to visit including castles, fortified houses, country homes and historical buildings.
Only a little west of Perth you will find the medieval Huntingtower Castle. Situated in breathtaking Huntingtower has undergone numerous minor alterations and redevelopments over the centuries. Huntingtower began as 2 clearly separate towers but built pretty closely together.
Round about three miles away, from the town of Perth, one will discover the 16C Elcho Castle, which features the most glorious views over the River Tay. Elcho Castle can be dated back to 1570 when it’s building was commissioned by the Wemyss family who owned it until the year nineteen twenty nine. The Castle is now in the hands of Historic Scotland.
One of the most visited places of interest, not a great distance away from Perth, is one of the finest historical Scottish country homes, Scone Palace. Here one can learn about the very interesting history of Scone Palace, the place where at one time, the kings of Scotland were crowned including, Robert The Bruce who was crowned here in 1306.
Other than the visitor attractions mentioned earlier Perth has many many more, which makes it an awesome town for a family vacation. Attractions and places, worth a visit, to be found in Perth and the surrounding area include the following; Perth Ice Rink, Perthshire Visitor Centre, Kinnoull Hill, the Glenturret Distillery and the Famous Grouse Experience.
If you are thinking about a weekend break in captivating Perth in Scotland please visit my site where you will find an unrivalled list of hotel accommodation Perth.
If you are looking at taking a Perth vacation please take a look at our listings of Perth hotels and bed and breakfast in Perth
Dumfries & Galloway Vacations And The Town Of Stranraer
April 5, 2010
The nation of Scotland is a superior destination in which to take a short vacation. The nation is suitable for plenty of different types of vacation, featuring extensive areas of attractive countryside with helpful amounts of sites of outstanding natural beauty (perfect for ramblers, hikers, hill-walkers, mountain climbers and the likes). Scotland also features some of the smartest attractions, including, some of the best museums and galleries in the whole of the United Kingdom, majestic sites, fortified houses, castles, country homes and historical buildings plus much, much more. In the article below I talk about Stranraer.
Stranraer is a town located in the south of Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway, the town is widely known for being where it is possible to sail to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Unfortunately overwhelmingly tourists do not get to investigate some of the local attractions in the surrounding countryside and the town itself. This is a bit of an enigma, if you get to the port, and reserve yourself a room in a Stranraer bed and breakfast, a day earlier you can visit a few of the tourist attractions before embarking to the city of Belfast.
There are a number of things to see and do in Stranraer including the medieval tower house of the Castle of St John situated in the centre of Stranraer. The castle was erected at the very beginning of the 16th century as a home for Ninian Adair of Kilhurst (the Laird of Wigtownshire). The castle was renovated, in the years 1988/89, by Wigtown District Council who made it available for public viewing in nineteen ninety.
Another attraction near to the town is the gardens at Castle Kennedy. The castle is the centrepiece of the garden which are situated on a hill between two lochs (unfortunately access to the ruins is no longer allowed. The landscaped gardens consist of 75 acres. You can buy plants from a store which has reared them from seed gathered in the garden.
A further lovely tourist attraction worth seeing is Glenluce Abbey, less than 10 miles from Stranraer. Although it is in ruins (actually the most ruined of a trio of Cistercian monasteries situated in the south western region of Scotland) it also has a spectacular fifteenth century Chapter House. Other places worth visiting include, the Mull of Galloway, the Machars, Portpatrick and Port Logan.
If you are looking at taking a Stranraer vacation please take a look at our listings of Stranraer hotels and Stranraer bed and breakfast