Reason #213 for visiting Scotland!

I think I'll stick with Tim Hortons.

I thought I was alone in remembering that Michael Palin episode , it is forty years ago , one of my favorite railway documentaries - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mYi1qLUAJJI

Hi, Steven,

Thank you SO much for posting that link to the Michael Palin episode! That was wonderful! I hadn't seen it since it first was broadcast, and I had a black and white television then, so it was so good to see it in color.

To any trainspotters out there, this is one to watch! And anyone heading to Scotland, and planning to travel by rail, this will give you some idea of what you'll see from the trains. They're not quite as romantic as they were 38 years ago, but the scenery hasn't changed much.

Great to see the old Kyle to Kyle ferry, too! I'd forgotten that it was open air, long before the bridge was built.

If you just want to see the Scottish part, fast forward to the last 20 minutes. But the rest of it is well worth watching.

Mike (Auchterless)

So where's the list of the other 212 reasons for visiting Scotland? :-P
I'll be visiting for the first time in August. Really looking forward to it!!

Dan , do some studying , watch some videos , all sorts of preparation will help , but once you come , you will not want to leave . I see Scotland in my dreams , since having been there .

Hi, Dan,

You had to ask, didn't you?

Here's my list of the first 212 reasons for visiting Scotland, in no particular order:

1) Amazing scenery
2) Friendly people
3) Fish and chips
4) Highland gatherings
5) CalMac
6) Edinburgh Castle
7) Bagpipes
8) Oor Wullie
9) The Broons
10) Arran
11) Neist Point Lighthouse (Skye)
12) Loch Coruisk
13) Fairy Pools
14) Fairy Glen (Skye)
15) Ulva
16) Tobermory
17) Iona
18) Haggis
19) Cullen Skink
20) Deep fried Mars bar
21) Hogmanay
22) Runrig
23) Callanish
24) Dumfries
25) Robert Burns
26) Oban
27) Newburgh beach
28) Necropolis (Glasgow)
29) Balmedie beach
30) Dunnottar Castle
31) The Beano and the Dandy
32) Knoydart
33) Mallaig (sorry, Andy!)
34) Glenfinnan
35) The Jacobite
36) Inverness
37) Inversnecky Cafe (Aberdeen)
38) Royal Yacht Britannia
39) Portree Harbour
40) Bealach-na-Ba
41) Lochinver
42) The Wee Mad Road
43) Pitlochry
44) Billy Connolly
45) Arbroath Abbey
46) Fyvie Castle
47) Slains Castle
48) Caledonia (the song)
49) Greentrax Records
50) Foulsheugh Bird Preserve
51) Balranald Bird Preserve
52) Independent hostels
53) Plockton
54) Highland Cows
55) Sheep
56) Loch Affric
57) Glencoe
58) Loch Morar
59) Smoo Cave
60) Maes Howe
61) Skara Brae
62) Gaelic Mod
63) Scarista Beach
64) Sandwood Bay
65) Cape Wrath
66) Scourie
67) Hotel Hebrides restaurant
68) The Corries
69) Elgin Museum
70) Charity Shops
71) Grey Mare's Tail
72) Linn o' Dee
73) Glasgow Cathedral
74) Ailsa Craig
75) Rum
76) Eigg
77) New Lanark
78) Luskentyre
79) Cora Linn
80) Stovies
81) Bullers of Buchan
82) Loch Katrine
83) Ben Nevis
84) Craigievar Castle
85) The Kelpies
86) West Highland Line
87) Pennan
88) Arisaig
89) Camusdarrach Beach
90) Dun Carloway Broch
91) St. Andrews
92) Crail
93) Bamse, the Sea Dog (Montrose)
94) Stirling Castle
95) Lunan Bay
96) St. Kilda
97) Handa Island
98) Dollar Glen
99) Calgary Beach
100) Stonehaven Harbour
101) Loch Lomond
102) Ben Lomond
103) Loch Tummel
104) Loch Muick
105) Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve
106) Scottish Tablet ice cream
107) Greyfriars' Bobby
108) National Museum of Scotland
109) Midhope Cartle
110) Callendar House, Falkirk
111) Millionaire's shortbread
112) Meat pies
113) Whaligoe Steps
114) Forth Rail Bridge
115) Single malts
116) Muckle Flugga
117) Hampden
118) James Hogg
119) Glenelg-Kylerhea Ferry
120) Gavin Maxwell
121) Camas Fhionnairigh
122) Bella Jane/AquaXplore
123) People's Palace
124) Charles Rennie Mackintosh
125) Abbotsford
126) Education, Damnation, Salvation
127) RRS Discovery
128) North Coast 500
129) A830
130) Forfar Bridies
131) B869
132) B8007
133) Bennachie
134) Kinnoull Hill
135) Lossiemouth
136) Findhorn
137) Falconer Museum
138) The Barras
139) Wigtown Book festival
140) Melrose Abbey
141) Alloway
142) St. Mary's Loch
143) Folk Clubs
144) Corrieshalloch Gorge
145) Dundee Law
146) Desparate Dan and Minnie the Minx
147) Glen Clova
148) Barrie House (Kirriemuir)
149) Faslane Peace Camp
150) Bannockburn
151) Culross
152) Galloway Forest Park
153) The Golden Road
154) Caledonian Canal
155) Isle of May
156) The Ashvale
157) Quiraing
158) Cuillins
159) Catterline
160) Arthur's Seat
161) Rest and Be Thankful
162) Ardnamurchan
163) Fionnphort
164) Suilven
165) Summer Isles
166) Lewis Grassic Gibbon
167) Glen Finnich
168) Cairn o' Mount
169) Strathnaver
170) Lochranza
171) Roslin Glen
172) Hopetoun House
173) Sandy Bell's
174) Tesco
175) HebCelt Festival
176) Calum's Road
177) Elgol
178) Kerrera

To be continued...

Continued...

179) Loch Awe
180) Machrihanish
181) Kilmartin Glen
182) Wallace Monument
183) Sango Sands
184) Haddo House
185) Huntly Castle
186) Aonach Mor
187) Puffins
188) Staffa
189) Braes of Balquhidder
190) Loch Hourn
191) Kinloch Castle
192) Dunkeld Cathedral
193) Schiehallion
194) Rannoch Moor
195) Killiecrankie
196) Verdant Works Museum
197) Fair Isle
198) Doune Castle
199) Antonine Wall
200) Holy Island (Arran)
201) Garenin Blackhouses
202) Corrour Station
203) Inverewe Gardens
204) Craig Highland Farm
205) Celtic Connections (January)
206) T in the Park
207) Loch Tay
208) Elgin Cathedral
209) Royal Deeside
210) Cairngorm Mountains
211) Goatfell
212) Southern Upland Way

And of course, reason #213, the soon to open Taco Bell in Irvine.

Please feel free to add on to this list. Everyone who has visited Scotland has his or her favorites. I have visited most (about 90%) of these places over the years, eaten the food listed (love that Scottish tablet ice cream!!), tasted the malts, read the authors, and thoroughly enjoyed it all! I haven't listed any of the wonderful hotels, B&Bs, and hostels where I've stayed over the years, as those are for you to discover on your own. However, many of my reviews (good and bad) are on TripAdvisor.

I sincerely hope that anyone who has not already been to Scotland takes the opportunity to do so. It's a beautiful country!

Mike (Auchterless)

Oh my gosh Mike, you actually did it (and I agree with each and every one); I am so impressed! I think I only need one reason to (re) visit- I love the place. It's just magical! Oh, but...wait-Taco Bell, you say? Always been my favorite fast (I know.....terrible!) food visit and a true bonding experience with all my grandchildren!

It's a wonderful country with wonderful people and spectacular scenery. Fell in love at first meeting.

A bowl of Cullen Skink would hit the spot after writing that list . It really gives good New England clam chowder a run for its money .

Mike, you included Tesco and not Lidl? Also, add the Glasgow Central Station tour, Weymss Bay Station (for Rothesay) and Tim Hortons.

Hi, MC,

Well, I couldn't include them all - Lidl, ASDA, Morrisons, Sainsbury, Co-op, etc., but Tesco is our personal favourite, as they're just about everywhere, and we love those three pound meal deals! Plus Tesco is the only supermarket chain I have a club card (loyalty card) for!

And Lidl doesn't sell petrol! :)

Mike (Auchterless)

p.s.: Do they have Tim Horton's in Glasgow now? That's definitely reason #214 for visiting Scotland. It's also reason #2 for visiting Canada.

Hi again, MC,

I had to see it for myself. Jings! There really is a Tim Horton's in Glasgow. And right next to the Hielandman's Umbrella! Now I'm really sorry that I didn't go in to central Glasgow this summer. Definitely going there on our next holiday!

Thanks for the info!

Mike (Auchterless)

Tim Horton's may have to be a must stop. Never been to one and have never even seen one. :)

That one by Glasgow Central was the first branch in the UK. And the EU I think, at least five around Glasgow and outskirts now.

Mike,

I like your list. I hear that Taco Bell has recently started serving Mexican Food, but that may just be a rumor (Hey, I'm from San Antonio!).

If someone wanted to find your Trip Advisor reviews, what would they search for?

Thanks,
Scott

Hi, Scott,

It's Runrig_fan. I'm still working on this year's reviews. We stayed in some of the same places this year as we did in 2016, so there won't be as many reviews. Travelodge Bucksburn (Aberdeen) had one of my posts removed. It was a one star review. But they had completely renovated by the next time we stayed, so I gave them a much nicer review.

I'm looking forward to haggis tacos on our next visit to Scotland!

Slainte!

Mike (Auchterless)

Just before Christmas, Denny's opened its second UK restaurant off of the M8 between the airport and Glasgow.

Hi, MC,

Do they have the 2 4 6 8 menu? I suppose that would be in pounds, rather than dollars. Love that $4.00 mini slam!

Mike (Auchterless)

Not sure, felt artery clogging just looking at the menu.