Scotland in August

In August, bear in mind, that Edinburgh is completely take over by the Festival (or I should say festivals as several go on at once.) Prices, availability, length of stay requirements, mobs of people are all to be expected. So, you can still go to Edinburgh, but realize the above. If your heart is set on seeing Edinburgh, but you don't want to participate in the festival, I recommend that you really limit yourself to the "essentials" and then head to the highlands. So, that aside, there's lots to do and see in the rest of the country. Check out the gig guide for music. http://www.nationalgigguide.com/scotland/ You have to keep checking it. The Taybank http://www.thetaybank.co.uk/ in Dunkeld has great music sessions. It's also is a town with great walk in beautiful Perthshire. Also, check out Hootananny in Inverness for more music. http://www.hootananny.co.uk/index-2.php Also, in Ullapool in the West they will hold events at the Ceilidh Place. http://www.theceilidhplace.com/ Also, check out the festival theatre in Pitlochry for events. Check individual artists web pages. Aly Bain http://www.philandaly.com/ Duncan Chishom http://www.duncanchisholm.co.uk/ Here's the site to check for the Games. http://www.albagames.co.uk/Highland_games2000.htm Pam

Pamela, a huge thank you to you for the wealth of info I can research now.

Here's another link for Highland Games: http://www.shga.co.uk/index.php This site has a map available which we used to find any Highland Games that were available along our route. But be warned! The Atholl and Breadalbane games last August fit in perfectly with our plans. So we put them on our itinerary and drove from St. Andrews to Aberfeldy on our way to Inverness, only to find out when we arrived that they cancelled the games the day before because the fairgrounds were too wet for them to set up. Biggest disappointment of our trip! Oh, well - it gives us a reason to go back to Scotland. Pam is right that August is busy and if you haven't made B&B plans, do it now! While Edinburgh was busy, it wasn't excessively so. And it really wasn't crowded anywhere else. Just plan on some rain every day!

My experience in Edinburgh during the festival was extreme crowding in the tourist sites such as the Royal Mile, Princes Street etc. This is in comparison to September visits. I wish this site allowed pictures and you could see the crowded, but still wonderful street. It's packed with visitors, street performers, and all sorts of people promoting the different acts and events of the day. BTW you can't get Arbroath Smokies at Fishers in New Town during the Festival, or at least you couldn't a few years ago. We can always hope that have changed that policy! I'm trying to recall if my August trip was on weekend and I think it was Thursday thru Sunday. Pam