Tag: Scotland

Top Tourist Attractions In St Andrews

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Despite its small size, there are a lot of top tourist attractions in St. Andrews, Scotland.  Located in the Fife Peninsula, this small, Scottish town has enjoyed a healthy influx of visitors.  Many have come here to pay homage to the birthplace of golf.  Why not?  The Royal and Ancient Golf Club was founded in this little town 1754 in the Fife Peninsula southeast of Dundee.  And, since 1897, members of this established club has been recognized internationally as the ruling body of golf.

St Andrews is very easy to get to, Edinburgh, which has many international and national connects is only 50 miles away, check Tripscan.com for good deals on flights there.

But there’s more to this town than being the home of golf.  Here are some of the top tourist attractions in St. Andrews not to miss!

st andrews castle, scotland

St. Andrews Cathedral

St. Andrews has a pivotal role in Scottish ecclesiastical history.  The churches and religious monuments that dot St. Andrews’ landscape is testimony to this.  According to legend, St. Regulus arrived in this town with the remains of St. Andrews.  And since then, it has become a site of pilgrimage.  In 1200, several churches were put up in town, including the St. Andrews Cathedral.  By the 15th century, the St. Andrews Cathedral has now become the biggest cathedral in Scotland and the seat of the archbishop.  James V and Mary of Guise were wed here, forming the Franco-Scottish alliance.

However, in 1559, the cathedral was destroyed.  Today, only parts of the Romanesque cathedral are left.

St. Andrews Castle

This castle was built at the same time as St. Andrews Cathedral in 1200.  It served as the Bishop’s residence for centuries.  The St. Andrews Castle was then destroyed during the Reformation, leaving nothing but the ruins which we see today.  But luckily, a modern visitor centre has provided details of the castle’s history.

Sea Life Centre

The Sea Life Centre gives you a fascinating insight on marine life, with its various attractions which include an aquarium, a shark pool and a marine laboratory.  It also has a wonderful beach café where you can make a quick pit stop to rest your feet and grab a bite while marvelling at the beach’s horizon.

Tribute to golf

It would be an insult if we did not as much as mention St. Andrews’ golf heritage in the top tourist attractions in St. Andrews.

First stop is the Old Golf Course.  This golf course runs along the coast of St. Andrews and originally had 22 holes.  It was reduced to 18 holes in 1836.  The headquarters of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club is also found here.

Next stop is the British Golf Museum, where you can find an extensive exhibit of golf artefacts, and everything that has to do anything with golf.

These are just some of the top tourist attractions in St Andrews, but there are plenty more. Make a weekend out of it and enjoy one of Scotland’s gems. Bon Voyage!

Different Options For A UK Break

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Getting away to the Scottish Highlands is one the better options for a UK break ... photo by conner395 on Flickr

A COTTAGE BREAK IN SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

The mist shrouded purple mountains that constitute the Scottish Highlands are steeped in legend, mystery and history. It is a land of breathtaking unspoilt natural beauty with mysterious lochs, stunning glens and spectacular islands.

A cottage break in the Scottish Highlands is one of the best options for a UK break, as it rewards you with jaw dropping scenery ranging from rugged peaks to enchanting beaches. You can choose your cottage holiday in bustling destinations such as Inverness, beautiful Oban or a private spot along the unspoilt beaches along the coast.

The Scottish Highlands are perfect for any kind of holiday including adventure, romantic, family and even group holidays. There is a lot to do in the Scottish Highlands for everyone such as fishing, hiking, walking, mountaineering, climbing, cycling, island hopping, ancient castles and exploring sleepy villages. A cottage in the Scottish Highlands serves as a comfortable base to pursue all the outdoor activities.

VISIT STONE HENGE

The Stonehenge rock arrangement is one of the most iconic ancient attractions in the UK and a source of heated debates among individuals, scientists, archeologists and historians. It is a pre-historic structure in Wiltshire, whose origins continue to baffle many. It is more than just a monument and serves as a reminder of the past and history of the area and a tribute to the artisans who built it centuries ago. Stonehenge has survived the test of time, harsh elements of weather and human activities, take time to marvel at this amazing structure during your UK break.

A GALVANISING GOLF BREAK

Golfing breaks in the UK are popular amongst many travelers and locals alike due to the immense variety of fabulous courses all across the country for every level of golfer. There is an admirable variety of courses ranging from the classics such as St Andrews and East Lothian to enviable Ryder Cup Venues such as Belfry and Celtic Manor.

Whatever your handicap, budget or taste, taking a golf break in the UK is always rewarding and relaxing for families, couples and even groups. You can find different kinds of accommodation near the course of choice and even if you choose to travel to different courses during your break, getting around in UK is easy. Some of the best destinations for golf breaks in UK include Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.

EXLORE THE HAUNTED CITY OF YORK

The human mind is always trying to discover everything that seems out of the ordinary. York is a spectacular destination with incredible Tudor Style buildings, shops, boutiques and the famous Minster. People say it is the most haunted place in the whole of the UK due to its ancient architecture.

The Minster is a massive Gothic cathedral and the largest of its kind in the whole of northern Europe. Its soaring towers on either side give the cathedral an almost castle-like appearance and its magnificent image is visible across the whole city of York. Inside the Abbey, you will witness amazing architectural work that may have taken artisans years upon years of hard work.

The Best Winter Travel Destinations in the UK

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The snowy slopes of the Cairngorms are among the top winter travel destinations in the UK

While most venture to the United Kingdom in the summer months when the weather is at its driest and sunniest, those that do not fear rain nor the damp chill of winter travel to the United Kingdom in the off-season, looking to explore the top attractions and the off-the-beaten track secrets of one of the world’s most famous nations.

If you happily adopt the contrarian approach to tourism, and are looking to explore the best winter travel destinations in the UK this year, the following article will contain some inspiring ideas that will help get your trip planning off to a roaring start. Let’s start by looking north…

Cairngorm National Park, Scotland

While most think that the British Isles are a perpetually rainy and foggy place come winter, a quick trip through the mountains of Scotland will prove this assertion dead wrong. By taking advantage of a cheap car rental Edinburgh Airport UK, you can get your journey to this sublimely beautiful range in the Scottish Highlands off to a quick and financially efficient start.

One of the more exciting things one can do in the Cairngorms is to go skiing or snowboarding, as the heights of its peaks will frequently get buried in copious amounts of snow while lowland areas get drenched in the rain that ones more commonly associates with this part of the world.

If you aren’t the active type, there is plenty to do here besides gazing up at the lovely peaks, as this region has plenty of museums and castles one can comb through, as well as a number of distilleries where one can sample some of the hooch which has made this corner of the UK world famous.

Isles of Scilly, Cornwall

Located off the coast of one of the United Kingdom’s most southerly territories, the Isles of Scilly is the warmest spot in the entire nation, with daily mean (not daily highs, but the average of low and high temps) temperatures in January sitting around seven degrees Celsius.

For those sick of cold winter weather elsewhere in the British Isles, this archipelago is the perfect place to seek relief, as this is a place where locals count flower blossoms on New Year’s Day, even as most others huddle in their homes further north with a steaming pot of tea at the ready.

While the weather is usually mild here in winter, it can be rough when storms push in from the Atlantic, but for those that can find beauty in waves that crash violently upon the seashore, it might prove to the perfect cure to the hectic day to day grind present in cities on the mainland.

Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales

Of all the countryside scenes that the United Kingdom boasts, few are quite as famous as its moorlands, as these moody grasslands are a magnet for those that love the power of introspective thought in such a starkly beautiful place.

You’ll find plenty of places to do just that in Brecon Beacons National Park, but if going for a thoughtful stroll across a grassy highland isn’t enough to capture your imagination, perhaps the fact that this part of Wales is one of the last roaming grounds of the Welsh mountain pony will.

Other highlights here include ancient Celtic and Roman ruins, and the remains of old castles and churches, whose exploration are all tempered by the sharp but never overpowering nip of the chilled air of upland Wales, which is just chilly enough to affirm the fact that you are alive and are actively engaged in the art of living.

The Scottish Isles At Their Best: Top Reasons To Visit The Shetland Islands

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Isolated scenes like these make for some awesome reasons to visit the Shetland Islands

Off the northern coast of Scotland are a series of lonely yet ruggedly beautiful isles with many beautiful attractions for you to see, giving you plenty of reasons to visit the Shetland Islands.

Its various natural attractions and historical sites will definitely leave you wanting more, as the scenery found here is considered by many to be the pride of the United Kingdom. There are also other destinations to be explored throughout Scotland, which is why you should be excited to see the rest of this great nation once you visit Shetland.

Shetland’s wild landscape is home to a lot of beautiful gardens, along with native plants and gorgeous wildflowers growing through its windswept countryside. One of its famous gardens is the Da Gairdins i Sand which is found in the western portion of the archipelago. Its 7 acre garden is home to a lot of rare plants and exotic specimens, making it a must see. There are also paths that will lead you to magnificent coastal views here.

Another country garden is Nonavaar. This well kept garden is surrounded by drystone walls, and once inside this garden, you will be in awe with its trees and bushes that grow along its ponds, terraces and lawns. As a treasured garden in the Shetlands, not is it a worthwhile attraction due to its precious flowers and plants, but also because of its outstanding greenhouse and vegetable garden.

Another tourist destination that you shouldn’t miss is its natural reserves, where you can see various birds and animals living in the area. One of these natural reserves is the Noss National Nature Reserve, which boasts soaring cliffs that support many species of nesting seabirds. During summer, its steep rock faces are flocked to by huge colonies of sea birds, which is why the locals refer to it as ‘seabird city’. If you walk along the coastal paths and if it is your lucky day, you might see porpoises offshore or giant skuas.

Other than the Noss National Nature Reserve, you should see the Sumburgh Head which should be included in your top reasons to visit the Shetland Islands. It is set to open in Spring 2014, though some parts will still be restricted. Even still, you shouldn’t miss this place because you get to have the privilege of observing the breeding practices of various seabirds. Aside from that, Sumburgh Head is a great place to see whales and dolphins, especially orcas and minke whales.

Shetland has a lot of natural attractions, but there’s more to see here than just that, as it also has many historical sites. If you want to learn more about this island chain’s history, then the best place to learn is at the Shetland Museum and Archives, where you will find out more about its people, whose stories will truely fascinate you. The museum’s collection includes laces that has been made since the late 19th century as well as traditionally made boats. Other museums that are definitely worth visiting in the Shetlands are the Crofthouse Museum and the Tangwick Haa Museum.

When you travel you always expect something exciting but there’s no need to worry this when venturing to obscure places such as the Shetland Islands. It is not as popular among other European destinations; nonetheless, don’t underestimate its natural attractions and tourist destinations because they certainly hold plenty of appeal for those that love nature and close knit communities. Don’t miss seeing its beauty: plan your trip to the Shetlands already!