5 Budget Friendly Holiday Destinations for Summer

Going on holiday needn't cost the earth...

and jetting off on a break when you're on a budget needn't mean lying on a Spanish beach for a week just because you think it's an inexpensive option. The world has tons of reasonably priced destinations, if you know where to look.

 

Romania:
Holidays to Eastern European countries have certainly gone up in price over the past decade or so; particularly those who now enjoy membership of the EU. However, in comparison with Spain, Germany and France in the West, they still offer excellent value for money.

Romania is a great option, where decent accommodation, eating and drinking remains extremely reasonable. It, and many other nations in the region, are well served by low cost airlines, like Ryanair, and can offer a bit of culture and history for a fraction of the price you might pay elsewhere.

Cambodia:
While neighbouring Thailand can be expensive for a vacation, Cambodia can be really reasonable.  The vast majority of tourists head to Siem Reap, where Angkor Wat Temple is located, and the surrounding area is fairly well developed, with much of the accommodation aimed at the foreign tourist market.

Siem Reap aside, Cambodia has some fascinating history to tell for visitors who like to get off the beaten track, but there's also a ton of beach resorts, should relaxing with a drink and doing very little is more your thing.

Greece:
The whole EU crisis hit Greece particularly hard and it's still to properly recover.  This makes it a pretty good choice for a cheap holiday as the country has become way more competitive to try to attract visitors it has lost. There are endless flights available from all over the UK to various regions and are generally pretty reasonable.

Whether it be a city break to Athens, or a lazy holiday on one of the islands, Greece has plenty of options for cheap and cheerful vacations. It also has some of the most incredible sights in the world. What's not to love?

USA:
OK, so getting there might to pricier than getting to Spain, but the are also some great deals on flights if you shop around. These can be even more reasonable if you end up with a stop between your point of origin and your destination. Unless you're adamant about go straight from A to B, a stop can save you a good chunk of change.

Hotel rooms in the US can be very cheap and eating is also pretty reasonable...

Gas is dirt cheap, so off-season road tripping can actually be a reasonably priced holiday. It's also the kind of trip that has something to offer for every member of the family as you can decide your own route and, should you end up somewhere you don't like, just haul your cases back into the car and go somewhere else.  It's as simple as that.

UK:

I include this from a UK perspective, as someone who lives in Wales and has been on several budget breaks to other parts of Great Britain and Ireland. Regardless of where in the country you live, there are tons of options, whether close by or far off, where you can enjoy a budget break.  Granted, the weather isn't always amazing, but that shouldn't stop you from taking off for a trip around your own nation.  

Naturally, I tend to go to Scotland for some of my trips because it's my home and my family and friends are there, but I've also enjoyed exploring sights around the South and East coasts of England, as well as throughout Wales.  One of my favourite spots is around Torquay, Devon and South Wales, where, armed with my car and my AirBnB account, I've stayed in some fabulously quirky places for very little and enjoyed some fantastic budget days out, such as the Agatha Christie Mile in Torquay, Cardiff Bay, and Caerphilly in South Wales. The UK has some truly amazing sights to see and they're literally everywhere. 

What are your suggestions for good budget destinations for Summer '17?

Suzanne x 

6 Great Robert Burns Attractions in Dumfries and Galloway

I was lucky enough to work in Dumfries and Galloway during my time with VisitScotland and many of the attractions that I graded in the area were related to the life and work of Scottish poet, Robert Burns. The Scots are very proud of their Bard, much in the same way that the English are with Shakespeare and the Irish are of James Joyce.

We’ve carefully conserved his various residences, books, belongings and moved his body from the pretty poor grave he originally had, to a far more appropriate, and might I say, pretty grand, resting place he now lies.      

Dumfries is full of tributes to their most famous resident. 

As far as Dumfries goes, it is synonymous with Burns’ life and work, in the same way that Ayrshire is.  Burns lived in the town centre, as well as owning a cottage in the countryside, and his remains lie in the local graveyard.  Even the pubs he frequented wisely choose to remember him.     His long suffering wife has also managed to find herself the subject of a beautiful statue in the town which, after putting up with his inability to be faithful, in my opinion, she thoroughly deserves.    

Burns worked as a modern day equivalent of our deeply beloved HMRC’s tax/VAT inspector and he would ride around on his trusty steed, making sure the locals were paying the correct amount of tax.  He must’ve been wildly popular during business hours.   

In anticipation of Burns Day 2016 (which falls on 25^th January), these are the fabulous Burns attractions you can visit in the D&G Region:

  

Burns House, Dumfries:

Conveniently located on Burns St (because obviously), in the middle of the town, this is the 18^th Century building where the Scottish national poet spent the last years of his life.     

The chair Burns used to write in, plus the famous Kilmarnock edition of his work, is prominently displayed in the building.   One of the best features of the small house is Burns’ carving of his name in the upstairs window.  

If you venture just outside the house, there’s also a beautiful garden area, full of flowers and stone carved excerpts from his most famous works.   Burns House has no admission charges.   

Rabbie's grave 

Burns Grave, Dumfries:

After his death in July of 1796, Robert Burns was laid to rest in St Michael’s Churchyard in Dumfries.   His original grave was unimpressive, so his body was moved to a more appropriate area of the yard 20 years after his passing.  

Burns and his family now have a beautiful Mausoleum in the corner of graveyard, which is much more fitting for a person of his talent and fame.    

You can visit the outside of the grave on your own, but you can also link up with a staff member from Burns House, who conduct free tours of the Mausoleum and hold the key to allow you inside.   

The interior of Burns' mausoleum

Burns Cottage at Ellisland Farm:

Ellisland Farm is situated around 7 miles North of Dumfries and is in a beautiful setting on the banks of the River Nith.  The peaceful surroundings give you a sense of what it might have been like to find inspiration in the whitewashed cottage and well-tended grounds.   

Many of Burns’ possessions remain in the cottage and there are several walks and trails along the riverbank.    

Burns moved to Ellisland with his family when he was 29 years old and the cottage was where he wrote ‘Red, Red Rose’ and ‘Auld Lang Syne’.

The Globe Inn, Dumfries:

Standing proudly on the High Street since 1610, The Globe was the preferred watering hole of the famous Bard during his time living at Ellisland and, latterly, in the town centre, from where it must have been much easier for him to stagger home.  

The Globe has kept Burns’ favourite drinking seat (all Scots have one of these) and you can have a wee dram from the comfort of it.   I’m actually not sure if it that comfortable as it’s really, really old.   However, once you’ve had a few whiskies, your read end will be numb so, who cares? 

The Globe also has a small museum and gift shop on site, to fulfill all your Burns related needs.   

Bonnie Jean.

Statue of Jean Armour, Dumfries:

Jean Armour was the long-suffering wife of Robert Burns and, if there were living in this day and age, she’d probably have divorced him a long time ago.   However, despite her husband’s continual indiscretions, his love for Armour was clearly strong and the couple remained together.   Armour bore nine children with Burns and that, as far as I’m concerned, is deserving of a statue in itself.  

Jean’s influence on Burns’ writing over the years was great, and he wrote many love poems about her, one of which is ‘O Were I On Parnassus Hill’, which was penned on the farm at Ellisland. Burns also wrote many poems for his other women, but he always returned to Armour’s side.

Jean outlived her husband long enough to see his work gain global fame.  She ws buried in the specially commissioned Mausoleum at St Michael’s after her death in 1834.   

The River Nith, Dumfries 

Robert Burns Centre, Dumfries:

Set next to the old bridge on the banks of the River Nith at Mill Street, RBC takes you through the 8 or so years that the poet spent living in the town. As with many of the other attractions, this small museum is run by team of dedicated volunteers who have a genuine love for the life and work of the Bard.

This gorgeous old water mill features an audio guide, as well as original papers and manuscripts belonging to the famous poet.  The building also houses a gift shop and café and has no admission charge.  

Suzanne x 

Top 4 Haggis Spotting Locations in Scotland

We've all heard of haggis and some of us have even eaten it, but very few have actually spotted one IRL.  We generally only see them once they're slaughtered, skinned and unceremoniously stuffed into a sheep's intestine.  Apologies if you're eating.

Haggis, from the Gaelic, 'awkward wee beastie', are notoriously shy creatures who tend to sleep all day and only venture out into the glens under cover of darkness.  Or, when they've run out of Irn Bru.  This is the main reason people take bottles of Scotland's national drink out on their organised Haggis Hunting Tours.

The mere sniff of the Amber liquid can be picked up from 3 miles away by fully grown males and they can turn nasty if you don't offer them some.  If you're out of Bru, whisky is an acceptable substitute.  Buckfast is not.   I wouldn't feed that to my neighbours cat, never mind a Haggis. I quite like having all my fingers in place, thanks very much.

These are four of the best known haunts of Haggis Clans across Scotland:

the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond have long been a haggis clan hideout.

No 52 Wee Auchentoshan Brae, Dumbarton:

Legend has it that in the early 20th Century, a local man by the name of Shuggie (Scottish slang for Hugh) saved the life of a young haggis, who had wandered away from his Mammy on the banks of Loch Lomond and followed the smell of whisky down past the famous Auchentoshan Distillery.  

Shug found the youngster while making his way back from his local hostelry and managed to persuade the wee mite to come to his house and warm up by his three bar fire.  Afterwards, he drove the haggis back to the foot of the Loch (once he'd sobered up obviously, so, like, two days later).  

The haggis told his clan about Shug's kindness and ever since then you can often spot the little beasties around Dumbarton late at night.   

Speed bonnie boat, like a bird on a wing... 

Portree, Isle of Skye:

For years, haggis were a bit more difficult to spot on Skye due to the fact that you had to get on a ferry just to have a look.   These days, hunting the critters is made a bit easier by the glorious Skye bridge, which sits across Loch Alsh and connects the Island to the mainland.   

Clans of haggis have been roaming Skye's Cuillin Mountain range for hundreds of years and have gradually moved up to the main town of Portree.  Given their tendency to be shy and secretive, no one knows quite why the haggis have ventured towards the harbour area, but many believe the sheer numbers of climbers on the mountains have forced the haggis further North.  

An alternative theory is that haggis love the smell of shortbread from the Isle of Skye Bakery, which is situated in the town.  

Can you see Nessie in the background??

Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness:

Spotting a wild haggis on the shores of Loch Ness is slightly easier than catching sight  of Nessie, and it's widely accepted that the clans are largely left alone on the banks of the Loch as people are more interested in the monster.

This allows them to enjoy the spectacular views and setting of Urquhart Castle, while flying under the radar, so to speak.   Haggis have no wings and, despite their diminutive size, they are extremely fast on their little haggis legs, which is why they can be difficult to pursue on foot.  

A few years ago, tunnels were found around the grounds of Urquhart and it was suggested that haggis were burrowing beneath the Castle in order to establish a safe haven from which to breed and protect their young.    

Samye Ling Temple.

Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery, Dumfries & Galloway: 

Samye Ling, near the remote village of Eskdalemuir, was established in 1967 and was the first Tibetan Centre to be built in the Western world.

The beautiful open countryside surrounding the centre and the calmness and tranquility that emanates from the Temple is believed to have been the draw for haggis as they understand that their way of life will never be under threat here.   

That, and the fact that the Buddhist Monks at Sayme Ling are vegetarian, make this part of South West Scotland perfect for a thriving haggis clan.   

Have you spotted any wild haggis on your travels through Scotland??  

Suzanne x 

Magical Lantern Festival, Birmingham

The Magic Lantern Festival, currently being held at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham, is the perfect event to get you fully immersed in the Christmas spirit. If, like me, you're a touch obsessed with fairy lights and have them hanging all round your house, this ticketed event will, undoubtedly, fill you with joy.  

I'm not so much a fan of Christmas, but I do love anything that glows in the dark, so after spotting an advert on Facebook for the event in Leeds and London, I conducted a quick Google search with the terminology 'big massive lantern festival in Wales' and, although Wales was not lucky enough to host such an event, it turns out that Birmingham was. I instantly signed my husband and me up for tickets via Eventbrite and started counting down the days.

The Magic Lantern Festival was launched in 2015 and, after huge success, it was decided that it would be expanded to other parts of the country. Well, we can't have Londoners having all the fun, can we?  Indeed. In 2016, Leeds and Birmingham have joined in the action and I though it would be rude not to go along and lend some support in the inaugural outing. With any luck, Scotland and Wales might be included in the line up in future years as we love a lantern, we do.

Anyway, tickets for the event at Birmingham were reasonably priced and you can choose a time slot to attend so that the event isn't overrun with people all at once. We chose a 7pm kick off and were pleased to see the entry area filled with Christmas market type food and drinks stalls, as well as a souvenir gift shop for all things Chinese. The event had no real theme, although clearly Chinese lanterns gave it an oriental feel, there were also lots of child friendly lanterns, which seemed to be making the younger visitors extremely happy. It's difficult to argue with a 30ft Cinderella, I feel.  

this would look SO good in my garden.

On entry, you walk through a 12 metre wide illuminated curved entrance before you start your walk through the gardens to celebrate more than 2,000 years of fabulous Chinese lanterns.  There are classic lanterns throughout the site, as well as modern designs and something local as a nod to Birmingham's wonderful bronze bull.  

The area is fenced off to stop anyone getting lost and it well signed throughout.  This is an excellent thing for me as I have zero sense of direction in the day light. At night, I have literally no chance of finding anything…even if it is a 10ft brightly lit Panda. For two adults, it took us around 45 minutes to walk around the entire site, and this included several thousand photo stops and some slow walking as the event was extremely busy.  

how cute are these little penguins??

There is a great mix of lanterns; some small and some simply enormous and the combination of the pitch black winter nights along with the gorgeous multicoloured displays are really wonderful.  Although the areas are all fenced off to stop people touching the exhibits, it is possible to get a close look at some of them and to appreciated the intricacy of the designs.   Lord only know just how long the lanterns take to design and construct, but I'm wiling to bet it's not a quick process.

The great thing about the Botanical Gardens is that it gives a large area to properly display each piece and keep everyone's attention all the way round the park.  The kids attending with their parents let out a collective gasp every time they spotted something new and colourful and I'm not ashamed to admit that I did a few times, too.  

I love this little guy

Monet would have been so proud

The Magical Lantern Festival is open until January 4th 2017 and is great attraction for all the family.  

Suzanne x 

Top Things To Do At Newcastle & Gateshead Quayside

During a recent long weekend in Newcastle, I discover the wonders of the Quayside, down by the peaceful banks of the  River Tyne.   These are my recommendations on how to spend a relaxing day on the north and south shores of the river.

The Quayside is the area around the north banks of the River Tyne in Newcastle, and the south bank in Gateshead.   The Quayside was previously a busy port area that has been heavily (and very well) regenerated.   It's now one of the city's most visited areas, and it's not difficult to see why.

Tyne Bridge:

The iconic bridge, completed in 1932, links the city of Newcastle with its neighbour across in Gateshead.   It is one of several bridges that span the river, but it is, without a doubt, the more famous and recognisable of them all.  

The bridge design is loosely based on an altered version of the Syndey Harbour Bridge in Australia, and gives a nod to Newcastle's industrial heritage.

You can obviously cross the bridge using cars, vans, motorbikes and, I daresay, even tuk tuks, if you really wanted, but in order to really take some time to appreciate it, you have to walk.    There are flights of steps close to the Quayside that you can happily clamber up in order to take a wander across the bridge and see the wonderful views up and down the river.  

The Baltic:

This beautiful former flour mill, sitting on the south side of the Tyne in Gateshead, was first owned and run by Hovis from 1950 to 1981.   After closing in 1981, it lay unused until a competition was launched by the RIBA for architects to submit suitable designs to transform the building into an arts venue.  A massive refurb was undertake and the all new Baltic for Contemporary Art was officially opened in the Summer of 2002.

The Centre hosts an ever changing programme of events throughout the year, and these have included  prestigious events, such as the 2011 Turner Prize.   This was the first time the TP had been held outside the Tate London or Tate Liverpool in its history.   The move was a resounding success when Baltic welcomed more visitors than any previous Turner Prize exhibition.  

As well as gallery space, Baltic also has a contemporary bar and cafe on the ground floor; a lovely store, a SIX, which is the name of the restaurant located on the top floor of the building and offers fantastic views out across the Millennium and Tyne Bridges, as well as the city itself.   It's definitely not a bad spot to indulge in some brown ale.  

Me, stalking the Baltic from the bushes across the river like a maniac.  

The Sage:

When we first drove into the city, across the Tyne Bridge, we instantly spotted this oddly curvy silver...thing and, in stereo, said:  WHAT is that?   Not in a bad way, as we have our very own oddly curvy silver thing in Glasgow (SECC) and we love it very much, we just weren't expecting to spot something similar in Gateshead.     We thought ours was the only one... (sniff, sniff)

This fabulously shapely concert venue, like the Baltic, was developed after a design competition.  This battle was won by Foster and Partners and the multi performance area venue, complete with bars, brasserie and a music library (amongst other things) was opened in 2004 at a cost of £70m.    A total bargain, if you ask me.   But no one did.

Although The Sage looks fantastic and shiny when hit by the sun during daylight hours, it is best to viewed at night when you can properly see just how innovative the design is.   

I know nothing about architecture, so it'd difficult for me to describe quite how the inside of the building looks like it's on the outside when the lights come on, so I won't bother and just leave you with this photo.  It explains much better than my poor attempts ever could.  

The Millennium Bridge:

So, while we're on the subject of amazing multicoloured new Wonders of the World, we should take a second to talk about the Millennium Bridge.   It just *might* be even more colourful and curvy than The Sage.

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge, to give it its Sunday name, was built to celebrate the turn of the century and was partially funded by the Millennium Commission.   

The £22 million investment has resulted in the world's first  tilting bridge and carries pedestrians and cyclists from Newcastle to Gateshead...and often back again.    

The tilting of the bridge happens to allow the safe passage of boats down the Tyne and the complete process of tilting and...untilting(??) takes around four and a half minutes.    During this time, the bridge glows in a rainbow of colours and is mesmerising to watch.    And I don't say that very often.  Not about bridges, anyway.

It is really spectacular and made me smile like a lunatic for a good while after the bridge had resumed its normal business and was all like 'move along now...nothing to see here'.  

If you are taking in the sights of the Quayside at night, do be aware that there a lot of bars around the area.   Weekends are therefore likely to be quite noisy, as it was during my Sunday night visit on a Bank Holiday weekend.   There was a fair bit of singing and dancing going on - as there is in every city centre on a weekend - so do pop over during the week if you'd rather avoid the crowds.     
  

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge mid-tilt

Quayside Seaside:

Possibly the cutest beach ever.   And no sewage!

Did you know Newcastle had a beach?  No?  Neither did I!  However, I can assure you that it very much does, and it's right on the North bank of the Tyne.

Now, I didn't say it was a proper beach, but it is a beach nonetheless.    Vueling's popular summer attraction is back in 2016 and is a little area on the banks, replete with striped deck chairs, gorgeous pastel coloured beach huts and, well...sand, obviously.  

2016 is the fifth year that the installation has been built in the city and this year it has the added bonus of having Riley's Fish Shack right on its doorstop.    Now you can lounge in the sun on your deckchair and only have to walk a few yards for excellent fish and chips.

The Head of Steam: 

A great place for food and drinks.  Sorry about the shot of the back of my head.   

Firstly: this is NOT a boat. It is, rather, a gorgeously decorated bar just across the road from the Quayside and within quick darting distance for when your feet have had too much.    

The Head of Steam is often listed as one of the best bars in the city and is conveniently situated across from the main train station, as well as the Quayside.  

After a few hours of wandering around, we popped in for coffee.  And by coffee I mean a glass of red wine that was larger than my head (I love you, Newcastle), and found ourselves a wonderfully atmospheric bar with lots of tables; intimate little booths, and Central Perk like comfy seats next to the window where a weary Scot can rest her tired feet while still being able to enjoy the views out across the river.

Not only is the bar FULL of drinking options (and that can never be a bad thing in my book), but it's also famous for its musical links.   How can a bar that provided a stage to Maximo Park or The Arctic Monkeys ever be bad?   Exactly.   

The bar hosts regular music events, has a seriously tempting menu and a range of gins that would keep my mother happy for months.  

Bigg Sunday Market:

This, as the name suggests, only applies to your visit if it falls on a Sunday.    And you should definitely try to make sure it does, because the market is wonderful.   

Taking up a good length of the Quayside, the market dates back to the Middle Ages, and is full of artisan stalls selling cupcakes, hog roasts, speciality coffees; fruit and veg (including the biggest onions I have EVER seen), jewellery, candles, and a whole host of other gorgeous products.

It's a great place to spend some time moseying around, with a steaming coffee in hand, before you head further up the river towards the Millennium Bridge.   

Enjoy! 


Suzanne x 

Exploring Scotland's West Coast

There are many beautiful towns and villages the length and breadth of Scotland’s gorgeous Argyll and Bute region, along the nation’s west coast.  

The area has always been a popular area with visitors who are daring enough to brave the Rest and Be Thankful Road and head down the Kintyre peninsula to hop a ferry to one of the Inner Hebridean Islands, walk or cycle the Kintyre Way, or simply to drive along the endlessly winding coastal route down to Southend, Campbeltown or Machrihanish.  

The Rest and Be Thankful road is at the highest point of the A83 and is 803ft above sea level.  The road winds between Glen Croe and Glen Kinglas and offers some stunning views of the valley.  It’s not uncommon for the road to be impassable during bad weather, although a new relief road has been constructed to alleviate the pressure on main route    

I’ve driven it on too many occasions to recall while working for VisitScotland but, once you’re over it, the towns and villages all the way down the coast towards the tip of the peninsula are worth the trip.

My personal favourites for spending time are Inveraray, Tarbert and Machrihanish, which run from north to south along the peninsula.   

Inveraray:

Inveraray is famous for its Castle, Jail and as the docking point for the Vital Spark ship, which was the setting for a popular comedy programme of the same name.   This will probably be entirely unfamiliar to if you’re not Scottish, but we loved it.  We might also be a *touch* biased, but don’t hold it against us.

On the way into Inveraray, as you drive across the beautiful old bridge, you can’t help but be drawn in by the view of the town and harbour on your left hand side.  Unfortunately, a view of the Castle will be on your right hand side as you cross, and it can be a bit confusing to decide what to look at first.   You’ll become something akin to a meerkat as you glance furtively from side to side trying to get a good view of both.   Top Tip: Do try to also keep your eyes on the road.

Parking is in a pay and display car park in the centre of town, just next to the harbour, or you can park up and down the main street (if you can find a space).   I’m not one for reverse parking…or any kind of parking for that matter, so I tend to stick to the P&D for reasons of personal and public safety.

Loch Fyne

Inveraray Castle is the seat of Clan Campbell and the Dukes of Argyll and sits right of the shores of beautiful Loch Fyne.   The Jail is also nearby and both are fantastic attractions in their own right; as well as being very different (obviously!).    

Inveraray offers a lovely high street, filled with independent stores and some seriously good ice cream.   Allegedly.
     

Tarbert:

The first time I stayed in Tarbert for work, I had a bedroom with a view out across the water and spend an inordinate amount of my time watching the CalMac ferry going backwards and forwards, dropping off and picking up passengers.  I should have been inspecting my B&B, but the view was far more interesting than checking for mars bar wrappers under my bed.   

Tarbert, like Inverary, is in a beautiful setting.   Its harbour is filled with anchored boats, gently floating on the water, and there are some great walks around the town that offer the chance to make the most of the scenic views.

Tarbert is famous for its herring (and other) fishing history and is the gateway for access to the Inner Hebridean Islands and the Mull of Kintyre.  The town sits between East Loch Tarbert and West Loch Tarbert, which are inlets of Loch Fyne.  

Like Inveraray, Tarbert also boast a Castle; although the two couldn't be more different  Whilst Inverary is grand and imposing, Tarbert's is pretty much a ruin sitting atop a hill.

However, taking the time to climb the steps and wander across the hill is well worth it for the views alone; even if the ruins of the 13th Century Royal castle might not be much to look at on their own.   

Tarbert Castle might not be much to see, but the views from the hill are spectacular.

Tarbert is also famous for its seafood and shellfish and this is served fresh from the water at many of the lovely local eateries.

One of my favourite spots is the Tarbert Hotel which, as well as its fresh seafood, also has a great menu for kids, as well as a host of more unusual whiskies.   Which are absolutely not for kids.

The Starfish Restaurant on Castle Street does a mean 'Starfish Platter', which consists of a range of daily caught delights, including oysters, crab, langoustine, and lobster which can be enjoyed with their homemade bread and chilled wine.

Just a few miles out of the town lies the impressive Stonefield Castle Hotel, which boasts 60 acres of manicured gardens, famous for their impressive array of Himalayan Rhododendrons and other exotic and rare shrubs.


Machrihanish: 
Mach is a small village near the very northern tip of the Mull of Kintyre and is largely famous for its quality links golf courses.    

In 1905, a 400ft mast was built on the shores of Machrihanish Beach, which was used to make the very first radio transmission across the Atlantic.    On January 1st 1906, messages were sent and received between Machrihanish and Brant Rock in Massachusetts in the US.   Not a bad claim to fame for such a little town.

The beach in the town runs for 5 miles and is beautifully clean with sparkling blue waters, which makes the location one of Scotland's most popular surfing destinations.  I'm guessing the exposed location and the wind (It is Scottish, after all) will be of major assistance in this regard.

Fairly calm...for Scotland 

As odd as it may seem, you can actually hop a flight to Mach from Glasgow Airport on a FlyBe jet.    The airport, which is on the outskirts of town, was previously used as an RAF base.   It's a great idea, as it's a hugely long drive otherwise.   However, the scenery is spectacular.

Visitors are also very fond of the purpose built wildlife reserve at Uisaed Point.    The all weather viewing area allows for year round sea watching and spotting of some of Scotland's cutest beasties, including seals and otters.    Also: watch out for the feral goats.  They're not that friendly, although very interesting to watch from a safe distance.

Soooo adorable

What are your favourite places on Scotland's  beautiful West Coast?


Suzanne x