14 Things You Should Know Before Going To Scotland

 

Scotland has become a hugely popular travel destination in recent years, this is because our natural sites are magnificent and our historical sites is worth taking a look at. I am proud to say that Scotland is a very safe country and a great place to visit, however, if you're looking for some warm weather, Scotland isn't the place for you. If you're wanting to see some amazing castles, beautiful mountains and stunning lochs, then Scotland will amaze you. 

1. Public Transport Is Awful

To take the train from London to Glasgow or Edinburgh, the train journey is going to be an absolute nightmare and the horror doesn't end there. All trains around Scotland are run by Scotrail and they are simply awful. Scotrail is hated by Scottish people universally for a number of reasons, primarily because it is extortionate. A ticket from Glasgow to Edinburgh is £13 which is just an hour journey and Glasgow to Inverness will be £40 at the cheapest. Scotrail trains are also quite dirty, they tend to be very crowded at peak times and delays are commonplace. If you intend on exploring outside of the cities, I highly insist on renting a car as it will give you the freedom to go anywhere you want. Furthermore exploring The Highlands will be extremely difficult if you don't have your own car as a lot of fascinating places are very much off the beaten track. 

2. There Isn't A Best Time Of Year To Visit

If you visit Scotland in the summer, it can be hit or miss. One day the weather can be very sunny with blue skies and the next day it could be very cloudy with torrential rain. If you intend to come during the winter months, it's going to be extremely cold and it will get dark at about 5PM. If you want to go hiking, the winter won't be the best time to do it however as the snowy conditions can make it difficult and even seriously dangerous. 

3. It's More Or Less Cold And Rainy Year-Round

Even if you plan to visit in July, I still recommend bringing a jacket and something to protect yourself from the rain. However, there may be some days during summer when it's possible to wear just a t-shirt outside. No matter what month it is, there is always the possibility of it raining and the weather can sometimes change every couple of hours. A day can go from blue skies, to grey clouds and then torrential rain. 

4. We Speak English, Just A Little Bit Differently

Almost everyone speaks english in Scotland, Scots and Scottish Gaelic are considered as official languages. However hardly anyone speaks Gaelic and Scots is considered more of a dialect than a language. You might notice that the Gaelic name for something appears on signs in public such as on train stations and many road signs have Gaelic translations. Moreover, in Scotland we have our own accents and slang which may confuse visitors. Many people tell that they have trouble understanding what Scottish people are trying to say a lot of the time and if they can tell that you have a foreign accent, they may speak more clearly so that you can understand them. 

5. Don't Just Go To Edinburgh

The capital is a fantastic city, but if you have time, you should go see some other places. If you want to go hiking, I recommend going out into the Highlands and Inverness is a city which is definitely worth seeing. Glasgow is also the biggest city in Scotland and although it doesn't have a castle or cobbled streets, it's an interesting city with great bars and nice parks. Some of the most amazing places to see in Scotland tend to be in remote places and outside of the cities as well. 

6. Football Is A Massive Affair

The most popular spectator sport in Scotland is football and for many, their team is a very important aspect of their life. If you happen to be in Glasgow or Edinburgh during a match-day, the traffic might be very crowded around the stadiums. Football fans can be very loud and seem hostile, but if you stay out of their way, they won't touch you. It's important not to wear a certain football shirt in the wrong area, you'll get dirty looks if you wear a Rangers shirt in the middle of Aberdeen, a Hearts shirt in the East End of Glasgow or a Celtic shirt in Edinburgh. You might not be put in danger, but people will definitely stare at you and you could get the odd person hurl abuse at you.

 If you're interested in attended a football match, I highly encourage you to do so, tickets can easily be bought online and are significantly cheaper than getting tickets for an EPL match. For example, last season Hearts tickets ranged from £5-£30. 

7. Tennent's Isn't The Only Beer On Offer

As drinking is a very big activity in Scotland, there are loads of beers all over. The most famous Scottish beer is Tennent's which honestly is lacking in taste, it tastes more like sparkling water than any sort of beer. It's rarely even drunk by most Scottish people I know, if you come to Scotland, you should definitely try Brewdog and there are countless beer brands sourced from local breweries. One of my favourites is Cold Town Beer which is originally from Edinburgh and on The Black Isle, you can find some amazing beer made by the Black Isle Brewery. 

8. Loch Ness Is Overrated 

There are hardly any tourist traps in Scotland, but Loch Ness is rather close to being one. I hate to burst your bubble, but you are almost definitely not going to see the Loch Ness Monster. Near Loch Ness, you will encounter Nessieland, an extremely tacky tourist attraction and of course it has a gift shop. I went to Loch Ness two years ago and I feel it just doesn't feel as magical as Loch Lomond or countless other better lochs. Furthermore, there are some more amazing places near Loch Ness which are more fascinating such as Urquhart Castle. 

9. Good Scottish Food Can Be Hard To Find

You may know that our national dish is haggis, which is a mashup of sheep parts, my advice is don't knock it till you try it. Even in Edinburgh, Scottish restaurants tend to be fancy places where the food will be really expensive, however, if you find a decent pub, you might be able to sample some good Scottish cuisine. In The Highlands, you will be able to find some great seafood too, critics of Scottish food need to try some Scottish salmon and maybe their opinions will change. Going to the chippy is an absolute must do for people who come to Scotland, if you like fish and chips then it is the place to go and you can even have deep fried pizza. Glasgow is also home to loads of curryhouses, as the birthplace of chicken tikka masala, you can find some of the best curry places in Europe. 

10. We Use The Pound 

In every part of the UK, we all use the same currency, what you may notice though is that Scottish notes look different from English notes. English notes will have pictures of the Queen and Winston Churchill, while Scottish notes have pictures of Robert Burns and the Forth Rail Bridge. Even though they look slightly different, they are still the same currency, meaning that English notes are perfectly acceptable in Scotland and equally, Scottish notes are legal tender in England. Many a time that I've been in London, I've handed someone a Scottish note, they look at it like I've handed them monopoly money because they've never seen it before, however they are legally required to accept it as currency. 

11. Wearing Kilts Isn't Hugely Common 

The national dress of Scotland is the kilt, unless you see a piper playing the bagpipes in the streets of Edinburgh commonly frequented by tourist, you might see less kilt-clad men than you'd expect. Kilts aren't something we tend to wear on a daily basis, it's usually reserved for formal occasions like weddings or parties. A more common thing that we tend to wear on a daily basis is tracksuits, I think almost every Scottish person around my age will have at least one pair of Adidas trackies. If you want to buy a proper kilt, understand that it may set you back a couple of hundred quid and it's not a very practical attire to walk around the streets in. 

12. Beware Of The Midges

If you plan to go out into The Highlands, you will be elated to know that there are no mosquitoes. However, there are midges, small insects who fly around in large numbers in The Highlands. They're not deadly or even dangerous, but being bitten by them is a great annoyance, if you want to avoid getting stung, I suggest that you don't stay in the same place for too long if you're in an area where there are midges. 

13. It's Not Cheap, Nor Is It Super Expensive

Scotland is significantly than London prices, but don't expect Scotland to be an affordable place to visit. Edinburgh especially is a fairly expensive city, getting around Scotland isn't cheap and neither is the alcohol. If you're going to the pub, expect a pint to be £3.50 at the cheapest, if you want to buy a bottle of whisky from the supermarket, it will cost you about £20 and if you want something fancier, it will be even more expensive. If you want to experience some of the best of The Highlands such as the Isle of Skye, it might be quite expensive as well. 

14. Scotland Is Safer Than You Might Think

With Scottish people being depicted as fearsome people you won't want to get on the wrong side of and Glasgow being synonymous with gang warfare, you may think that Scotland may be too much to handle. I honestly think that being in Glasgow or Edinburgh is very safe, you just have to be careful not to get on the wrong side of the wrong person. Especially on the streets at night, apart from that, for the most park walking around Glasgow or Edinburgh at night is actually super safe. The Highlands and rural areas are much safer as well, in some rural areas, especially on the islands it's so safe that people leave their cars unlocked. 

I reading this will inspire you to visit my amazing country, apart from Scotland being a less-affordable destination, it is definitely a place you have to visit. It's hard to find a non-Scottish person with something bad to say about Scotland. Even though we may not have the nicest weather or the richest cuisine, our dramatic rural landscapes, brilliant history and warm people will make you love our beautiful country.