Had enough of this week's work-based "entertainment" and want to get away with the girlf for 24hrs or so. Based in Edinburgh but happy to drive 2 hours or so to find somewhere nice. Want to do nice relaxing stuff like walking, seeing nice places, drinking tea, sitting in contented silence etc. She definitely won't let me even look at a bike so that's out the question. She's a fan of walking and camping though.
I only really know stuff further south, and things involving hundreds of miles of hills on bikes, which isn't very useful for the situation!
So, anyone been anywhere nice recently they can recommend?
Speyside? fife / st andrews?
Deeside - stay in Ballater or Aboyne. Stunning scenery and great walking around Loch Muick area or from Linn of Dee up from Braemar
Aviemore area - more great walking than you could do in a week. The Cross at Kingussie highly recommended for food and rooms by some friends.
Tay Valley - my area. Lovely scenery and great walks. Stay at Fortinghall Hotel if flush or Aileen Chraggan if not so flush
dogging at longniddry bents?
sounds good, what time does it start, what should i bring ? how will i recognise you ?
Or as an alternative - Dogging at Thornielea.
Whiskey tour? [url= http://www.discovering-distilleries.com/glenkinchie ]Glenkinchie distillery.[/url]
I don't even like the stuff much but learned a lot and got to taste plenty at the end too.
A very good tour.
st andrews is really nice...
great bakeries - fisher & donaldson
great restaurants - nan jihm, the seafood retaurant, glass house
great beaches - west, castle and east sands
beautiful buildings - the quad, st mary's chapel
a ruined cathedral and castle
leuchars is an hour on the train, with good bus connections.
oh, and i live there... woo.
Aberfoyle area, lovely just at the moment with all the trees changing colour, could get there and back in the day from Edin easily too.
Stayed a weekend recently at Elie in the East Neuk of Fife. Lovely wee place, nice beach, coastal path is a nice walk, pub with beer garden near the harbour, interesting architecture.
Do a circuit around Schiehallion, amazing roads, views and plenty of opportunities for getting out and walking.
East Lothian. I lived in Edinburgh for 12 years and didn't think of going East, but it's blimmin lovely. Do the castles - they're laid out perfectly for a car tour. From Edinburgh, go along the coast towards North Berwick. Stop in Dirleton, marvel, explore, get a weekend pass for Scottish National Heritage, lunch in the lovely pub across the road.
Then on through NB, and stop at Tantallon, marvel, explore, back in the car. Continue on to Tyninghame, stop in the tea shop for tea + scones. Then pop into Knowes Farm Shop for fantastic local produce - and feed the chickens.
Next castle is Hailes, Just the other side of East Linton, tiny and a jewel. Then take the path from Hailes south to the walk to the top of Traprain Law, Roman remains, astonishing views, marvel, explore.
Next stop I'd recommend is back into East Linton for beer + dinner in the Linton.
If you've got another day, drive up to Whiteadder Reservoir from Garvald and wander about there on the Herring Road tracks. Lovely, very very quiet, and back via Gifford for tea shops/pubs.
Also don't overlook the coast - the beaches at Belhaven (West of Dunbar) and Tyninghame (between Dunbar and North Berwick) are easy to get to, deserted once you get 15 minutes from the carpark, and just beautiful.
Here's the great little Walking in the Lammermuirs pamphlet from the Scottish Rights of Way Society.
[url]www.scotways.com/scotways_assets/files/045_lammermuirs_map.pdf[/url]
And here's my pictures of the route (admittedly on a bike!) from a month ago:
[url] http://www.flickr.com/photos/allankelly/sets/72157622343213717/ [/url]
Cheers, al.