DK Travel : Scotland

Scotland has an overwhelming abundance of natural beauty, hundreds of castles stand proud from its long and turbulent past, and an innate flair for enterprise and travel has endowed the nation with artistic treasures from around the world. The culture remains vibrant today, and there’s much to celebrate. Here’s a distillation of Scotland’s best.

Highland Games

These are great summer spectacles that take place in communities across the land. Most popular are the kilted strongmen in the “heavy events”, which include hurling monstrous hammers and tossing the caber. This is a tree trunk that must be lifted vertically, carried at a trot and tossed so that it turns end over end. Packed with bagpipes, dancers and athletes, these games are an essential part of any visit.
Highland Park

Possibly not the most famous whisky (though definitely among the greats), but the best tour. Maybe because they’re so remote, they try harder. Prepare to be taken through deep piles of malt drying in a delicious reek of peat.
Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor

Not quite as many amenities as the central Hilton , but a finer building (an elegant Victorian terrace) and location – in Glasgow’s leafy West End, opposite the Botanic Gardens. A traditional ambience, and bedrooms every bit as comfy as its downtown sister’s.
HMY Britannia

Visit the decommissioned Royal Yacht Britannia at Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh. Easily (and cheaply) reached by several frequent buses from city centre.

The Audio guide tour is just the right amount of detail, and you can have a snack or light lunch on board. Entrance is reasonably priced but the tearoom is not the cheapest place to eat, but is excellent quality.

And you can even use Tesco Day Out clubcard vouchers for the entrance fees.
Hogmanay, Edinburgh

THE PARTY! Crowds pack Princes Street (ticket only) and the castle is lit up by fireworks (31 Dec).
Hollow Mountain Power Station

Tunnels and huge underground caverns house this massive hydro-electric plant. Like a science-fiction set, it is fascinating and rather weird.
Hopetoun House

This fine architectural gem, work of the industrious Robert Adam, is both a stately home and an art treasury (paintings by Canaletto, Rubens, Rembrandt, to name but a few).
House for an Art Lover

In 1901 Glasgow’s tour-de-force architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and his decorative artist wife, Margaret Macdonald, entered a magazine competition to design a “House for an Art Lover”. It was to be “… a grand house, thoroughly modern, fresh and innovative…” Their exquisite vision remained just a design until 1989 when, authentic to the smallest detail, the building and its contents were created.
Howie's

Scottish Modern cooking at a reasonable price. There is a chain of these around Scotland http://www.howies.uk.com/

Unpretentious wholesome food. Do try the steak if they are on - one of the best I have had in a while!
Howie’s

Local chain, recognizable by the cream-and-blue seaside paint-work. European-based menu; excellent value.

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
- under £15
- £15–£25
- £25–£35
- £35–£50
- over £50
Hotel price categories

For a standard, double room per night (with breakfast if included), taxes and extra charges.
- under £50
- £50–100
- £100–150
- £150–200
- over £200