Your Wee Guide to Scotland
Things to keep in mind if you are travelling to Scotland for the first time
Living in another country is fun and exciting but it can also be stressful, especially when you are planning to travel to a place you know little to nothing about. So here are some tips or things that you should keep in mind when travelling to the beautiful country of Scotland!
Say hi to Mr Weather Forecast app
Now you need to be polite to Mr Weather Forecast app as you will be seeing him every single day. The weather here in Scotland is a bit unpredictable. You can sometimes experience all weather types; rain, wind, sun and snow in one day. Maybe you will find it quite interesting to guess what the weather is going to be!
If you want to enjoy outdoor sports and activities in sunny and warm weather, summer is the perfect season, with temperatures of approximately 16 degrees Celsius and more daylight! Dundee has been termed as ‘Scotland’s sunniest city’. Winter would be perfect for you if you like to experience the festive vibes with all the snow and snow sports like skiing.
So be prepared for all weather types; wear your sunscreen, get waterproof clothes, and bring your high-quality umbrella, as the wind can get a bit strong here! It is important to note that “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes!”
“Sorry”, “Thank you”, “Darling”.... “Darling?”
Scottish people are often voted as one of the friendliest people in the UK! Don’t be surprised when you hear strangers calling you ‘darling’ or ‘love’ when talking. People here are very open and welcoming to tourists, so don’t be afraid to talk to locals. You can even learn a few tips and authentic places from them too!
To the left, to the left
Standing, driving or waiting on the left side is an unspoken rule here in Scotland. So if you’re from a right-hand side country, prepare yourself to adapt to this. If you are planning to drive in Scotland, here are a few tips that will provide some guidance.
“Aye, I’m gonna go to the loo a wee bit”
Um yes, that translates to, “yes, I’m going to go to the bathroom real quick”. Be ready for the wonderful experience of the Scottish accent and slang. It can be a bit tricky at first, but if you get used to it, you will fall in love with it! Get used to hearing words like wee (little), aye (yes), bonnie lass (beautiful girl), loons (boys), braw (excellent). If you are interested in learning some more Scottish words, click here. You are welcome for that wee lecture on scot slang. Now let’s get oan wae (need elaboration here) the rest of the blog…
It is safe to drink tap water
Yes, Scotland’s tap water ranks as one of the safest and cleanest tap water in the world! The water is checked every 2 minutes, and up to 99.91% of samples pass the strictest quality test. So don’t worry. Bring yourself a bottle to refill and give it a try! Just make sure not to drink hot water from the taps and let the cold water run for a bit before you fill your container. You can read more about drinking tap water here.
Enjoy Scotland’s beautiful nature
If you want to try something different than the busy city life in Edinburgh or Glasgow, you can travel up to the North to experience the most beautiful gift Mother Nature has given to Scotland. The Scottish Highlands (this is where you can find that famous Harry Potter Hogwart Express too!), the Isle of Sky, Inverness and the famous Loch Ness are some places that are worth a visit! Or you can visit some of the lesser-known travel spots like the breathtaking and remote Scottish isles - Barra is the only isle in the world which uses a tidal beach as the runway, or Oban for the best and freshest seafood, or travel up to Jura if you are a fan of George Orwell and check out the remote cottage he retreated to when he wanted to write his last and one of his finest novels -1984!
Food
You definitely have to try out all the amazing Scottish dishes: Haggis, Scotch pie, black pudding, neeps and tatties, and so much more!
Fun fact, can you guess what the most famous drink is in Scotland? If your guess was Coca-Cola, Pepsi, or Sprite, you will be surprised by the answer which is actually Irn Bru! This orange carbonated soft drink, known as “Scotland’s other national drink” has outsold Coca-Cola until this day and is the most popular drink in Scotland! So give it a try when you are here.
I hope you have found some useful facts and tips after reading this article. Any tips you would add to this? Comment below and tell us what you think!