With that in mind here are some of the Top 10 reasons to holiday or vacation in Scotland:

1.     The festivals – Edinburgh festival
For three weeks each August, Edinburgh is taken over by a selection of festivals running concurrently celebrating and promoting all sectors of the Arts. During this month there are a host of activities and events designed in part to both endorse and engage the population in the Arts, from music to theatre (classical to contemporary), from dance to comedy, to pantomime and children’s shows, art displays and the visual arts, free street theatre and caberet, musicals and opera there is something for everyone of all ages and budgets.
During the day the streets are filled with free street entertainment, art exhibitions and events for all the family, while at night Edinburgh comes alive with theatre, opera, shows, acts and parties held across various venues while the pubs are often filled with live music and some comedy acts.

2.    The cities – Nightlife
As well as magnificent and unspoiled countryside, Scotland has a trio of large cities in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow that in terms of shopping and, most importantly, nightlife can rival the cities of it’s counterpart over the border England. Of the three, Glasgow is the largest,  most bustling and vibrant of all with a busy nightlife, consisting of earthy, traditional pubs, trendy cafe bars and a range of all night discos and super-clubs.
As evidenced by the strength of the Edinburgh festival, Edinburgh, the capital, is a city renowned for the Arts and classical entertainment whilst hosting a range of cool designer bars and restaurants. Aberdeen, the third largest city, is a university city with a wealth of art galleries, museums and a thriving youth scene, and is well known as being the centre of live music in Scotland with live music of all types being catered for in many music bars and venues.
Also of special note in these cities is the Scottish celebration of Hogmanay (or New Year’s Eve) a party that combines tradition with modern hedonism. Starting early on New Years Eve people take to the streets to celebrate with live bands, dancing, and street theatre. As the countdown to the New Year begins, the street celebrations descend into a flurry of wild parties and revelry that last long after the ringing in of the New Year, the singing of Auld Langs Syne and the fireworks. Overall it is a party not to be missed.

3.    Scenery  and Wildlife– the lochs and the highlands
While the cities of Scotland are a-buzz with activity, by contrast the countryside and rural communities have for the most part remained unspoiled by time and industrialisation, still retaining the wild mysticism of old. With the most spectacular scenery in the UK and a magical variety of flora and fauna, the rugged, uncompromising Scottish landscape is a nature lovers’ haven. As well as a stunning landscape Scotland possess a wealth of undisturbed wildlife such as eagles and osprey, mountain goats, hares and deer. Along the coast and on the Scottish islands, particularly Mull and Skye, there are many opportunities to observe various species of birds and puffins, seals, whales and dolphins whether on foot or on whale watching excursions along the coast. With this range of scenery and wildlife it is no wonder that Scotland is one of the most photographed countries in Europe, a point proven with the 2009 landscape of the year photograph being awarded to a picture taken of the Old man of Storr on the Isle of Skye.

4.    Loch Ness – mystery of the monster
Mention Loch Ness and the first thing that comes to mind is “Nessie” the legendary Loch Ness Monster that is said to lurk in the dark depths of this vast loch. Since the controversial “surgeons photograph” appeared showing a plesiosaur–type creature (ancient underwater dinosaur)  emerging out of the loch in the 30’s the legend of Nessie has continued to baffle and intrigue visitors to the loch to this day inspiring a string of stories and film. If you want to check out the story of Nessie and the Loch for yourselves, why not visit The Original Loch Ness Monster Exhibition Centre. There you will find a wealth of documented sightings and facts, reports from respected investigative search expeditions such as Operation Deep-scan and audio-visual displays that show the history and the main sightings of the monster, hints that there may be more to this legend than what you may have thought.
Alternatively for those with no interest in the legend one can also avail of a Jacobite cruise into the heart of the loch and witness the stunning panoramic views it offers of the surrounds including the majestic Urquhart Castle and the surrounding mountains. Whether a believer or a sceptic one cannot deny nonetheless that there is a haunting beauty to be found in this vast mysterious loch.

5.    Castles – Edinburgh, Stirling, Eilean Donean

With its bloodied and romantic history it is no wonder that the Scottish landscape is dotted throughout with castles of varying quality steeped in legend. From the iconic castle of Eilean Donan Castle on the Isle of Skye, famous for its appearance in many films and photos worldwide, the elegance of the now manor residence Culzean Castle to the dominating spectacle of Stirling castle with views to the highlands, lowlands and the capital, castles dominate Scottish landscape and history. Of all the castles in Scotland, however, the most famous and best loved is, of course, Edinburgh Castle perched on an ancient volcanic rock and overlooking the capital. Inside, it is a living reminder of Scottish history where Scottish kings and Queens reigned and where the Scottish crown jewels reside to this day. It is a must see for visitors to Edinburgh offering both a wealth of history and legend and holds stunning views over the entire domain of Edinburgh from its man-made urban skyline to the north to it’s geological landscape to the south.

6.    Chapels and Cathedrals
While maybe not as romantic as castles, Scottish cathedrals and chapels carry their own tale of history as most were the scenes of as many battles as worship. They can be found throughout the Scottish landscape and islands, for the most part in a state of ruin. Some of the most noteworthy are Melrose Abbey, a Cistercian Abbey said to be the place where Robert the Bruces heart is buried, and Dryburgh Abbey, the resting place of Sir Walter Scott, Scotland’s most famous writer. Perhaps one of the most intriguing abbeys and one of the few fully standing intact is Rosslyn chapel brought to public attention recently with the worldwide success of the book and film the “Da Vinci Code” in which it plays a central role to the plot of the story. Whether or not the allusions to freemasonry, the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail are true or not, there is no denying that the intricate architecture and carvings sculpted inside Rosslyn Chapel are fascinating. All of the details involved in the chapel appear to be steeped in symbolism from many different sources, biblical, pagan, and Masonic, all of which appear to add to the legend of its position in the tales of the Knights Templar and freemasonry

7.    History
As evidenced by the various castles and cathedrals situated across the landscape Scotland is a land steeped in history made famous on film through the film Braveheart. All the castles and ruins are open to the public. Also of considerable note are some of Scotland’s famous battle sites such as Stirling and Bannockburn of William Wallace legend and the desolate moors of Culloden where Bonnie Prince Charlies highland armies met their end at the hands of English forces. On each of these sites one will find monuments in honour of the brave souls who died for their country and nearby visitor centres at Culloden and Bannockburn provide more detailed accounts of these events which helped to shape Scotland’s history.

For those of us whose idea of history is more ancient there are many examples of prehistoric landmarks around the country and, in particular, on the Scottish Islands. The most noted of these is Orkney Island with its World Heritage sites such as the Neolithic dwellings of Skara Brae (predating the Egyptian Pyramids) the ancient tomb of Maes Howe and the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar all built long before Stonehenge.

8.    Cultural festivals  – Highland Games, EE
Scotland has a distinctive and unique culture and nowhere is this better highlighted than in traditional festivals such as the Highland Games. Although considered on first glance as a festival for tourists, the highland games are actually a range of festivals held in Scotland and Scottish communities worldwide that celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture & heritage, especially that of the highlands.
Certain aspects of the games have in turn come to epitomize the worldwide view of Scottish culture, such as the bagpipes, the kilt, and the Scottish dancing. In the these games, which take place in Scotland throughout the summer, one will find a variety of events ranging from the actual games themselves (involving the cable toss and Scottish hammer throw to name just two) to Scottish dance competitions highlighting the Scottish country dances and highland dances to the country fairs and cattle shows. At the end of these local festivals the rendition of traditionally favorite songs are played by the pipe bands creating a sound that has come to symbolize the games and Scotland.
Another event where one can hear the music of the bagpipes and especially the haunting lament of the lone piper is at the Edinburgh military tattoo held in Edinburgh castle grounds in August during the height of the Edinburgh Arts Festival, where the history of Scotland is played out in a spectacular and colorful array of music and dance.

9.    Food and Drink– haggis and beyond, the whisky distilleries
For a country with a rich rural and coastal landscape and temperate climate it is not surprising that Scotland has a reputation as a food producer of quality foods such as beef, lamb, game, dairy produce, fruit and vegetables all of which can be found in various recipes in the finest eateries in Scotland and worldwide. And that is forgetting its traditional foods such as Haggis, neeps & tatties and Abroath Smokies (famous local haddock specially smoked over woodchips for a distinctive flavour). Haggis from it’s description (a sheep’s heart, liver and lungs, minced and mixed with oatmeal, onion and salt and served encased in a sheep’s stomach lining) sounds more stomach curdling than mouthwatering but description aside it’s actually a delicious treat while tatties and neeps which are often served with Haggis may sound likewise unappetizing but they are actually Scottish names for mashed potatoes (tatties) and mashed turnip (neeps).

But Scotland is more famous as a producer of fine Whisky with a plethora of distilleries around the country. These distilleries are now well known as tourist attractions which give the visitor a guided tour and a complimentary taste of the produce, while shops on the distillery grounds provide a nice sample to take home.

10    Sport – Home of Golf
Scotland is known as the ancestral home of golf with the first recorded game of golf being originally played at St Andrews (allegedly by shepherds knocking stones into rabbit holes in their spare time) and developed from there into the game it is today. Today, St Andrews holds the seat of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the game’s governing body and its old golf course is one of Scotland’s most famous links courses, the others being Royal Troon, the Old Course, Muirfield, Carnoustie and Turnberry all of which often hold the British Open Championship. As well as the above, Scotland has a variety of golf courses across the countryside making golf a sport accessible to everyone and if you’re a golf buff the British Golf Museum at St Andrews holds information on the roots and history of the game.
Other than golf, Soccer and Rugby are the other main components in the Scottish sporting calendar. In soccer old-firm rival Glaswegian clubs, Celtic and Rangers and to a lesser extent Aberdeen, dominate the sport having reached international acclaim and watching the matches can be a lively event in itself. The main soccer stadiums are mainly situated in the Glasgow homes of Celtic (matches held at Celtic Fc) and Rangers (matches held at Ibrox). Also in Glasgow, Hampdon Park is the venue for the Scottish national team. As for Scottish Rugby, Murrayfield stadium in Edinburgh is where one can find most of the action with the main rugby events to look out for being the Six Nations Championship and European (Heineken) Cup.

All of the above reasons are just the basics, for more in-depth analysis of Scotland one has to go there and see it for themselves.

On the way we stopped off for morning coffee at Llangoed Hall, a country House hotel owned by Sir Bernard Ashley, widower of Laura Ashley. It was either that or The Little Chef in Builth Wells. No competition. Sorry Little Chef. There’s no reception desk at Llangoed Hall, so you really do feel that you’re walking into your very (very) rich uncle’s house. We wandered into the drawing room that looked out over the croquet lawn towards the farmland beyond, introduced ourselves to one of the staff, and ordered a coffee. I could have easily spent the rest of the day being waited on hand and foot reading the latest Grisham novel, but Lake Vyrnwy beckoned so off we set.

The rain didn’t stop on the journey north through the undulating Welsh hills giving them a mystical appeal as we headed towards Lake Vyrnwy and the hotel of the same name that sits overlooking this lake. This area of mid Wales if sparsely populated with no large towns so a great area for driving, where you can easily venture off the beaten track onto one of the side roads to find some amazing spots. No need for sat nav – just follow your nose.

Lake Vyrnwy is man-made and has major political significance in Wales as it was the first valley to be flooded to supply water for the industrial towns of England. The recipients of the water were (and still are) Liverpool and coincidentally on the day we visited, the dam was celebrating 111 years to the day since its taps (if that’s the right technical term) were closed to allow the water to start building and drowning the valley behind. As part of the project the inhabitants of the son to be flooded village of Llanwddyn were moved lock, stock and barrel to a newly built village a few miles below the dam. The iconic tower in the picture is part of the dam’s workings.

The hotel has an enviable position overlooking the lake and is a great base for exploring mid Wales. Anthony Rosser, General Manager had kindly invited us to lunch and as I sat there discussing Spa and Activity packages I could not help thinking that I was a very lucky fellow indeed to make a living doing this. The view over the lake from the hotel was stunning even though the weather was wet. Surprisingly there were still quite a few Gore-tex clad ramblers around. I guess that when you’ve got the right clothes there’s no such thing as bad weather.

This is a great hotel that make you feel immediately comfortable and at home – the sort of place in which to spend a few days to recharge one’s batteries. They have a fabulous newly opened spa with some amazing treatments and can offer a good range of outdoor activities ranging from walking tours to clay pigeon shooting. With enough dollars in your pocket they would also arrange some pheasant shooting for you. I can imagine that the shooting party made up of wealthy industrialists that were staying at the hotel when we visted would keep the hotel in pheasant meat for weeks to come as well as paying a handsome bill for the privelege

So two great hotels in one day that I would no doubt be seeing again in 2008 (with wife in tow of course). So it was that I set off on the journey home in a particularly good mood. In fact it was one of those “wonder were that road leads to” moods that meant, of course, that I got lost twice and reached home about an hour and a half later than expected. However on the up side I found myself in the small town of Montgomery, on the Wales England border, for the first time. With its bow windowed Georgian houses and cobbled pavements and dominated by a ruined 13^th century castle it was certainly worth getting lost for. If I’d had Sat Nav I never would have seen it. Thanks nose!

I’m ashamed to say that although I’ve enjoyed these bus tours when I’m touring abroad (Paris, Rome, Berlin and New York) but had never been on the London CitySightseeing tour. It’s for the tourists I said walking the other way mumbling something about being almost a local. Anyway daughters being daughters, she got her own way in the end and onto the bus I trudged flanked by three Germans and a few Italians. Up the stairs to get on the top deck and found a couple of seats from which we could see the world around us. At this point I was reflecting that I had never been on the top deck of a London bus. I know London well, but only from ground level when I’m driving or walking. I was now beginning to enjoy myself and look forward to the tour. We’d embarked at Marble Arch and the whole trip took around an hour and a half and in that time we saw all the major attractions with a real live English speaking guide to entertain us. Make sure you get on the buses with the T1 yellow route signs for this.

The whole experience was a real eye opener and I’d rank this tour second only to the sightseeing tour of Rome. I didn’t introduce me to any new sights but it did give me a totally different view of the ones that already knew.

If you’re new to the city this is a great way to get your bearings. Don’t hop off on your first trip stay on and get the whole experience. You won’t regret it as it will really help you to see the scale of London and really help with your planning for the few days that you will have in London. It will also make sure that you will have at least seen all the major attractions before you move on.

When you arrive in London you’ll have probably flown over on a “red-eye” flight that will get you into London Heathrow or Gatwick early morning. If you can’t check in to your room till early afternoon then leave your luggage in the hotel and head straight out to find a Sightseeing tour . Sit on the(open) top deck, relax and let the fresh air revive you after your flight and transfer to central London. I’ll guarantee that your jet lag will disappear.

Finally don’t forget that your ticket is valid for the whole day so after doing the circuit, by which time your jet lag will have gone, you can get back to your hotel to check in and freshen up before getting back on the bus to do a few hop offs to get close up and personal with some of the great attractions.