I have been to Scotland lots of times, and it always feels good. It can't be because of the weather which is often dreadful especially on the western side. Suppose it's a combination of things, the scenery, beautiful Edinburgh, the whisky, but probably most importantly the people.
There are parts of Scotland that I haven't seen yet, particularly the far north, but I'll get there one day, and i have seen so many documentaries about Scotland that I already know what they look like and how it would feel to be there. When we first saw New Zealand my reaction was that it is 'like Scotland on acid' (look up LSD) and the landscapes here really are eerily similar, but on a bigger scale.
Despite the unreliable weather I really do like the western side of the country. The area around Glencoe and Fort William is glorious, and even further north the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides) such as Uist, Harris, and Lewis have a barren windswept beauty, as well as the delights of very dour Gaelic speaking locals. We made two huge mistakes on that trip, we went in summer when the west is plagued by all manner of biting flies and things, and we were camping. Oh the innocence of youth.
More recently I took your great granddad Gordon on a pilgrimage to the island of Islay, home of the finest single malt whisky. You probably don't like whisky yet (depending on when you read this) but trust me it's in your genes. Islay is reached by a 2 hours ferry ride from the mainland and small as it is (40km by 15km) is a recognised and protected whisky region. There are eight distilleries and we visited them all. Those in the north of the island are lighter in taste e.g. Caol Isla and Bruichladdich, while in the south they are much heavier and more peaty such as Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig. Do try them.
Generally speaking I am not a huge fan of cities but Edinburgh is an exception, it's small, easy to get around, and undeniably stunning. Your Grandma and I have been there many times and never tire of the view of the castle from Princes Street, the view of the city from Arthur's Seat, or just walking around the old city.
Another favourite is the Southern Uplands, the border country, the area where Clan Scott comes from. When we drove to Edinburgh or further north we used to head off the motorway and take the road through delightful small towns like Moffat. We almost bought a house there!
Back to the Scottish people. There is a sense of the rebel about them. I just love the way that Scotland has different ways of doing things to the rest of the UK. When it comes to education and health they have got it right. They care, and they want everyone to have the same opportunities regardless of their circumstances. No fees for higher education is correct. They also look after their old people, something the rest of the UK seems to have decided is not important.
It's that Scottish 'difference' that I like but it does not mean that I think Scotland should be independent. The UK is all the better for the diversity that each member state brings and I hope that it stays that way. Yes they should have more power over certain things like education, social care, hospitals, local taxation, but then so should England, Wales and N Ireland.
These local democracy questions are huge and I'm sure that they will still be high on the agenda when you are able to vote, as will other big constitutional questions such as the monarchy. Now there's something I must return to in a future blog!
There are parts of Scotland that I haven't seen yet, particularly the far north, but I'll get there one day, and i have seen so many documentaries about Scotland that I already know what they look like and how it would feel to be there. When we first saw New Zealand my reaction was that it is 'like Scotland on acid' (look up LSD) and the landscapes here really are eerily similar, but on a bigger scale.
Despite the unreliable weather I really do like the western side of the country. The area around Glencoe and Fort William is glorious, and even further north the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides) such as Uist, Harris, and Lewis have a barren windswept beauty, as well as the delights of very dour Gaelic speaking locals. We made two huge mistakes on that trip, we went in summer when the west is plagued by all manner of biting flies and things, and we were camping. Oh the innocence of youth.
More recently I took your great granddad Gordon on a pilgrimage to the island of Islay, home of the finest single malt whisky. You probably don't like whisky yet (depending on when you read this) but trust me it's in your genes. Islay is reached by a 2 hours ferry ride from the mainland and small as it is (40km by 15km) is a recognised and protected whisky region. There are eight distilleries and we visited them all. Those in the north of the island are lighter in taste e.g. Caol Isla and Bruichladdich, while in the south they are much heavier and more peaty such as Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig. Do try them.
Generally speaking I am not a huge fan of cities but Edinburgh is an exception, it's small, easy to get around, and undeniably stunning. Your Grandma and I have been there many times and never tire of the view of the castle from Princes Street, the view of the city from Arthur's Seat, or just walking around the old city.
Another favourite is the Southern Uplands, the border country, the area where Clan Scott comes from. When we drove to Edinburgh or further north we used to head off the motorway and take the road through delightful small towns like Moffat. We almost bought a house there!
Back to the Scottish people. There is a sense of the rebel about them. I just love the way that Scotland has different ways of doing things to the rest of the UK. When it comes to education and health they have got it right. They care, and they want everyone to have the same opportunities regardless of their circumstances. No fees for higher education is correct. They also look after their old people, something the rest of the UK seems to have decided is not important.
It's that Scottish 'difference' that I like but it does not mean that I think Scotland should be independent. The UK is all the better for the diversity that each member state brings and I hope that it stays that way. Yes they should have more power over certain things like education, social care, hospitals, local taxation, but then so should England, Wales and N Ireland.
These local democracy questions are huge and I'm sure that they will still be high on the agenda when you are able to vote, as will other big constitutional questions such as the monarchy. Now there's something I must return to in a future blog!
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