http://www.scotlandcityguide.com en-gb scotlandcityguide.com 2011-8-8T00:00:00Z scotlandcityguide.com http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#100083 The Edinburgh Festival 2011 is finally under way and it promises to be bigger and better than ever. We took a walk around town yesterday to check out whats happening and the unmistakeable festival vibe is very much in the city air. For any visitor to the city the first place to head for is the Royal Mile which is very much the beating heart of the fringe with lots of weird and wonderful street acts some good and some not so good epitomising the true spirit of the fringe festival that anyone can register join in and perform.We took in a few of these free acts and it was evident that there were a lot of talented people and acts all jockeying for position to promote their acts and get bums on seats. I defy anyone not to walk through this amazing buzzy melee and not end up with at least 50 different flyers thrust into their hands competition is always stiffOn an important note it is important that visitors to the festival support as many acts and performers as possible. For many perform... 2011-8-8 13:14:23 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#100062 Ive just arrived back from hillwalking in the Assynt region of Scotland. I only managed to squeeze in a 3 day trip but boy was it worth itIts about a 4 hour journey by car to get from Edinburgh to Ullapool where I was staying in a lovely BampB called Ardlair www.ardlairullapool.co.uk about a mile north of Ullapool. This BampB has some of the most fantastic views over the sea loch Loch Broom which I couldnt take my eyes off and was a great start.My plan was to fish Loch a Ghlinnein Loch Feith an Leothaid and explore unamed surrounding lochs on the Saturday and then Loch Bad an tsluic and Loch Coire na Criege on the Sunday.The weather was glorious on the Saturday and the trip up the gorge to Loch a Ghlinnein was spectacular with lots of beautiful waterfalls and deep sparkly pools that looked good enough to swim in. The Loch itself was beautiful in a remote high setting that just made you feel a million miles away from anywhere. The peace and solitude was liberating and when I set off row... 2011-8-8 11:44:15 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#97511 I came across a very old book the other day in an Antiques store that got me thinking about what it means to be Scottish today and what the future holds for our country. It also made me think about the amazing work our Scottish soldiers do and the reason they are so highly regarded the world overI trust when I go abroad I shall never forget my native land or forget that I am a Scotsman. Gentlemen I love my country I feel my heart beat more warmly as I tread its mountain sides or breathe the fresh air of its valleys or wander along the banks of its clear and crystal streams. I glory in the history of my country in its proud spirit of independence and in the freedom of its unconquered hills. I honour the character of my countrymen I honour that intense and devoted selfreliance that unmoved and imperturbable spirit that innate and untaught philosophy that have borne the Scotsman through all the globe and in every part of the world raised him to distinction. And for that country it is... 2011-7-3 00:46:22 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#97510 Im a very keen fisherman. I catch a few wild brown trout but my main reason for fishing is the wonderful places it takes me and in particular to the wild and magical Scottish Highlands. There are times when Im fishing on a remote highland loch that I feel Im the only human that has ever set foot there. Of course that cant be true but its that unspoilt beauty and remote wilderness that really tunes your soul into what it really means to be alive. Living in todays world we are surrounded by technology and can communicate with each other in a fraction of a second but I do wonder whether in spite of all these fibre optic cables and digital media we are actually properly connecting as human beings.My mum was brought up in a rural Aberdeenshire village in the 1930s when there were no telephones or televisions to steal our time and family togetherness. She told me of the sixth sense that many people had in the village and in particular of her own mother announcing out of the blue that she ... 2011-7-2 23:46:49 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#95680 To celebrate Her Majesty the Queens Diamond Jubillee in 2012 a competition is being held throughout the U.K to give city status to just one town in the United Kingdom.Perth already known as The Fair City is a historic thriving and dynamic town to live and work in and deserves to win this civic honour which will help promote the town better in the eyes of tourists and visitors. The bid is already being supported by residents politicians celebrities and local businesses but with strong competition from other towns in the U.K more help is needed. To pledge your support please visit www.pkc.gov.uk or click here for more information. Go PerthPhotoView of River Tay from Perth Bridge 169 Copyright Eugene Birchall and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence 2011-6-7 10:19:50 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#84896 The 25th January is Burns Night celebrated by Scots the world over at Burns suppers. The traditional format for suppers is a warm welcome followed by the Selkirk Grace a traditional thanksgiving some rousing piping and the cutting of the haggis to which Burns famous Address To a Haggis is read out. The evening is usually taken up with accounts of Burns life work songs and poems and often concludes with Auld Lang Syne. The extent to which Scots hold Burns The Bard in the highest of regard was confirmed recently in a public vote for a series by STV when people were asked to vote for their greatest Scot of all time. Robert Burns won against some very stiff competition The Bard is popular not just in Scotland but all over the world. In Russia he became the peoples poet and the Soviet Union was in fact the first country in the world to honour Burns with a commemorative stamp in 1956. What about the man himselfRobert Burns was born in Alloway near Ayr on the 25th January 1759 and was the eld... 2011-1-18 09:34:13 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#83482 North Uist lies centrally in the Western Isles chain about 40 miles west of the Scottish mainland. It is a small island of just 117 sq. miles and is linked by causeways to the other Outer Hebridean islands of South Uist Benbecula and Berneray. The main industries on the island are crofting and fishing but interestingly it was seaweed processing that used to be one of the main occupations seaweed is still used today to help fertilize the land. Sadly the population has been in general decline the 2001 census recording a population of just 1271. With improved communication and the internet there are new people moving to the island but the cost of living is still a problem with most essentials being ferried in from the mainland. 82328232The main town in North Uist is Lochmaddy which has a ferry port bank Post Office hotel pub petrol station grocer shops and tourist centre. There are four main hotels Lochmaddy Temple View Tigh Dearg and Langass Lodge which serve bar and evening meals. The T... 2010-12-30 16:39:34 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#83462 If you live in or near Edinburgh or anywhere in the Lothians have you ever been to the Pentland Hills We are very lucky to have the Pentland Hills Regional Park right on our doorstep which offers lots of different ways to enjoy the outdoors. The scenery and landscape of the Pentland Hills has resonated with many famous writers and poets over the years Robert Louis Stevenson amp Sir Walter Scott who have all felt moved to write about them. For me one of the most special things about the hills is the immediate contrast with the city of Edinburgh just a few minutes drive away. The views from the hills to the city is fantastic. The Park is run and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council who employ Countryside Rangers to help conserve and protect the park. Their role is very varied but perhaps one of their most important tasks is to help inform and educate all those who visit the park. You can even become a Voluntary Park Ranger and work alongside the fulltime rangers.The geology of the hi... 2010-12-29 12:20:25 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#82118 The cost of living in Scotland is naturally a big concern to anybody wishing to live and work in Scotland. It would take hours to detail every kind of expense and so much depends on personal circumstances but hopefully this general Scottish overview as of November 2010 will help some peopleAverage Salaries Scotland Payscale Index 16 Nov 2010EdinburghSr. Software Engineer Developer Programmer 16337055 Office Administrator 16315877 Software Developer 16325235 Information Technology IT Manager 16337636 Personal Assistant 16323077 Marketing Manager 16325466 Office Manager 16321720GlasgowMechanical Engineer 16325167 Administrative Office Manager 16321709 Sr. Software Engineer Developer Programmer 16336047 Operations Manager 16331862 Office Administrator 16315735 Retail Store Manager 16322301 Team Leader General 16321161The Careers Scotland Website is well worth a ... 2010-12-5 13:26:14 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#80707 St Andrews Day will be here soon on the 30th November which is a day that Scots enjoy celebrating their unique culture and cuisine all around the world. At the Scotland City Guide we thought wed find out a little more about Saint Andrew the patron saint of Scotland and the traditions surrounding our national day. So here goes 1. The beginning of Advent is set at the Sunday closest to St Andrews Day.2. The flying of the Saltire flag on St Andrews Day is quite a recent development. Prior to 2002 it was only the Union Jack that could be flown on St Andrews Day.3. St Andrews Day is a designated bank holiday in Scotland although banks and employers are not obliged to close or give employees the day off.4. Just before midnight the day before St Andrews Day it is traditional for girls in Scotland to pray to St Andrew for a husband. They would throw their shoe at a door and if it pointed in the direction of the exit then she could expect to leave her parents house and marry within a year. ... 2010-11-19 12:01:26 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#79966 The Shetland Islands were named last week by the travel guide Lonely Planet as one of the worlds top 10 tourist sites. Whilst richly deserved what about its southerly island neighbour OrkneyOrkney is only about 10 miles north of the Scottish Mainland from Caithness and has 90ish islands and islets. Only 17 are inhabited by around 20000 people. The capital is Kirkwall with a population of around 6500. The islands once belonged to Norway as a result of Viking invasions. Orkney was included in the Lonely Planet guide for one of the 10 best things to climb. The 450 feet sea stack known as the Old Man of Hoy is a serious challenge for most climbers and you can even record your ascent in a book at the summit. Theres a lot more to Orkney however not least of all Skara Brae which is Europes best preserved Stone Age Village and older than the pyramids of Giza Egypt. Also must sees are the Rings of Brodgar 3 times larger amp 1000 years older than Stonehenge the Standing Stones of Stenness ... 2010-11-10 10:57:57 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#79635 One of the questions were often asked at the Scotland City Guide is what the educational system is like in Scotland. Heres a brief overview with a couple of handy websites to vsitThe Learning and Teaching Scotland website httpwww.ltscotland.org.uk should have all the information you need when looking for a school. They list Scottish exam results inspection reports and contact info for every school in Scotland. If you wish to find out more about private feepaying schools in Scotland then visit the Scottish Council of Independent Schools website httpwww.scis.org.ukIn Scotland state education as opposed to feepaying private schools is run by each of the 32 local councils in primary 4.5 11.5 years and Secondary 11.5 17.5 years Schools. Faith schools and specialist schools e.g. music are also available. Independent fee paying schools offer day and fulltime boarding at both primary and secondary levels. You can find single sex schools and religious.For youngsters aged... 2010-11-6 14:36:48 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#79385 We are often asked where the best place is to see Bottlenose Dolphins and Whales along the Scottish Coast. The main area is undoubtedly the Moray Firth in the North East of Scotland which has some of the largest Bottlenose Dolphins in the world growing up to 4m. Did you know that a Bottlenose Dolphin can live for over 40 years There are various boat trip companies available but we like Ecoventures based in Cromarty which also has a small Dolphin Centre. Minke Whales are mostly seen in the Moray Firth between May and September but the Bottlenose Dolphins which are resident in the Firth can be seen all year round. Theres also plenty of other wildlife to see including Porpoises Common and Grey Seals and of course an abundance of birdlife including Kittiwakes Fulmars Gannets Puffins and Ospreys to name but a few.Ecoventures offer Gift Vouchers great Xmas present and can be contacted on Tel. 01381 600 323. Scheduled sailings run from April to October although out of season trips can be priv... 2010-11-3 09:37:42 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#77916 Edinburgh holds the best Hogmanay street party in the world. About 100000 party goers fill Edinburghs world famous Princes Street to bring in the New Year with a Bang. The fireworks over the castle are amazing and youre guaranteed to have the best time ever To find out more about Edinburghs hogmanay party and book tickets please go to our dedicated Hogmanay Page.Scotland City Guide Scottish City Guide 2010-10-14 13:59:03 http://www.scotlandcityguide.com/page78.htm#77914 My name is David Wheater the editor of ScotlandCityGuide.com. I live just outside Edinburgh with my wife and our terrier Taz. The guide has been going for about a year now and weve thoroughly enjoyed putting it together. It hasnt been easy and theres been some very long hours but I love Scotland and its fantastic to be able to share with other people our great love of this amazing country. The aim of the website is to help promote Scotland and everything thats great about it. We also wanted to give people a district level guide to Scotlands cities to help people who are relocating to Scotland and to inform visitors to Scotland on a more detailed level what its actually like to live in the cities.We hope you enjoy this site and would urge you to get in touch with your questions or thoughts and ideas about the site.Scotland City Guide Scottish City Guide 2010-10-14 13:46:41