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Dunfermline in General
by lunarc Dunfermline is an old historic town in the Fife region of Scotland and was once the capital of Scotland. Its population is in the region of 150,000 which makes it one the highest populated towns in Fife. In terms of tourist attractions, Dunfermline does have a few to offer! Dunfermline Abbey is easily accessibly from the high street ... and is complemented by Abbot House Heritage Centre, where you can learn a lot about the history of Dunfermline with a guided tour. You can also visit the birthplace of Andrew Carnegie, which has its own museum, and Saint Margaret's Cave which is where the Queen of Scotland used to pray. In terms of shopping, Dunfermline isn't exactly thrilling. There is a high street with a mixture of large chains such as Early Learning Centre and smaller chains / independent shops. There is also a shopping centre which was recently extended and now includes a large Debenhams store. Dunfermline also has two small retail parks featuring retailers such as B&Q, Comet and Focus. As a resident of Dunfermline, I do find the town lacking in interesting shops and entertainment, however I do feel that it has historic appeal to tourists. Read the complete review |
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St Andrews in General
by theabster St Andrews St Andrews is probably one of the most famous towns in Scotland. It has something of an international reputation, perhaps mostly due to it being the location of one of the world's most famous golf courses, St Andrews Links Course. Yet, in my personal opinion, the association of St Andrews as a golfing location has ... had a rather negative impact on the attraction of the town, thwarting much more interesting natural features, sites of interest and things to do that don't cost the earth (in both ways!). St Andrews and the Golf Now, I know a lot of people enjoy golf. They enjoy a stroll through manufactured 'open space'. I understand that the golfing demographic is not all professionals and executives these days and that if it wasn't for golf courses there would be no green spaces and we would be surrounded with shopping malls and car parks instead. I also understand that irrigation has become more efficient and that fertiliser use is being limited. 'The rough' has a significant positive impact for wildlife species (though, of course, unless the green spaces were used as ACTUAL green spaces). But, for all I am told, I still think the same. St Andrews is a prime example of where the country club scene has dominated other sites of interest, for which there are many. I happen to think that golf courses, to put it politely, are rather monstrous creations wasting huge quantities of water, requiring large amounts of fertiliser and are mown to the extent that little or no wildlife could exist on these barren swathes of 'green' even if they wanted to. The stereotype of 'people who golf' is perhaps the most grotesque of social cliques: people who regard eating a heavy lunch at 'the club', drinking excess alcohol and getting driven around in laughable buggies as exercise (?!). Then, whilst in impeccable dress, claim that the game itself is not at all boring. I suggest that those guys (and ladies, of which they are so very few) go home and spend some time with their children rather than tiptoeing on their fake grass in polo shirts and chinos. But, I am entitled to my opinion and so are you, so be sure that if you love golf then I don't hold a grudge. More importantly, this review is about St Andrews as a place of interest and hence my indirect ramble just serves to quantify how much I think it has to offer besides golf! I think it gives St Andrews a one-dimensional appeal that neglects the more raw and real appeal of long beaches, historical sites of interest, coastal walks, quaint shops, cobbles and so on. So, the golf course? I think it is elitist, wasteful and boring, but that's too bad! For those who enjoy, it offers one of the most famous golf courses in the world: the Old Course, which dates back to Medieval times. The Open Championship will return to the town in 2010, so I better be far away for that! Tiger Woods frequents the course, and according to Jack Nicklaus "If a golfer is going to be remembered, he must win at St Andrews". Since lots of celebrities like to play on the course, particularly at the Dunhill Links Championship that comes around every October, you tend to see quite a few of them walking about the town. I passed Samuel L Jackson outside of a pub during this time! St Andrews Cathedral Since the town grew out from the west of this cathedral, with the southern side of the Scores to the north and the Kinnessburn to the South, it seems like a good place to start. It was in use from its foundation in 1158 until it fell into disuse after the Reformation. It is currently ruined and in the custody of Historic Scotland. It is really quite a focal point of the town: one end wall that remains in place stands at an impressive height. St Rule's tower is located in the Cathedral grounds and predates the actual cathedral, but you can pay a fee to get up to the top in order to see an admirable view of the town, habour, sea and surrounding countryside. I think as a site it is quite expensive, since going up the tower costs at least £4 each or perhaps more cheaply as part of a "tour St Andrews" bundle. I think you get a good enough sense of the history of the place by walking around, breathing the air and reading the placards. That said, the view would probably be great. There is also a cathedral museum which contains a sarcophagus dating from the mid-8th century. Who needs Egypt! The museum also costs to enter- I visited the site but didn't go into the museum or up the tower because of the cost, so perhaps if you had children or were particularly interested then this would be a good way to enjoy a few hours. St Andrews Castle This a very picturesque 1200AD fort that now lies in ruins but is perched on the cliff face, clinging to rocks against a spectacular seascape. There is a visitor centre and you can poke around the ruins and perhaps climb down the steps below the castle to a sweet little shingle beach that boasts little rock pools and a glorious cosy feeling. Better than any visitor centre! The Beaches Alongside the golf course, on the sea edge, runs West Sands, a great stretch of soft, sandy beach that was captured in the movie "Chariots of Fire", giving some impression of its scale. Though this is Scotland and the weather variable and rarely 'hot', you do get crisp, beautiful days and somewhat mild winters and little rain that encourages many-a-stroll along the beach. The water is very cold, which I can tell you from personal experience of taking dips in both summer and winter. Not for the faint hearted! East Sands is a smaller beach in a more southerly position that is smaller but more British seaside town-like with ice cream vans and a promenade and so on. Lovely! The Town itself From September to May the town is largely dominated by a heavy student population and thus much of the amenities are geared towards the students. Thus there are a large number of bars and pubs, though no clubs as such. One bar has called the Lizard has recently extended its opening hours to 2am and is charging entry after 11pm thus trying to create a club atmosphere, though a little half-heartedly. Strict planning restrictions and high rents mean the shops and types of amenities are relatively static and then some cater also to the tourist trade. To list them all would be difficult but to give you a range there are knitwear/Scottish themed stores, a greengrocers, boots, Starbucks, delicatessens, an ice cream parlour, a stationary shop, chip shops, etc. Except for high market boutique style shops and a New Look, there are limited clothes shopping opportunities unless you are game for charity shopping or like Arran sweaters. Dundee is close though and you could always take a short bus trip there for a plethora of shops and services! There is something for everyone and this includes a huge variation in pub style, restaurant theme (ranging from premium sea food, to Indian, to cheap takeaways, Italian and so on) and bar style. Students have some regular haunts and tend to circulate these on nights out (perhaps avoid Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays if you aren't looking to be somewhere swamped by students). Drinks are not that cheap: Mackays bar is the cheapest if that is what you are looking for. You need to be in a city for cheap drinks deals- here they know students will buy them, pretty much whatever the price, within some degree of reason. May to September is golf season and tourist season, and the weather is better- so perhaps this is the better time to visit as it is more like a 'normal' town. You actually might see locals in the pubs this way too! University I go there so I'm not going to be able to be particularly unbiased, but league tables aside, University experience is largely positive and depends on the people you meet rather than the subject you are doing or how well it is taught (though in later years this is perhaps more of an issue). It can be claustrophobic as a small town with limited amenities and the repetitive nature of the nightlife and people can turn it into a weird amalgamation of social cliques that can support or neglect your overall experience. Most people I know love it! But you need to get out once in a while, and it is not a city university. It has a buzzing and internationally recognised academic record and everyone likes to beef up the subject they are doing and all its prowess. Take all with a pinch and salt and do what you love. Coastal Walks Try the Fife Coastal trail which you can go off in many directions from the St Andrews locality. There are cycle trails galore which you can look up online or pick up a leaflet from the tourist office. The walk down in the direction of Anstruther is just breathtaking. Just walking through the town on a quiet day is quite nice. As is Fife in general, which is characterised by luscious arable fields atypical of eastern Scottish lowlands. Access The town is approximately 50 miles north-east of Edinburgh, 14 miles south east of Dundee, 78 miles south of Aberdeen, 82 miles east of Glasgow and 466 miles north of London! Air travel to Edinburgh or Glasgow is probably easiest followed by a car trip or bus trip. Rail services operate to Leuchars which is a fair few miles outside of St Andrews and thus a short bus ride or taxi from the station itself. Overall, St Andrews is quaint and pretty but a bit overcrowded at times. Choose a good time to go and you will be able to enjoy clean, sea air and a great, relaxing taste of coastal Scotland. Read the complete review |
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Edinburgh in General
by rosebud2001 I have been living in Edinburgh now for five years, and in that time I have gone from loving the place to desperately wanting to leave. I am, however, marooned here for the foreseeable future, due to a combination of factors, the biggest one being sheer bad luck. We moved to Edinburgh from London for several reasons, the main ... one being my husband was working in the city at the time. Our daughter was due to leave her special school and the mainstream options available to her in London weren't great. Actually, that's being generous - they were hopeless. For several years Edinburgh had been portrayed as the best place to live for quality of life, and my husband, having worked in the city in the past, was ready for a change - so we made the decision to move 400 miles north. ~~So what's right with Edinburgh?~~ The thing that always impresses the visitor to Edinburgh is the architecture and the history. Taking a walk in the Old Town is fascinating as you imagine how things were hundreds of years ago, when the city got its nickname of "Auld Reekie" from the effluence thrown from windows onto the streets. I frequently visit High Street in the City, which is part of the Royal Mile, and no matter what time of year I go the area is full of tourists, many of them taking part in walking tours with guides who manage to remain incredibly enthusiastic about their subject, no matter how many tours they carry out. Sometimes I can find the tourists a little irritating, as they get in my way whilst I battle my way to the office I use to renew my parking permit, however I try to remind myself that I have no doubt been an irritating tourist myself in the past. The New Town is just as interesting historically, but visually is very different. One goes from the claustrophobia of the Old Town - with buildings packed closely together, with the sixteenth century equivalent of high rise flats in the shadow of the castle, to the light and spacious grandeur of the New Town and its quite stunning Georgian architecture. Edinburgh Castle is no doubt the city's most famous landmark and while there is no doubt it looks very imposing, it certainly isn't the most impressive castle I have ever seen. I don't mean to sound churlish - and I finally visited the castle not long after moving here - but compared to the sheer size of Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland for instance, Edinburgh Castle looks a little bit wimpish. Having said that, Bamburgh Castle doesn't house any Crown Jewels, and as far as I am aware doesn't have gunfire to tell you it's 1.00 pm every day. It's also trickier to get to - unlike Edinburgh Castle which is a shot walk from Princes Street, the city's main thoroughfare. There is also the annual festival in August which leads to thousands of people of varying talents visiting the city to perform, many of them on the now fabled Fringe. You sometimes have to take a chance with what you are seeing - a couple of years ago I got tickets to see Simon Amstell for a fiver. Sadly he was very bad that day and had I paid much more I would have seriously considered requesting a refund. I have seen less professional performers in the past put on better shows and it really is pot luck sometimes what you might see depending upon ticket availability and how picky you are. During August the strangest of places suddenly become "venues", including the street. You get used to seeing people walking down the street dressed in 18th century garb, or wearing body paint to become an animal. Given the weather, I have to say I sympathised with the girl I saw recently who had been painted to look like a tiger - the only "real" clothing she was wearing was a bikini - brr! The city has some wonderful art galleries and museums. I am a huge fan of the National Gallery of Scotland and have also enjoyed the Dean Gallery which is very close to where I live. This gallery is sadly trickier to get to for the tourist with the lack of a decent bus service going past, which is a real shame. Museums include the Museum of Scotland, where a preserved Dolly the Sheep can be viewed, and the Money Museum. There is also the famous zoo, which I have reviewed here separately in the past. There are lots of hotels in the city offering an abundance of places to stay ranging from hostel dorms to five star luxury. The city has seen several Travelodges open recently but be warned - everything is expensive in August and booking is essential before arriving during the festival as accommodation is at a premium then. ~~What's wrong with Edinburgh~~ At this point I must apologise, dear reader, for informing you why a visit to the city is really not a good idea until some time in 2011. The biggest problem in the city right now is the roadworks. I actually have enormous sympathy for any tourist naïve enough (or should that be daft?) to take their car here. There are road closures aplenty as the city embarks on works for a tramline and the city centre is bearing the brunt of it. Princes Street is a deeply unpleasant place at the moment - the road is closed to all traffic and you cannot even enjoy the view over to Princes Street Gardens due to the fencing put up to keep people away from the diggers and other heavy machinery. The noise is also appalling - my daughter who is particularly noise sensitive actually cries if I suggest going there. Haymarket is equally awful - this is a major public transport interchange with buses and coaches stopping outside the railway station however you are met with noise, fencing, diversions and temporary traffic lights as you run the gauntlet of crossing the road. Buses have been diverted via George Street and bus stops have been removed in the West End, leading to confusion. Some buses, for instance, call at the stop I use near Haymarket, while others do not. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason as to which ones you can catch. In addition to the tramworks, new gas mains are being laid throughout the city, causing further disruption in other parts of the city so don't kid yourself it's only the city centre affected unfortunately. Another thing I absolutely hate about the place are the so-called "tartan" shops. The vast majority of these shops sell kilts made in Asia and other stuff that can only be described as tat, whilst having speakers located outside with a myriad of bagpipe music with fake percussion blaring out into the street. Quite why the council cannot do something to outlaw this blatant noise pollution I do not know. My husband used to always say his favourite sound was the sound of bagpipes fading into the distance and while I am not that offended by the sound of a genuine piper playing in Princes Street Gardens, I am mortally offended by the cacophony one has to endure just to walk down the street from these shops. Most of these stores seem to be in units which have been let to the owners on a purely short-term basis, giving the shops a particularly awful appearance as they make do with whatever fittings were in place from the previous let. Princes Street is truly a disgrace at the moment and while I hope it will improve in the future with a flagship New Look store and a new Primark pencilled in to open next year, right now it is quite simply hell on earth. The council are also involved in a bitter dispute with the binmen, meaning they are currently working to rule with a very strong possibility of all-out strike soon. Some people are not having their rubbish collected for weeks while others, myself included, have barely been affected thus far. I really sympathise with those residents who are having to put up with what is quite clearly a major health hazard and wish the council would do something to bring this dispute to a close. They have brought in private contractors to deal with rubbish in the city centre during the Festival, but I cannot see the unions tolerating this once August is out. Then there is the weather. Do not come to Edinburgh expecting balmy summer days - you are far more likely to get cold rain. Winter can be quite simply horrific for bitterly cold winds coming in off the North Sea. If you like the cold and the rain of course, this it the place for you. Lastly, there are the locals - who range from quite friendly to downright hostile. Edinburgh folk are renowned for not being particularly warm and I have struggled in the five years I have been here to make any friends. My husband managed to pick up a few from work, but interestingly only one was actually from the city. I would also warn against engaging in conversation with some of the locals in less salubrious parts of town. Whilst Edinburgh is the most expensive place to buy a property in Scotland, there are some areas that are, quite frankly, dumps. Whilst parts of Leith have been gentrified, one only has to take a wrong turn to end up at the infamous "Bananae Flats", immortalised in "Trainspotting" for instance. Likewise, choose your pub carefully - Rose Street in the City Centre is fine but if you choose to do a pub crawl down at the Shore in Leith, stick to the classier joints. A good rule of thumb in that area is to avoid any pub that is advertising karaoke on a weekend night, or in the case of one Leith pub, a weekend afternoon. If you aren't bothered by restless natives then I do recommend a visit to the Port O Leith pub, which is great for people watching and is very well run. ~~However~~ There is a lot to love about Edinburgh - honestly! However I would urge anyone considering a break to the city to wait until the tramworks are completed sometime in 2011. They are blighting the whole city and making it a pretty unpleasant place to live in. If you can put up with the noise and the hassle then good for you - but I would heartily recommend you hang fire and instead visit Glasgow if you want a city break in Scotland some time between now and the official tram opening date. So do come - but not for a couple of years! ***Previously published by me on Ciao under the same user name*** Read the complete review |
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