To wonder why Scotland isn’t more popular as a holiday destination

[N0rdicStar]

Just been watching that hidden Scotland programme. I promise you I don’t work for the tourist board.

I lived there as a forces child for a few years and was born there previously. Loved it but my mother hated it and refused to ever go back so we never did. Know nobody else who has ever holidayed there but oh my goodness it’s beautiful and seems to have everything- history, beaches, mountains, wildlife.....

Why do we all flock to Cornwall and the Lake District?

Is it the weather? Can’t just be the distance as the above are long distances for many.

On the back of that can you give me the best bits.

The flight from London is not even one hour!

No but it is over £300 for my family of 5 😂 Which was my total spend for last years trip to Wales. And we were there for a week!

We went to Findhorn, on the Moray Firth, a few years ago. It was a wonderful holiday and hardly noticed the midges

Stayed with a friend in Scotland and that night I dreamt about dolphins. The next day we were walking high up, over looking the sea. In the corner of my eye I saw something and I shouted dolphin ! There was a pod of dolphins, twizzling, leaping, what a magical day ! On another trip I saw a basking shark, seals, eagles on Arran.

Hahaha, no culture except in Glasgow and Edinburgh?
Who thinks that?
Although at least they acknowledge we have cities and not just villages with tartan shops.

The level of ignorance on this thread is mind boggling. I live in Edinburgh and it's packed with tourists.

In spite of the remoteness I've never had any problems accessing the rest of the UK - I could be in Brighton in 3 hours, door to door.

Midges. Foul weather. Detours of 72 miles when a ferry's cancelled.

I think people are talking about long drives because the sort of “Scotland” which the OP is talking about is the fantastic rural scenery not easily accessed by public transport. I’m sure it’s possible, with planning to do it all on public transport, but on a family holiday the natural choice would be to want access to a car.

Obviously if you wanted to visit the big cities train or plane would be easy, but that’s not the subject of the thread. Alternatively you can fly to the Orkney’s, Shetlands or Hebrides, changing in Glasgow, which is relatively quick and easy but pretty expensive for a family of 4.

10-11+ hrs on train from my home to Inverness. That's 'amazing scenery' place, right?

My husband is Glaswegian. I am a southerner. It's beautiful but cold. Far too cold.

You don’t need to go near Inverness for scenery, lljkk - Loch Lomond is just north of Glasgow!

Maybe this is just a problem for English people. Anywhere I've been (apart from England) people are very aware of how beautiful Scotland is and how much there is to do there.

I live in the US and meet Americans all the time who have been to Scotland on 'vacation' or spent a semester / year abroad there, even people who have sent their children to college in Scotland, usually St Andrews or Edinburgh. When I mention that my DH is Scottish, it's quite common for someone to say they would love to visit. Sometimes it's for superficial reasons e.g. they're a fan of the TV show 'Outlander' but there are also deeper reasons like being a fan of Scottish musicians, writers or being interested in Scottish history / genealogy. The only people I've met who've been negative about Scotland were English.

The Scottish people I've come across, both online and in person, have been very vocal about disliking the English, so that may play a part? I know it puts me off going.

Fuck off Sophia. I’m not Scottish so I feel I can say that.

Who says they don’t like the English? I’ve not actually met one despite being born and bred in Scotland to an English mother. I’ve had stupid anti Scottish comments since moving to England though.

I work with a Scottish lady who says she hates English people and that her family do too. I am on a FB group with a few Scottish members that constantly slag off the English. I've met various other Scottish people over the years (who all live in England) who have said they dislike English people. I find it to be very rude!

Gawd. It took a while but this thread has gone down the predictable route that most of us had an idea it would from about page one and a half.

Special mention for Sophiathefortyfirst.
You're doing a grand job. Zzzzz

As a comparison I have lived in Scotland for nearly 30 years and have encountered fewer people with anti-English views than Sophia has, despite being surrounded by Scottish people every day. (Can I add too that wanting independence or being annoyed at Westminster politics does not count as anti-English)

I am Scottish (ish), born in England, Irish father, English husband, lived for more than 50 years in Scotland and I don’t know a single person who “hates the English”. Lived in England as an adult for 3 years and was totally sick of “jock” jokes. Plenty of people took great pleasure in telling me how crap Scotland is. But I still don’t hate the English. The only place I see this “hate the English“ trope is on MN. Having said this every time someone says England when they mean the U.K. I feel a stab of strong dislike.

Maybe English people who have met lots of Scottish people who hate the English need to look for a common factor?

Scotland IS popular as a tourist destination on a world wide scale. It has SO much to offer. The history, the castles, the unbelievably off the bloody scale scenery, the museum's, Edinburgh( the most beautiful city in the world), the amazing food, the Edinburgh military tattoo, The Fringe, the very Friendly people, Whisky, Haggis, the best meat on the bloody planet, Billy Connolly the funniest man to grace the planet, tablet the most bloody amazing food when you want a sweet thing, the smell after the rain, the colour of the greenery after the rain, the snow, Loch Ness and Nessie, Loch Lomond spectacularly beautiful, St Andrews, Gleneagles hotel, New Year in Scotland expect to celebrate over a week, steak pie, Dunfermline Glen, the smell as you come into Edinburgh, the Forth Rail Bridge, the most beautiful bridge on the planet, stovies OMG delicious, mince pies from Stephen the Bakers, Glaswegian humour, Scottish humour, The Queens View you have to see this before you die truly truly magnificent, Jenners of Edinburgh, Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, the bloody brilliant talent of The Proclaimers, Bluebell woods, Heather on the hills, Wallace monument. I know I could mention more and the more I think
about it I don't know why I don't move back to my roots.

I want a “like” button for @nothininmenoggin ‘s post. That is how I feel about Scotland.

For those saying the Scots hate the English that is utter bulshit.

OMG just RTTF I am Scottish live in England. I do not hate English people at all. All my best friends are English and I love them. What I do dislike though is ignorant posters promoting this England /Scotland divide. I don't give a shit where you come from if your nice I'll like you if your not then you know what you can go.

It's like alot5if places : better in September.

Weather and midges put me off.

It's lovely if you get the weather however. Grim if you don't.