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Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Original poster

Tourism

19 replies

Willowkins · 29/05/2020 22:54

Hi. Hope you don't mind an Englishwoman in this part of MN but I have a question about visiting Scotland for a holiday.

I booked a holiday in Scotland - months ago - in a cottage near Fort William at the end of July. I have also booked the Caledonian Sleeper and car hire.

It's all a bit of a mess at the moment but I am hoping we'll be allowed back in at the end of July which is when our holiday is.

I have been listening in to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and from what I can tell, tourism might get back to some kind of normal in mid-July.

What do people on here think?

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WaxOnFeckOff · 29/05/2020 23:17

I've no idea to be honest, nicola will do what suits nicola and I wouldn't put it past her to allow travel and staying overnight but shutting the border. We've been told we can travel up to 5 miles for outdoor leisure but councils are apparently allowed to keep the car parks shut so we are still limited.

It's my summer holidays in two weeks but looking like I'll get no further than my own back garden.

Hoping that things are okay for you.

Original poster
Willowkins · 30/05/2020 03:16

I'm okay thanks. At least Nicola is quite clear - we never know what BJ will say next.

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rookiemere · 30/05/2020 08:11

I think it might be possible. Based on the phases and proposed timelines, end July should be ok. We're in Scotland and have an English holiday booked mid July and we're planning to go if England is open for business, regardless of the Scottish guidelines.

Fundays12 · 30/05/2020 08:17

I am Scottish and have a holiday booked for mid July in Scotland. There has been no clear rules guidance on it yet but I suspect it will be cancelled. I know you booked your holiday prior to lockdown so this is not aimed at you but the Highland had a real issue with campervans and tourists etc travelling to this area for lockdown at the start of lockdown to ride it out. An emergency order had to be given to shut holiday parks, lay-bys, car parks etc to stop this as the risk of spreading the virus was higher (plus these “tourists” were putting sh-t all over our beautiful countryside as toilets etc were closed). Due to this I highly doubt Nicola sturgeon will open us up to tourists quickly.

SockYarn · 30/05/2020 12:13

I think it may be possible too.

Although you will be unlikely to be able to go to a restaurant/pub/cafe or any museums or castles to visit. But if you were planning a quiet week walking or going to beaches, you might be OK.

The tourism sector in Scotland is on its knees, the season is traditionally Easter to the end of September and most businesses won't survive if the scottish government doesn't let them at least catch the english school holiday trade.

But as another poster, at the moment it appears to be all about appearing to do things differently from England so who knows.

Original poster
Willowkins · 30/05/2020 15:08

rookiemere you'll be very welcome. Just say you're testing your eyesight Wink
We'd be staying in a cottage and just going for drives and walks. Also, I wanted to revisit Arisaig - I went there when I was a kid but too scared to go in the water because I'd just seen Jaws Grin - so maybe a paddle too.
I guess we'll see nearer the time. It really depends on whether the cottage owner is allowed and willing to let us stay. Really happy to give a boost to Scottish tourism. I love Scotland.

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GlassOfProsecco · 30/05/2020 16:20

I'm also booked to go up north (to Arisaig) in early July but cannot see it going ahead.

So many rely on the tourist trade & it must be so hard.

But these areas are so vulnerable (look at the nursing home in Skye).

Surely safer is better.

FWIW, I don't think Nicola sturgeon is disagreeing with Boris Johnson for the sake it it; I rather suspect she takes expert advice on board (remember Boris Johnston's heard immunity theory?)

GlassOfProsecco · 30/05/2020 16:36

I'm also booked to go up north (to Arisaig) in early July but cannot see it going ahead.

So many rely on the tourist trade & it must be so hard.

But these areas are so vulnerable (look at the nursing home in Skye).

Surely safer is better.

FWIW, I don't think Nicola sturgeon is disagreeing with Boris Johnson for the sake it it; I rather suspect she takes expert advice on board (remember Boris Johnston's heard immunity theory?). And the R level has been higher in Scotland than England.

Original poster
Willowkins · 30/05/2020 19:13

I hope you get to go soon Prosecco. Maybe someone from Arisaig will be kind enough to set up a webcam in the meantime.
It's a waiting game and hoping that everyone is sensible so there is no second wave.

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PickUpThePieces · 30/05/2020 19:43

We had a holiday booked in the north of Scotland for the start of July which has been cancelled.
The owners have said the Scottish govt is being extremely cautious and think that the earliest possibility is mid July.

Original poster
Willowkins · 30/05/2020 22:33

I'm so sorry for those of you who have had your holiday cancelled. Getting away is important for wellbeing so it's double-hard when it's not possible. I hope you can reschedule.
We had a short break booked over Easter and I kept hoping that it would still go ahead but no not possible. So I decorated my spare room like a loon and pretended I was there.

My teens were Hmm

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WaxOnFeckOff · 30/05/2020 22:42

We also had a few days booked at Easter to go to the Lakes which we are still waiting on being refunded. DH is front line NHS and isn't able to move his holidays so we are effectively stuck with our holidays in June and we'll be lucky if we are even able to go for a drive and a picnic. We are both working full time so miss most of the lovely weather and just really need a holiday. Just hoping there might be a few more takeaways open and we can at least plan a few meals and might get to sit out in the garden if the weather holds.

The next time we have off is at the end of August so maybe we will get a long weekend or something then but honestly just feeling we will have to write this year off completely.

Sincerely hope folk with time off in July and August manage to get a break. I think we all need a change of scenery.

PapsofJura · 30/05/2020 22:48

We have a holiday booked in the highlands for the start of July and working on the basis that it will be cancelled.

It’s a shame as we alternate between England and Scotland each year and it was me that was pushing to go there so we will just have to go next year and hope enough of the tourism survives until then.

Original poster
Willowkins · 30/05/2020 23:53

This is what I mean - a holiday is usually good for our mental health. And we need that right now. I think people are grieving the loss of anything which might take their minds off the even worse general awfulness.

I was lucky that I booked with Butlins over Easter so got a complete refund although I did donate some of that to charity. The cottage at end July is with Sykes and they are saying it's up to the cottage owner. Also, Caledonian Sleeper is not going to Fort William at the moment so not sure how that would work. I might be getting off at Inverness and driving from there (if I'm allowed)

Trying to stay positive. So nice to chat to all of you lovely people Smile

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WaxOnFeckOff · 31/05/2020 00:02

I'd booked with hoseasons and they are majorly taking the piss. They know DH is NHS as we booked through an affiliated programme - got about £6 off Hmm. They've offered to rebook us for same week next year and wont charge us the rearrangement fee (very generous Hmm) but I've explained that we wont know until January or February next year whether he can get that time off, so they extended our re-book facility until the end of this year but as I said, that's no use to us. Then they said they'd sent a Credit Note (but the hadn't) which I said I didn't want. In all honestly, we will probably book with them again as we love the lodges and have been about 5 times, but this is really peeing me off, it's not a fortune but they have no right to keep the money, they probably hadn't even paid anything to the lodge owners yet. They've ignored emails and messages and promised to call me. I've put in a claim with our credit card but that's running very slowly too.

Original poster
Willowkins · 31/05/2020 00:48

So sorry Wax that sounds like a lot of stress. I totally get that you (and most people) won't know what holiday dates will be granted next year. Moneysavingexpert had some comprehensive advice on this sort of thing www.google.com/amp/s/www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/amp/
And breathe ...

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WaxOnFeckOff · 31/05/2020 01:02

Thanks @willowkins. I know I'll get it sorted in the end as I'm persistent. But I do worry about the amount of folk who will get ripped off. It's the way they've handled it that annoys me more than anything.

Hope you get yours sorted one way or another.

Tomorrowisanewday · 31/05/2020 21:02

Restrictions on holiday accommodation lifting is in phase 3 of the roadmap, which will start at the earliest on 10th july.

Original poster
Willowkins · 31/05/2020 22:09

Thanks Tomorrow. I am due to arrive a couple of weeks after that. So maybe, all being well...

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