I'm reading Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter right now about the Scottish war for independence in 1297. It was published in about 1809. It's a rousing good story of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.

dedtired, are you staying in Scotland as part of an organised 'tourist trip' visiting the main hot-stops or doing it on your own?
Personally, rather than novels I would go for a good guide-book and maybe a history of the country.
Neil Oliver writes well-received books connected with various TV series he has done. Magnus Magnusson has also written quite a hefty tome on the same subject.
A beautiful land but its past is full of blood-shed, rivalry between countries, overlords and neighbours and too much Victorian romance. Beware strangers selling lurid plaids to Americans! Do keep warm and enjoy the experience.

Dedtired, I hope you have a lovely trip, it is a beautiful country. Wrap up warmly though.
I also agree with Vee about the guide book for the area you will be visiting.

Thank you. I am going with two other friends. We are just going to rattle around and see what we want to see. Of course, we will have a basic plan. I have a stack of tour books -- Eyewitness, Fodor's and Rick Steves. Each has its strengths. I love the photos in Eyewitness. I always have a novel underway, so I figure it may as well take place and Scotland.

Will it be chilly in the first half of May? Of course, here on the east coast of the USA it will be lovely spring weather. I always manage to be home for the worst weather and away for the best.

I'd be glad for any travel tips -- what to see and what to avoid.

Lurid plaids. I love that and will do my best to avoid it. I have a very tacky collection of refrigerator magnets from each place I have visited. I keep them on a filing cabinet in my home office. It is actually embarrassing to buy them. I am normally pretty resistant to tourist junk.

We will probably rent a car for part of the trip and that is scaring me! Driving on the left and steering on the right will be daunting. Every time I watch a British tv show and the driver gets in the "wrong" side of the car, I have heart palpitations. Hoping to use trains and buses as much as possible.

And by the way, it strikes me as odd that Readers Paradise is listed under Miscellany, although I am not sure where I would put it.

Thank you for the suggestions.

All good points, Vee. I was in Italy last fall and nearly choked at the price of gas, and that they sell it in liters. Most people drive teensy little cars and I can see why. I pay $2.59 per gallon, although prices are rising again. Good advice about looking for cars coming opposite of where we Yanks might expect. My friend's husband stepped off a curb looking the wrong way and was badly injured by an oncoming car. I hope we can keep driving to a minimum. It seems that some sights are only accessible by car.

If you go to Edinburgh, be sure to see the "old" part of town. I was there years ago and the city seemed to be in two layers, like a palimpsest. I had excellent food in Scotland, by the way. May should be a good deal warmer than when I was walking in March. I found it quite windy.

Thank you, Woodnymph. I love the word palimpsest. Do you ever look at the Home Decorating forum? Someone there uses that as his screen name.

We were in Scotland two years ago in July, and I was very glad to have my sweater. We did a lot of driving and had a great time and no problems. Most of the roads were narrow and windy, which sometimes made life quite exciting. Like woodnymph, we really enjoyed the food and had some great meals.

For an interesting look at Scottish culture, I highly recommend Belinda Rathbone's The Guynd. It's not a novel, but a memoir about her life with the Laird of the Manor.

Some of Alexander Mccall Smith's novels are set in Scotland.

Thanks, Merry. I think I will be packing layers and be ready for anything but snow. I will look into the Belinda Rathbone memoir.

Dedtired,I did a walking tour in Yorkshire one August and had a range of weather,mbut definitely be prepared for rain. Also check the calendar for Bank Holidays, which might be on different days in Scotland than in England. For reading, how about the classic Lassie Come-Home? Or the Isobel Dalhousie novels, or others, by Alexander McCall Smith?

I flew through Glasgow, and going home I had to stay overnight before my flight. When I woke in the morning and opened my window, I heard, no kidding, bagpipes. Went out and followed the sound to an international Highland dance competition in an old square, and the team dancing just then was from near my home! Serendipity! Glasgow was fine though the accent was difficult. My DFIL learned to speak English in Glasgow, and I'm certain that's why It took me so long to understand him, bless his heart.

Dedtired, when I was in the UK it snowed in May where I lived for a while in the southern county of Buckinghamshire, 45 minutes by train from London! Prepare for all weathers...
Bpathome....We took a little train up a mountain near Ben Nevis with our small spaniel tucked behind me (very dog-friendly in the UK) and when we were having coffee in the outside area of a cafe, found the people on the next table came from near where we had lived in Australia! We kept coming across Aussies in the most unlikely places.

bpathome makes a good point about Bank Holidays. During May there will be two on the 4th and the 25th. You may need to note that on the West Coast, especially the 'islands' and remoter parts Sunday is still very much a
day of rest and it might be necessary to check if buses, trains, ferries are running and that shops and eateries are open.
The Glasgow accent as spoken by the man-on-the-street can be difficult for anyone to follow. The TV broadcaster and writer Magnus Magnusson after arriving from Iceland as a child lived in Edinburgh where his father was Consul General. On his first trip to Glasgow he spent the time looking over his shoulder expecting razor-gangs to attack him at every turn. But never fear most of the city has been tidied up with excellent galleries and museums.
dedtired, you will need to watch your waistline as Scottish bakeries make a wonderful selection of bread, cake, buns, scones usually served as part of 'high tea' . . . just avoid the deep-fried Mars bars.

High Tea

Oh dear, bread, cake, buns and scones are my downfall. Candy bars do nothing for me. I need to knock off a couple pounds and build some stamina after this winter of being frozen in place. Hope I don't undo all my efforts on vacation.

Thanks for the Bank Holiday tips. I would not have thought of that. Our first day in Edinburgh is the 4th.

I'm a big city girl (Philadelphia) so I am accustomed to keeping my eyes open. There are dangerous neighborhoods in my city, but for the most part it is quite safe as long as you don't go wandering down dark alleys in the bad neighborhoods at night. I worry more about pickpockets but I have all the usual traveler's safety devices.

I finished reading Rick Steves Snapshot Scotland last night. I think with 11 days (plus two for travel) we should be able to see a lot. I always enjoy observing the local culture and seeing the physical beauty of a country more than trekking through endless cathedrals and castles. I want some of that, but not an overdose.

Thanks for the tips. I find information from real people is far more useful than the travel books.

I am glad that you are thinking of the necessity for being careful. A friend took precautions but in an exhausted state while resting in a cafe put her unfettered handbag on the table. Apparently a man dropped his coat for a second by her and swept it up! She noticed it was gone a few minutes later and was able to cancel her credit cards immediately but lost several days of her holiday getting a new passport organised.

The only title I can think of that is set in Scotland is the Rhys Bowen mystery series featuring Hamish MacBeth. He is a Highlands policeman. Sorry I cannot offer something of more substance. Have a fabulous time!

PAM

Slightly grittier, but wonderful reads are the Ian Rankin books, most of which center around John Rebus. Well-written mystery/police-procedural books. Maybe you can find the BBC "Hidden Edinburgh" online, too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Rankin

I very much enjoyed the books by Outer Hebridean writer Finlay J MacDonald. I first became 'aware' of him when I heard talks he gave on the BBC, speaking in that lovely mellow Highland accent, so different from the raw Lowland manner of speaking.
His three books Crowdie and Cream, Crotal and White and The Corncrake and the Lysander are a lyrical description of his life growing up in the 'heel' of the Isle of Harris (the bottom half of the Isle of Lewis) where simple God-fearing living was the order of the day, crofting still took place along with Harris Tweed weaving. A system that was gradually coming to an end with 'modern improvements' eg the first flushing lavatory that discharged into the sea and led to the demise of the oyster population. The later books deals with WWII that took away so many young people, the men, to the Forces, the girls attracted to the work and bright lights of Glasgow . . .
These books are now available as a single volume . . . and I notice on UK Amazon is/are available for one penny. Order immediately to avoid disappointment!

I would recommend Lillian Beckwith's books about life as an English "incomer" crofter. Gentle and amusing titles such as "The Sea for Breakfast" "The Hills is Lonely" etc. I have checked and they are available as ebooks or paperbacks from Book Depository (Free Postage!) among others.

Thank you for the additional suggestions. I will check my library's online catalog to see what is available. We are in the midst of a huge snowstorm, but if I reserve online, the books will be at my library in a few days. You are such a wonderful resource.

MC Beaton has written a series of detective novels about a Scottish detective. Easy, fast reading. Should be available at your library. I too like to read fiction about places I plan to visit. Coupled with travel guides, it gives you a feel for where you are going. Have a fantastic trip; sounds like a lot of fun.

Oh, Hamish MacBeth was also a television series, it may be at your library, too. We watched a movie called Angel's Share about Whiskey, you could go on distillery tours. That movie will also give you a taste of the Glaswegian accent; thank goodness for subtitles.

The TV Hamish MacBeth has little to do with the books! There are different characters in the TV version and the stories are written for TV too.
BTW, on the subject of alcohol, I was reading that a US character "gave cider to the children" I realised it must be a non alcoholic drink and not one of the British West Country brews! Watch out for the listed alcohol content....

Good tip -- be sure the apple cider isn't hard cider. I heard the Glaswegian accent on a youtube video. I caught about every tenth word. Should be interesting.

BTW, I really like that I can now come directly to RP from the Home Forums list and not have to go through Glyphs.

When we were in Edinburgh last summer we went on a literary walking tour of the city. One of the authors featured was Ian Rankin. My DH is the primary mystery reader in our family, and he had not read Rankin's books before, but has now become a huge fan. It was fun for him to see the actual locations featured in the books.

Rosefolly

There is a Peter May trilogy--the first book is The Black House--set on Lewis Island. The books are very good and best read in order.

We were in Scotland last October and, aside from the biggies in Edinburgh, e.g., the castle and Holyrood House, we particularly enjoyed day trips to Melrose Abbey in the Borders area, St. Andrews, and Stirling Castle. Some of those "plaid shops" have clan books to look up your ancestry, and then you can buy a fridge magnet of your clan plaid.

And the very best dessert is Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Sticky Toffee Pudding. Got it. Again, many thanks

I don't think sticky Toffee Pud is particularly Scottish, although they certainly do have 'sweet teeth' (or what remains of their teeth). Porridge will keep the cold wind from getting under your kilt as will black pudding, good quality meat, lots of potatoes and 'neeps' which might be parsnips or turnips, a never ending supply of bakery products and very few fruit or veggies . .. all washed down with a few drams of whisky . . . nb. no 'e' in the Scottish stuff.
I agree that it is better to 'get a feel' of a place rather than spend all your time in museums/ruins etc. DH and I many years ago stayed in Edinburgh and visited the Palace of Holyrood House and the guide was SO rude when an American visitor asked if the very ornate ceiling had been put up as the same time as the original building . .. that the rest of the group all curled up and squirmed . . . if we had been less English/Scottish we would have stood up to the man and defend the girl "How dare you speak to a former colonist in such an unpleasant way? We shall report you to Her Majesty who will have you hanged from the nearest battlement." This must have happened more than thirty years ago and I still remember it with shame. ;-(

Vee, I gather there weren't any Aussies in that group!
Being an Aussified Brit, I have learned to deal with that kind of put down to a tourist.
I once asked the driver of a London bus if he was going to a certain area "It's on the front" he replied in a surly way.
I had seen the place I wanted on the front destination board but also there were a lot of other places listed on the route, so I said sharply "You might have already been there!"
He had no smart answer to that one.

You probably know that in Edinburgh shops you can buy your clan plaid (ties, kilts, etc.) of good wool. Most clans have 2 plaids: hunting and dress. The ones I bought were of good quality and have lasted decades.

I'm surprised at the putdown of the American. In my travels in Scotland, I got nothing but friendliness and helpfulness from complete strangers.

Yes, do have the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Perhaps it is not particularly Scottish, but that is where we discovered it, too. I understand it is a fairly modern invention, and I suspect that the Scottish have taken it to their hearts. After stumbling upon this wonderful dessert, we went out of our way to have it again. Unless you are adamantly opposed to sweets, you will love it.

As for rudeness to Americans, we did not experience any of this whatsoever, in Scotland, in Ireland, or in England. We have traveled to England several times before but this was our first trip to Ireland or Scotland. It is a sad truth that there are unpleasant people everywhere. I have seen with embarrassment Americans be quite rude to travelers here from abroad -- as well as other Americans who are just delighted to get to know them and go out of their way to be helpful.

Rosefolly

Yes Mary, it was surprising, though I don't think it was because the girl was American he would have been just as rude to anybody. The vast majority of Scots are polite though reserved and this man was employed to work in the Palace that is the Queen's official residence when in Scotland; he should have known better.
You will know the these bright plaids/tartans were introduced in the early nineteenth century by the famous writer Sir Walter Scot who was a member of the committee that was organising a 'welcome' for George IV. The City of Edinburgh became a riot of colour and each clan chief tried to outdo his neighbour. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert carried on the tradition at Balmoral, which, I understand, has plaid wall-paper, plaid carpets . . . and a piper that awakens the guests every morning as he 'plays' around the outside of the house.

Vee, I got my best STP recipe from a cyber friend in Scotland who said that the Udny Arms Hotel in Newburgh 10 miles north of Aberdeen claims to be the inventor of the pudding. Should I stop using this info? She is a lawyer; I wouldn't want to be sued! The dish turned out to be wonderful and is cooked in a 9x13" baking dish rather than in a pudding mold--much easier for this colonist to manage. Actually, it is the sauce that is so good, but it's hard to go wrong with brown sugar and butter.

We were treated with great kindness everywhere we went. The only problem I had was understanding the answer when I asked a taxi driver where an area was and heard the reply as "Widda Fraun." We went back and forth several times with clues and hand gestures before it became clear to me that he was saying "Little France." I felt as if I had won a game of verbal charades, and we both laughed delightedly.

Carolyn, If you are going to stop using that recipe I wish you would email it to me first! I have been on the lookout for a great STP recipe.

Update: I just looked it up and it is published online. My DH has promised to make it for my birthday in the fall -- and practice before that.

Rosefolly

Carolyn, I wont argue with anyone who is a lawyer; can't afford to be sued for a pudding related offence, but there are serious claims from the Lake District that the recipe originated somewhere in deepest Cumbria.
Interesting that where ever it first saw the light of day it is quite a recent 'invention' possible the early '80's . . . unless those wide-shoulder-padded days seem to be way back in the far mists of time . . .

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Your mention of 'pudding molds' reminds me that in those long-ago-days school lunches always had a pudding course and suet-type puds were popular. They were always cooked in a round 'pudding basin'. A blob of jam/dates/treacle/choc sauce went into the bottom, the suet mixture was poured on top, a greaseproof paper lid was tied on and they were boiled for an age. Turned out on a plate and served with custard or choc sauce they certainly added to our waistlines. One pud would serve about eight people.

Back to Scotland... I know it's long ago, but I think that some of our experiences 25 years ago may help you. We visited friends to the west of London, then went off on our own in a rental car, and took a large counter clock-wise loop from London up to Edinburgh and then back south and into Wales to get back to our friends. Probably 10 days on the road. We wound up staying at a lot of smaller country house hotels, probably under 25 rooms, all were wonderful. Good restaurants, lovely people. We just used a Best Western Hotel booklet to book the rooms a day or two ahead. The one time we stayed at a modern in-town hotel, in York, it was yucky. They catered to a lot of tourists, bus tours, etc. Yeah, clean and good location, but no character and no fun. If we were to do the same trip today, I'd still have a Best Western hotel guide at hand.

We had good restaurants, lovely gardens, and lots of chances to meet people and talk. In Edinburgh, we stayed at the Bruntsfield, and enjoyed it. http://www.thebruntsfield.co.uk/

http://www.bestwestern.co.uk/

I love this thread and am so glad I asked these questions. In return I have gotten reading suggestions, travel advice, recipes and a lot of smiles. Thank you.

Dedtired, we had our Sticky Toffee Pudding at the Wedgwood Restaurant on the Royal Mile in the Old Town section of Edinburgh. If you get a chance, do try it! Just last night I tried another recipe. It wasn't bad, but it was not as good as theirs.

By the way, all the food we tried at the Wedgwood was excellent. If you go at a busy time, you may need a reservation. I would recommend going at lunch if you can, because they are not as expensive at that time.

Thanks for those ideas. We are staying in Old Town.

I finished reading The Sunday Philosophy Club and am in the midst of The Guynd. Both books have characters with the last name Auchterlonie (or Ouchterlony). Is that a common name in Scotland? I never heard it before. I am also watching Monarch of The Glen. It is like a fictionalized version of The Guynd. I'm enjoying both the book and the tv series.

dedtired, many place-names in Scotland begin with Auchter . . .something or other. I wouldn't have said it was 'common' perhaps a glance through a phone-book might prove me wrong!
I think the original of Monarch of the Glen was by Scottish writer Compton Mackenzie. His Whisky Galore (book and later film) is a classic, based on a true story when during WWII a ship carrying thousands of barrels of whisky was wrecked of the Isle of Eriskay and the devious means by which the islanders hid the loot from the Customs men!
nb the correct spelling of whisky; the true Scottish way. ;-)

"A Scots Quair" by Scottish writer Lewis Grassic Gibbon is very good, a trilogy. (Gibbon also wrote a magnificent "Spartacus", but of course, that's not set in Scotland.)

laceyvail, welcome back. I remember you from the vivid discussion of "Kristin Lavransdatter" years ago here. I agree about "A Scots Quair" and loved it when I saw it on television long ago. I also second the recommendation of "Monarch of the Glen."

woodnymph, how lovely to be welcomed back. I don't quite know how or why I drifted away, but I did. And I hope to spend more time here--especially now that I'm no longer dial up--which I was until last fall. I'm on satellite now, not great, but waaaay better than dial up.

Hello again, Laceyvail. I was glad to go from dial up as my dog kept walking into the telephone wire and breaking the connection! The expense of buying a "dongle" was soon offset by the reduction in my phone bill!

Hi Laceyvail, it's good to have you back here again.

Thank you all so much for the welcomes. I'm into my busiest season of the year (serious vegetable and ornamental gardens) but I'm going to be checking out this forum as much as I can.