APPENDIX

Holidays and Festivals

Books and Films

Nonfiction

Fiction

Film and TV

For Kids

Conversions and Climate

Numbers and Stumblers

Metric Conversions

Imperial Weights and Measures

Clothing Sizes

Scotland’s Climate

Packing Checklist

Scots-Yankee Vocabulary

Holidays and Festivals

This list includes selected festivals in Scotland plus national holidays observed throughout Britain. Many sights and banks close on national holidays—keep this in mind when planning your itinerary. Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the dates with the festival website, the Visit Scotland website (www.visitscotland.com), or my “Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Scotland” webpage at RickSteves.com/europe/scotland/festivals.

During July and August, book as far ahead as possible; Edinburgh is particularly jammed up in August during its festival season. Hotels also get booked up during Easter week; over the early May, spring, and summer Bank Holidays; and during Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day. On Christmas, virtually everything shuts down. Museums also generally close December 24 and 26.

Throughout the summer, communities small and large across Scotland host their annual Highland Games. These are a wonderful way to get in touch with local culture and traditions (see here).

Some Scottish towns have holiday festivals in late November and early December, with markets, music, and entertainment in the Christmas spirit.

Books and Films

To learn more about Scotland past and present, check out a few of these books or films.

Nonfiction

Crowded with Genius (James Buchan, 2003). This account of Edinburgh’s role in the Scottish Enlightenment details the city’s transformation from squalid backwater to marvelous European capital.

Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes (Robert Louis Stevenson, 1879). One of the city’s most famous residents takes readers on a tour of his hometown.

The Emperor’s New Kilt (Jan-Andrew Henderson, 2000). Henderson deconstructs the myths surrounding the tartan-clad Scots.

Flora MacDonald: Pretty Young Rebel (Flora Fraser, 2023). Biographer Flora Fraser turns her attention to Flora MacDonald, the young Scotswoman best known for helping Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after Culloden.

The Guynd (Belinda Rathbone, 2005). The marriage of an American woman and a Scottish man endures through cultural gaps and household mishaps.

How the Scots Invented the Modern World (Arthur Herman, 2001). The author explains the disproportionately large influence the Scottish Enlightenment had on the rest of Europe.

The Life of Samuel Johnson (James Boswell, 1790). Scottish laird Boswell’s portrait of his contemporary is so admired that it inspired the use of Boswell’s name to mean a close and companionable observer (Sherlock Holmes, for instance, at times refers to Watson as “my Boswell”).

Mary Queen of Scots (Antonia Fraser, 1969). The life and times of Mary Stuart, whose rocky tenure as queen of Scotland was as dramatic as it was tragic, finally ending when her cousin Queen Elizabeth I executed her for treason.

Scotland: The Autobiography: 2,000 Years of Scottish History by Those Who Saw It Happen (Rosemary Goring, 2007). Extracts from primary sources let a diverse cast of real-life characters, from Tacitus to Muriel Spark, tell the story of the nation.

Sea Room (Adam Nicolson, 2001). The owner of three tiny islands in the Hebrides contemplates their magical appeal and dramatic history.

A Traveller’s History of Scotland (Andrew Fisher, revised 2009). Fisher probes Scotland’s turbulent history, beginning with the Celts.

Fiction

For the classics of Scottish drama and fiction, read the “Big Three”: Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, and poet Robert Burns.

44 Scotland Street (Alexander McCall Smith, 2005). The colorful residents of an Edinburgh apartment house bring Scottish society to life.

Complete Poems and Songs of Robert Burns (Robert Burns, 2012, featuring work from 1774–1796). This collection showcases the work of a Scottish icon who wrote in the Scots language, including that New Year’s classic “Auld Lang Syne.”

The Cone Gatherers (Robin Jenkins, 1980). A staple of British secondary-school reading lists, this tragic novel about two brothers is set on a Scottish country estate during World War II.

Consider Phlebas (Iain M. Banks, 1987). In this first book in the popular The Culture science fiction series, Scottish author Banks describes a galactic war.

The Heart of Midlothian (Sir Walter Scott, 1818). This novel from one of Great Britain’s most renowned authors showcases the life-and-death drama of lynchings and criminal justice in 1730s Scotland. Other great reads by Sir Walter include Waverley (1814), Rob Roy (1818), and Ivanhoe (1819).

Knots and Crosses (Ian Rankin, 1987). The Scottish writer’s first Inspector Rebus mystery plumbs Edinburgh’s seamy underbelly.

Lanark (Alasdair Gray, 1981). This eccentric, sprawling four-part novel set in Glasgow (and a fictional alt-Glasgow) tackles huge themes—capitalism, power, love—and earned Gray a reputation as a great Scottish writer.

Macbeth (William Shakespeare, 1606). Shakespeare’s “Scottish Play” depicts a guilt-wracked general who assassinates the king to take the throne.

Outlander (Diana Gabaldon, 1991). This genre-defying series kicks off with the heroine time-traveling from the Scotland of 1945 to 1743. Later novels trace the Battle of Culloden, repression of Highland culture, and emigration to the Americas. A popular TV adaptation began airing in 2014.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Muriel Spark, 1961). The story of an unconventional young teacher who plays favorites with her students is a modern classic of Scottish literature. (The film adaptation from 1969 stars Maggie Smith.)

The Silver Darlings (Neil Miller Gunn, 1939). The best-known of Gunn’s many novels is set against the backdrop of the Highland Clearances, as crofters and fisherfolk struggle to make their way in a harsh world.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson, 1886). This famous Gothic yarn by a Scottish author chronicles a fearful case of transformation in London, exploring Victorian ideas about conflict between good and evil.

Sunset Song (Lewis Grassic Gibbon, 1932). Farm girl Chris Guthrie is rudely confronted by adolescence, modernity, and war in this lauded Scottish classic, the first book in the trilogy “A Scots Quair.”

Film and TV

The 39 Steps (1935). This Alfred Hitchcock classic about a London man wrongly accused of murder is set in Edinburgh, Glencoe, and other parts of the Scottish countryside.

The Angels’ Share (2012). In this working-class comedy, a Glaswegian ne’er-do-well discovers he has a great nose for whisky.

Braveheart (1995). Mel Gibson stars in this Academy Award-winning adventure about the Scots overthrowing English rule in the 13th century.

Brigadoon (1954). In this classic musical, an American couple visiting Scotland discover a magical village.

Highlander (1986). An immortal swordsman remembers his life in 16th-century Scotland while preparing for a pivotal battle in the present day.

A History of Scotland (2010). This BBC series presented by Neil Oliver offers a succinct, lightly dramatized retelling of Scottish history.

Local Hero (1983). A businessman questions his decision to build an oil refinery in a small Scottish town once he gets a taste for country life.

Loch Ness (1996). A skeptical American scientist is sent to Scotland to investigate the existence of the Loch Ness monster.

Mary, Queen of Scots (2018). Saoirse Ronan stars in this portrayal of Mary upon her return to Scotland (from France) and her complicated relationship with cousin Elizabeth I. (A 1971 movie of the same name stars Vanessa Redgrave and Glenda Jackson.)

Monarch of the Glen (2000). Set on Loch Laggan, this TV series features stunning Highland scenery and the eccentric family of a modern-day laird.

Mrs. Brown (1997). A widowed Queen Victoria (Dame Judi Dench) forges a very close friendship with her Scottish servant, John Brown (Billy Connolly).

One Day (2011). Two University of Edinburgh students meet and fall in love on their graduation day, and their story continues to be told at each anniversary.

The Queen (2006). Helen Mirren expertly channels Elizabeth II at her Scottish Balmoral estate in the days after Princess Diana’s death.

Rob Roy (1995). The Scottish rebel played by Liam Neeson struggles against feudal landlords in 18th-century Scotland.

Skyfall (2012). In this James Bond film, we learn that 007 grew up in the Scottish Highlands, with a climactic scene at his childhood home (filmed near Glencoe).

Stone of Destiny (2008). Glaswegian students sneak into Westminster Abbey to retrieve the Stone of Scone for Scotland. Ian Hamilton, who led the 1950 raid in real life, has a bit part in the film (and co-wrote the script).

Trainspotting (1996). Ewan McGregor stars in this award-winning, wild, gritty picture about Edinburgh’s drug scene in the 1980s. In T2 Trainspotting (2017), McGregor’s character returns to Edinburgh 20 years later to reconnect with his buddies.

For Kids

Always Room for One More (Sorche Nic Leodhas, 1965). This Caldecott Medal-winning picture book presents a Scottish folktale with evocative illustrations.

Bagpipes, Beasties and Bogles (Tim Archbold, 2012). This whimsical story about spooky creatures and bagpipes serves up Scottish culture in a package perfect for young readers.

Brave (2012). This Disney flick follows an independent young Scottish princess as she fights to take control of her own fate.

Greyfriars Bobby (2005). Based on a true story, this family-friendly film is about a terrier in Edinburgh who became a local legend after refusing to leave his master’s gravesite.

An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales (Theresa Breslin, 2012). Kelpies, dragons, brownies, and other inhabitants of the Scottish Isles come to life in this lovely volume of traditional lore.

Kidnapped (Robert Louis Stevenson, 1886). This fantastic adventure story is based on events in 18th-century Scotland.

The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster (A. W. Flaherty, 2007). A picky American girl on a boat to Scotland throws her oatmeal out the porthole every morning, unwittingly feeding the Loch Ness monster that follows her.

Queen’s Own Fool (Jane Yolen and Robert Harris, 2008). A historical novel for 10-and-ups based on the girl who was a jester in the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, the first of the “Stuart Quartet” books.

The Story of Scotland (Richard Brassey and Stewart Ross, 1999). This humorous, comic-book style history book will engage young travelers.

This Is Edinburgh (Miroslav Sasek, 1961, updated 2006). Vivid illustrations bring the Scottish capital to life in this classic picture book.

The Water Horse (2007). In this film based on a book of the same name, a young boy in 1940s Scotland discovers an egg, which later hatches into the fabled Loch Ness monster.

Outlander Locations in Scotland

American novelist Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series spans continents and centuries, but the origin story—that of a Highlands laird and an English combat nurse caught up in the Jacobite rebellion—is grounded in Scotland. Much of the Starz television adaptation was filmed here. Outlander fans may enjoy seeing some of the following landmarks.

Outlander begins with Claire Randall on her honeymoon in 1945 Inverness (see here)—played on TV by Falkland village, near St. Andrews. Claire is mysteriously transported back in time to 1743 at Craig na Dun, a fictional stone circle inspired by Clava Cairns near Inverness (here). The TV version was filmed at Dunalastair Estate, between Pitlochry and Loch Rannoch.

Claire is rescued by the MacKenzie clan and tends to injured Highlander Jamie Fraser. They travel to the fictional Castle Leoch, seat of the Clan MacKenzie (the real-life MacKenzie home is Castle Leod, near Strathpeffer). Exterior scenes at Castle Leoch were filmed at Doune Castle near Stirling (here); the grounds—where Claire gathers herbs—were filmed in Pollok Country Park (near Glasgow’s Burrell Collection; here).

Claire meets the “witch” Geillis Duncan in fictional Cranesmuir village, but Culross, with its distinctive mercat cross (here) is a fine onscreen stand-in. The stone-and-thatched village where the MacKenzies collect rents was filmed at the Highland Folk Museum (here). Claire and Jamie visit the fictional Fraser family homestead, Lallybroch (on TV the country estate of Midhope Castle).

In the books, Black Jack Randall’s stout stone fortress is at Fort William (here); for TV those scenes were filmed at Blackness Castle on the Firth of Forth. Nearby, Linlithgow Palace is the filming location for the fictional Wentworth Prison (where Black Jack imprisons—and Claire rescues—Jamie), and Aberdour Castle plays the monastery where Jamie recovers. Scenes at Ardsmuir Prison, where Jamie is interned after the Battle of Culloden, were filmed at Craigmillar Castle, on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Carfax Close, where A. Malcolm has his print shop, is fictional—and played on TV by Edinburgh’s very real Tweeddale Court and Bakehouse Close.

Many of the show’s interior scenes are filmed at Wardpark Studios, a former factory converted into Scotland’s first permanent film studio for Outlander. For more Outlander locations, see VisitScotland.com/outlander.

Conversions and Climate

Numbers and Stumblers

• Some British people write a few of their numbers differently than we do: 1 = , 4 = , 7 = .

• In Europe, dates appear as day/month, so Christmas is 25/12.

• What Americans call the second floor of a building is the first floor in Scotland.

• On escalators and moving sidewalks, Scots keep the left “lane” open for passing. Keep to the right.

• To avoid the Scottish version of giving someone “the finger,” don’t hold up the first two fingers of your hand with your palm facing you. (It looks like a reversed victory sign.)

Metric Conversions

Scotland uses the metric system for nearly everything. Weight and volume are typically calculated in metric: A kilogram is 2.2 pounds, and one liter is about a quart (almost four to a gallon). Temperatures are generally given in Celsius.

Imperial Weights and Measures

Scotland hasn’t completely gone metric. Driving distances and speed limits are measured in miles. Beer is sold as pints (though milk can be measured in pints or liters), and a person’s weight is measured in stone (a 168-pound person weighs 12 stone).

1 stone = 14 pounds

1 Scottish pint = 1.2 US pints

1 schooner = 2/3 pint

1 imperial gallon = 1.2 US gallons or about 4.5 liters

Clothing Sizes

When shopping for clothing, use these US-to-UK comparisons as general guidelines (but note that no conversion is perfect).

Women: For pants and dresses, add 4 (US 10 = UK 14). For blouses and sweaters, add 2. For shoes, subtract 2.5 (US size 8 = UK size 5.5)

Men: For clothing, US and UK sizes are the same. For shoes, subtract about 0.5 (US size 9 = UK size 8.5)

Children: Clothing is sized similarly to the US. UK kids’ shoe sizes are about one size smaller (US size 6 = UK size 5).

Scotland’s Climate

First line, average daily high; second line, average daily low; third line, average days without rain. For more detailed weather statistics for destinations in this book (as well as the rest of the world), check Wunderground.com.

Europe takes its temperature using the Celsius scale, while we opt for Fahrenheit. For a rough conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit, double the number and add 30. For weather, remember that 28°C is 82°F—perfect. For health, 37°C is just right. At a launderette, 30°C is cold, 40°C is warm (usually the default setting), 60°C is hot, and 95°C is boiling. Your air-conditioner should be set at about 20°C.

Scots-Yankee Vocabulary

Scotch is the peaty drink the bartender serves you, but his nationality is Scottish; you could also call him a Scot, and the language he speaks is Scots. Confused? Don’t be. Let’s dive in. Here are some Scots words that may be unfamiliar, and others that may come in handy.

auld: old

aye: yes

bairn, wean: baby, child

blether, blather: talk, gossip

bonnie: beautiful, handsome, good

braw, barrie: good, fine

bridie: savory meat pie (like a pasty)

ceilidh (KAY-lee): traditional celebration with dancing and singing

chippie: fish-and-chip shop, often with a vast array of deep-fried meals, from pizza to candy bars

close: alley leading to a courtyard or square

cludgie, lavvy, dunny: toilet

deugin: stubborn

dreich: lousy, dismal weather

drouthy: thirsty (for a strong drink)

gaun yersel!: You can do it! (words of encouragement)

haud yer wheesht: Shut up

ken: to know (“Ah dinnae ken”—I don’t know)

kirk: church

lang: long

mince: ground meat, often in pies or with tatties—potatoes

nae: no (as in “nae bother”—you’re welcome)

neeps and tatties: turnips and potatoes

peely-wally: pale, ill, unwell

pend: arched gateway

pump, air beige: fart

pure barrie: wonderful

rank: disgusting

reekin’, pisht, blootered, paralytic: drunk

scran: food

steamin’: drunk

stramash: commotion

tattie scone: potato pancake

wee: small

wheesht!: shush!

wynd: narrow winding lane connecting major streets

Many Scots (and Gaelic) words relate to geography, and often turn up in place names:

aber-, inver-: confluence or mouth of a river

bal: town

ben: mountain

blair: clearing

brae: slope, hilltop

burn: creek. stream

crag, creag: cliff, crag, rock

drum: ridge

dun, dum: hill fort

eilean: island

fell: hill

firth: estuary

glen: narrow valley

innis, inch: island

kyle: strait

loch, lochan: lake, small lake

muir: moor

sea loch: inlet

strath: river valley

While Scotland has its own unique lexicon, Scottish people speak fluent English using many of the island-wide expressions that span Britain, from John O’Groats in the north of Scotland to Land’s End at England’s southern tip.

advert: advertisement

afters: dessert

aubergine: eggplant

bangers and mash: sausage and mashed potatoes

bap: small roll, roll sandwich

biro: ballpoint pen

biscuit: cookie

bloody: damn

bobby, rozzer: policeman (“the Bill” is more common)

Bob’s your uncle: there you go, there you have it (with a shrug), naturally

boffin: nerd, geek

bollocks: all-purpose expletive (a figurative use of testicles)

bolshy: argumentative, aggressive

bonnet: car hood

boot: car trunk

braces: suspenders

bridle way: path for walkers, bikers, and horse riders

brilliant: cool, awesome

brolly: umbrella

bubble and squeak: cabbage and potatoes fried together

candy floss: cotton candy

caravan: trailer

car-boot sale: temporary flea market, often for charity

car park: parking lot

casualty, infirmary: emergency room

cat’s eyes: road reflectors

cheap and cheerful: budget but adequate

cheap and nasty: cheap and bad quality

chemist: pharmacist

chippy: fish-and-chips shop; carpenter

chips: French fries

chock-a-block: jam-packed

chuffed: pleased

clearway: road where you can’t stop

coach: long-distance bus

concession, concs: discounted admission

coronation chicken: curried chicken salad

cos: romaine lettuce

cot: baby crib

cotton buds: Q-tips

courgette: zucchini

crisps: potato chips

cuppa: cup of tea

dear: expensive

digestives: round graham cookies

dogsbody: menial worker, underappreciated staff

donkey’s years: ages, long time

draughts: checkers

draw: marijuana

dual carriageway: divided highway (four lanes)

dummy: pacifier

elevenses: coffee-and-biscuits break before lunch

face flannel: washcloth

faff: bumble (about)

fag: cigarette

faggot: fried meatball

fairy cake: cupcake

fancy: to like, to be attracted to (a person)

fanny: vagina

fiver: £5 bill

fixture: sports schedule

fizzy drink: pop or soda

flutter: a bet

football, footie: soccer

fortnight: two weeks (shortened from “fourteen nights”)

fringe: hair bangs

Frogs: French people

fruit machine: slot machine

full Monty: whole shebang, everything

gallery: balcony

gammon: ham; also an older person with right-wing views

gangway: aisle

gaol: jail (same pronunciation)

gateau (or gateaux): cake

gear lever: stick shift

geezer: “dude”

goods wagon: freight truck

gormless: stupid

goujons: breaded and fried fish or chicken sticks

green fingers: green thumbs

grotty: unpleasant, lousy

gutted: deeply disappointed

half eight: 8:30 (not 7:30)

hard cheese: bad luck

hen night (or hen do): bachelorette party

hoover: vacuum cleaner

ice lolly: Popsicle

interval: intermission

ironmonger: hardware store

jacket potato: baked potato

jelly: Jell-O

jiggery-pokery: nonsense, shenanigans

Joe Bloggs: John Q. Public

jumble (sale): rummage sale

jumper: sweater

just a tick: just a second

kipper: smoked herring

knackered: exhausted (Cockney: cream crackered)

knickers: ladies’ panties

knocking shop: brothel

ladybird: ladybug

lady fingers: flat, spongy cookie

lady’s finger: okra

left luggage: baggage check

lemonade: lemon-lime soda

lemon squash: lemonade, not fizzy

let: rent

lift: elevator

loo: toilet or bathroom

lorry: truck

mack: mackintosh raincoat

made redundant: laid off

mangetout: snow peas

marrow: summer squash

mate: buddy (boy or girl)

mean: stingy

mental: crazy, wild, memorable

moggie: cat

naff: tacky or trashy

nappy: diaper

natter: talk on and on

newsagent: corner store

nought: zero

noughts & crosses: tic-tac-toe

off-licence: liquor store

on the pull: on the prowl

OTT: over the top, excessive

panto, pantomime: silly but fun play performed at Christmas

pants: (noun) underwear, briefs; (adj.) terrible, ridiculous

pavement: sidewalk

pear-shaped: messed up, gone wrong

people mover: minivan

pensioner: senior citizen, retiree

petrol: gas

pillar box: mailbox

pissed (rude), bevvied, wellied, popped up, merry, trollied, ratted, rat-arsed, pissed as a newt: drunk

pitch: playing field

plaster: Band-Aid

prat: idiot

press-on towel: panty liner

public school: private “prep” school (e.g., Eton)

publican: pub owner

pudding: dessert

pukka: first-class

punter: customer, especially in gambling

quid: pound (£1)

randy: horny

rasher: slice of bacon

read: study, as a college major

return ticket: round trip

revising; doing revisions: studying for exams

rocket: arugula

rubber: eraser

rubbish: bad

satnav: satellite navigation, GPS

Scotch egg: hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat and fried

self-catering: accommodation with kitchen

Sellotape: Scotch tape

services: freeway rest area

serviette: napkin

setee: couch

shag: intercourse (cruder than in the US)

shambolic: chaotic

shandy: lager and 7-Up

silencer: car muffler

single ticket: one-way ticket

single track: country road, often one lane

skip: dumpster

sleeping policeman: speed bumps

smalls: underwear

snap: photo (snapshot)

snogging: kissing, necking, making out

sod: mildly offensive insult

sod it, sod off: screw it, screw off

sod’s law: Murphy’s law

soda: soda water (not pop)

soldiers: toast sticks for dipping

solicitor: lawyer

spanner: wrench

spend a penny: urinate

spotted dick: raisin cake with custard

stag night (or stag do): bachelor party

starkers: buck naked

starters: appetizers

state school: public school

stone: 14 pounds (weight)

stroppy: bad-tempered

subway: underground walkway

surgical spirit: rubbing alcohol

suspenders: garters

swede: rutabaga

ta: thank you

take the mickey/take the piss: tease

tatty: worn out or tacky

taxi rank: taxi stand

tenner: £10 bill

tick: a check mark

tight as a fish’s bum: cheapskate (watertight)

tin: can

tip: public dump

tipper lorry: dump truck

toad in the hole: sausage dipped in batter and fried

top hole: first rate

torch: flashlight

towpath: path along a river

trainers: sneakers

treacle: golden syrup

twee: quaint, cutesy

twitcher: bird-watcher

verge: grassy edge of road

verger: church official

wee (verb): urinate

Wellingtons, wellies: rubber boots

whacked: exhausted

whinge (rhymes with hinge): whine

wind up: tease, irritate

witter on: gab and gab

yob, chav, ned: hooligan

zebra crossing: crosswalk

zed: the letter Z