Bannockburn 2014

[kilted scholar]

www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk is an excellent source for accommodation links, places to visit and so forth.

[TheOfficialBren]

Wow! Thank you, Chewse and KiltedScholar!

Good stuff!

[cessna152towser]

[If I am able to visit I would like to see the real Scotland...not the phoney balogna tourist attractions.]

That rules out Edinburgh then
For places a bit more off the beaten track of the tourist trail you would do well to follow KiltedScholar's link to Undiscovered Scotland.
It would be good to meet up and say hello while you are here.

[guardsman]

If you are hirinb a car , you may stay in a caravan or a trailer as in usa, parkdean sites you can book for 3 and 4 nights at different sites over Scotland, or MacDonald hotels used to do deals for staying at different hotels in the chain at a reduced cost . Also you may find smaller hotels with sister hotels dotted about with deals . If not plan out by looking at public transport . If in Edinburgh try to see the underground dwellings which may be of interest . Have fun

[TheOfficialBren]

ThNk you, guardsman. Underground? Please explain. Literally subterranean accommodations?

[Paul Henry]

ThNk you, guardsman. Underground? Please explain. Literally subterranean accommodations?

This should help St Mary's Close

[cessna152towser]

If in Edinburgh try to see the underground dwellings which may be of interest . Have fun

I think Guardsman is referring to Mary King's Close. Old buildings which were partially demolished and the lower floors remained to form the foundations for what is now the Edinburgh City Chambers. The lower floors of the house, and the old streets are still there, just as they were at the time when they were covered over by the new buildings more than two hundred years ago. There are guided tours beneath the floors of the City Chambers where you can visit the old houses and see how people lived in Edinburgh in bygone times. Well worth a visit.
http://www.realmarykingsclose.com/

[TheOfficialBren]

Oh! Neat! Thank you.

[cessna152towser]

Stirling unveils 2014 programme:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...ntral-24112336

Stirling has unveiled a programme of events aimed at putting the city at the heart of Scotland's 2014 Year of Homecoming.
Among the 170 attractions on the list was Bannockburn Live - a major event marking the 700th anniversary of the famous battle.
The programme will kick off with the annual Hogmanay celebrations and fireworks on the castle esplanade.
And the city will also host the National Armed Forces Day.
Other major events will include the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival, the Spirit of Stirling Whisky Festival, the Stirling Fringe and a Ryder Cup exhibition.
There will also be a huge variety of sporting events, Highland games, concerts, shows and galas.
'Modern city'
Provost Mike Robbins said: "Stirling will be at the very heart of Scotland's 2014 Year of Homecoming.
"Stirling 2014 is a fabulous mix of events, including major national celebrations, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from all over Scotland, the rest of the UK, and overseas.
"Stirling is a vibrant modern city with an astonishing history and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside in Scotland.
"The events lined up for next year will give visitors and residents the chance to experience all we have to offer, from cultural and historical celebrations to sporting events and community-based activities."
Mike Cantlay, chairman of national tourism agency VisitScotland, said: "2014 presents a fantastic opportunity to celebrate all that's great about Scotland and place the spotlight on our greatest assets and icons.
"Stirling sums this up perfectly with its dramatic contrast of historical attractions set within a modern cosmopolitan culture.
"The variety of events unveiled today combined with Stirling's spectacular backdrop of art galleries, monuments, shops, cobbled streets, museums and the iconic castle itself, will ensure there is something for everyone to enjoy in 2014."

[Bluescelt]

Jock's advice is sound and is what I've tried to do on my visits. It's not to say that you can't have a lively in-depth conversation with a Scot. I spent an hour talking economics, politics and culture with a shop owner and it was very interesting. Treat those you meet as you wish to be treated and you will have a great time. Unless you're a masochist, then please disregard my last sentence!