Scottishclover

Ok , at the risk of offending any Glaswegians, it would not be my priority if I had a day in Scotland. Of course, you may have a particular reason for wanting to visit. I went to university there and my daughter currently studies there and it is hands down one of the friendliest cities in the world. The city’s slogan is “ People Make Glasgow”. The area around the university is really pretty and there’s some great free museums but a lot of it is quite rough around the edges. Glasgow is more about the atmosphere, rather than the view. It’s not the most scenic of places. If it were me I would do Stirling Castle and the Trossachs. To combine Glasgow, Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle would be quite a whirlwind tour. You can spend a whole morning at Stirling Castle, then tour the Trossachs. On the way back you would likely take the route which passes by Loch Lomond. The scenery in/near the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park in the Trossachs is especially stunning. I prefer it to Loch Lomond. I also like Loch Tay, which is a wee bit further north but a visit there would depend on timing. If you do decide to visit Glasgow and have specific questions, please ask away. I hope this helps and have a great trip.

An alternative would be to buy a day ticket for the local busses. We plan to do that on our cruise. I am all for using public transport when I travel rather than taxis or car rentals. We like to try and counteract our cruising carbon footprint by being as eco conscious as possible when we are in port. I have worked out a route where we can do a morning hike, visit Hammerhus, then visit some of the fishing villages on the east coast before heading back to Ronne. We are in port from 8am - 8pm so are not restricted by time. There are lots of different routes across the island and you can find info on https://www.bat.dk/ Out of interest, I did look into car hire and the day bus tickets are much more economical.

Before getting in, completely smother your hair in the conditioner provided and tie it up to keep it out the water. Also be aware you need to shower naked then put your swimming costume on. There’s not a whole lot of privacy. I was worried how my teens would react but they just got on with it. When in Iceland……

Actually not predictive text…. girdle is an old Scots word for griddle, but I understand your confusion.

“Tattie” scones were a way of using up any left over mashed potato back in the old days. My granny’s family had a bakery in the 1930s and her tattie scones were out of this world. She made them in on an iron cast girdle and they were paper thin. Shop bought do not measure up. They are also eaten in Northern Ireland - that’s what makes an Ulster Fry breakfast special. I will weigh in on the scone chat too. While all these fancy flavours of scone sound lovely, I am a traditionalist. In Scotland only 4 kinds acceptable: plain, fruit ( with raisins) , cheese and treacle. End of discussion 😀

We haven’t been yet - our cruise leaves in July. We ended up booking a private eco tour to to Kemeri National Park and have received first class service and communication so far from I-da Adventures. They are going to tailor the tour for us so we can have some time to look around Riga old town afterwards. They have a variety of tours with excellent reviews but many were a bit too long for our time in port.

Great photos. Looks like they did a great job refurbishing the Burrell Collection. You are lucky as it’s just recently opened again after a long closure. You have just provided me with an idea for my plans this weekend. Thanks! 😀 So glad you are getting a bit of sunshine in between the showers.

Thank you. Yes, now that there’s no need to test in the Netherlands for residents, demand will be lower. Just hope they keep some test sites open for travellers.

Thank you so much for sharing your travels. Enjoy the rest of your time in Scotland visiting family. Wellies and waterproofs at the ready! ☔️

Agree with Harters. Loch Lomond is nothing special compared to the scenery further north. However, the scenery in the Trossachs or around Loch Tay is very pretty and would be doable in a day from Greenock and you could combine that with a visit to Stirling Castle too.

I think booking set dining when you have allergies is a very sensible idea. While you might not have the flexibility, it means you will have the same serving team who get to know your needs. We have also booked set dining through choice, as my husband has coeliac disease and our 2 daughters are vegan. It saves the hassle of explaining to a different set of staff each night.

How far in advance did you book please? We sail in July and have also looked at testing through this company. We are staying in Haarlem for a few days before the cruise and they even have a couple of places there. I wish Celebrity would get rid of the pre cruise testing, especially when everyone will be off the ship everyday on a port intensive cruise.

Jim, Since 1st May it’s recommended 5 days isolation in Scotland and 3 days isolation for under 18s. Only guidance, no legal requirement. Everyone has their own comfort zone with this. Enjoy your time in Ayrshire.

Oh well we will just need to sit down and enjoy our coffee in Cafe Al Bacio instead. Most cafes these days offer incentives if you bring your reusable cup.

That’s exactly what I meant - ones where you can fill up your bottle without touching the nozzle of the dispenser so no worries about being unhygienic. Looks like I will just need to use the cup method to fill. Thank you.

Is there a separate water dispenser on Apex just for filling reusable water bottles ( not at the usually soft drinks machines?) We have a few hikes planned on our upcoming cruise and do not want to use single use bottles. We have only cruised Disney before and they have a separate water dispenser on one of the top decks. While I am on the subject of single use, can you get your own reusable coffee cup filled at Al Bacio for take away drinks? I think I read this used to be the case but may have stopped due to Covid. Thanks.

So sorry to read your cruise has come to an unfortunate end but I love your positive attitude about the whole situation. I hope you feel better soon and have a fantastic time visiting family in Ayrshire. I don’t think there’s many people left in Scotland you’d be able to infect - our rates before Easter were ridiculously high and I know very few people who haven’t had omicron in the last 2 months. As you enjoy a walk, I recommend a trip to Dumfries House in New Cumnock ( I’m sure Iain will know of it.) I was on a school trip with my class there for a STEM day this week and the grounds and gardens are vast, beautiful and free!! I’ve heard the house is impressive too. You could take the grand nieces and nephews as there’s a super playground and lots of water play stations/ activities. It is run by Prince Charles’ foundation and is a fantastic day out. Just something to think about when you’re planning the next stage of your trip.

We enjoy hiking and nature and are thinking about going on a tour to Kemeri when our ship docks in Riga. We are in Tallin the day before and I’m worried that Riga might be very similar, so looking for something different to do in Riga. Has anyone experience of Kemeri National Park?