Backpackingmatt

Puffin Watching: Isle of Staffa, Scotland

A trip to Scotland’s West Coast should include a visit to the beautiful Isle of Mull – a peaceful island home to the Tobermory Distillery. Tobermory itself is a quaint little village situated on a fishing harbor that is lined with brightly colored buildings.

It’s a terrific village where you could very easily waste away a week or more.

While you’re visiting the Isle of Mull, one thing you have to fit into your budget is a day trip to the Isle of Staffa. The Isle of Staffa is a small rocky island off the west coast of Mull that is home to a fascinating and comical seabird – the Puffin. These small little birds are often called sea parrots because of their vivid colors.

To get to the Isle of Staffa, you’ll have to take a ferry and guided tour from the Ulva Ferry Terminal which is a scenic one our drive from Tobermory. Along the way, you’ll pass famed highland cattle and many single track roads.

There are thousands of puffins found throughout Britain yet they are often very difficult to spot. Puffins spend much of their time off shore and only come ashore to breed in early April. From April until late July is the best time to spot the puffins while they’re feeding and taking care of their young.

Puffins are not known for being the most graceful fliers. With the help of their short wings and fat bodies, they really seem to struggle when flying around. I’m no bird-watcher, yet I found it absolutely fascinating to watch the little birds flap around the island. You would never expect the wee things to be able to migrate thousands of miles each year.

After we arrived at Staffa and were ferried to shore on a small dingy, we clammored up to the cliff tops where the baby puffins nested. They choose to nest at the tops of steep cliffs of inaccessible islands – it’s because of this that puffins are often times so difficult to view. The Puffin will lay a lone egg and hatch one chick each year in a burrow dug into the ground and return to the same hole year after year. We were asked to not get to close to these burrows to respect the young, yet you could hear their high pitch squeaking as they were waiting for their mother to bring them their food.

They are fed a diet of sand eels by their parents for about six weeks. After this time, they are abandoned by their parents. Sooner or later, nature results in the baby puffins leaving their burrow out of desperate hunger in the cover or darkness where they will attempt at flying to find their own food. Needless to say, they don’t have ample time to learn how to fly or survive on their own.

What I found most shocking about the puffins was their tameness. They would fly to within three or four feet of where we were viewing their behavior. It was strangely therapeutic to sit in the warm sun (rare for Scotland!), feeling the breeze of the sea, and watching the fascinating and colorful little animals.

The tour was operated by Turus Mara and they provided an excellent experience overall. Our captain provided heaps of information about the area’s history, puffins in general, and did a terrific job to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome. While we didn’t see any other marine wildlife, there were chances of seeing Bottlenose dolphins, whales, and seals. A tour to the Isle of Staffa lasts four hours and will cost you £25.

Technorati Tags: Puffins, Scotland, Travel Advice

Continue reading...

Friday Travel Photo: Loch Ness, Scotland

Today’s Friday Travel Photo takes you Loch Ness in Scotland’s Highlands. Loch Ness is 23 miles long and 755 feet deep at its deepest point – so deep, that all the water in England and Wales would still not be enough to fill it.

If you’re visiting Edinburgh, consider getting out of the city on a day tour to Loch Ness.

If you’d like your travel photo featured on Backpackingmatt, send it to me at matt [at] backpackingmatt [dot] com

Technorati Tags: Friday Travel Photo, Loch Ness, Scotland

Continue reading...

Friday Travel Photo: Edinburgh Sunset

Today’s Friday Travel Photo takes you to Edinburgh, Scotland.

Edinburgh is a fantastic city filled with cozy pubs, excellent gardens, and some great nightlife. If you’re visiting Edinburgh, don’t miss out on these three pubs – they’re excellent places to grab a pint or a plate of Scotland’s national dish: haggis.

If you have a bit of time, consider heading out of town on a day trip to Loch Ness.

Have a photo you’d like featured here? Email it to matt (at) backpackingmatt (dot) com and I’ll feature it with a link back to your blog.

Technorati Tags: edinburgh, Friday Travel Photo

Continue reading...

Day Tripping from Edinburgh

Today’s guest post was submitted by Nicole Graham. Nicole has a passion for Scotland that is probably unsurpassed by few.

Nicole has also written a great post about her hometown and favorite city in the world, Edinburgh – read about her perspective of Scotland’s capital here.

Many people often come to Scotland for a city break, whether it’s Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh, or Aberdeen. Some seem to forget about the rest of Scotland, and to me the most beautiful parts of this country are found by escaping the cities and heading out to the wilderness of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Steeped in history dating back more than a thousand years, Scotland’s past is filled with stories of freedom fighters, clans and their lands, Kings, Queens, and bloody battles against the English.

If you are planning a trip to Edinburgh and you’re short on time, think about taking a day trip out of the city and up into the most stunning scenery this country has to offer.

Haggis Adventure Tours offer one day round trip tours to Loch Ness, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.  The tour, the Loch Ness Hunter, heads north out of Edinburgh towards Stirling Castle, the Trossachs National Park, Rannoch Moor and the infamous Glencoe. It continues north through Fort William, home of Scotland’s highest peak Ben Nevis. You then follow the Great Glen and stop for lunch in the highland village of Fort Augustus on the banks of bonny Loch Ness. Here you have the option to take a boat trip out onto the Loch to perhaps do some monster spotting.

Loch Ness is definitely a must see sight in Scotland. Its mysterious, murky black water stretches over 24 miles up the Great Glen fault line and is 924m deep. All the water from England and Wales is still not enough to fill this monster of a Loch. Loch Ness is of course not just famous for its size and depth, it’s what’s lurking beneath that makes it probably one of the most famous bodies of water in the world – Nessie.

After a couple of hours its back on the road again this time heading South down through ‘Monarch of the Glen’ country, Perthshire and a quick visit to the historic town of Dunkeld before heading back towards Edinburgh over the famous Forth Road Bridge.

This tour gives visitors a chance to see some of the most beautiful scenery Scotland has to offer in a day. It’s great for backpackers with a time schedule and a budget. Haggis Adventure Tours ensure that you learn something too – their informative guides will tell you stories of legends past and present, of Kings and Queens, and of bloody battles. They have an incredible passion for Scotland, its history, and its landscape, and they’ll leave you wanting to know and see more of this truly fascinating country.

If you are thinking of taking a day trip with Haggis Adventure Tours, here is some info to get you started:

Price: The one day tour will cost you GBP32 and includes a free packed lunch. Not bad considering it’s a full day.

Times: Tours run daily. They depart Edinburgh’s Royal Mile at 8am and return at 8pm.

If you have any additional questions about the tour, send them to matt@backpackingmatt.com and I’ll send it on to Nicole.

If you’re thinking of taxing a tour with Haggis Adventures (or their parent company, Radical Travel), do me a favor and book your trip with this link. I’ll earn a small but appreciated commission on your purchase. Cheers!

Technorati Tags: Backpacking, Budget Travel, day trip, edinburgh, Scotland

Continue reading...

A Local’s Perspective: Edinburgh, Scotland

Today’s guest post is written by Nicole Graham. Nicole recently graduated from Edinburgh’s Napier University and studied Tourism Management. Nicole’s travel experience includes mainland Europe, the US, Nepal, Australia, Peru, Kenya, Thailand, and New Zealand. She also happens to be my girlfriend and enjoys planning our next trip, reading, and exploring New Zealand in our campervan, Max.

Edinburgh is arguably one of the most vibrant, cultural, and beautiful cities in the world. Full of friendly people and fascinating history, Edinburgh is one of those places you just have to visit. If it isn’t clear already, I’m a bit biased – a proud Edinburgger and very glad to call Edinburgh home.

If you find yourself in this wonderful city for a day (spare more if you can!), you can’t miss Edinburgh’s historic castle, a wander down the famous Royal Mile, and a pint and a dram in one of our many pubs. After getting these ‘must see’ sights out of the way, here are some other activities you can’t miss. Perhaps, a couple things only locals know …

First of all, I recommend getting to know the Edinburgh public transport system as it’s by far the easiest and cheapest way to get around the city. Lothian Buses run an excellent service all over the city centre and beyond. For just £3, you can grab yourself a day ticket and hop on and off all of their services. You can easily pick up a leaflet on where to catch the bus you need from one of their three stores in the city centre or online.

After you’ve gotten to know the double decker maroon buses, and you cant miss them they are all over, it’s time to hop on the Lothian Bus 41 and head to a wee place called Cramond. An old Roman settlement, Cramond is a historic and picturesque seaside village in the North part of Edinburgh. It takes about 25 minutes to get there by bus and you could easily stay half a day exploring its nooks and crannies. Take a walk along the river Almond and see the fishing boats and yachts bobbing in the water. If the tide is low, take a stroll over to Cramond Island and see some Roman ruins.

A visit to the Cramond Inn is well worth a pint. A cozy little pub, this place serves up very cheap pints and decent pub food. After a couple bevies, head up the road towards Cramond Church and stroll around the gardens there.

If you like pretty, wee, boutique shops, a visit to the Bruntsfield / Morningside area of Edinburgh is worth your time. To get there you can either walk through the Meadows from Forrest Road or hop on the Lothian Bus service number 16, 11, 17, 15, 23 or 45. This is where a majority of Edinburgh’s students live, but feels very much the real Edinburgh. With its original New Town tenement buildings, pubs, bars, and cafes galore, this is a terrific place to get lost wandering around on a sunny day.

For some stunning views of the city, try heading up one of Edinburgh’s seven hills. One of my favourites, Arthur’s Seat, is found just on the edge of Old Town Edinburgh. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile, this 823 feet volcanic hill provides brilliant views of Edinburgh, the surrounding countryside, and the Firth of Forth. Arthur’s Seat is the centrepiece of Holyrood Park – a public park filled with steep cliff faces, small lochs, and the ruins of a chapel dating back to the 15th century.

After your walk to the summit of Arthur’s Seat, continue on down the other side and finish your day in Duddingston. This wee suburb is home to the oldest public house in Scotland. Finish your day with a pint at the Sheep Heid Inn – with its origins dating back to 1360.

With such a diverse range of cultures, architecture, festivals and the like, Edinburgh really does have it all, a wonderful place to experience as a visitor and an even better place to live.

Technorati Tags: A Locals Perspective, edinburgh, travel tip

Continue reading...

Three Edinburgh Pubs You Can’t Miss

After spending nearly a year in Edinburgh, I came to realize a number of things about the Scottish – namely, the fact that they love to drink. Needless to say, I fit in well. One of the many things I miss about Scotland is the pub culture that exists within the Scottish society. The pub is a place to gather, to meet with friends, family, and coworkers.

I spent many an afternoon in dim, Scottish pubs reading the Scotsman and enjoying a pint or two of real ale. After work, I would unwind with my coworkers at various drinking holes chatting away about work, life, and whatever came to our minds. The pub was a place to celebrate birthdays, graduations, and promotions. The pub was where I began courting my now Scottish girlfriend. The pub was a place to meet old friends and make new ones. And often, the pub was a place to warm up and escape Edinburgh’s rain.

If you find yourself in Edinburgh – and you should, it’s a marvelous city – here are three Edinburgh pubs you can’t miss.

1. Deacon Brodies (435 Lawnmarket, The Royal Mile) is one of Edinburgh’s   oldest and most famous pubs. Located only minutes away from the stunning Edinburgh Castle, Deacons serves up some decent beer, okay pub food, and has an impressive selection of Scottish single malt whiskies. Located minutes away from the castle, it is often filled with a number of tourists and locals alike.

The pub is named after William ‘Deacon’ Brodie who lived two lives: by day, he was a respected Edinburgh council member and deacon of the cabinet makers guild – by night, he was a robber who stole to support his drinking and gambling habits. He was eventually caught and ultimately hung on the gallows he built himself – only minutes away from where the pub named after him now stands.

As you walk into Deacon’s, be sure to look up and notice the beautifully decorated ceiling. Found and renovated only 20 years ago, the ceiling features the flowers of the four nations of the United Kingdon: England’s rose, Wales’ daffodil, Ireland’s clover, and Scotland’s Thistle.

2. The Halfway House (24 Fleshmarket Close) is Edinburgh’s smallest pub and located just up the steps from Edinburgh’s Waverly Station. No bigger than the common kitchen, this great wee pub is a wonderful place to relax, chat with locals, and sample some of Scotland’s finest real cask ales. They feature regularly changing cask beers throughout the year. Stop by often, as the beers change daily. The Halfway House also serves up some of Edinburgh’s best haggis, neeps, and tatties. Call in yourself and find out why it was named Edinburgh’s Pub of the Year in 2009.

3. The Royal Oak (1 Infirmary Street) is one of the best places in Edinburgh to get a real taste for traditional, Scottish, folk music – featuring fiddles, wooden flutes, drums, and the odd pipe. A well lit pub, The Royal Oak features live music throughout the week.

Show up early on the weekends, or you’ll end up having to squeeze your way to the bar. Get yourself a pint of whatever real ale they have on offer, a packet of bacon fries, and get ready for a music filled evening. My guess is you’ll stay later than you imagined.

Edinburgh offers literally hundreds of pubs to choose from – all unique in their own way. Take a wander around the cobbled streets of the Old or New Town and you’re bound to find a pub that suites you well.

Do you have a favorite Edinburgh public house? Leave it in the comments section below! Cheers!

Technorati Tags: Backpacking, edinburgh, pubs

Continue reading...