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The 10 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Scotland, United Kingdom
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Restaurants in Scotland
1. Steall Waterfall
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,434 reviews
Reviewed By I4996RBjoannap - Brough, United Kingdom
Drive down a single track road until it comes to an end which is a small free car park so arrive early; there was another car park at beginningof road however it charged for parking and would be quite a walk to get there. We arrived at 9am and had no issues with parking. A great walk along the river with mini waterfalls coming over the path which then opens up to see Steall Waterfall. There is a wire bridge to get closer to see it however there is a great view without crossing. We were lucky enough not to have midges even though it was warm and dry.
2. Eden Mill
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,025 reviews
NEW DISTILLERY CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE CURRENTLY UNABLE TO ACCEPT VISITORS. Just outside St Andrews, Eden Mill is Scotland's original single-site brewery & distillery. Since 2012 we've been brewing and distilling here, creating a unique and diverse range of beer, gin and whisky.
Reviewed By D361JDlisap - Edinburgh, United Kingdom
What a great afternoon we had blending our own gin and hearing the interesting takes of gin and the history of Eden Mill from Matthew who was very engaging and a fantastic host. Would absolutely recommend.
3. Royal Yacht Britannia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 22,167 reviews
Step aboard The Queen's former floating palace and experience this iconic 5 star attraction for yourself. Rated Scotland's Best Attraction for 12 years running and in TripAdvisor's UK Top 10 for the last 5 years, Britannia is one of the most famous ships in the world. Sailing a million miles on a thousand official visits, during 40 years in service, the Royal Yacht played host to glittering state banquets and official receptions, but was also home to the Royal Family and crew of 220 Royal Yachtsmen. Explore Britannia's highly accessible 5 decks with highlights including the elegant Royal Apartments, Crew's Quarters, Engine Room and stunning Royal Deck Tea Room. Highly accessible for wheelchairs and buggies. Open year round .Only 15 minutes from Edinburgh city centre (local buses every 10 minutes - 11, 22, 34 and 35 to Ocean Terminal).
Reviewed By JCBH_1 - McLean, United States
The (now retired) Royal Yacht Britannia is a national treasure, frozen in time for all of us to enjoy. Wonderful "whisper" audio sets tied to numbered highlights so you can't miss a thing. Britannia is crowded, but for great reason: It's fantastic. You visit everything from the Bridge to the (impeccable) Engine Room, including the impressive State Dining Room and Salon, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip's staterooms - staff quarters and even the ship's infirmary and laundry rooms. The Royal Rolls Royce is on board, and the Queen's motor launch (alongside the Britannia - you'll see it last) is very impressive. Furnishings are original. It's amazing. Very nice shoreside ticket facility, gift shop, etc. There is also a tea room - which is apparently very popular. Britannia is a national treasure - terrific to be able to experience it.
4. Stirling Castle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9,220 reviews
Dominating the skyline for miles around, Stirling Castle is a shining example of Renaissance architecture. Visitors can look out from its high stone walls to the battlefields of Stirling Bridge where great medieval armies clashed to decide the fate of nations. Home to generations of Scottish monarchs including, Mary Queen of Scots, the Castle is an enduring and powerful reminder of our fascinating history.
Reviewed By GordonYates - Stirling, United Kingdom
This was a wonderful day out - we went with our 7 year old twin grand daughters who had a whale of a time! They found the experience a great adventure The Castle was well organised and managed with knowledgeable and friendly staff that all added to the experience We all enjoyed a snack at the Unicorn Cafe - again well run and organised, in fact the coffee was good Most of castle was opened, in fact not much is closed off!
5. Edinburgh Old Town
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 15,961 reviews
Edinburgh's oldest neighborhood, dating back to medieval times: these small streets are lined with wool shops, pubs and historical monuments.
Reviewed By annemacmillan
When in Edinburgh you must visit The Old Town, .. See the Old Tenement Buildings.. Feel the History of this old Historical Town, with its cobbled streets....Take a walk along the Royal Mile, from the Castle to Holyrood Palace.. You can easily feel what it must've been like living in "Auld Reekie" centuries ago.. and hearing the words being shouted from the tenement windows "Gardy Loo" ..the warning that Waste was going to be thrown out the window...Visit Grassmarket.. and the weekend Farmers Markets... If you looking for souvenirs to take home you will definitely find them here, from the array of shops to choose from,.. if your looking for Cashmere, Whisky., Tablet or some nice Edinburgh Rock..You will find it all in the Old Town and much more.
6. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 15,301 reviews
Free Entry. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is Scotland's most visited free attraction. With 22 themed, state-of-the-art galleries displaying an astonishing 8000 objects, the collections are extensive, wide-ranging and internationally-significant.
Reviewed By mkoperabuff
Great museum fabulous art deco MacIntosh exhibits, natural history, social and Scottish history, furniture, decorations and marvelous paintings of Scottish, French, Dutch, English and other masterpieces, e.g. Rossetti, Turner, Monet, Cezanne. Beautiful high Victorian opulent building, organ concert, nice cafe and shops and free, please shop or leave a donation well worth it. Great for children too especially the natural history exhibits.
7. West Highland Way
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 418 reviews
Well-marked walking path stretching from Glasgow to Fort William.
Reviewed By Dom682014 - Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
I did the whole thing 10 Yeats ago, this time I just did half if it. Drive to Tyndrum and stay st 'By the Way'. Leave car there. Day one - 11 mikes to Inberoran. Lovely hotel. Day Two - 11 miles to Kings House Day Three - 11 miles to Kinlochleven. Day Four - 17 grueling miles (700m assent) to F William. Get train back to Tyndrum! As others have said, last two miles into F William is on the road and not great. Plus they have moved the official finish line to the other side of town - seems harsh. But nothing can take away from an amazing walk. Just remember, as you leave Tyndrum, the Green Welly shop is the last shop of any kind until Kinlochleven and the ONLY shop directly on the route.
8. Arthur's Seat
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 21,026 reviews
Arthur's Seat is one of four hill forts, dating from around 2,000 years ago. Situated within Holyrood Park, as well as it's rich cultural heritage, the park offers walks, solace, wildlife, volcanic geology and unparalleled vistas of the city from its many vantage points. The park has several Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) designations due to its exceptional range of grassland habitats and its internationally important volcanic geology. Ranger service on site.
Reviewed By holland21 - Stirling, United Kingdom
Arthur’s Seat is a massive hill in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh and if you’re feeling fit you can walk and/or climb it and of course you can drive round it, able to stop along the way to marvel at the views around the city and beyond, depending if you’re looking North, west south or east and see so many landmarks near and far. I would say that this is a must see and do when visiting Edinburgh !
9. Ben Nevis
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,460 reviews
Fondly called "Ben" by the locals, Britain's highest mountain towers 4,406 feet above the town of Fort William.
Reviewed By Scotlandmac - Glasgow, United Kingdom
5 stars for the brilliant path, nice and wide,which takes even the least experienced of walkers safely to the top. Best path I've ever used on any Scottish mountain and we climb these regularly.Also, as Scotland is my home, I cannot bring myself to demote Ben Nevis to less than 5 stars.It has my respect.Unfortunately most people on this route never see its true grandeur , it's North Face, where it's then obvious that this is the remains of an ancient volcano once twice as high.Climbing Carn Mor Dearg or the Aonachs nearby, give the best views of The Ben's real grandeur. It's certainly not a wilderness experience as such, this route - in August there must have been 3,000 other people plodding up the mountain! Good views , not fabulous but nice, until we got part way up and entered the mist. It's a strenuous walk though - anything is that is 1345m high and with a sea level start.But it wasn't anywhere near as hard as we thought it might be.Just LONG. We are in our 60s and it took us 3hr 10 min to the top, including a 10 min break beyond the Red Burn.But we are regular hillwalkers and reasonably fit. The climb can divided into 4 sections IMO.I found this helped pace out the day/progress.Our time is given for each stage but it is approximate.Younger people who are fit passed us. 1st Stage: Visitor Car Park to The Corner - 45 mins. The path climbs steadily above Glen Nevis, then over a bridge where it turns sharply left.I call this The Corner as the climb is now more open with the open hillside and the burn to your right and below. We were now 390m above the glen. 2nd Stage: The Corner to the Red Burn crossing. 40mins. This section passes the lovely Lochan which is NOT the halfway stage despite its name in some publications.Nice flat section for a short bit. The lochan is only at around 560m and the mountain summit is 1345m. 3rd Stage: The Red Burn to the End of the Zig Zags: 1hr 15mins including a 10 min stop. Now the path turned much more rough and bouldery in places but still excellent.This upper part of the mountain is a boulderfield and turns quarry like nearer the top.The zig zags go up at a very pleasant angle of ascent, though still feel VERY long.At the end of this section , we were now at 1190m - less than 200m to go with the back of the climb broken. Final Stage: End of zig zags to Summit Cairn:30 mins. This bit seemed to go on forever too mainly because we were now in thick cloud/mizzly rain and couldn't see that far ahead.I thought this was a flattish bit but the path is still climbing. The appearance of large marker cairns on the right confirm the end is in sight.They are set well away from the various gullies on the left which the path is fairly close to.These have been the scene of fatalities in the past, in whiteout conditions, with the path under snow or not clear due to very poor visibility. We then had a 10 min wait in a queue to climb the summit cairn for a photo! Crazy! We only had views from the zig zags downwards.But it was still well worth the climb. The crowds are nuts - I've never seen anything like it on any other Scottish mountain(which often have much better, more dramatic views too.) A lot of people couldn't stay long at the top because they had barely more than t-shirt and shorts on.Their clothes looked sweaty and very damp from the effort and mist.You cool down mega quickly at that height and in those conditions and in damp clothes. It's a LONG strenuous hike made much easier by the great path but if someone is not very fit - well, I saw some young women crying on the 1st stage of the path. We arrived at the visitor centre car park before 9am on a Sunday in August and could hardly get parked.It costs £6 to park - machines were not working so paid in the Visitor Centre.Toilets were (unhelpfully) closed when we returned at 4.45pm. No toilet facilities on the hill as you would expect and it's not easy to find a place to go without other people being around. The summit is swarming with people and it would be difficult to find a spot even in the various ruined buildings as people are EVERYWHERE. Fantastic sense of achievement once we were down (it felt VERY long coming down - it took us slightly longer to do so as the path was very busy with lots of people still going up and also us catching up with people going down and having to wait or give way.) Everyone was very polite on the hill and were - mostly - smiling and seemed happy. Always great to climb the highest mountain of any country you visit, if safe to do so that is for the 'ordinary walker' and to be honest, even on the kind of low mist day we had too.
10. St Andrews Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,949 reviews
St Andrews Cathedral is now open and we are delighted to welcome you back. Booking in advance is essential. Find out more and book at restarthistory.scot. The cathedral grounds will be open Sun to Tues. The remains of St Andrews Cathedral, which was Scotland’s largest cathedral and most magnificent church, show how impressive it used to be. The museum houses an outstanding collection of early and later medieval sculptures and other relics found on the site, including the magnificent St Andrews Sarcophagus of Pictish date. The precinct walls are particularly well preserved. St Rule's Tower, in the precinct, is part of the first church of the Augustinian canons at St Andrews built in the early 12th century. There are splendid views from the top.
Reviewed By Romelle11 - North Easton, United States
Spent a few hours in St. Andrew and walked through the impressive ruins of the cathedral and cemetery.
