A Weekend In The Highlands
Keywords: Car, Hire, Scotland
I had my reservations about going to Scotland in the winter. For much of my life I had lived in the South of England and had rarely been further North than Birmingham, and to be brutally honest that was cold enough. However a good friend had recently moved up there and had invited me for the weekend.
I decided to use a car hire firm in Scotland as I thought my little rust bucket, a classic Fiesta although great for running about town could not be trusted to drive all the way to Scotland and was certainly not reliable or warm enough to travel around the highlands.
After chatting to my friend we decided to put down a few details of the trip and he said it would be far easier to fly to Glasgow and use a car hire company at the airport. He had moved to the edge of Loch Lomand near the town of Balmaha, a more picturesque place could not be imagined and it seemed to contain the essence of Scotland.
As my friend was in the lucky business of being able to work from home he did not have a car, somewhat of a recluse in his Scottish idyll he insisted for the duration of my stay I would use a car hire service so he could show me some of the sights Scotland had to offer. Having never been this far north I was more than happy to do this although going just as spring was breaking seemed a risk to me, it snowed a lot this far past the Watford gap.
On arrival at Glasgow airport I went straight to the car hire company desk and after the usual procedure of signing forms and giving credit card details I got the keys to a Focus, this was quite a step up from the beaten up Fiesta on my driveway and far warmer as well.
Trying to find my way out of the airport was not easy but I was soon on the minor roads travelling through some of the most commanding scenery in Scotland, I could see why my friend had moved here.
On arrival in the small town of Balmaha the most dominant feature was the proximity to the huge loch, I headed in its direction for I knew my friend’s house would be close to the water. There he was waiting outside his gate when I pulled up, his first reaction was to joke with me that the car hire company had provided me with a better car than the heap of junk back home, he loved criticising that car, despite it getting us out of many scrapes during our university days.
His house was beautiful, this time he had really landed on his feet, a three bedroom cottage overlooking the loch with a small jetty and boat to fish from. He hoped the weather would hold so we could sample the fishing that he described as the best in the Scotland. I had also seen the golf course on the way in and asked if the weather was good could we go for a round? After all going to Scotland and not playing golf would surely be a travesty.
That night we drank scotch and recounted tales of our times at university together, I had truly missed my friend and could see that he too had missed the company of close mates. For the next few days the weather held out and we got the round of golf in and fished to our hearts content, catching a rather good fish supper. We hardly left the town causing me to think that using the car hire service had been somewhat of a waste, a taxi to and from the airport would have probably been cheaper and easier.
I left for my flight early in the morning promising to see my friend soon, it had been great to catch up and clearly my friend’s hermit like existence in Scotland was getting to him. Hopefully next time I would be able to rally a few of the other lads to come along, making it a bit of an occasion. I pulled into the car hire depot and deposited the keys at the desk.
A quick flight later I was back in the south, my fears about the Scottish weather had been unfounded and the golf courses up there were brilliantly kept. I would definitely be going back to Scotland but next time instead of using a car hire company I would either grab a taxi from the airport or take the faithful Fiesta all the way up. To see the look on my friend’s face pulling up in the decrepit motor would make the arduous journey well worthwhile; it may even stop him constantly ribbing me about getting a new car.
Shaun Parker on a recent trip to Loch Lomand used budget car rental for his car hire Scotland requirements. To find out more please visit www.budget.co.uk
Previous Articles Highlighter:
More Brits Head To The Slopes For 2008 Winter Skiing (1)
The Principality of Andorra, more commonly known as Andorra, is a highly sought-after ski destination. Nestled in the eastern Pyrenees mountains bordering Spain and France, Andorra usually provides perfect ski conditions throughout the ski season.
A Guide To The Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (FACVB) (2)
With their vast array of resources and southern charm, there is no reason why it can't be done. Sam Huntington writes about travel in North Carolina, most frequently about travel specifically related to Fayetteville, NC.
Why Purchase Travel Insurance? (3)
Medical emergencies in a foreign country can see you paying thousands of dollars for hospital treatment, while missed or canceled flights can cost hundreds for replacement ticket. While credit cards can sometimes cover the expense, the fact is that you'll still be paying out of your own pocket when it's all said and done.
Living In The Lap Of Luxury (4)
The concierge should be attentive and respond to the whims of his guests, one story of a concierge who brought in their dog from home for a guest missing their own pooch shows the extremes of this devotion but gets the point across of how the guest should be held above all, at least for their stay.
Things To Know When Going To Cuba (5)
Whilst this is great news that you never have to worry that you are going to go when it's cold, you should be careful of the hurricane season which is from June until November.
Volunteer With Sea Turtles In Costa Rica (6)
Most of the work is at night, between the hours of 8pm and 4am in the dark, on soft, wet sand. Sometimes volunteers will be asked to work both during the day and at night.
Austin's Quest To "Keep Austin Weird" (7)
The phrase, which was coined by an Austin Community College librarian who uttered it while calling in to a radio show, spread like wildfire and was picked up and used by the Austin Independent Business Alliance as a means of encouraging the support of local businesses.
Why Travel By Private Aircraft? (8)
As well as this you have to check in hours before you leave which means you have to sit around the airport being bored until you can board your flight.
Malta - Secure And Friendly For 2008 (9)
In a survey of 27 European countries by the World Health Organisation, comparing the rates of assault and murder, the UN body found that Malta was the second safest country, with Ireland the safest.
Majorca Holidays End 2007 On A High (10)
Mallorca as an island has been promoting itself to the UK market by including a team distributing information at London's Victoria Station. Trains from Victoria run several times an hour to London's Gatwick Airport, allowing easy access to Mallorca for Londoners.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Ski Holidays Look Cool For 2008 (1)
People, in general, will do what they want, no matter what the conditions. Crystal Ski Holidays knows this to be true. They aren't worried about losing business. They know how to take care of their customers.
Sit Back And Relax In Betty's Bay (2)
Betty's Bay has a reputation amongst residents of nearby cities as one of the best places to have a holiday home. In fact, many Capetonians would say that Betty's Bay is what going away for the weekend in the Western Cape is all about.
Plan A Day, Week Or Month Trip On The Garden Route! (3)
This town is home to a famous ostrich and crocodile farm, as well as the massive Cango Caves. You can take a tour into the stalactite-studded caves, and there are various tour options.
False Bay: The Western Cape Coast Most People Miss (4)
Stay around after sunset and you will be treated to Latin music and the most festive vibe to be found in the area. Anywhere you go along this stretch of coast, you are bound to have a good meal, and a great time.
Spend An Exciting, Affordable Holiday In Cape Town! (5)
Long street is the playground of Cape Town's well-heeled partiers, and you will find the best entertainment the city has to offer along this road at night. The obvious attraction in Cape Town is the V & A Waterfront, where you can find craft markets, a mall, ocean-going and Robben Island trips and much more.
Eleven Essentials For Your Spectacular Summer Road Trip (6)
Keywords: trailer hitch, trailer hitches, trailer hitch accessories, hitch cargo carrier Your summer can hardly be considered complete with out a summer road trip. Here's a list of ten things you cannot leave home without, and one bonus item you just might find revolutionizes your time in the car!
7 Great Vacation Destination This Year (7)
This British destination is also home to some of the world's best restaurants as well. The great thing is that you can almost always find incredible discounts to fly to England.
Internet Most Popular For Booking Holidays (8)
Twenty years ago if you wanted a holiday you had to go to a travel agent and book it whereas today 66 percent of the British population book their holidays online.
Reasons For Staying In Villas In Menorca (9)
Keywords: menorca villas Menorca villas are a popular method of accommodation for many people who visit the island on their holidays. There are many different reasons for this which can vary from person to person depending what kind of holiday they are after.
Moving To Spain To Avoid The Gannets (10)
Spanish fiestas are a regular occurrence and the atmosphere of one of these carnivals is way above anything the British can do alone. The effort and planning that goes into these things is something that everybody likes to get involved with.