My Scotland Adventure

During the last week of March, I traveled to Scotland and spent time in many treasured locations of the country. While I enjoyed seeing many touristy sights like Highland cows, castles, and bagpipers on the street, I observed many organic Scotland customs and normalities which are not largely advertised but were pleasant surprises to a non-native. Here is a list of some of my favorite Scottish discoveries “whilst” on my trip:

• While Spring has not yet sprung in New Hampshire, across the Atlantic, Scotland’s landscape is blossoming. The first thing I noticed upon leaving the Glasgow airport was the green. The grass was a vibrant shade of fern and the budding trees were just as bright. Adding to the landscape, daffodils were everywhere! Edinburgh, the Highlands, and Glasgow alike all shared the beautiful yellow flowers, which are native to Europe. They grow in clusters, so where there was one daffodil, there were many.

• When driving on the left side of the road, as you do in the nation, I observed a common traffic pattern, which is as prevalent in the US: roundabouts. While we do have a few in our area, there were more roundabouts in Scotland than regular intersections. This efficient construction allowed for easier traffic flow and was very helpful for navigation. Also, miles is the unit used on roadways, which was especially surprising due to the fact that most other European countries use kilometers. This was definitely beneficial when driving on the highways.

• In the US we have Coca-Cola. But, in Scotland, they have Irn Bru. This citrus soda has been their number-one selling soft drink for over a century, and Scotland is one of the few countries where Coke is not the number-one seller. Every vending machine I came in contact with had rows and rows of Irn Bru, with just a few Cokes at the bottom.

• Highland cows are hard to find in the Highlands! Seeing these fluffy, horned animals was at the top of my bucket list. So, naturally, I headed to the Highlands on day one of my trip. Despite searching for them in numerous parks and natural areas, (even an area called Cow Hill, which claimed to have many of the animals roaming free), I didn’t see a single one. It wasn’t until I returned to Glasgow towards the end of my trip that I saw some orange cows at a farm after consulting with a native about them. He reported that if I hoped to find a Highland cow in the Highlands, I was dreaming. Even though I didn’t get to see them in their natural habitat, the Highland cows were a highlight of my trip. 

Although it rained nearly every day of my Scottish adventure, the beautiful landscape was beyond worth it. If you are looking for a destination for your next trip, definitely consider exploring Scotland and all it has to offer.