The Rest of Scotland

Location

Eschewing discussion on the exchange of ecclesiastical pleasantries at an Old Firm derby or our nascent national dish, the 3am kebab, Scotland’s 'national shame' is perhaps better embodied by the L-shaped hole in the o-zone layer exposing the dual-carriageways connecting Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. To truly expand your horizons and glimpse the vistas beyond the big smoke, visits to the expansive tranquility of Loch Lomond and Loch Ness would be ideal places to start. The latter has enjoyed more notoriety over the years on account of the mythical beastie lurking just below the surface, as well as the scenery it adds to the annual Rockness music festival, yet Loch Lomond’s calm waters and idyllic views offer similarly stunning views on top of a plethora of opportunity for outdoor activity, matched only by the picturesque peaks of Glencoe. Like Loch Lomond, a host of welcoming inns scatter the manifold beauty spots in the mountainous Glencoe region, and provide a similar spate of outdoor sports to get the adrenaline going. If you really want to hit the heights though, a swatch at the colossal Ben Nevis should do the trick - flanked by Fort William and Loch Linnhe, it’s the highest mountain in the UK at 4.4604 ft. To the south west, Dumfries & Galloway, birthplace of poet and veritable national treasure Robert Burns is a regional treasure trove full of museums, pagan festivals and historic attractions.

Delectation & Celebration

It won't come as a surprise that the more remote areas of Scotland are not exactly teeming with clubs and bars so we'd suggesting rolling your 'delectation' and 'celebration' into one just this time. If the prosaic noises that perennially emanate from puce-faced Calvinist types are to be believed, students – that’s you – are idle, malnourished, and worst of all, a burden to the taxpayer. While a trek to The Old Forge (Knoydart, by Mallaig) is unlikely to assuage the suspicion that your student loan is as good as permission from the First Minister to get blitzed on alcopops and weak lager, the curious geography of one of Scotland’s most remote pubs will at least ensure your pint is well earned, seeing as you’ll be hiking several miles to get there (unless you decide to confirm your prescribed inertia by catching the ferry instead). The Old Forge’s extensive seafood menu is not unique to the north of Scotland though; The Steam Packet Inn (Harbour Row, Isle of Withorn), a family owned inn that enjoys a busy trade from locals and tourists alike, is located in a sleepy fishing village to the west coast near Stranraer. Clachaig Inn (Glencoe) also comes recommended, especially if you’re the outdoors sort; as well as fantastic local produce (chiefly venison, beef and salmon) and over 160 varieties of malt whiskey, the Glencoe mountains provide the backdrop to a host of activities such as skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking and white water rafting.