D'ye spaek Scots?

XV

''Lay the proud usurpers low! 

Tyrants fall in every foe! 

Liberty's in every blow! 

Let us do, or die!''

Robert Burns

Scotland. A country that is a complete mystery to me. Having heard so much about its defiant people, its savage-like traditional food, its highlands and Lochs, I wonder which of the prejudices are actually true. At any rate, the Scottish accent with its peculiar, yet absolutely gorgeous sound shifts and the alveolar trrrill of the consonant 'r' is a charming distraction from the harsh London and internationally connoted English dialects. In my head, I've always thought of Scottish English compared to 'Queen's English' as Swiss German compared to Standard German. I wonder if its mountains will also remind me of a faint version of the Alps.

I haven't been more excited about travelling in a long time. It's a fast train from King's Cross up to Edinburgh and the flat English landscape is passing by in a flash. It's just past eight a.m.; our eyes are sticky and narrow and my dreams have been wild and have rendered me weary, as if I had been in a battle. The Scots have been fighting the English usurpers for hundreds of years and have now, through the referendum on Scottish independence, which will be held in September, almost achieved their freedom. Wallace would have been proud.

Prison or Scottish Parliament? You decide!

Wait a sec. Freedom from what exactly? Does the Queen still force the Scots to deliver their economical output to England? Yes, but for a greater good; Scotland's biggest natural resource is oil which is undeniably a lovely contribution to the United Kingdom's treasury. One must, however, not forget that unemployment in the north of the UK is relatively high which means that in the case of Scotland's independence the flood of benefits for Scottish citizens would be put to a stop. I wonder whether it's worth the risk? Scotland has already got quite an autonomous government anyway. Is the grudge they hold against the Southerners that strong indeed? What are they trying to prove?

One of the many supporters of Scottish independence

I've recently learned that Scottish universities are free for everyone (that is, Scottish and European students) which is, in fact, quite an achievement. Why, then, have they excluded English students from this regulation? Something doesn't seem right, but what can you do? I presume that most Scots are really nice people, but we'll see. And at least I'm not English... 

***

Loch Harport (Isle of Skye)

In hindsight, it did feel like coming home, at least when wandering through the dense woodlands. Carpet-like light green moss engulfs the ancient stone walls and protects the thick yet fragile roots of oak trees. Green heathers and grasslands full of familiar flowers are ideal grazing places for cattle and sheep. The Lochs might be a bit colder than most of Austria's lakes but they are equally beautiful. And then there is the mountain range, or highlands, which covers a vast part of Scotland and keeps this northern part of the British island exceptionally wet in summer and snowed-in in winter. Temperatures in London are nothing special in summer: they usually range from 15-25 degrees Celsius; however, the city seemed tropical compared to what we experienced in the west of Scotland.

A river of whisky

We realized that the best time to visit the Isle of Skye is actually May, but never mind. The rain didn't bother us that much; and the famous Tallisker distillery even depends on the frequent rain fall it as they only use spring water for their Whisky production. I have to admit that I've never been a huge fan of the golden, smoky drink (apart from when mixed with coke) but I was dumbstruck by the complicated process it takes to make qualitatively excellent Whisky.

The coastline, with its steep cliffs and blinding green slopes, seems to go on forever but somehow every corner looks different. And when the grumpy, greyish clouds open up for a rather strong ray of sunshine and the everlasting wind drags you closer to the edge of the extremely narrow road you know that you will return to this country in the near future.

The Austrians at the Highland Games

What can I say about the Scots and their culture? I wish I had had more contact with the locals, apart from the humorous pub staff, ginger-haired conductors and the friendly people at the tourist office. I recommend renting a wooden cabin in a rural region – you’ll feel like a Hobbit in the Shire, surrounded by gentle green hills, crystal-clear streams, tiny rabbits and baaing sheep. 

We also learned that a person playing a bagpipe is never far from wherever you are. And if you want the full experience of Scottish traditions you should not miss the Highland Games. Watch the muscly Hamish throw the caber, listen to marching bagpipe and drum bands, enjoy a lovely Angus beef burger with a pint of beer and sign up for the Scottish Independence campaign. (Or not.) 

Scottish breakfast, before

Scottish Breakfast, after

Yes, I’ve indulged in Scottish food for four days and have now been forced to go on a diet. The sugary shortbread was way too crumbly and the deliciously fat juices of haggis and black pudding have occupied the hardest stomachs of meat eaters. Not even baked beans are a relief for this kind of indigestion. 

Edinburgh, and please pronounce it Edinbura!

It’s useful to rent a car to see all the amazing places but make sure you balance the long drives with walks or runs (this also helps with the aforementioned stomach problem). Loch Ness is, of course, overrated but why would they not use the old tale of Nessie to attract families with kids to visit the great Nessieland? The story was a stroke of genius, in my opinion, a bit like The Sound of Music in Salzburg. They almost tricked me into buying one of those cute little Nessie cuddly toys. Bear in mind that Scotland offers not only beautiful landscapes but also great historical places such as the old city of Edinburgh, the battlefield of Stirling and countless castles throughout the country. The choice is yours!

In a nutshell, it is definitely worth walking 500 miles just to be in this fantastic natural reproduction of Tolkien’s Middle Earth; you don’t have to be a whisky fan nor like Mel Gibson in order to fall in love with this place. It is enough to suck in the beautiful scenery, breath in the fresh air and order a full Scottish breakfast. All there is left to say now is: A’ll be reit back!