Staycations

[yvonnejambo]

7 minutes ago, theshed said:

A week in Aberdeen 😱

Only to visit friends 😂

[highlandjambo3]

15 hours ago, Irufushi said:

Three chimneys pal. Outrageously good, best meal I have ever had. We did a 8 or 10 course meal thing and it was incredible. 

Very expensive now and you need to book in advance 

[highlandjambo3]

2 hours ago, yvonnejambo said:

Well I live in Ullapool which is now not just a tourist spot for folk to stay for a few days or week, but part of the NC500 racetrack. I and many others who live here are grateful for being able to go about our work on roads so quiet and not nearly getting wiped out by sports car groups driving all over the road to see how quick they can drive it. 

Ullapool & NW coast needs tourists but there is a lot of concern about lots of people coming back up and not adhering to guidelines. I think 1 of the main issues from up here as rural communities that are 1-3 hours away from a hospital, the infrastructure is so limited. 
There has been no cases confirmed in this part of the World, but that is because we have small communities and set up good systems to keep local people safe. So the worry now is opening cautiously and safely to welcome tourists back and keep 70% of people in these communities in some kind of employment as tourism is so important up here.

What I would say is not all businesses will be open, but there already is enough doing takeaway to keep everyone happy. The North West is stunning so don’t race round it as that is a waste. Stop a few days in 1 part and just enjoy the natural beauty. The locals are normally all very friendly, this year I think some might not be so keen to see tourists, but it’s essential and many including me will be nice to see different faces and have chats. 
 

Oh and for my holidays, I will have a week in Edinburgh and a week in Aberdeen 😆

You were doing fine up until the weeks holiday in Aberdeen......wt actual f is there to do in Aberdeen for a week?

 

[tian447]

We had booked a weekend in Skye at the very start of March, and managed to still go - it was self catering, and we didn't actually bump into anyone else when we were there as we done a key pick up and drop off at the property.

 

It was absolutely stunning, and I would love to go back, but I think we'll wait a bit longer as I wouldn't want to travel to some of the smaller communities and potentially bring anything in.

 

Missing our yearly jaunt to Poland though

 

Maybe by October/November we might get away somewhere.

[yvonnejambo]

47 minutes ago, highlandjambo3 said:

You were doing fine up until the weeks holiday in Aberdeen......wt actual f is there to do in Aberdeen for a week?

 

I went to Uni down there and have lots of mates from those days who still live there. I normally time visits around footy fixtures but without that just spend time with mates

[EH11_2NL]

23 hours ago, davemclaren said:

We were on Grand Cayman for a week in 2009 staying up at the Tortuga(?) resort. Great holiday and gorgeous island. 

You wouldn't recognise the place now. Even in the 2 and a half years I've been here, the amount of development is incredible. In 5 years it will look like Miami 😔

[davemclaren]

49 minutes ago, EH11_2NL said:

You wouldn't recognise the place now. Even in the 2 and a half years I've been here, the amount of development is incredible. In 5 years it will look like Miami 😔

We were back in Georgetown and seven mile beach for a day off a cruise ship in 2018. It certainly looked more developed from that brief visit. Still gorgeous though. 😎

[Ribble]

On 30/06/2020 at 23:42, Ricardo Shillyshally said:

might need to merge this with the "I had to shite  in a field" thread if reports from last weekend are anything  to go by

 

More down a hole than in a field with the place we've booked for the end of july, we're staying in a converted bus with an outside 'compost' loo.

 

Not far from Eilean Donan castle and will do a day touring round Skye and another doing the Applecross trail. 

[Helzibob]

10 hours ago, Ainsley Harriott said:

Off to Cornwall end of July but not sure if I will regret the drive with a 5 year old in the back of the car.

We did this journey when I was a wee kid and my folks decided to leave about 1am to miss all the traffic and my sister and I slept the whole way. 

[Helzibob]

10 hours ago, Ainsley Harriott said:

Off to Cornwall end of July but not sure if I will regret the drive with a 5 year old in the back of the car.

We did this journey when I was a wee kid and my folks decided to leave about 1am to miss all the traffic and my sister and I slept the whole way. 

[Helzibob]

10 hours ago, Ainsley Harriott said:

Off to Cornwall end of July but not sure if I will regret the drive with a 5 year old in the back of the car.

We did this journey when I was a wee kid and my folks decided to leave about 1am to miss all the traffic and my sister and I slept the whole way. 

[Ainsley Harriott]

13 minutes ago, Helzibob said:

We did this journey when I was a wee kid and my folks decided to leave about 1am to miss all the traffic and my sister and I slept the whole way. 

I think that could be a good shout. Not sure I can take the are we there yet every 15 minutes all the way. 👍

[RobboM]

9 minutes ago, Ainsley Harriott said:

I think that could be a good shout. Not sure I can take the are we there yet every 15 minutes all the way. 👍

I'm from Penzance originally and used to do this drive every summer as soon as our schools were on holiday. I really liked the overight drive. For us it was a 564 mile drive door to door and I would do it with just a single petrol stop somehere around the halfway point at Birmingham. Doing the drive overnight the roads would get quieter and quieter once you were past Birmingham, the rest of the car was fast asleep and I found it a doddle.

Edited July 2, 2020 by RobboM

[EH11_2NL]

2 hours ago, davemclaren said:

We were back in Georgetown and seven mile beach for a day off a cruise ship in 2018. It certainly looked more developed from that brief visit. Still gorgeous though. 😎

Selfishly, it's better at the moment with the cruise ship ban and no tourists. Beaches are cleaner, there are not hordes of super-morbidly obese Americans clogging up the place (the town just isn't big enough for 3 or more ships in) and less taxis and buses which are driven by imbeciles. And the water is much clearer for diving with eagle rays and the like making a comeback with no ships in to churn up the seabed. 

[davemclaren]

1 hour ago, EH11_2NL said:

Selfishly, it's better at the moment with the cruise ship ban and no tourists. Beaches are cleaner, there are not hordes of super-morbidly obese Americans clogging up the place (the town just isn't big enough for 3 or more ships in) and less taxis and buses which are driven by imbeciles. And the water is much clearer for diving with eagle rays and the like making a comeback with no ships in to churn up the seabed. 

It was chaos when we arrived with the other ships. A nightmare getting a taxi to seven mile beach. 

[Finbar Saunders]

4 hours ago, Helzibob said:

We did this journey when I was a wee kid and my folks decided to leave about 1am to miss all the traffic and my sister and I slept the whole way. 

 

I left at midnight and got to Lizard Point at about 14.30 I think after covering just over 700 miles. I was on a bike (not a push bike I hasten to add) so I'd a few petrol/fag/coffee stops on the way and added on extra miles doing a thing that custom bike mag had going that involved having you picture your bike with certain place signs. Took 2 days to get home though!

[graygo]

Settled into our holiday cottage on the shore of Loch Fyne, absolutely stunning. If we could guarantee weather like we had in May I think I would do this every year.

[Jambo-Jimbo]

13 minutes ago, graygo said:

Settled into our holiday cottage on the shore of Loch Fyne, absolutely stunning. If we could guarantee weather like we had in May I think I would do this every year.

 

I think most people would do the same, if we could guarantee the weather.

[highlandjambo3]

52 minutes ago, graygo said:

Settled into our holiday cottage on the shore of Loch Fyne, absolutely stunning. If we could guarantee weather like we had in May I think I would do this every year.

There is a cracking fish restaurant over there....think it’s still only outdoor dining till Wednesday 15though. 

[graygo]

20 minutes ago, highlandjambo3 said:

There is a cracking fish restaurant over there....think it’s still only outdoor dining till Wednesday 15though. 

 

Aye most of them are, the Creggan's Inn is just up the road but not open till next Friday ☹️

[jimmyjambo]

2 hours ago, graygo said:

Settled into our holiday cottage on the shore of Loch Fyne, absolutely stunning. If we could guarantee weather like we had in May I think I would do this every year.

Do you have a link for the cottage, quite fancy a few days up that way

[graygo]

15 minutes ago, jimmyjambo said:

Do you have a link for the cottage, quite fancy a few days up that way

 

Every second house up here seems to be a holiday rental place.

 

Here's a link to the one we're in, hope you're not a serial killer who I've pissed off. 🥺

 

https://www.self-catering-scotland.com/strachurbylochfyne/

[Smack]

On 01/07/2020 at 18:45, Boof said:

Personally, I'd be happy to see no tourists here this year at all but apart from an occasional tour bus driving duty I'm not an accommodation or any other service provider.

 

If ferry capacity is still limited (can't recall how much it's down to just now - certainly not very much) there might just be some sort of request to make bookings prioritised for islanders - if they aren't already. As I've no plans to leave the islands this summer (first time for 43 years!) I haven't been keeping up to date with the ins and outs of it all. Air travel - not sure about that either.

 

My worry is folk buggering off to somewhere and bringing a fresh dose of the virus back with them. We seem to be pretty clear of it just now - once travel builds up again, though, I think we're in for another period of more limited activities.

[jimmyjambo]

26 minutes ago, graygo said:

 

Every second house up here seems to be a holiday rental place.

 

Here's a link to the one we're in, hope you're not a serial killer who I've pissed off. 🥺

 

https://www.self-catering-scotland.com/strachurbylochfyne/

😂 no, not a serial killer

 

Cheers for the link, will have a look 

[Finbar Saunders]

3 hours ago, jimmyjambo said:

😂 no, not a serial killer

 

Cheers for the link, will have a look 

 

Serial killers always deny the fact that they are serial killers. Just saying......

[ri Alban]

Where's the best place in Edinburgh for a long weekend? 

[Finbar Saunders]

Waited and waited on things getting better before we chanced booking for Malaga/Torremolinos, jist no going to happen this year so we've booked a cottage near Newtonmore with its own humping pond in a shed for 3 nights. Still got to decide where to go for the 7 nights beforehand but Lossiemouth is looking a good bet.

[Harry Potter]

10 hours ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

Waited and waited on things getting better before we chanced booking for Malaga/Torremolinos, jist no going to happen this year so we've booked a cottage near Newtonmore with its own humping pond in a shed for 3 nights. Still got to decide where to go for the 7 nights beforehand but Lossiemouth is looking a good bet.

How did you find the prices, looked for a caravan for 4 nights, some quoting 6 hundred odd pounds, joke price.

One for a week was 1200 pounds😵, garden has won it.

[ri Alban]

Is a staycation not when you just stay in the hoose for your holidays. 

[crunchy frog]

Lossiemouth, the jewel of Moray in September for the third time this year

[Sooperstar]

On 01/07/2020 at 17:51, Craig Gordons Gloves said:

Pedantry alert 

 

A "staycation" is when you take your holidays from work but actually stay at home and do things like day trips, home improvements etc.  

Holidaying in the same country that you live in is not a staycation, it's a holiday.  Bear in mind that the term is a US one where more than 80% of vacations are taken within the country.

 

Pedantry corner is over, thank you for your time. 

https://www.irishpost.com/news/dara-o-briain-rages-fans-a-staycation-is-not-a-holiday-in-the-same-country-you-live-in-187954

 

On 01/07/2020 at 18:49, graygo said:

 

Both definitions are acceptable.

 

https://www.lexico.com/definition/staycation

 

19 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Is a staycation not when you just stay in the hoose for your holidays. 

 

[hughesie27]

A staycation is 100% a holiday in your own country (UK or Scotland). They are allowed to have a different definition in the US. 

[Finbar Saunders]

5 hours ago, Harry Potter said:

How did you find the prices, looked for a caravan for 4 nights, some quoting 6 hundred odd pounds, joke price.

One for a week was 1200 pounds😵, garden has won it.

 

Look on AirBnB Harry, caravans and indeed houses come in cheaper than actual caravan sites on their own websites. We paid £425 for the cottage (price is high because of the hot tub) but we're looking at between £400/500 for the week elsewhere.

[Finbar Saunders]

1 hour ago, crunchy frog said:

Lossiemouth, the jewel of Moray in September for the third time this year

 

Just got to convince her now, got a few mates there and I can visit the Windswept brewery.

[Harry Potter]

3 hours ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

Look on AirBnB Harry, caravans and indeed houses come in cheaper than actual caravan sites on their own websites. We paid £425 for the cottage (price is high because of the hot tub) but we're looking at between £400/500 for the week elsewhere.

Cheers.

[Morgan]

5 hours ago, ri Alban said:

Is a staycation not when you just stay in the hoose for your holidays. 

No.

 

That’s the classic ‘Ye canny beat a week at home, just pottering around’ type of comment from folk who  can’t afford a holiday.

 

They expect you to believe they are being sincere too.  

[Finbar Saunders]

42 minutes ago, Morgan said:

No.

 

That’s the classic ‘Ye canny beat a week at home, just pottering around’ type of comment from folk who  can’t afford a holiday.

 

They expect you to believe they are being sincere too.  

 

Feck staying at home, I live in a cul-de-sac which must easily be the busiest street in Blackburn due to drug dealers. I'm off up North to escape from the twats.

[Sooperstar]

16 minutes ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

Feck staying at home, I live in a cul-de-sac which must easily be the busiest street in Blackburn due to drug dealers. I'm off up North to escape from the twats.

Better hope you don't get burgled while you're away.

[John Findlay]

On 01/07/2020 at 13:31, PortyJambo said:

I've had a wee trip south to the Isle of Wight booked since early this year, so relaxation in travel restrictions is coming at the right time.

 

Although I see IoW is one on the list of 36 places that is at risk of local shutdowns....that would be just so 2020.

I had my honeymoon there way back in May 1983. Isle of Wight is good.

[PortyJambo]

16 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

I had my honeymoon there way back in May 1983. Isle of Wight is good.

 

We enjoyed it, weather was great, only one wet day in the week we were there.

 

Funny thing is my dad was in the navy, and he was stationed in Portsmouth for a year, but we never popped over to the island for a visit! I was only 4/5 years old at the time though, so probably wouldn't have remembered much about it anyway if we had.

[John Findlay]

Just now, PortyJambo said:

 

We enjoyed it, weather was great, only one wet day in the week we were there.

 

Funny thing is my dad was in the navy, and he was stationed in Portsmouth for a year, but we never popped over to the island for a visit! I was only 4/5 years old at the time though, so probably wouldn't have remembered much about it anyway if we had.

It's a nice part of the UK. Get good weather in the summer.

[crunchy frog]

15 hours ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

Just got to convince her now, got a few mates there and I can visit the Windswept brewery.

Shouldn't need much persuading mate. Just show her a few photos, she also has the promise of ice cream!

[DETTY29]

Looked to do Skye / Harris etc for a week but after a few phone calls to the area when struggling to get anything for a decent price on line, or other suggestions, it sounds a shite place to go just now.

 

Busier than ever with camper vans and wild tenters notably, being arseholes.  Then you add in that west of the Great Glen is having their most densely populus of midgies in 20 years.

 

There was also a piece on Radio Scotland about houses being hired for parties just now and the complainer was from West Linton of all places.  Anyway, a few moments on and there is a follow up on even more local legislation required for Air BnB, notably the 'house swap' holidays and one side of the swap turns up at the other in a group of roughly 25 for stag parties etc.  (One two bedroom house had the 25 staying).  Worst 2 places in Scotland for this happening, Edinburgh and Skye.

 

Nah.

 

So off to Nairn and the Moray Firth for a few days instead.

 

 

[jumpship]

we go to (Deleted, as I don't want it to get popular so prices go up and a availability goes down) every year. 

 

Absolutely stunning place to go, and as its an estate you get the run of the grounds. Great wee towns near by like (deleted) and (deleted) the walks are amazing. 

 

Highly recommend (deleted) 👌 

Edited August 21, 2020 by jumpship

[graygo]

7 minutes ago, jumpship said:

we go to (Deleted, as I don't want it to get popular so prices go up and a availability goes down) every year. 

 

Absolutely stunning place to go, and as its an estate you get the run of the grounds. Great wee towns near by like (deleted) and (deleted) the walks are amazing. 

 

Highly recommend (deleted) 👌 

 

Might try that next time, never been before.

[Morgan]

18 hours ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

Feck staying at home, I live in a cul-de-sac which must easily be the busiest street in Blackburn due to drug dealers. I'm off up North to escape from the twats.

Good man!

 

Enjoy yourself.  

[jumpship]

Romour has it BoJo is staying in Fife.. 

 

At the same time there is a Russian super-Yacht anchored just of Fife as well.  

[IronJambo]

This "staycation" term is a nonsense unless you're staying at home and just going a few day trips.

 

Going to Cornwall for a week is a holiday/vacation, not a staycation 

[Sooperstar]

10 hours ago, jumpship said:

we go to (Deleted, as I don't want it to get popular so prices go up and a availability goes down) every year. 

 

Absolutely stunning place to go, and as its an estate you get the run of the grounds. Great wee towns near by like (deleted) and (deleted) the walks are amazing. 

 

Highly recommend (deleted) 👌 

Sounds absolutely (deleted).

[Finbar Saunders]

11 hours ago, crunchy frog said:

Shouldn't need much persuading mate. Just show her a few photos, she also has the promise of ice cream!

 

Booked a massive van at Silver Sands mate, all round decking and even a covered bit for us filthy smokers.