I found an interesting survey today which was held by VisitScotland and Hollywood star Billy Boyd. People from the UK were asked to give their top 10 things to see and do in Scotland to find out what people chose as their perfect day in Scotland. Those surveyed were given a list of 108,000 possible activities in Scotland, which is a huge list to choose from. The results are interesting and show remarkable differences between several groups in the UK. The top ten results are:

Mancunians are the most inclined to seek out Scotland’s world famous Loch Ness Monster. Liverpudlians are keen sleuths searching Scotland’s famous landmarks for the Da Vinci Code and the Holy Grail. Sphering (going downhill in a huge transparent balloon) is one of the most popular activities for Cumbrians. Liverpudlians will go furthest to enjoy Scotland’s national drink (they included sailing to Britain’s remotest mainland pub, The Old Forge Inn, in their top 10). Holiday-makers from the Midlands and the North East of England are most likely to in creep through the spooky underground crypts and dungeons in Edinburgh. Londoners like to be spoilt with luxury experiences on a visit to Scotland. Adventure sports feature frequently in top ten things to see and two for visitors from most UK regions - supporting Scotland’s positioning as European Capital of Adventure. Paddling with a porpoise (small dolphin) is listed among the activities that people in Yorkshire like to take part in. The survey revealed that the top activity for people from across the UK to do in Scotland was dolphin watching in the Moray Firth in North East Scotland – not surprising give wildlife features so highly on popular TV programmes such as BBC’s SpringWatch. Taking a trip in a Loch Lomond Sea Plane, was voted a close second in overall UK results.

The first picture shows Chanonry Point on the Black Isle close to Inverness. This is a famous place to spot Dolphins from very close by. The picture was taken from Fort George (below), another great tourist attraction in this part of Scotland.

Fort George north-east of Inverness. This is a large 18th century fortress with perhaps the mightiest artillery fortifications in Europe. It was built to pacify the Scottish Highlands in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745.

After 30 years the Isle of Jura in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, has it's own direct link with the mainland. Until recently the islanders and visitors had to travel to Kennacraig and Islay first before they could get to Jura. The new service cuts two hours off the journey which makes it much more attractive for daytrippers to visit the Isle of Jura. The journey time between Craighouse on Jura and Tayvallich on the mainland is less than one hour. The passenger service itself is run by Islay Sea Safari since the 16th of June using a 36ft Rigid Inflatable Boat. The new ferry service will not run all year round but will be operational from the 16th of June to the 29th of September. The route is from the Stone Pier in Small Isles Bay at Craighouse (picture), Isle of jura to the pontoons owned by the Tayvallich Bay Association at Tayvallich. The three-year summer pilot is subsidised by Argyll and Bute Council and implemented by the Jura Initiative at the Edge group as well as the Jura Development Trust. The Press and Journal published an article today about the official launch. A quote from the article:

The new passenger ferry service has attracted funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for major infrastructure improvements at Craighouse, which have just been completed. Councillor Duncan MacIntyre, Argyll and Bute Council's roads and transportation spokesman, said: 'These improvements at Craighouse are to be welcomed with open arms.' The service runs every day, apart from Tuesday, until September 29, with four crossings each day, two in each direction, at a cost of £30 for a return trip. Next summer and the year after the service will run from April to September. HIE development manager Colin Mclean said: 'The project aims to boost the level of economic activity and visitor spend on Jura as well as enhance the sustainability of local businesses.' Isle of Jura Development Trust development officer Elaine Campbell said: 'We are delighted to have this project finally realised and fully support the benefits it will bring to the island.'

In a few years time, planning is 2011, Scotland will have the biggest windfarm in Europe. The Scottish government approved the plans for a 152-turbine windfarm which will be located on either side of the M74 motorway near Abington in South Lanarkshire. The new windfarm will be built in clusters of turbines on either side of the M74 motorway. It will have a total capacity of up to 548 Megawatts (MW) and will be capable of powering up to 320,000 homes. Scotland has very ambitious targets when it comes to generating renewable energy. Their target is to generate 50% of the total electricity demands from renewable sources. A quote from BBC Scotland:

Plans to build Europe's largest onshore wind farm in South Lanarkshire have been approved by Scottish ministers. At present, the largest wind farm in Scotland is currently being built on Eaglesham Moor to the south of Glasgow. Details of the Clyde wind farm were announced by First Minister Alex Salmond at the World Renewable Energy Congress in Glasgow. The approval for the development between Biggar and Moffat follows a public inquiry which was concluded in 2006. Approval for the project was welcomed by WWF Scotland director, Dr Richard Dixon. "The Clyde wind farm is a good proposal because it is close to major centres of population, who will use the power it generates, and away from Scotland's most valuable landscapes," he said.

The Isle of Islay really is my favourite Scottish Island and this has got nothing to do with the eight whisky distilleries on the island. I must admit though that it was the whisky that got me there in the first place, through a bottle of Laphroaig whisky. Becoming a Friend of Laphroaig started of a passion for the island that's getting stronger with every visit and after a few visit's to Islay you will find out that there is much more than "just distilleries". There are some very nice villages on the island as well and with the right conditions they offer unique opportunities for some fabulous pictures. This year we, my wife and I, spent another three weeks on Islay and the weather has been absolutely brilliant as you can see in the panorama pictures which I took in the second week of May. These three pictures can be seen in their full size when you click on them or on the Islay Info website for which I'm the webmaster as well. The page on which you can find more and larger images is the Islay Panorama Images page. I hope you like them!

Port Charlotte - Isle of Islay

Portnahaven - Isle of Islay

Port Ellen - Isle of Islay

When you have decided to plan a holiday in Scotland and have done all the necessary arrangements of booking flights or ferries, finding accommodation and finalizing your itinerary, you probably would like to know what events are taking place in the area where you are going to? To find out what's going on in your area you should really take a look at the website of Event Scotland. The following quote will explain who they are and what their objectives are:

EventScotland is Scotland's dedicated national events organisation responsible for attracting, creating and developing sporting and cultural events throughout the country. Established in 2003, EventScotland co-ordinates the delivery of the Major Events Strategy, launched in November 2002 by the Scottish Executive.

On their website you will find a comprehensive event calendar with search options for specific regions and periods. There is also a Newsfeed to stay up to date and you will find regular news updates through downloadable PDF files. Following is an overview of a few interesting events that take place in Scotland this summer: Continue reading.....

The Glenmorangie Company Unveils Plans for the Future with Multi-Million Pound Investment

The Glenmorangie Company has today (1st July 2008) unveiled proposals for a major investment programme worth £45 million, which will see the Company focus on building its highly successful, iconic premium single malt Scotch whisky brands – Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. This strategy is in response to rapidly growing demand for these brands.

The investment programme, to be rolled out over a two-year period, will include the relocation of its headquarters to Edinburgh and the construction of a bespoke, state-of-the-art, bottling facility in the Lothians area. The new bottling plant will provide the capacity for a significant increase in production of both single malts to meet the demand for premium single malt whisky in growing markets such as Asia, Continental Europe and the USA.

The Company’s flagship distillery is also set to benefit. The business plans include a multi-million pound investment in Glenmorangie’s Distillery in Tain, Ross-shire. In addition to the increase in distilling capacity, new whisky cask warehouses will be built and the popular Visitor Centre will be restyled, enhancing its attraction as a tourist destination. It was at the Tain distillery that the world-renowned single malt Glenmorangie was first created in 1843. Continue reading.....

The warm, dry and sunny spring ended suddenly with the offical start of summer. Some parts of Western Scotland had the driest and warmest spring in years with high temperatures already in May (picture right, sunset on Islay). Due to the drought some distilleries on Islay had to stop production. In the last weeks though cooler and wetter weather has set in and today BBC published an article on their website about a road closure and severe weather warnings. A quote from BBC Scotland:

Police confirmed the A7 at Auchenrivock south of Langholm would remain shut for some time as much of the country was hit by torrential downpours. A further landslip also partially closed a stretch of the same road north of the Dumfries and Galloway town. Severe weather warnings were issued for parts of Scotland, with the south appearing to be the worst hit. Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary has put in lengthy diversions due to the problems on the A7 - the main route from Langholm to the Borders and Cumbria.

Police have also urged motorists to be extra careful on all roads and to be wary of standing water which is also affecting the route. People usually expect July to be hot and sunny but this could be exceptional weather conditions for this time of year. BBC weather forecaster Gail McGrane warned that up to 50mm of rain could fall, particularly in parts of the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. The Met Office said it expected above or near average rainfall for the rest of the summer and said it would be cloudier and cooler than previous summers. This is despite this year seeing the warmest May ever recorded in Scotland and 2008 being on target to be one of the 10 warmest years. In Edinburgh, 23mm of rain fell between 2100 BST on Wednesday and 0900 BST on Thursday - more than a third of the city's average rainfall for July.

From Eilean Donan Castle to Fishing and from the Cairngorms to Golf, this video shows it all. This is a really nice Scotland Video which I found today on youtube. Even the music is pleasant so sit back, relax and enjoy.

The Scotsman reports today that a whole new forest is to appear near Loch Katrine, bringing back native species and offering a unique experience and the chance to see how Scotland looked like 500 years ago before sheep started to graze the lands.

Nothing like it has been seen for centuries. A new forest of four million trees is to be planted by the side of a famous Scottish loch in the UK's biggest woodland restoration scheme. The ambitious 20-year project to create a wooded wonderland will cover around 8,000 acres of land to the north, south and west of Loch Katrine with native species such as Caledonian pine, Atlantic oak, birch, hazel and alder.

Costing more than £3m, it will provide a new tourist attraction at the heart of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and create new habitats for native wildlife. Project managers hope that species such as wild deer, otters, pine martens and red squirrels will move in, while birds of prey will take up residence on the open fringes

The US billionaire Donald Trump has announced plans to build a new world class golfing centre in Aberdeenshire. The development could bring £150m to the local economy over the next decade, creating 400 jobs. The complex is planned for the Menie Estate, close to the North Sea coast between Balmedie and Ellon. First Minister Jack McConnell welcomed the move, but Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) stressed the local countryside would have to be protected.

The Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure committee however rejected (on the casting vote of its chairman) the plans by US tycoon Donald Trump. The plan had been earlier approved by local councillors, by seven votes to four, but the infrastructure committee seemed to hit the project into the long grass. However, there appeared to be a public outcry from those who saw the economic benefit of the scheme disappearing to another part of the world.

Now a special meeting of the full Aberdeenshire Council has been called to "reconsider" the decision. The time and place of the meeting have yet to be announced. The Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Forum and the local Chamber of Commerce view the Trump development as a golden opportunity to boost leisure tourism and raise the area's profile around the world. Refusing planning permission was therefore seen by them as a blow to the long-term prosperity of the region. Protesters have claimed that the resort would have a major impact on wildlife and destroy a beautiful part of Scotland. The Trump International Links scheme includes two championship golf courses and 1,500 homes. It is claimed the houses will pay for the development at the 1,400 acre site near Balmedie.

The decision also delighted Michael Forbes, 55, a local resident who refused to sell Mr Trump his 23 acres of land on the edge of the scheme. Mr Trump said on his last visit to Aberdeen that the small farm was an eyesore, and Mr Forbes responded by telling him to "stick his money". He was not at the meeting but his wife Sheila said they were "surprised but happy". Mr Forbes said he was "over the moon" after hearing the result. He added: "Hopefully, Trump has now got the message that we're not a bunch of cabbages up here. "We've managed fine without him up to now and we'll get on just as well without him." To be continued...