GuidesLTR can provide a personal guide during your stay to escort you around and provide in depth knowledge about whatever historical or cultural interest you may have, taking in all the relevant landmarks and properties. These guides are carefully selected and personally vetted by LTR to ensure that they not only have the relevant knowledge but also the appropriate inter-personal skills, appearance and general character that we know our guests would expect. We realise that the imparting of historical knowledge is only part of their job!
We can also source guides with language skills and with adequate warning we will put together a carefully designed tour to complement your interests, whilst always trying to add in a few unexpected treats. We pride ourselves on our knowledge of hidden gems, which often constitute the high point of our guests visit. Wherever possible the owner of the property being visited will be on hand to add a personal touch and often lunch or afternoon tea is provided. Nothing is run of the mill with LTR and we work hard to source the unusual.
A few examples of past events:-
- Tea with Marguerite Ogilvie, Scotland’s leading expert on rare trees, followed by a tour of her glorious garden.
- Tea with Will Duncan, the world’s leading expert on apples
- A lecture by Roger Banks on weeds, followed by lunch at Lobster Cottage, Crail, Fife
- A Private tour of Scotland’s finest collection of Old Master paintings
- A tour of Bemersyde, home of Earl Haig, official artist at Colditz and son of the Field Marshall.
- Private dinner at Edinburgh Castle.
- Dinner and talk by Rosamunde Pilcher, the well known Scottish novelist
- Access on a private basis to any of the wonderful Castles administered by the National Trust for Scotland
- Private tour of the Hamilton apartments in the Palace of Holyrood.
Six City Breaks - Market Briefing
Mountains, lochs, moorland, rivers, beaches, islands...Scotland is all about big country isn't it? Well yes. But increasingly Scotland is also about the big city experience and there are now six in the city league. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness and Stirling. Modern Scotland is highly urbanised with 82% of the population living in settlements of 3000 or more.
Each of the six cities has a distinct culture and the fact that they are close to each other - well, in Texan terms at least - means that Scotland is an attractive destination for traditional city breaks and the new breed of urban adventurer looking for the big city experience in a short period of time.
Each of the six cities has a unqiue differentiation - with well developed identities and brands. Here is a quick summary of each of them.
Edinburgh - 'Athens of the North'
Edinburgh, Scotland's capital is located on the east coast at the mouth of the Firth of Forth and has a population of around 450,000. Like Rome it is built on seven hills and its spectacular skyline is dominated by the famous Castle, the extinct volcano Arthur's Seat, Grecian colonnades and a dizzying array of spires. The world changing ideas of the Scottish enlightenment emanated from here and today it is the seat of devolved Scottish parliament and the figurehead of a confident, creative new nation. It is a thriving commercial, cultural and educational centre and since 1947 has become known as 'Festival City'. Today it hosts a half dozen or so international arts and science festivals that attract massive audiences from around the world and give a carnival feel to the city. Edinburgh is world famous for its mix of medieval and Georgian architecture and is rapidly gaining a new reputation for stunning new buildings. The city is steeped in history, yet is also a thriving hub of contemporary culture with many galleries, theatres, concert halls and cinemas, not to mention bars, clubs and restaurants. The city has many parks and gardens, including the world famous Royal Botanic Garden and the vistas out to the Firth of Forth, Arthur's Seat and the Pentland Hills are nothing less than breathtaking.
Glasgow - 'The second city of the Empire'
Glasgow, on the famous River Clyde, was once called the second city of the empire, due to the huge wealth from its ship building industry and there's alot of splendid architecture from the Victorian era to be enjoyed. Much of the labour for this industry was drawn from the highlands, which is why poet Iain Crichton Smith called Glasgow the 'Highland City'. There is certainly a very different feel to this west coast metropolis which is a mere 40 miles from the capital. Glasgow is a city that had to reinvent itself after the decline of its major industry. It is Scotland's biggest city with a population exceeding 1 million and is surrounded by substantial conurbations and satellite towns but it has faced its social challenges by attracting new investments into the city and today it's a cultural and educational hub that features prominently on the international map for theatre, music visial arts, architecture and film. The city has many fine examples of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a native of Glasgow. It is Scotland's media centre, boasts a brand new financial centre and is both the biggest and most fashionable retail centre outside of London with the attendant plethora of bars, clubs and restaurants.
Aberdeen - 'The Granite City'
Aberdeen, located between the Dee and Don rivers, is Scotland's 3rd largest city with a population of 200,000. In the 19th century much of the city's neo-classical buildings were designed using local granite, hence its title. The city indeed boasts many impressive buildings. It is the largest manufactoring centre in the north with paper, chemicals, machinery and textiles harmonising with the fishing and agricultural heritage of the area. With the coming of offshore oil in the 1970s Aberdeen became the 'Oil Capital of Europe' and a recent survey revealed it as the most prosperous city in Britain outside of the South East of England. The city has a strong academic tradition, is cuturally well catered for and regularly wins prizes for its floral displays. It is close to some of Scotland's most stunning coastal and mountain landscapes, castles, gardens and whisky distilleries galore.
Dundee - 'City of Discovery'
Situated on picturesque Tayside, 'Bonny'Dundee is also famous as the City of Discovery: it's here that you will find the Royal Research Ship Discovery in which the explorers Scott and Shackleton sailed to Antarctica at the beginning of the 20th Century. Dundee is also synonymous with jute, jam and journalism on account of the industries that once dominated the region, which also accounts for the statue of cartoon character Desperate Dan in the city centre. Dundee with its world class university is now a hub for cutting edge medical and bio-tech research, the home of many hi-tech companies and one of the world's leading centres in computer games. It's Scotland's fourth largest city with a population of 140,000, has a thriving arts scene, a buzzing nightlife and is close to some of the world's most famous golf courses!
Inverness - 'Capital of the Highlands'
Inverness, situated at the top of Loch Ness and beside the Moray Firth is growing at an unprecedented rate. It became Scotland's 5th city in 2001 and it's 41,000 citizens enjoy a cosmopolitan atmosphere unique in the highlands. Indeed, it was recently ranked 5th out of 189 British cities for its quality of life. It is the administrative, commercial and industrial centre of the Highlands and thrives on a dynamic combination of traditional industries, inward investment, innovative technology and a well-educated workforce. Tourism is a key industry and the city is the gateway to a beautiful and historic region and the home of the famous Loch Ness monster.....
Stirling - 'Clasping Highalnds and Lowlands together'
With its mighty Castle perched dramatically above its rooftops, Stirling is one of Scotland's most histroic towns and is known as the 'gateway to the Highlands'. It's also a thriving modern city - Scotland's newest in fact - with excellent arts provision, a go-ahead university and excellent shopping. Also on the skyline is the National Wallace monument and these are the two cues for the visitor to find out more about the city's history and local heroes, Robert the Bruce and William Wallace. The city has a population of 85,000, is the HQ for many diverse businesses and its location makes it highly desirable for commuters. The Trossachs (range of hills) and Campsie Fells are both on its doorstep.
See Also: Accommodation, LTR Service, Activities, Food & Drink & Getting Around
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