UNIQUE COTTAGES

->Scotland

Scotland

Getting around

As you'd expect of such a small and densely populated island, just about every place in Britain is accessible by train or bus. However, costs are among the highest in Europe - London's commuters spend more on getting to work than any of their European counterparts - while cross-country travel can eat up a large part of your budget. It pays to plan ahead and make sure you're aware of all the passes and special deals on offer - note that some are only available outside Britain and must be purchased before you arrive. It's often cheaper to drive yourself around, though fuel and car rental costs again are among the highest in Europe and will seem prohibitive to North Americans. Congestion around the main cities can be bad, and even the motorways are liable to sporadic gridlocks, especially on public holidays when what seems like half the population takes to the roads

Internal flights

Since the distances involved are so small, internal flights are not the most obvious choice for getting around Britain. However, with several regional airports - including Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh - well served by low-cost airlines - flights can be a cost-effective as well as time-saving way of travelling.

You can fly to Scotland's main airports - Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen - in an hour or so from London, as well as from various provincial airports. There's usually a confusingly wide range of fares. The best deals are special-offer tickets, sold at least three days in advance on specific flights; these tend to fly at less social hours and are subject to availability and certain restrictions, but the savings can make the extra effort well worthwhile. The next cheapest seats are Apex tickets, available on all flights, at about half the price of a full-price economy-class ticket. The full amount for Apex must be paid at least two weeks before departure, and only half of the price will be returned if the booking is cancelled. Anyone under 26 should also check out a specialist agency such as Campus Travel or STA Travel, as they offer special youth deals, including Domestic Air Passes (aka "Skytrekker Passes") on British Airways flights, which can get you to Inverness and the Hebrides for a fraction of the published fare. We've listed addresses for discount agents.

As a broad guide to what you're likely to pay, reckon on £30 for a rock-bottom one-way ticket from Luton or Stansted to Edinburgh or Glasgow with Easyjet or Go. Full return fares for British Airways, bmi/British Midland or KLM, the three main carriers, start at around £100, rising to more than double that for the most flexible tickets; Apex rates and reductions for young persons and students apply in most cases. Note, too, that airport tax is levied on all domestic flights to Scotland.

BA also flies from Cardiff to Glasgow, Edinburgh and London for around £100 return, and to Aberdeen for £140 return.

Airlines

KLM tel 0870/507 4074, www.klmuk.com. London to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

bmi/British Midland tel 0870/607 0555, www.flybmi.com. London, Manchester and East Midlands to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

British Airways tel 0845/773 3377, www.britishairways.com. London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Plymouth and Cardiff to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen; London and Birmingham to Inverness.

EasyJet tel 0870/600 0000, www.easyjet.com. Luton to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.

Go tel 0870/607 6543, www.go-fly.com. London and Bristol to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Ryanair tel 0870/156 9569, www.ryanair.com. Stansted to Prestwick.

Flight agents

North South Travel tel 01245/608 291, www.northsouthtravel.co.uk. Friendly, competitive travel agency, whose profits are used to support projects in the developing world.

STA Travel tel 0870/160 6070, www.statravel.co.uk. Specialists in low-cost flights and tours for students and under-26s, though other customers welcome.

Usit Campus tel 0870/240 1010, www.usitcampus.co.uk. Student/youth travel specialists, with branches also in YHA shops and on university campuses all over Britain.

By train

In the recent past Britain's rail network has suffered a foolhardy privatization process and a chronic under-investment, resulting in a severe decline in services. With the ownership of the track and stations put into the hands of Railtrack, but the trains and services run by a tangle of private companies, there has been no little confusion when it comes to trying to figure out routes and prices. Spiralling prices and unreliable services had already caused many passengers to run for their cars, but it was the train disasters at Paddington in 1999 and Hatfied in 2000 that brought the crisis on the privatized railways to a head; an urgent and long overdue overhaul of the tracks followed, but public confidence in the privatized system - and Railtrack in particular - hit an all time low. At the end of 2001, the government finally pulled the plug on troubled Railtrack, and a re-evaluation of how the privatized network shall be run in the future is currently underway.

Despite this bleak picture, it is fair to say that most trains run more-or-less to schedule (except on Sundays when maintenance work takes place) and that there are but a few major towns that cannot be reached by rail. Travelling across country - or reaching remote corners - can be more tricky, however, and at best will involve connections with several different services.

You can buy tickets at the train station on the day of travel, but it should hardly come as a surprise to find that booking as far ahead as possible ensures the cheapest fares - or that travelling most places on a Friday, or just turning up at the station to buy a ticket, are the most expensive ways to go. In all instances, an essential first call is National Rail Enquiries (we've listed rail contacts), which can advise on booking, routes and services throughout the country. Credit-card bookings are made through the privatized rail companies; if you're booking three or more days in advance, you can do this through any of the companies, otherwise you will need to contact the network that covers the station you depart from. National Rail Enquiries will supply the necessary contact name and number.

At the time of writing, there were four types of reduced-fare ticket - Saver, SuperSaver, SuperAdvanced and Apex - all with byzantine restrictions which are often different from route to route and company to company (for instance, it's often cheaper to travel return from the north to London, than it is from London to the north). Apex tickets are issued in limited numbers on certain intercity journeys of 150 miles or more, and have to be booked at least 7 days before travelling; a seat reservation is included with the ticket. To give you an idea of the differing fares, using the London-Manchester service as an example, an open return fare costs £164, a Saver £49, a SuperSaver £47 and an Apex £30, with special deals bringing the fare as low as £15 at certain times of the year. For all special-offer tickets you should book as far in advance as you possibly can - many Apex tickets are sold out weeks before the travel date.

Children aged 5-15 inclusive pay half the adult fare on most journeys - but there are no discounts on Apex tickets. Under-5s travel free, although they are not entitled to a seat.

At weekends and on public holidays, many long-distance services have a special deal whereby you can convert your second-class ticket to a first-class one by buying a first-class supplement, which costs between £5 and £15 and is well worth paying if you're facing a five-hour journey on a popular route - every Brit has a horror story about having to stand all the way from London to Glasgow in a smelly second-class carriage.

If the station's ticket office is closed - which is likely at rural stations at weekends - or does not have a vending machine, you may buy your ticket on the train. Otherwise, boarding without a ticket will render you liable to paying the full fare to your destination.

Rail passes

For foreign visitors who anticipate covering a lot of ground around Britain, a rail pass is a wise investment. The most useful is probably the BritRail Classic Pass, which must be bought before you enter the country, is available from the companies we've listed and many specialist tour operators outside Britain. It gives unlimited travel in England, Scotland and Wales for eight days ($265), fifteen days ($400), twenty-two days ($505) or one month ($600). The BritRail Flexipass is good for travel on four days out of one month ($235), eight days out of two months ($340), or fifteen days out of two months ($515). Note that with both these passes there are discounts for those under 25 (BritRail Youth passes) or over 60 (BritRail Senior passes). The BritRail Pass 'n' Drive allows unlimited train travel for three days plus two days' car rental within a two-month period and costs from $257.50 for two adults, depending on the type of car. Up to five additional car days can be added.

Some passes are available only in Britain itself. The Young Person's Railcard costs £18 and is available to full-time students and those aged between 16 and 25 and gives a third off all standard, Saver, Supersaver and day-return fares. A Senior Citizens' Rail Card, also £18 and offering the same discounts, is available to those aged 60 or over. Families would do well to make use of the Family Railcard, which costs £20 and covers up to four adults who are entitled to a 33 percent discount, and up to four children who travel on a 60 percent reduction of the child's full fare. Up to four adults and four children can travel on a Network Card which costs £20 and applies to off-peak services throughout London and the south of England (including Oxford, Cambridge and all the Home Counties). Adults travel at a 34 percent discount and children for a flat fare of £1.

If you are planning to travel widely around Europe by train, then it may be worthwhile buying a Eurail Pass, though this is unlikely to pay for itself if you stick to Britain alone. The pass, which must be purchased before arrival in Europe, allows unlimited free train travel in the UK and sixteen other countries. The Eurail Youthpass (for under-26s) costs $388 for fifteen days, $499 for twenty-one days, or $623 for one month; if you're 26 or over you'll have to buy a first-class pass, available in fifteen-day ($554), twenty-one-day ($718), and one-month ($890) versions. You stand a better chance of getting your money's worth out of a Eurail Flexipass, which is valid for a certain number of travel days in a two-month period. This, too, comes in under-26/first-class versions: ten days, costing $458/$654 and $599/$862 for fifteen days.

Rail information and enquiries

IN THE US AND CANADA

BritRail Travel International tel 1-888/BRITRAIL or 212/490-6688, www.raileurope.com. All rail passes, rail-drive and multi-country passes and tickets for Eurotunnel. Also sells ferry tickets across the Channel.

Europrail International Inc tel 1/888-667-9734, www.europrail.net. Specializes in Eurail and other rail passes.

Online Travel tel 1-800/660-5300 or 847/318-8890, www.eurorail.com. Eurail and Britrail passes.

Rail Europe US tel 1-800/438-7245, Canada1-800/361-7245, www.raileurope.com/us. Official Eurail Pass agent in North America.

IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Rail Plus Australia tel 1300/555 003 or 03/9642 8644, info@railplus.com.au; New Zealand tel 09/303 2484. Sells Eurail and Britrail passes.

Trailfinders Australia tel 02/9247 7666. Sells Eurail passes.

IN THE UK

National Rail Enquiries tel 08457/48 49 50, www.nationalrail.co.uk. For all timetable and fare information in the UK. Calls are charged at local rates and are usually answered very promptly.

By bus and coach

Inter-town bus services (known as coaches in Britain) duplicate many rail routes, very often at half the price of the train or less. The frequency of service is often comparable to rail, and in some instances the difference in journey time isn't great enough to be a deciding factor; buses are generally comfortable, and the ones on longer routes often have drinks and sandwiches available on board. There's a plethora of regional companies operating buses and coaches, but by far the biggest national operator is National Express, whose network extends to every corner of the country. With rail prices becoming exorbitant, National Express services are so popular that for busy routes, and on any route at weekends and during holidays, it's advisable to book ahead, rather than just turn up.

Local bus services are run by a bewildering array of companies, most private, a few not. In many cases, timetables and routes are well integrated, but it's increasingly the case that private companies duplicate the busiest routes in an attempt to undercut the commercial opposition, leaving the farther-flung spots neglected. Thus, if you want to get from one end of a big English city to another, you'll probably have a choice of buses all offering cut-price fares, but to get out into the suburbs or to a satellite village, you may have to wait several hours. As a rule, the further away from urban areas you get, the less frequent and more expensive bus services become, but there are very few rural areas which aren't served by at least the occasional privately owned minibus.

National and local bus enquiries

Local bus information and hotline numbers are listed throughout the guide, but for the latest details contact one of the following:

Traveline tel 0870/608 2 608, www.traveline.org.uk. Phone enquries daily 7am-9pm. A new, and very useful service, that can give you the latest details on all national and local services throughout the country.

National Express tel 0870/580 8080, www.gobycoach.com. For inter- town and city connections.

Bus passes

UK residents in full-time education, under 25 or over 50 can buy a National Express Discount Coach Card, which costs £9, is valid for a year and entitles the holder to a 30 percent discount. Foreign travellers of any age can purchase a Tourist Trail Pass, which offers unlimited travel on the National Express network for two days within three (£39 for students and under-23s, otherwise £49), five days within thirty (£69/£85), eight days within thirty (£99/£135) or fifteen days within thirty (£145/£190). In Britain you can obtain both passes from major travel agents, at the Britain Visitor Centre, and at the main National Express office at Victoria Coach Station, London. In North America these passes are available for the dollar equivalent through specialist tour operators or direct from British Travel Associates, PO Box 299, Elkton, VA 22827 tel 1-800/327-6097.

Post Bus Network

Many rural areas not covered by other forms of public transport are served by the Post Bus Network, which operates minibuses carrying mail and about eight fare-paying passengers. They set off in the morning - usually around 8am from the main post office and collect mail from (or deliver it to) the outlying regions. It's a cheap way to travel (£2-4/journey), and can be a convenient way of getting to hidden-away B&Bs, and even round the M25, although it is often excruciatingly slow. You can get a free booklet of routes and timetables from the Royal Mail, Road Transport Consultancy, Room BT 20/3rd Floor, Rowland Hill House, Boythorpe Road, Chesterfield S49 1HQ (tel 0845/774 0740 or 01246/546329, www.royalmail.com/postbus).

"Jump-On-Jump-Off" minibus and guided tours

A popular service pitched at budget travellers and backpackers is the "Jump-On-Jump-Off" minibus run by the Stray company. Starting in London, it travels three days each week in a clockwise direction around England, Wales and Scotland via Windsor, Bath, Snowdonia, Liverpool, The Lakes, Edinburgh, York, Stratford and Oxford before heading back to the capital. Tickets cost £139, and are valid for up to four months. There is also a shorter trip from London to Liverpool (£99). You can use this bus as a "Jump-On-Jump-Off" option or as a six-day guided tour, either arranging accommodation (average price £10/night) along the way yourself or letting the company do the hard work for you. Contact Stray, 171 Earls Court Rd, Earls Court, London SW5 9RF (tel 020/7373 7737, www.straytravel.com).

Bus tour operators

In addition to the "Jump-On-Jump-Off" buses, several companies offer organized bus tours of Britain.

Gareloch House tel 0870/514 3433, www.insightvacations.com. Tours of the south of England, taking in Dartmoor, North Devon and the Cotswolds (April-Oct), and up to Glasgow via Bristol, the Cotswolds and the Lake District (March-Dec). Both tours cost from £499.

Haggis tel 0131/557 9393, www.haggisadventures.com. The bright yellow minibuses head out of Edinburgh daily on whistlestop tours (one to six days) of various parts of Scotland. The tours aim to show backpackers a mix of classic highlights with a few well-chosen spots off the tourist trail, with an emphasis on keeping the on-board atmosphere lively. A three-day round-trip from Edinburgh starts from £69 (food and accommodation not included).

Road Trip tel 0800/056 0505, www.roadtrip.co.uk. Runs weekend and five-day tours from London between April and mid-November, with accommodation, meals and entrance fees thrown in. Weekend trips (£99) cover Cornwall, Dartmoor, the Lake District, York and Sherwood Forest; and the five-day tours (£199) explore either York, Liverpool, Snowdonia and the Cotswolds or the southwest, from Wiltshire to Cornwall.

Trafalgar tel 020/7574 7444, www.trafalgar.com. Offers round coach trips from London; four-day trips covering York, Edinburgh and Chester run all year and cost from £240. From late April to mid-September their five-day tours (from £295) also pack in Cornwall.

By car

In order to drive in Britain you need a current full driving licence. If you're bringing your own vehicle, you should also carry your vehicle registration or ownership document at all times. Furthermore, you must be adequately insured: check your existing insurance policy.

In Britain, you drive on the left, a situation which can lead to a few tense days of acclimatization for overseas drivers. Speed limits are 30-40mph (50-65kph) in built-up areas, 70mph (110kph) on motorways and dual carriageways (freeways) and 50mph (80kph) on most other roads. As a rule, assume that in any area with street lighting the speed limit is 30mph (50kph) unless otherwise stated.

Fuel is expensive compared to North American prices - unleaded petrol (gasoline) and diesel cost in the region of 77p per litre, leaded 4-star 80p. The lowest prices of all are charged at out-of-town supermarkets; suburban service stations are usually fairly reasonable; and the highest prices are charged by motorway stations.

The AA (Automobile Association), RAC (Royal Automobile Club) and Green Flag all operate 24-hour emergency breakdown. The first two also provide many other motoring services, including a reciprocal arrangement for free assistance through many overseas motoring organizations - check the situation with your own association before setting out. For emergency help the AA and RAC can be called from roadside booths on motorways; elsewhere ring 0800/887766 for the AA, tel 0800/828282 for the RAC and tel 0800/400600 for Green Flag. You can make use of these emergency services if you are not a member of the organizations, but you will be required to join at the roadside and you will incur a hefty surcharge as well.

Car parking in cities and in popular tourist spots can be a nightmare and will also cost you a small fortune. If you're in a tourist city for a day, look out for the Park-and-Ride schemes where you can park your car a short way out and take a cheap or free bus to the centre. Parking in the long- or short-stay car parks will be cheaper than using meters, which restrict parking time to two or three hours at the most. As a rule, the smaller the town, the cheaper the parking. A yellow line along the edge of the road indicates parking restrictions; check the nearest sign to see exactly what they are. A double-yellow line means no parking at any time, though you can stop briefly to unload or pick up people or goods (maximum stop two minutes), but if the lines are red, that means absolutely no stopping at all.

Compared to rates in North America, car rental in Britain is expensive, and you'll probably find it cheaper to arrange things in advance through one of the multinational chains, or by opting for a fly/drive deal. If you do rent a car, the least you can expect to pay is around £110 a week, which is the rate for a small hatchback from Thrifty; reckon on paying around £40 per day for something direct from one of the multinationals, £10 or so less at a local firm. Rental agencies prefer you to pay by credit card and you may have to leave a deposit of £100 or more on top of the rental charge. There are very few automatics at the lower end of the price scale - if you want one, you should book well ahead. To rent a car you need to show your driving licence; few companies will rent to drivers with less than one year's experience and most will only rent to people between 21 and 75 years of age.

Car rental agencies

Avis US tel 1-800/331-1084, Canada tel 1-800/272-5871, Australia tel 13/6333, New Zealand tel 0800/655111, UK tel 0870/606 0100, Ireland tel 01/605 7555; www.avis.com.

Budget US & Canada tel 1-800/527-0700, Australia tel 1300/362848, New Zealand tel 0800/652277, UK tel 0800/181181, Ireland tel 01/878 7814; www.budget-international.com.

Hertz US tel 1-800/654-3001, Canada tel 1-800/263-0600, Australia tel 1800/550067, New Zealand tel 0800/655955, UK tel 0870/844 8844, Ireland tel 01/676 7476; www.hertz.com.

Thrifty US & Canada tel 1-800/367-2277, Australia tel 1300/367227, New Zealand tel 09/309 0111, UK tel 01494/751600; www.thrifty.com.

Motoring organizations

IN NORTH AMERICA

American Automobile Association (AAA). www.aaa.com. Each state has its own club - check the web or the phone book for local address and phone number.

Canadian Automobile Association www.caa.ca. Each region has its own club - check the web or the phone book for local address and phone number.

IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Australian Automobile Association tel 02/6247 7311, www.aaa.asn.au.

New Zealand Automobile Association tel 09/377 4660, www.nzaa.co.nz.

IN THE UK AND IRELAND

AA tel 0800/444500, www.theaa.com.

AA Travel tel 01/617 9988, www.aaireland.ie.

Green Flag tel 0800/000111, www.directline.co.uk.

RAC tel 0800/550550, www.rac.co.uk.

Taxis

Taxis are a useful option for finding that hostel or sight that's off the beaten track or when time is limited. Also, if you're with a group hiring a taxi can work out as cheap as taking a bus. Reckon on paying around £3 for the first mile and £1 for subsequent miles in cities, and £1.40 a mile in country districts. Black cabs are generally a little more expensive than minicabs, but are usually more reliable. You can hail a black cab on the street, but you must book minicabs by phone - we have given numbers for reliable minicab services throughout the guide.

List of cottages in this area:

Areas:

• Aberdeenshire & Moray
• Argyll & Bute
• Ayrshire & Arran
• Cairngorms
• Dumfries & Galloway
• Dundee & Angus
• Edinburgh & Lothians
• Fife
• Glasgow & Clyde
• Inverness & Loch Ness
• North-east Highlands
• North-west Highlands
• Perthshire
• Scottish Borders
• Skye
• Stirling, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
• Western Isles