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Frequently Asked Questions
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Q. What will the weather be like during..........?
Q. What kind of clothes should I bring on my trip?
Q. What happens if something crops up and I need to cancel my trip?
Q. Are there any dangerous animals or creepy crawlies in Scotland?
Q. How do I get to Scotland?
Q. Is there any sales tax on my purchases and can I claim it back?
Q. Where can I rent a car if I would prefer to drive myself?

line Q. What will the weather be like during.......?
  A. This is the question we are asked most often! I think we can safely say it's changeable and suggest you take a look at the UK Met Office site which gives pretty comprehensive information about the weather throughout the UK. Here is a 30 year average for Edinburgh, to 1990 to give you a good idea of what you might encounter. Remember, the weather can change quite a bit moving from area to area, so be prepared for anything
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line Q. What kind of clothes should I bring on my trip?
  A. Whatever season you visit the trick is to wear layers of lighter clothing, rather than a couple of heavy items. It's easy to take off and put on layers as the weather demands. A light weight, wind and water proof top is probably a very good idea, too, at any time of year. For that cozy in the middle of winter feeling bring along your favourite fleece. Clothing options
Wear lots of layers (silly hats optional)
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line Q. What happens if something crops up and I need to cancel my trip?
 

A. It is absolutely essential you have travel insurance which will cover any costs that have been incurred in the unlikely event that you have to cancel your trip. Travel insurance would also cover you if your flight was delayed and this impacted on our travel or accommodation arrangements.

In the unlikely event of medical repatriation being needed, the costs can be astronomical - US$150,000 upwards for medical repatriation from Europe to the USA. For more information on what this means and what is involved, read this (we do not recommend any particular company for cover, just this article to see what is involved) - http://www.expatmedicare.com/content/international-health-insurance-guide-medical-evacuation-repatriation
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line Q. Are there any dangerous animals or creepy crawlies in Scotland?
  A. Not really. There are wild cats in the northern Highlands but these are very rare and very rarely seen. These are slightly larger than a domestic cat. You may also see foxes or more rarely badgers but these will keep well out of your way and are nothing to worry about.
There is only one poisonous snake, the Adder which can be found up in the hills. It wants to meet you even less than you want to meet it, so, it's liable to be well out of the way by the time you blunder along. If you should encounter one don't try to stroke it! Their bite rarely kills but if you are unwell or have any previous medical problems it can be serious. They have a clear 'V' on the back of their heads.
Lambs
The most dangerous animals you will see!
That's it, no creepy spiders, no horrific insects, although the tiny midge and the quite large cleg or horse fly can make you itch in the summer months.
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line Q. How do I get to Scotland?
  A. There are lots of ways to come to Britain and it naturally all depends on where you start! If you are coming from North America, you'll either have to take an expensive cruise across the Atlantic or you fly.
American Airlines fly from Chicago, direct to Glasgow, as do Continental from Newark. Continental also fly direct into Edinburgh, a new route and possibly the best way into Scotland. From Canada, Air Canada and Zoom fly into Glasgow. Various charter lines run services in the Summer months.
Most airlines will bring you to London where you'll have to change planes to fly up to Scotland. The problem with that is, Heathrow airport is a horrible place, in our opinion. Compared to most hub airports in Northern Europe, like Paris or Amsterdam, it's the absolute pits. If you decide not to fly direct, then check out airlines like Northwest, who have a code sharing agreement with KLM the Dutch airline and after a change in Amsterdam, you can fly direct to Edinburgh or Glasgow. For more details on flights from the US, check with your travel agent or go to the airline web sites.
If you are coming from Europe, you can fly to Edinburgh and Glasgow from many European capitals. Budget airline Ryanair fly to Prestwick (36 miles South of Glasgow) from Milan, Barcelona, Oslo, Stockholm, Frankfurt and Paris, with new routes opening all the time. Take note, they fly from airports close to each of those cities, not necesarily the one you would associate with the city. For example, for Paris, it is Beauvais, 40 miles North, for Milan, it is Bergamo, 30 miles East and for Barcelona, it is Girona, 60 miles North. Fares as low as £27 return from Paris!!
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line Q. Is there sales tax on my purchases and can I claim it back?
  A. There is something called Value Added Tax (VAT) on many items you will buy and as a non British citizen, you can claim much of this back when you leave the country. Check with the Customs authority when you arrive and they'll give you details. The most important thing is to obtain receipts for everything you buy. VAT is currently at 17.5%.
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line Q. Where can I rent a car if I would prefer to drive myself?
  There are a large number of car hire companies operating in Scotland including the usual muti nationals Avis, Hertz, Budget, Alamo, Enterprise etc however we can organise car rental for you using a local Scottish operator. Visit Celtic Legend Car Rental for a competitive quote.
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