Rough Guides have published a list of 25 top travel experiences in the UK and Ireland. As a Scot, I was happy to see that a Scottish attraction, the Edinburgh Festival, was number one. While the Edinburgh Festival is a great event, the city is really busy and accommodation prices high.

What would be your top tips for travel experiences in the UK and Ireland?

I am always a bit dubious of lists. I felt that a lot of the things mentioned would have too many other tourists around, meaning that they wouldn’t be particularly authentic experiences. Even doing things in rural areas like “breathing the sea air in Tobermory” on the Scottish island of Mull, or “wandering Borrowdale” in the Lake District. you are likely to be among the tourist hordes. I say get a bit more off the beaten track with my ideas for Edinburgh spend some time in Perthshire or the Scottish Borders.

River Tay, Perth

At least here’s one thing about which I am in complete agreement with Rough Guides founder, Mark Ellingham, “When we think of holidays, a lot of people immediately associate this to going abroad. But, believe it or not, you don’t actually need to jump on a plane to have an amazing time.”

[tags]travel. travel tips, United Kingdom, Ireland, Scotland,[/tags]