Big Savings with the Scottish Heritage Pass
Written by Andy Hayes
Travelling in Scotland can be an expensive endeavour, for both Britons and those visiting the country – between car hire costs, hotel accommodation, and food/drink, costs add up quickly. We’ve covered lots of UK budget savings tips before, but this summer Scotland has a fantastic offer that both locals and visitors should consider: The Scottish Heritage Pass.
What Is it?
The heritage pass is a new offering, produced jointly by three Scottish organisations: Historic Scotland, The National Trust for Scotland and selected members of The Historic Houses Association Scotland. It’s similar to your typical attractions pass – e.g. you pay a fixed price and get access to a number of attractions for a certain number of days. In this case, there are several attractions included – nearly 100 – so if are interested in historic attractions, this could very well be worth your while. (Note – this is not the same as the Great British Heritage Pass. Read on – I actually think it is better value.)
How Much and How Long?
So passes are valid for 7 consecutive days, and only for visits between 1 April to 30 September 2010. The price is £35 adult (£26 concession and £17.50 child).
How Do I Find Out More or Purchase One?
So this is where the waters get a bit murky – this isn’t the sort of pass you just rock up to the tourist office and buy one. It is a “travel trade” only pass, meaning that consumers must purchase it from a reseller. There are three websites where you can find out more:
So when doing your Europe travel planning, if you are taking any tours conducted by a tour operator, you should contact the tour group and ask them if they are selling the Scottish Heritage pass. If they are, you can buy directly from them. The bottom line is, though, you have to buy the pass before you travel – the pass isn’t available in the tourist office. For locals, definitely check in with one of the three websites above for purchasing a pass as well as to get information about the long long list of included attractions.
Happy Savings!
Photo by conner395
