I've just returned from visiting a friend in Leirvik, Norway who has just built himself a house there. Had chance to visit the Fjords as well. Very picturesque to say the least.

The crab sandwiches at The Ship in Seahouses are renowned.
Bamburgh Castle is well worth a walk round.
Dunstanburgh Castle ditto and is a nice gentle walk along the coast from Craster.
There's a pub opposite Robson's smokehouse in Craster that serves good seafood.

Oh, don't forget that Lindisfarne gets cut off by the tide twice a day.

And everyone seems to be called Robson up there.

Cheers guys , really appreciate all the info

Anyone ever been to Cuba.. More specifically Cayo Coco?
Thoughts on Cuba and place.. things to do etc.

Looking at going to Copenhagen in December for a city break/long weekend. How expensive is it to stay there and then when you are out and about??

mega expensive mate and the Mermaid is a big let-down - the kids (and bigger kids ! ) would enjoy the Tivoli though - friendly people who all speak better english than us !

When you say mega?? To stay? Or out and about to eat and drink? Or both? Flights we are looking at are cheap, but just wondering how much spending money to take with us that all...

Its well over ten years since I went to Copenhagen and we stayed in a Travel Lodge style hotel (although it was more like a hostel with four bunks per room) just outside of the city centre so perhaps not a fair comparison.

The prices of beer and food were expensive but as always you pick and choose, we only stayed one night and ate in a chinese restaurant from a fixed buffet menu so that wasn't over-expensive, I seem to recall that beer was though !

Don't forget the Carlsberg brewery tour if you're looking for things to do, they have a pretty good visitor centre and you get to tour the whole brewery over two sites, theres more to Carlsberg than the watery stuff they sell here and at the end of the tour you get to sample several of their brews - bloody expensive in their gift shop though

Is Barcelona any good, is there anything to do there ?

Can't speak for beer prices being a teetotaller an all. But if you love your Naval history then it's a great place to visit. The Royal Danish Naval Museum is excellent. And as with all Northern European cities Copenhagen is immaculately spotless. I'd also recommend a tour of the magnificent harbour.

As for accommodation prices, you get what you pay for as always. In saying that, lower star ratings seem of a higher standard in Northern Europe in contrast to those of Eastern and Southern Europe from my experiences.

With a name like El Barbudo, it'd be a shame if I'd never been to Cuba.
(Guevara, the Castros and the rest of the revolutionaries were known as Los Barbudos when they lived in the jungle and didn't shave).

Cayo Coco barely existed when I went to Cuba in the mid-1990's and it wasn't one of the places I visited but I believe it's a purpose-built resort, so you're not going to see "real" Cuba there but, from friends who have been, I understand that you can get guided day-trips to Havana etc.

We booked and travelled independently to get around Cuba and saw a fair bit that way, and that method had its advantages and disadvantages.
I'm guessing though, that if you're thinking of Cayo Coco, you're inclining towards a nice relaxed, all-inclusive, beach holiday?
From what I hear that's what you get there.

I agree. I passed through Cayo Guillermo a bit further along the coast and had a couple of days chilling there while back packing. I remember travelling independently to get to the resort you have to show your passport as only locals with clearance can get to the resorts. The sand and sea is amazing up there though.

I recommend getting on some trips to see the rest of the country. It's hard to do independently from a big resort as you'd have to get a taxi to a nearby town and then a bus (which are infrequent and can take ages). Havana and Santa Clara I recommend.

Been three times, but always mixed it with a vista to Havana for 3 or 4 days, staying in the National on the sea front and had some trips down to Pina del Rio and other spots of interest before a beach stint to wind down. Fantastic country and people, will be making it four times soon.

So, who's an expert on Scotland who can recommend good places for camping?

I like a bit of activity but nothing too strenuous, a bit of scenic hiking or bike riding. Also like castles and things like that! Thinking of going for a few nights in October camping then finishing with a night in a hotel in Edinburgh or Glasgow just because I have a voucher.

Thanks in advance.

Not an expert but I've enjoyed the couple of times I've spent here............



[urlhttp://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/dunkeld/dunkeld/index.html[/url

try the northeast coast and inland parts ie from say Inverness to Aberdeen via Elgin etc - great scenery with undulating landscape with some decent castles (ie Fyvie) and the Baxters factory/shop is a must visit - Aviemore isn't too far away



avoid Arbroath - just smells of fish !

sorry, the post should have read :

'go to Arbroath the Monte Carlo of the east coast'

Lovely part of Scotland, sanjunien; quite agree. I go up a couple of times a year, my brother lives in Turriff and my niece in Banff, so I know the area well.

It's not all bad.

Arbroath Abbey - Where Scotlands Declaration of Independence was issued.


The harbour if you fancy some fishing action?


A real golf link.


A beautiful walk along the 'Flairs'.


Rounded off with some world famous 'smokies'.

Crap builders !

agree about the Smokies though - that, along with some Cullen Skink is pretty unbeatable !

the wifes cousins have just moved to Turriff from Fraserburgh for work

great golf courses as well - a mate from Aberdeen, a 0.1 handicapper reckons Buckie GC is the most challenging course he's played ( as a real hacker, EVERY course is a challenge !)

Thanks a lot guys. The north east does look the best, Cairngorms national park or loch ness, bloody long drive though!

Anyone hired a campervan ( or RV as they call them ) to drive around the US? Just wondering on experiences, value, ease of parking it up to sleep, actually driving the thing etc?

Looking at doing the West Coast next summer, starting in Vegas, then San Diego, LA and San Francisco, and any places we find en route to each....