Travel to Scotland

If you are unfamiliar with Scotland or the UK you may find these travel information useful.

Emergency Services
The emergency number for any of the services below is 999. This is a free call from any telephone.

Police
Ambulance
Fire Brigade
Coastguard
Mountain Rescue
Cave Rescue

Language
English – although we can’t promise it will sound like it. Scots Gaelic is the principal language of many of the Atlantic islands, although English is understood.

Currency
£ Sterling. The UK has NOT joined the Euro Zone – feel free to raise the matter with 10 Downing St. Scotland prints its own bank notes which are legal tender and of equal value to other UK notes - but some English shopkeepers are not familiar with them. To save trouble, change to Bank of England notes if you are travelling south.

Church Services
Enquire locally. There are some printed resources such as the Roman Catholic Church’s leaflet for Tourists and Travellers on ‘Mass in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland’. This is printed and distributed by John S Burns Ltd, 25 Finglas Street, Glasgow G22 5DS. You will also find information about the Church of Scotland at www.churchofscotland.org.uk

Climate
Described as ‘temperate maritime’ – safely translated as ‘can be windy and wet’. Winter from –2°C to +5°C, rarely below -5°C. Summer 15°C - 25°C.

Measures
Officially the SI (Systeme Internationale) units of measurements. – but you still buy beer in pints and half pints.

Bank Hours
Normally from 9.00am – 12.30 and 13.30 - 17.00pm Monday – Friday. Some city banks open on Saturday mornings.

Business Hours
These are a general guide only. Rural areas can be very different.

Offices: 9.00am – 5.99pm Monday – Friday
Shops: 9.00am – 5.30pm Monday – Saturday
Supermarkets: 8.30am – 8.00pm Monday – Friday; 8.00am – 5.30pm Saturday; 2.00pm – 5.00pm Sunday
Bars & Pubs: 11.00am – 12 midnight every day.
Hotels: can serve alcohol to registered guests at any time.

Electricity
240v/50Hz AC. Appliances require a 3-pin plug. You should be able to buy a universal adaptor at the airport.

Gas
Natural gas and bottled may be used for heating and cooking. Keep well ventilated any room where you use a gas appliance.

Water
Tap water is safe everywhere and is always cleaned and filtered at source.

It is treated with Chlorine and Fluoride so if you have an aversion to any of these, there are a wide variety of bottled spring waters available

Mail
Postage Stamps for postcards and normal letters can be bought at small newsagents shops but; for parcels, you will need to go to a Post Office.

Post Restante facilities are available at Post Offices, free of charge and usually for a maximum period of 3 months.

Driving
Drive on the LEFT side of the road. Speed limits in Scotland are:

48kph (30mph) in all inhabited areas
96kph (60mph) on ordinary roads outside inhabited areas
112kph (70mph) on Dual Carriageways & Motorways

Key Notes

There is an upper speed limit of 96kph (60mph) for caravans, camper vans and RVs
The maximum legal speed at which you can drive in the UK is 112kph (70mph)
Driving after having drunk alcohol is a criminal offence in the UK
Single-track roads are the norm in many minor and unclassified roads in Scotland. These require you to drive or reverse into one of the ‘Passing Places’ at the side of the road, to enable traffic to pass you or to pass by in the other direction.
If another driver pulls over to give you passage on a single-track road, it is usual to acknowledge this with a wave and a smile.

Passport Controls
The UK has not joined the Schengen Agreement for open frontiers within the EC. If you are travelling through the UK on the way to another EC country you will find passport controls operating.

Dates
Given in order of Day/Month/Year