MN ~ Travel Articles ~ British isles ~ Matador Network

3 ~~~ 7 rural Scottish villages that are straight out of a storybook


SCOTLAND’S BIGGEST CITIES are undoubtedly beautiful.

Whether it’s Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns or Glasgow’s Merchant City neighborhood,
the historic architecture transports visitors throughout the centuries, with cobbled streets, a medieval castle,
and 18th-century warehouses, among many other features.

But the real appeal of Scotland does not lie in its urban centers — it’s a rural affair.

The wild, craggy, and green landscapes of the Celtic nation are speckled with spectacular villages,
remote from the buzz of modern life,
that will not only provide peace and tranquility to visitors but also a time-traveling experience that rivals the best seasons of Outlander.

From an abandoned village on the isolated St. Kilda archipelago to a small fishing town in the Scottish Borders,
here are seven places that are going to take you straight to Scotland of yore.


matadornetwork.com/read/storybook-rural-scottish-villages/

28 August 2020

5 ~~~ The bothies of the Scotland Highlands are remote hideaways you can hike to


IN THE WINDSWEPT mountains of the Scottish Highlands a keen eye might spot,
in the vast treeless expanses, a tiny outcropping that is too angular to simply be a large rock.

It’s actually the roof of a bothy.

These backcountry lairs are favorite destinations, or stopping points along a longer trek,
for lovers of wild nature and lonely places — as they can be quite secluded and accessed through a hard hiking trail.

To travel to a bothy is to journey into some of the most remote spots of the Scottish Highlands.

Here is what you need to know about bothies, and some of our favorites to visit.


matadornetwork.com/read/bothies-scotland-highlands/

6 April 2020

7 ~~~ The spots you actually need to see in the Scottish Northern Highlands


THE WELL-TRODDEN WESTERN coast of the Scottish Highlands is a common road trip destination for visitors to the United Kingdom.

But to escape the crowds flocking to the Isle of Skye, head to the east and north,
where far fewer visitors venture and you can actually enjoy a bit of peace and quiet at the top of Britain.

These five spots along the North Coast 500 route will make for an unforgettable road trip,
that can be easily extended even further west should you want to continue the journey.

You may even have the winding roads to yourself along the way, except for the occasional flock of sheep crossing the road.


matadornetwork.com/read/best-places-scottish-northern-highlands/

July 2019

9 ~~~ 7 adorable English villages that are straight out of a storybook


WHILE LONDON IS a hotbed of ultra modern architecture, with shiny buildings of metal and glass piercing the sky above the city,
and suburbs all over England are filled with cookie-cutter estates,
there are still many places in the country where more unique and traditional structures are the norm.

The thatched cottages and timber-frame homes of Midsomer Murders and Miss Marple are not only the stuff of fiction or chocolate boxes —
they are parts of remarkable historical villages that are still lived in and very much sought-after.

From a coastal town in Devon to a village of limestone cottages in the Peak District,

here are seven places that are going to take you straight to jolly old England.


matadornetwork.com/read/most-beautiful-villages-england/

May 2020

11 ~~~ 11 creamy, decadent English desserts that will make you wish you were British


THE ENGLISH ARE famous for their desserts.

There are numerous options, from small cakes served with tea, to towering glasses of whipped cream and fruit,
to traditional recipes with a history nearly as long as modern Britain itself.

Most of the country’s famous desserts from the past depend on sweetened bread and butter along with cream.

Alcohol often plays a major role, as well, whether for soaking, as a main base ingredient, or for starting a fire at the serving table.

These are the 11 traditional, classic, and famous English desserts and how they came to be.


matadornetwork.com/read/creamy-decadent-english-desserts/

May 2020