Page 42 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Scotland

40  INTRODUCING SC O TLAND SC O TLAND THROUGH THE Y EAR  41

SCOTLAND THROUGH Average Daily Hours of Sunshine Sunshine Chart
THE YEAR Hours Although Scotland is not in
any way synonymous with
10
sunshine, its sum mers are
Most visitors come to Scotland between Castle, the British Royal Family’s Scottish 8 marked by very long hours
May and August, when they enjoy the residence). Out of season, a good winter 6 of daylight, due to the
country’s nor therly latitude.
best weather, long hours of day light and the snowfall in the Highlands provides an In the winter, days are very
chance to sam ple world-class events such as opportunity for snowboarding or skiing. 4 short, so there’s little time
the Edinburgh Inter national Festival or the Edinburgh’s organized cele bration at New 2 for the sun to poke through
Glasgow International Jazz Festival. The Year – known locally as Hogmanay – has the clouds.
countryside lures tourists and Scots alike, seen a rise in visitor numbers. During most 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
and at the height of summer, it gets very weeks of the year, but espe cially in the
busy in areas such as Loch Ness (monster summer, a festival is held somewhere
spotting) or Royal Deeside (site of Balmoral across the country. Glasgow International Jazz
Summer Festival (late Jun). Various
This is the busiest time of venues across the city.
Glasgow Internation al Beltane (30 Apr), Calton Hill, year. Many towns and villages St Magnus Festival (third week),
Comedy Festival (mid- to late Edinburgh. Pagan celebration stage their own ver sion of the Orkney. Arts event.
Mar). Comedy acts from around to welcome start of summer Highland Games, on varying
the world (www.glasgow (www.beltane.org). scales. Days are long – in July
comedyfestival.com). Scottish Rugby Union Cup Shetland there is no proper Scot tish Game Fair (first week-
Final (late Apr), Murrayfield night at midsum mer, while even end), Scone Palace, Perth. Major
April Stadium, Edinburgh. Scotland’s the south sees sunrise around shooting and fishing event.
Puppet Anima tion Festival showpiece club rugby event 4:30am, sunset around 10pm. T in the Park (second week end),
(first two weeks). Workshops (www.scottishrugby.org). Balado, Fife. Scotland’s biggest
and displays at 70 venues rock festival (www.tinthe
nationwide (www.puppet May park.com). Musicians preparing to entertain attendees
animationfestival.org). Shetland Folk Festival (first Traditional Boats Festival (early of Traquair Fair
International Science Festival week). Traditional Scottish music Jul), Portsoy harbour, Banffshire.
(two weeks, early Apr), Edinburgh. in an island setting (www. Displaying Scot land’s fisheries Piping Live (mid-Aug), Glasgow.
The world’s largest science fes­ shetlandfolkfestival.com). heritage (www.stbfportsoy.com). Week-long celebration,
tival (www.sciencefestival.co.uk). Imaginate (fourth week), Aberdeen Asset Management followed by the World Pipe
Scottish Grand National (mid- Edinburgh. Performing arts event Scottish Open (mid-Jul), Band Championships.
Apr), Ayr Racecourse. Scotland’s for children and young people Aberdeen. Fixture on Edinburgh Festival (Aug).
Full colours of gorse in bloom top steeplechase event (www. (www.imaginate.org.uk). European golf tour (www. “The Festival” comprises an
in springtime ayr­racecourse.co.uk). Scottish Cup Final (May), aamscottishopen.com). inter national arts festival, an
King of the Sevens (mid-Apr Hampden Park, Glasgow. Speyfest (late Jul). Three extensive Fringe festival and
or early May), Melrose, Borders. Scottish football’s showpiece days of concerts and ceilidhs other events dedicated to
Spring International seven­a­side club event. devoted to traditional and television, comedy, books, jazz
The snow clears off the rugby union event (www. Knockengorroch World Ceilidh contemporary Celtic music and blues music (see pp84–5).
mountains after April, the kingsofthesevens.net). (late May), Galloway. World and (www.speyfest.com). Edinburgh Military Tattoo
salmon swim upstream and the Glasgow Contemporary Art folk music festival on remote The traditional event of tossing the caber (throughout Aug). Martial
country prepares for visi tors. Fair (late Apr). Commercial farmland, with fire spectaculars, at the Highland Games August music and displays on
There are some excellent art show in various galleries work shops and stalls (www. Traquair Fair (late Jul/early Aug), Edinburgh Castle Esplanade
festivals and a series of import­ (www.gcaf.co.uk). knockengorroch.org.uk). June Innerleithen, Borders. Themed (www.edintattoo.co.uk).
ant sporting events. British Gardening Scotland (late May/ festival that takes place in odd- Edinburgh International Book
Summer Time, when the early Jun), Edinburgh. Large numbered years and features Festival (Aug). Annual event
clocks go forward one hour, gardening show (www. music, theatre and food stalls. at Charlotte Square Gardens.
starts at the end of March. gardeningscotland.com).
Rockness Music Festival (early
March Jun), Inverness. Huge multi-day
Inverness Music Festival (early rock and techno festival in a
Mar). Over 1,000 entrants wonderful setting beside Loch
battle it out in a week­long Ness (www.rockness.co.uk).
Gaelic music festival (www. Edinburgh International Film
invernessmusicfestival.org). Festival (mid- Jun), Edinburgh.
MV Festival (third weekend), The world’s oldest film festival
Aviemore. Daytime comedy, (www.edfilmfest.org.uk).
music and après­ski events Royal Highland Show
at the Cairn gorm ski area (mid-Jun), Ingliston, Edinburgh.
and eve ning street parades in Agricultural and food fair
Aviemore (www.mvfestival.com). Horses racing at the Scottish Grand National, Ayr Racecourse (www.royalhighlandshow.org). A stilt walker performing during the Fringe festival in Edinburgh

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