AC/DC Get Ready to Rock Hampden Park

Well after much anticipation in the office, the day has finally come for the AC/DC gig at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Our glorious leader Ian and our design guru Steven have been like schoolkids in shorts all day.

But now they have left and are making their way to Glasgow in a luxury coach, to soak up all the pre-gig atmosphere, when the time comes they will be ready and able to lend a hand with rock out hand signals and singalong choruses.

We've asked them to send loads of pictures to our Twitter account, so please keep checking us @scotlandforme and let us know what you think.

Al Hughes Live at The Inn at Lathones

Still some tickets available for Al Hughes live at the wonderfully intimate little venue in The Stables at The Inn at Lathones near St. Andrews on Monday 29th June.
Rooted in the blues and soul tradition like so many Scottish singers, Al Hughes writes from his own perspective on topics which are very much of today. His influences can be clearly seen, but make no mistake, this music is modern, relevant and gathering praise from a growing number of well respected figures on the British music scene. Comparisons have been made by more than one reviewer between Al and the late Rory Galagher's acoustic playing and also to both Chris Smither and Townes Van Zandt. Playing a wide variety of guitars, including a huge sounding, custom built, 12 string resonator. Al's music conjures up a variety of moods, from forceful and raucous to gentle and wistful. Indeed one reviewer called his slide playing "eerily atmospheric". Always looking to expand his horizons, Al has played clubs, concerts and festivals all over the UK and Europe and you can find out more about the gig at Mundell Music website

NanoBreaks in Ayrshire!

First it was “staycationers”, and now a new Scottish hotel is targeting the latest UK tourism phenomenon. Brits who are short of time and cash are turning to “nanobreaks” - or short one-night stays – this summer.

Nanobreakers tend to want to drive just a couple of hours - a distance of about one hundred miles or so from their homes – for a quick change of scenery.

The new £1m Woodland Bay Hotel outside Girvan in Ayrshire, Scotland, opens on July 11 and Director Gillian Forbes says she has factored the new short break into her planning by targeting the North of England.

“VisitBritain, the UK tourism body, is running campaigns such as “Britain for less” and “Enjoy every minute” and this clearly demonstrates the prevailing mood of price-sensitivity and value for money.

“Despite the credit crunch, holidaymakers are determined to keep travelling this summer. Weathermen are forecasting a 30 degree heat wave in Scotland in August, so lots of cost-conscious holidaymakers will head north of the border for the Florida-style sunshine, the golf, the beaches and the scenery. Already we’re getting bookings for one night stays from the Carlisle, Newcastle and Liverpool areas, and I expect this trend to continue.

Woodland Bay Hotel has sixteen brand-new Ocean View bedrooms which Gillian describes as “four-star quality at affordable three-star prices” and “an oasis of calm, comfort and cosseting”.
“Prices start from only £30 per person per night and include freshly-cooked Scottish breakfast using the very best of our own and other local produce.

“South Ayrshire has so much to offer in terms of family fun and entertainment. So if people in the North of England are looking for a perfect one-night stay just a short drive away, there's no better place to escape to than here."

For more information and to book you rooms online log on to Woodland Bay Hotel.

Enterkine Offer A Perfect Day for Food and Drink

Enterkine Country House near Ayr on the west coast have emailed to let us know that they are delighted to be working with Eatscotland again and are offering a two course lunch and coffee for £15.00 during June and July. The menu is available Monday - Saturday inclusive and a sample menu would for the offer is listed below.
You can see more at Enterkine's website and even reserve your accommodation online:

Rose of Chilled Seasonal Melon
Apple Jelly, Soft fruits & Raspberry Sorbet

Terrine of veal & Oxtail Confit
Onion Marmalade, Organic Leaves & Brioche

Butternut Squash Velouté
Parmesan Cheese & Truffle Oil
~~~~ o O o ~~~~
Fillet of Salmon & Pancetta
Potato purée , Pesto & Red Pepper

Breast of Corn Fed Chicken
Roast Roots, Fondant Potatoes & Spring Cabbage

Braised Shin of Buccleuch Beef
Cous-Cous & Organic Rocket
~~~~ o O o ~~~~
Sticky Date Pudding
Toffee Sauce, & Caramel Ice Cream Dark Valrhona Chocolate Fondant
Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream

Chef's Selection of Ice Creams and Sorbets
~~~~oOo~~~~
Coffee
Add an extra course for £3.00

PS - they also still have some tables available for The Open Championship but reservations are essential.

Scotland's For Them Too...

You know sometimes you find just by chance some wonderful little nuggets on the net; Blogging that says something about the individuals tied in with their travels brings a destination to life so much more and so it was this morning. After having posted a couple articles about golfers Bob Charles and Ian Poulter I found a link somewhere to this wonderful little travelogue written about a tour to Scotland by an American family in 2007.
Somehow it captures the nature of the place really well and well it's just honest. This is what it should be about not just 140 characters!!
Have a read of "Holiday in the UK" and discover the adventures of a family using Glasgow as a holiday base - some really great images too

Bob Charles... Scotland's For HIm

Great wee article in the Press and Journal recently outlining a proposed visit to the Highlands and North East by former Open Champion Sir Bob Charles who remains the only left-hander to have won the championship who is coming to Scotland to play a few holes at the age of 73.

Charles, who won the 1963 Open at Royal Lytham asked Aberdeen businessman and golfing friend Jim Hardie to set-up a wish list of Scottish courses he wants to play on which included North Berwick, Royal Montrose, Cruden Bay, Lossiemouth, Nairn, Castle Stuart, Brora and Tain.

At most of the courses Charles will be partnered by people such as the host club professional, club captain or club champion. The tee has been reserved at noon for all the courses with the exception of the Moray golf club at Lossiemouth where the tee-off time will be 3pm.

Charles first played in the north-east at the Northern Open at Murcar in the early 1960s and he was back much more recently to play in the Senior British Open at Royal Aberdeen in 2005.He was knighted for his services to golf in 1999 and has been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The dates of Bob Charles’ Scottish golf tour were published in the paper so we guess he doesn't mind a view spectators along the way but maybe check with the courses first –

• June 29 – North Berwick
• July 1 – Montrose
• July 2 – Cruden Bay
• July 4 – Lossiemouth
• July 5 – Nairn
• July 6 – Castle Stuart
  
• July 7 – Brora
• July 8 – Tain

Pretty cool little trip and worth trying if you're coming into Scotland but Bob just one other wee thing, see if you have some time between Brora and Tain go visit Golspie. Truly great wee course and deserving of the publicity!

• 
  

Fly to The Scottish Highlands from Dusseldorf

A new service offering direct Lufthansa flights between Dusseldorf and Inverness began at the weekend with passengers stepping off the inaugural run being given a traditional Scottish welcome of a piper and a taste of Scottish fare.

The once-a-week Saturday flight arrives in the Highland capital at 11.45am and leaves at 12.25pm and will operate until September 12.

The German market remains Scottish tourism's largest European market with an estimated 300,000 Germans visiting Scotland in 2008 and spending around £187million.
Lufthansa spokeswoman Marianne Sammann said, “We have introduced this service as a direct response to the demands of our passengers. The Scottish Highlands are becoming an increasingly popular destination for many German travellers, particularly those living in Dusseldorf, so this new link brings considerable economic opportunities to the local community.”

Inverness Airport manager Graeme Bell said: “This is a very exciting opportunity for the airport, and in the current economic situation this new route will bring some financial stability to the tourism sector in the Highlands.”

You can check availability of flights into Scotland with Lufthansa

Ian Poulter - Scotland's For Him!

According to the Glasgow Evening Times "The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond are about to get a stunning new look - thanks to the flair of golf's fashion pace-setter, Ian Poulter. The flamboyant Englishman is a confirmed entry for the Barclays Scottish Open, which runs from July 9-12, and has revealed he has designed four new tartans for his already-extensive wardrobe especially for his visit to Scotland.

He said: "I'm launching four new tartans in my own clothing line this summer, so there is definitely a Scottish theme in there. advertisement "One of them will be a limited edition for the Open, which will be red, white and blue.

"They are all authentic tartans, approved by the Scottish Tartans Authority, and it will be great to wear them. Hopefully, I'll get a good reaction."

Tickets for the Barclays Scottish Open can be purchased in advance on the European Tour website and for the brave Ian Poulter's Tartan Trousers can be purchased from his online store

Another Ayrshire Hotel Back on Track

Ayr's Belleisle House Hotel has re-opened following a major refurbishment. The stunning 18th century mansion has recently welcomed back its first guests just in time for the Open championship at Turnberry. The Belleisle is one of several places opening up just in time for The Open beside Turnberry itself and a new property south of Girvan, Woodland Bay Hotel
John Stirrat, Area manager for McKeever Hotels, who now operate Belleisle, insists that the hotel is ready to resume its place as one of Ayr’s top venues.
He said: “The sleeping giant has awakened. It’s time to get beautiful Belleisle back to where it was, the first choice locally for accommodation, dining, weddings and conferences.”
“The Belleisle is an Ayrshire gem and we’ve spent a lot of money to upgrade it and provide top-class facilities. We have 15 newly-refurbished bedrooms, with lovely wee touches like top of the range TVs, luxury toiletries, complimentary wifi and nightcaps."
“In addition, we have a gorgeous drawing room, a golfers bar, a lounge bar with fifty different malt whiskies, and big conference rooms and function suites which can handle up to 300 people.”
The improvements in accommodation offerings in Ayrshire can only be a positive and with the increase in visitors for The Open it gives the area a great opportunity to attract repeat business back in the autumn and spring and through the media showcase the attractions of the area.
You can check availability in Ayrshire now

First in Fife Google Earth Golf Tour

Looking for a wee golf break this year? Well how about searching out something just a little bit different? First in Fife Golf is a group of affordable golf clubs in Fife offering tremendous value for money with their three and five day golf passes.
The group's website has all the information you'd need not only about the golf courses but also prices, accommodation and travel - you can even purchase and manage your tee times online.
Their web company The Edge in Ayrshire have just uploaded a wee fly through to First in Fife's YouTube site which shows you just how easy it is to play these courses. Have a look - just a wee bit of fun.

Glasgow Gailes to co host 2012 British Amateur

The Royal & Ancient has confirmed that Royal Troon and Glasgow
Gailes will host the 2012 Amateur Championship. The two rounds
of stokeplay qualifying will be held at both venues with Royal
Troon hosting the matchplay stages of the event.

PGA Pro Championship at Dundonald Links

Looking for something to do this week?
Well, the £78,000 Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship takes place at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, the first time it has been staged in Scotland since 2003.
The top competition for club professionals in the UK carries a first prize of £10,000 while places are also up for grabs in the PGA Cup team, this year's match against the Americans being played at The Carrick on Loch Lomond in September.
The Dundonalod Links course is a magnificent addition to the golf portfolio of the west of Scotland and comes a few weeks ahead of The Open Championship returning to Troon.
Nearly 160 of the best players from across Britain and Ireland will battle it out over 72 holes at Dundonald Links for the PGA's flagship event which is being defended by West Berkshire's Paul Simpson.
An added incentive for the field is one of the 10 places available for the Great Britain & Ireland PGA Cup team to face America later in the year at The Carrick on Loch Lomond.
Guy Redford, director of golf operations at the spectacular Dundonald Links near Troon in Ayrshire, is predicting an exciting week's golf which he believes will favour the brave and bold.
"It's a great risk and reward course and good players from tee to green will be rewarded on this course," said Redford.
You can view live scoring online from the event or find out more about golf and accommodation on Scotland's West Coast Golf Links

Turnberry Moves Closer

It's only a few weeks until The Open Championship returns to perhaps the most spectacularly beautiful of all the venues - Turnberry.

Located on the west coast of Scotland, Turnberry has it all - magnificent links course, iconic landmarks and world class hotel. It's also pretty damned easy to get to too!

And just in time for the championship there's a new website featuring not only Turnberry's Ailsa but nine more of the West Coast most famous golf links.

Scotland's West Coast Golf Links brings together ten world class links golf courses under one marketing umbrella for the first time and offers the golfer a tempting taster of what could be theirs.

The website gives a glimpse of the history of the area and offers links to each of the courses, latest green fee offers and live hotel availability.

If you're looking for a room for The Open there's still late availability in a number of properties.

Edinburgh Has New Level of Cool!

If you've got a few aspiraional moments available this lunchtime sit back and relax and click on the website for new Edinburgh luxury property Hotel Missonni
Not had the pleasure yet of a visit but the website design is quite awesome and inspiring albeit more than lacking in some important details like location and other destination information ; completely different take on accommodation marketing and really most impressive and shows what can be achieved online for this particular marketplace. Does seem churlish to complain about the detail but there you go it's all about opinions.
In the current climate a positive note to chime ahead of The Festival and you can check availability and book online quite easily.


PS: Just in case you need the details after you've visited the website - the hotel's located on the George IV Bridge on the Royal Mile.

Scottish Open Golf Tickets

Tickets are available for purchase for the 2009 Barclays Scottish Open and if you book before 30th of June you can save £15 on season tickets and £5 on day tickets.

To purchase your tickets you can go to the European Tour Ticket Pages or call 0800 023 2557.
Hospitality packages are also still available from only £225 + vat, for further information and information is also available through the link above. Organisers are also offering the visitor to upgrade their package by adding a champagne lunch or afternoon tea to their tickets!

There's nothing to beat The Open for atmosphere and buzz but having been at Loch Lomond on a few occasions it's a great place for the day out. I could certainly see the benefits of a wee champagne lunch if my budget could have extended to it. I guess my RBS Corporate Hospitality invitation is still in the post!

Anyway it's a great venue and worth visiting - and if you're looking for something just a little different afterwards you could head north and stop off for a bite to eat and perhspa some live music at one of Scotland's most unique inns - The Drovers Inn at Inverarnan. According to their website they still have some availability for The Scottish Open so give it a wee visit.
Enjoy!

Golf and Cruise Scotland with PerryGolf

One for the American incoming golf market, "Golf and cruising combine in luxurious style on two PerryGolf tours along the western coast of Scotland in July."

Harmony II, a 189-foot mega-yacht, will carry only 12 guests each on two sailings, July 20-27 and July 26-Aug. 3. The meticulously restored steel-built vessel will stop for links golf and sightseeing at some of Scotland's best known courses and most historic sights. The seven-night private-yacht golf tours featuring six rounds of golf are managed by PerryGolf, a leader among golf and luxury lifestyle tour operators for the past 25 years.

The all-inclusive, per golfer price of $8,895 includes twin/double stateroom accommodations, all onboard meals, open bar onboard Harmony II, guaranteed tee times, golf green fees, ground transportation, fuel charges and port taxes. The non-golfer tour price is $8,495.

Golf highlights include Machrihanish, considered one of the hidden gems of the British Isles; Royal Dornoch, northernmost of Scotland's great links courses; The Machrie, a stunning links course set on the Isle of Islay; and the highly anticipated Castle Stuart, which opens on July 13.The Kintyre Trail, including the charming fishing village of Tarbert; the Isle of Islay, famous for its eight working whisky distilleries; and Culloden Battlefield, the scene of the last major battle fought on mainland Britain between the French-supported Jacobites and the Hanoverian British Government in 1745; are among the sights that make the tour as memorable for non-golfers as their golfing counterparts.

The tour begins at Troon on the Ayrshire coast and concludes at Inverness in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. (The itinerary is reversed for the July 26 - Aug. 3 tour.)Harmony II, first launched in 1954, has been fully restored over the last six years. The restoration included a total internal and external refitting with the installation of new engines and the replacement of 85 metric tons of hull plating.

Celebrations Planned for Open Anniversary

The Scotsman reported that for only the second time since Young Tom Morris won three consecutive Opens between 1868 and 1870 Prestwick golf club will present the winner of the Open in St Andrews in 2010 with a replica of the prized red morocco leather belt ornamented with silver.Sandy Lyle was the fortunate recipient of a replica belt in 1985 at Royal St George's to mark the championship's 125th anniversary.
By way of noting next summer's 150th anniversary of the oldest major, Prestwick again intend to mark the occasion by gifting the champion golfer of 2010 with a replica. The Ayrshire club's captain will make the presentation after the Royal and Ancient has handed over the Claret Jug.
Ian Bunch, secretary of Prestwick, confirmed: "We're having a replica belt made, which will be presented to the winner of the 2010 Open by our captain at the prize-giving on Sunday evening. Bunch also revealed how Prestwick intend to celebrate their special place in Open history by hosting a dinner next summer in a marquee outside their clubhouse.
Invitations are being sent to all the other clubs which have staged the championship over the past 150 years as well as the living champions.The Royal and Ancient has lent its full backing to the Prestwick function and letters of invitation from the Ayrshire club include a note of support from Peter Dawson, the chief executive.
Bunch added: "Representatives of the clubs and the past champions have all been asked to a black tie dinner on the Saturday night before the 2010 Open. We've already had quite a few positives and others have said they'll make it if their diaries allow. There seems to be a fair amount of enthusiasm for it. The course will also be available to them on Sunday."
There surely could be few more appropriate occasions for a golf party than the Open's 150th birthday. Interestingly enough Prestwick had a visit from Mark O'Meara last year," recalled Bunch. "We told him about our plans and he said: 'That's great, I'll try to bring my pal Tiger along and he'll be delighted to know you're having a belt made…'"

Updated Availability at Dundonald Links

Dundonald Links are continuing with their last minute offers through the summer.
If you're looking for a game this week you can play at various times for only £50 per golfer.
All tee times subject to availability and all requests should Quote 'Last Minute Offer' and email reservations@dundonaldlinks.com or call + 44 (0)1294 314000.
In addition they have a host of new packages available including:
Early Bird

• 7 days from 7.30am to 9.30am
• 9 holes with coffee & bacon roll
• £30 per personAdd lunch for £5.50 per person

Mix Business & Pleasure

• Monday to Friday (PM tee-times)18 holes from £50 per person
• Add breakfast & lunch from £10.50 per person

Weekend Worker

• All day Saturday and Sunday 18 holes from £75 per person
• Add breakfast & lunch from £10.50 per person