Frequently Asked Questions

Q) What is Ghabba about?
A) The Scottish Guest House and Bed & Breakfast Association (GHABBA) is a voluntary association which was established at the beginning of 2006. Read more about GHABBA here...

Q) What is the best time of year to see Highland Games and what kind of games do they play ?
A) May to first Saturday in September (Braemar). Although
Blairgowrie is the day after.You probably won’t know the games they play.

Q) Does Scotland get a lot of snow like Switzerland ?
A) Snow falls in the Highlands from 36 to 105 days. Snow lies up to 260 days on highest places.

Q) How many lakes (Lochs) are there in Scotland ?
A) 138 named lochs, plus 37 sea lochs.

Q) How many Scottish Clans are there ?
A) 68 main clans, plus 85 lesser clans.

Q) What’s the best time to see sheep dog trials ?
A) After the lambing season, so June to September.

Q) Was Bonnie Prince Charlie a real person?
A) Yes. Born Rome 1720, died Rome 1788. Son of James VIII, grandson of James VII.

Q) What are some of the local food dishes I should look out for in Scotland ?
A) Breakfast; porridge, kippers, Arbroath smokies.
Main meal; cock-a-leekie soup, Cullen skink, scotch broth (all
soups).Stovies, venison, gannet/gugar (tastes of herring flavoured chicken).
Dessert; cluttie dumpling, Atholl brose, cranachan.
Snacks; deep fried mars bars, scotch eggs, bridies, oat cakes,
bannocks, tablet. black bun.

Q) Do many people wear kilts?
A) Yes. Especially on social occasions and rugby international matches.

Q) Why do Scottish people spell whiskey without an ‘e’ ?
A) Convention dictates the Scotland, Canada and Japan use Whisky. All other countries add the E.

Q) Is it true that every village has a golf course ?
A) There are 561 golf courses in Scotland. Every village is near to
several golf clubs.

Q) Does everyone understand English ?
A) Most Scots but many European workers have a poor grasp of English.

Q) Are the mountains very high and are any of them suitable for leisure walking?
A) 278 mountains over 3,000 ft, 12 of these are more than 4,000 ft. There is plenty of hill walking, from a gentle stroll to fully
fledged mountain climbing. Always be properly prepared and adequately dressed.

Q) Are there many wild animals and birds to see ?
A) There are a great many birds and animals to see in the wild,
several are unique to Scotland.

Q) Are you allowed to fish in the rivers and lakes, and what kind of fish are there?
A) Plenty of fishing. A permit is usually required. Salmon and trout
can only be fished in their regulated seasons.

Q) What interesting churches are there for me to visit?
A) Any number of churches, chapels, cathedrals, abbeys, hermit cells and holy springs to visit.

Q) Are there any interesting ruins worth visiting?
A) There are more places to visit than you could shake a stick at,
many of them free.

Q) What about public transport in Scotland, buses-trains-air travel ?
A) Public transport is adequate, if you prepare your itinerary well.
Busses, trains, ferries and a growing number of airports facilitate
travel throughout the country. New seaplane services operate along the west coast.

Q) Which are the main towns and cities I should visit if I want to see urban as well as rural aspects of Scotland ?
A) Gretna Green - Glasgow - Fort William - Inverness - Aberdeen - Perth - Edinburgh - Brewick is a route encapsulating all Scotland has to offer.

Q) Which is the best time to visit Scotland?
A) 1st January to 31st December. The seasons are ever changing and beautiful.

Q) Will there be the possibilty of seeing bagpipes while we are there?
A) Yes. Even though the English still consider bagpipes to be
instruments of war, their music is widely played.

Questions and Answers will be addeded regularly. Meanwhile, if you have a question you would like to ask, don't hesitate to contact us.