Visiting Scotland’s Gay Islay – The Nomadic Boys

Visiting Scotland's Gay Islay - The Nomadic Boys

When we travel anywhere, we like to blend in. Do as the locals do. Experience a new place from its roots. Some may say turning up on a Scottish island dressed in fluorescent-colored tank tops contradicts our “blending in” mantra, but hey, whoever said blending in meant stop being fabulous?

Regardless, learning about the culture, getting the lingo down, and unearthing all of the hidden gems are of utmost importance to us. At the very least, we want to pronounce the name of our destination correctly… Duh!

Yet, despite numerous back-and-forths of us practicing the correct pronunciation of Islay; “EYE-Lah, EYE-Lah, EYE-Lah,” aloud to ourselves, we (of course) marched up to our hotel check-in, confidently announcing our excitement to be in “I-slaaaaayyyy”! facepalm We sounded like a bunch of gay guys cheering a drag queen performing a lip-sync… Luckily, the check-in lady laughed it off.

Visiting Gay Islay

The Isle of Islay is a Scottish island in the lower Hebrides, famous for rain, wind, cold, and more rain. Such weather is ideal for creating good quality peat… which in turn, makes a superbly delicious whisky, which gay Islay is super famous for. So, all in all, it’s rather worth it.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Scotland Gay Travel Resources

Kilting It Up in Gay Scotland – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Scotland - Nomadic Boys

With landscapes full of drama and wonder, accents so heavy and thick they sent ripples down our spines, and gorgeous men who go full commando under their kilts, is it any wonder gay Scotland will always have our hearts?

We’ll never forget our road trip around the rugged Scottish countryside, the natural phenomena that we got to witness up close, and the wonderful people that we met along the way.

Visiting Gay Scotland (in a Kilt)

An outsider’s perception of Scotland may be that it’s nothing but rolling hills, a few lakes, fields of sheep and cows, and tiny villages full of red-headed bearded men. It couldn’t be further from the truth! While there is plenty of nature (and gingers, but hey, we think they’re very hot), Scotland has an incredible history and mythical side to it.

There’s Nessie, the legendary Loch Ness monster. The shape shifting kelpies. The piercing shrieks from the banshee – or maybe that sound was just me having to work through a muddy field in a rainstorm!

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Scotland Gay Travel Resources

Hanging Out in Gay Edinburgh – The Nomadic Boys

Hanging Out in Gay Edinburgh - The Nomadic Boys

Here is our fabulous gay guide to Edinburgh, with the best places to sleep, eat, drink, party, and more.
We hold our hands up…we are kilty of falling in love with Edinburgh!

From the ever-present visual of the castle that looms over the city to the faint sound of bagpipes you can hear on most street corners, we couldn’t help but look around in love and say aloud to ourselves “thistle do nicely.”

We spent hours wandering about the bustling Royal Mile, down the winding Victoria Street (which famously inspired JK Rowling in creating Diagon Alley), and into the thriving Grassmarket courtyard, where we found a bountiful selection of pubs and cafes. But it was the electric and kind spirit of the Scottish people that loch-ed in our deep love.

This was our second trip to Scotland together – last time focusing on the gay scene of Inverness and the gorg beauty of the Scottish Highlands. We really fell in love with the Scottish capital. Edinburgh is a city steeped in history and mysticism, with a stunning photo opportunity on every street corner.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Gay Edinburgh Travel Resources

Stay in a Scottish Castle – Go Girlfriend

Dalmunzie Castle

For me, the essence of Scotland is in it’s beautiful landscapes and it’s castle-icious history. From the Orkney Islands in the north through the Highlands to Hadrian’s wall in the south, historic castles sit lochside and hillside in some truly spectacular locations.

Historic clans like the MacDonalds, the Stewarts, the MacKenzie’s or the Robertson’s, just to name a few, cover the countryside with their clan lands. The clan chieftains castle is Clan Regions of Scotland (click any to enlarge)always the grandest estate on these family lands perched majestically on a beautiful loch or amongst amazing mountainous views. 

Most stone castles have their roots in the 1300-1600’s as fortified clan strongholds. As technologies and workmanship improve, renovations, refurbishments or expansions happening til the mid-1700’s. At this point in history clans and castles sympathetic to the Jacobites were seized and destroyed by the opposing British so it couldn’t be used as a stronghold against them into the future. Many still sit in ruins today – some have been purchased and painstakingly restored. Some have even been slept in by Bonnie Prince Charlie or Mary Queen of Scots!

For those that were not destroyed, the 1800’s brought a change in castle perspective and architecture. As the Industrial era was changing the global landscape, these centuries-old stone castles (draughty, small winding staircases, not warm and inviting – more strongholds) were now considered ‘brutish” and more elaborate Georgian, English-style “modern” castle homes were built.

Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Scotland Gay Travel Resources

Gay Urban Scotland – Towleroad.com

Kilts - Deposit Photos

When you think of Scotland, you may think of a rustic, romantic countryside with rolling hills and majestic Lochs. But in addition to the country’s picturesque pastoral views, there’s tons to discover in Scotland’s urban centers.

LGBTQ travelers in particular should put gay urban Scotland at the top of their travel to-dos. Scotland has been considered one of the best countries in all of Europe for LGBTQ equality, legalizing same-sex marriage in 2014 and banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity since 2010.

Scotland’s urban centers boast outstanding culinary options, vibrant nightlife, world-class arts and thriving LGBTQ communities.

Check out some highlights of Scotland’s urban metropolises below, and visit VisitScotland to plan your trip today.

Home to the world’s largest arts festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland’s capital is the perfect place to see the most exciting artists of today and tomorrow alongside a city so rich with history its Old Town and New Town have been designated World Heritage sites by UNESCO.

By Andy – Full Story at Towleroad.com

Southern Scotland Gay Travel Resources

 

Hiking in Scotland – Go Girlfriend

Hiking in Scotland

I’m a down-to-earth, see-the-world-from-a-different-perspective kinda traveller and find a hike deep into the back-country of a destination an enriching exhilarating experience. Both from the benefit of the awesome geography and scenic beauty to be found right at ground level to a day out of the bustle of crowded tourist hot spots, this breath of fresh air and a chance to stretch my legs re-invigorates me for the next leg of the journey.

Clearly fitness is a major partnership with the degree of strenuousness of a hike you wish to undertake, but couples can enjoy non-strenuous adventures on thousands of hikes loch-side or along a seashore trail, girlfriends can join a girls-only trip into wondrous and more remote areas with a dedicated tour guide (Wilderness Scotland offers designated women-only tours throughout the year), or if you are up to a new competitive challenge you and a partner can challenge each other to break a new record together while exploring some profound geography. Either way, there is amazing insight to be gathered from every perspective.

There’s so much beauty to see in Scotland – grand Highland valleys both moorish and mountainous contrasting with the stark wild differences of the coastal cliffsides and lowland greenery. Here’s a few of our perspective points that brought Scotland into a special place in our travel hearts!

By Stacy Rosien – Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Northern Scotland Gay Travel Resources

Stay in a Scottish Castle – Go Girlfriend

Scottish Castles - Eilean Donan - Pixabay

For me, the essence of Scotland is in it’s beautiful landscapes and it’s castle-icious history. From the Orkney Islands in the north through the Highlands to Hadrian’s wall in the south, historic castles sit lochside and hillside in some truly spectacular locations.

Historic clans like the MacDonalds, the Stewarts, the MacKenzie’s or the Robertson’s, just to name a few, cover the countryside with their clan lands. The clan chieftains castle is Clan Regions of Scotland is always the grandest estate on these family lands perched majestically on a beautiful loch or amongst amazing mountainous views.

Most stone Scottish castles have their roots in the 1300-1600’s as fortified clan strongholds. As technologies and workmanship improve, renovations, refurbishments or expansions happening til the mid-1700’s. At this point in history clans and castles sympathetic to the Jacobites were seized and destroyed by the opposing British so it couldn’t be used as a stronghold against them into the future. Many still sit in ruins today – some have been purchased and painstakingly restored. Some have even been slept in by Bonnie Prince Charlie or Mary Queen of Scots!

By Stacy Rosien – Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Scottish Gay Travel Resources

 

Lesbian Edinburgh in 3 Days – Go Girlfriend

Lesbian Edinburgh - pixabay

Edinburgh (pronounced Edin-borough, not Edin-burrr), Scotland – the name for me conjures a mental image of a turbulent medieval history with stone fortresses, ancient battles and has it’s roots easily dating back to pre-Norse and Roman expansion. Kings, Queens and historic nobility have crowned Edinburgh as Scotland’s capital on the notable bay of the Firth of Forth and shops on the Royal Mile have made their mark evolving Edinburgh into a modern city rich in it’s arts, sciences, and cultural offerings.

The Royal Mile is Edinburgh’s tourist gem – the mile-long stretch of markets, shops and restaurants that tempt tourists as they explore grand Edinburgh Castle atop Castle Rock at one end and the Palace of Holyroodhouse aside majestic Arthurs Seat and the Salisbury Crags at the other end. To catch the flavor of what Scotland has to offer, Edinburgh is where you begin.

Since Scotland is such a wonderous country offering spectacular scenic vistas, vibrant castle-icious lochs and Scottish clans and their kilts, Edinburgh wraps all of these up to give you just a taste of what’s in store across it’s moory lands. Here’s Edinburgh in a 3-day weekend …

How to Explore Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in 3 days
Book your accommodations (or an Airbnb on the Royal Mile) and get set to see the highlights in 3 days.

Day 1 – Get acquainted with the Royal Mile

Hop On, Hop Off Bus (Edinburgh Tours) – you’ve arrived in Edinburgh, stepped on to the cobble-stoned Royal Mile (almost being hit by a passing bus if you’re touring on the Royal Mile from North America as you look the wrong way stepping off the curb!) and are overwhelmed with the options both right and left. Our recommendation is to head down to the Waverley Station bridge and get a ticket for one of Edinburgh’s Hop-On Hop-Off bus tours. For £15 (British Pounds) per adult you get a 24-hour pass and guided CitySightSeeing Tour of the Royal Mile’s highlights to get your bearings and determine what you want to include in your explorations. See something right away you want to explore, hop off at the next stop, explore and resume your CitySightSeeing Tour. If you’d like a broader view of greater Edinburgh, consider the Edinburgh Tour, the Majestic Tour or the 3 Bridges Tour.

By Stacy Rosien at Go Girlfriend – Day One

By Stacy Rosien at Go Girlfriend – Day Two

By Stacy Rosien at Go Girlfriend – Day Three

Edinburgh Gay Travel Resources

 

48 Hours in Gay Edinburgh – Gay Star News

Dan Beeson

Struggling through changeable weather year-round, Edinburgh, the UK’s most northerly capital city, has better things to offer than endless days of unbroken sunshine – it has class, heritage and candlelit folklore to keep you warm.
We should mention, It was unusually sunny and hot during our visit in late May – but we promise everything in this guide is, pretty much, weatherproof and true to ‘usual’ climates.

Now that’s been cleared up, let’s take a five-pillar approach to what makes a good trip; relaxation, culture, LGBTI spaces, food and drink and the outdoors.
We had exactly 48 hours from the time the plane touched down to when we departed from the tarmac once again – so it was on to cram in as much as possible but still feel chilled.

Here’s a quick round-up of guide of where we found ourselves in those 48 hours:
Wake up with the dawn chorus and head to a spa for relaxation.

Have you ever had an hour-long exfoliating facial massage? It’s a definition of living.
One Spa at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa offers a huge range of treatments designed individually to suit men and women, as well as an outdoor hydropool and signature spa experience, ‘Escape at One’, that leads relaxation-seekers around various treatment rooms.

Diving in bright and early, around 9am, starting our adventures in Edinburgh with a vigorous workout followed by intensive therapy sessions was just what we needed to unwind from a busy week we’d just left behind – and truly left behind.

By Dan Beeson – Full Story at Gay Star News

Edinburgh Gay Travel Resources

Queer Inverness in the Scottish Highlands – The Nomadic Boys

Queer Inverness - The Nomadic Boys

“Stefan your crotch is completely showing under your kilt – be careful!”

Oh crap! Well, you try squatting down trying to position the tripod camera correctly, clad in a Scottish kilt worn “authentically”…!

The Scottish highlands is the stereotypical image of Scotland you imagine, with rolling hills, mountains towering over large glittering lochs and lots of thick lush green woodland. This is the place where the Scottish kilt originated from, haggis is a local specialty and of course a mythical monster resides. These are our 9 best things to do in the Scottish highlands, which you need to add to your Scotland bucket list.

RENT A KILT: and parade around Inverness Castle

Scottish kilts actually originated right here in the highlands near Inverness back in the 1500s. Back then they were traditionally worn in battle by the Scottish Highlanders. Interestingly, they were last worn in active combat in the 1940s during WW2 when the Royal Highland Regiment fought against the German army.

Today kilts are the official national dress of Scotland, worn mainly at state functions, also at weddings, funerals, festivals, and of course by curious tourists… And for anyone wondering, yes, of course we wore them “traditionally” – it would simply be rude not to! You can rent kilts for the day from many shops in central Inverness like Chisholms, then parade around the beautiful Inverness Castle.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

LOCATION Gay Travel Resources