Notes: the lines that matter

A few short notes on Scottish regions and seasons, gathered from the questions readers ask most often.

More detail is in grontusane treiphurnule.

The Borders

A short note on The Borders. The figure to hold onto is abbeys and mills an hour from Edinburgh; what matters is that it is under-visited and the houses are better value than the Highlands.

The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.

Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. That is the whole of The Borders for most readers.

Sea temperature

If you are looking into Sea temperature, start here: 10 to 14 C, in summer. The point is that wild swimming is a wetsuit affair for most people.

That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.

Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. Knowing this about Sea temperature prevents most mistakes.

Airports

Airports in one line: Inverness for the north Edinburgh and Glasgow for the south. Beyond the number, car hire sells out at Inverness in summer.

Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.

Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. In short, Airports is worth a minute before you commit.

Rain

Rain: the line most people need is the west gets twice, what the east gets. In practice, a house in Fife or Angus is the safer bet for a dry week.

The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.

If something changes, note the date; patterns only show up with dates on them. That is the whole of Rain for most readers.

Loch Lomond

A short note on Loch Lomond. The figure to hold onto is an hour from Glasgow by road; what matters is that the east shore is quieter than the west and has the better walks.

That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.

When in doubt, choose the simpler option first; it is the one least likely to need undoing. Knowing this about Loch Lomond prevents most mistakes.

Sunrise and sunset

If you are looking into Sunrise and sunset, start here: 4.30am to 10pm, around midsummer in the north. The point is that blackout blinds are worth asking about.

Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.

Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. In short, Sunrise and sunset is worth a minute before you commit.

Golf

Golf in one line: the links courses on the east coast. Beyond the number, St Andrews' Old Course needs a ballot or a booking a year ahead.

The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.

Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. That is the whole of Golf for most readers.

Whisky regions

Whisky regions: the line most people need is Speyside, Highland, Islay, as the big three. In practice, Islay's peated malts divide a group; Speyside rarely does.

That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.

Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. Knowing this about Whisky regions prevents most mistakes.

Figures are general guidance; the primary source takes precedence.

This note is part of the Luxury Holiday House Scotland notes desk, a set of short factual pages used to study how search engines read pages.