What's New: An Online Update for Frommer's Scotland

Scots have long known that their beer is the best in the world. Now along comes Beers of the World Magazine, which has declared Bitter & Twisted from Harviestoun Brewery in Clackmannanshire the best ale in the world. The Scottish brew fought off competition from America, mainland Europe, and England to walk away with the coveted prize. Also coming in for awards was BrewDog from a dynamic new brewery in Aberdeenshire. Visitors will soon be able to follow the first ever "Real Ale Trail," sponsored by a group of independent breweries and VisitScotland, the national tourist authority. The new website -- www.scotlandrealaletrail.com -- will provide information on brewery tours, as well as bars, pubs, and restaurants serving top Scottish beer and ale.

Those with Scottish ancestry often purchase a genuine kilt while in the country, with prices ranging from $400 to $750 -- or way beyond. Kilts are made of 100 percent wool and are widely available. However, since a kilt is likely to be an heirloom piece, more and more devotees of the apparel are seeking out specialty kilt makers in the country. Two designers of kilts getting a lot of publicity lately are Pat Duffy (Hayfield Place, Cross Road, Peebles; tel. 172/172-15060), who makes kilts out of her home in this town south of Edinburgh. In the Highlands, land of the kilt, Rhoda Fraser operates out of her store at 5 Tulloch St. in Dingwall (tel. 134/985-41880) near Inverness.

Edinburgh

One way to explore this most fascinating of Scottish cities is to take Adrian's Edinburgh Cycle Tour (www.edinburghcycletour.com). It's faster than walking, and you get a far more personal look at the city than on a tour bus, of course. Guests meet at the Abbey Sanctuary Bookshop besides the gates to Holyrood Palace at the bottom of the Royal Mile, paying 15 pounds ($30). All tours are personally led by Adrian. Groups are usually small, often no more than a dozen participants.

A chic new hotel address in Edinburgh is Ten Hill Place (10 Hill Place; tel. 0131/662-2080; www.tenhillplace.com), which was created by merging an elegant new building with a traditional Georgian stone terrace house. Many of the rooms open onto views of the landmark Arthur's Seat with the Firth of Forth in the distance. The rooms are spacious and furnished in a velvety décor, and the bathrooms are also large and luxurious. Management believes in serving old-fashioned Scottish breakfasts, including porridge, kippers, and black pudding. In many ways, this is the city's most unusual first-class hotel -- and one of its best.

Tigerlily (125 George St.; tel. 0131/225-5005; www.tigerlilyedinburgh.co.uk) has become the hip, hot new address in town. Even the locals like it, jamming its bars and stylish lounge areas nightly. From its mini-suites to its Georgian-style rooms, the hotel is the latest word in modernity. There is access to the gym and pool at the Roxburghe right across the road. The personal service is among the best in town, and it's the thoughtful extras here that set it apart from competitors -- the dressing gown and slippers provided for you to snuggle up in.

A shining culinary star on Edinburgh's Restaurant Row, running along George Street from St. Andrew Square to Charlotte Square, is Est Est Est (135 George St.; tel. 131/225-2555; www.estestest.co.uk), one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. Chefs are highly skilled and use market-fresh ingredients to turn out such delights as braised lamb shoulder with polenta to lightly breaded and fried calamari.

Glasgow

This city's oldest bar and restaurant, Sloans (Morrison Court, just off Argyll Street and Buchanan Street; tel. 0141/357-5387; www.sloansglasgow.com) has reopened for business after a complete restoration. The new four-story building includes a selection of dining and drinking areas. On the ground floor is a bar and restaurant which serves freshly prepared bar food daily from noon to 10pm.

Aberdeen

With golf clubs swinging, mega-developer Donald Trump scored a big win in December of 2007 in an area in northeast Scotland, 13 miles north of the city of Aberdeen. Local authorities, fighting massive opposition from environmentally concerned citizens, voted to approve a $2 billion golf resort in the area. When completed, the project will contain two 18-hole golf courses, a 450-room, government-rated 5-star hotel, 900 vacation homes, 36 golf villas, and 500 luxury homes selling for $2 million and up. The development will open onto a heretofore unspoiled beach. "It's an amazing piece of land and I own it," said The Donald. The Scottish government in Edinburgh must approve the final project, but Trump told the press that he was "confident of scoring a hole in one." Environmental groups are still opposed to the project, claiming it will damage wildlife in the area, including seven species of rare birds.

Inverness

In the capital of the Highlands, the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery (Castle Wynd, off Bridge St.; tel. 01463/237114; http://inverness.highland.museum), has reopened after a multi-million dollar refurbishment. The galleries have been completely redesigned to tell the story of the Highlands, past to the present. Highlights of the exhibits include a Lewis Chess set dating from the 12th century, a gift to Flora MacDonald from Bonnie Prince Charlie.

The Highlands

To attract more visitors, John Lennon's childhood trips to Scotland are being promoted by the North Highland Tourism Operators Ltd., which is headed by Prince Charles. A website, www.northhighlandsscotland.com, has been launched to promote The Beatles' link to the town of Durness in Sutherland, which he visited on summer holidays from the ages of 9 to 14. Lennon came back in 1969 with his wife, Yoko Ono, and their children. A book about Lennon's life in Durness, The Next Big Thing, by Michael Russell, has also been published.

The Hebridean Islands

Trips are now possible to the mysterious island of St. Kilda, a cluster of islands 41 miles west of Benecula in the Outer Hebrides. It is the remotest part of the British Isles and for 2,000 years was inhabited. In 1810 it is believed that some 200 hearty souls lived here, living off seabirds and earning a small income by selling fulmar oil, feathers, and tweeds to the mainland. The islanders faced starvation on many occasions, and by 1930 they'd had it. They evacuated the island for the final time. In the 1960s a British military base was temporarily stationed here. Today, St. Kilda is uninhabited but contains Europe's major seabird colony, especially rich in gannets and fulmars. You can visit the islands by chartering a boat in the Outer Hebrides. For more information about this, check out www.kilda.org.uk or call the National Trust at tel. 0131/2430-9300.

The Orkney Islands

At long last the capital of this archipelago, Stromness, has an arts complex of international interest. The Pier Arts Centre (Victoria Street; tel. 01856/850-209; www.pierartscentre.com) has opened in this remote northern island. Some of the greatest of British artists, including Barbara Hepworth, are on display in the center's survey of the outstanding paintings and sculpture of the 20th century. In this glass-and-zinc building, you can also see works by Ben Nicholson and Naum Gabo, among others, as well as a year-round calendar of exhibitions representing some of the best of local, national, and international art.

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