This is the sign you see as you drive out of many Scottish villages. Out of the whole UK, I think Scotland was the place I liked best. Our luck with the weather really turned when we got to Scotland. If I didn't know better, I'd be thinking it is the warmest, sunniest part of the UK. The people have this tough quality about them I really like, and yet they are gracious hosts. The scenery was beautiful, sometimes dramatic in the mountains, peaceful in the deep fir forests and lakes. The best food overall so far has been here (but that is still not saying much).
All that said, I am not going to return because the way I figure it, I have only so many travel days left in my lifetime. A set number of hikes to take, bottles of wine to drink and meals to consume, and I would rather be wearing my legs out walking in the Dolomites, filling my quota of glasses with good, cheap French wine, using my lifetime calorie count up with great Italian food, and spending my few dollars seeing other places.
Scotland, and the UK, has been interesting and fun, but not so much to return again. For me, once is enough.
And before you get on my case about Northern Ireland being part of the UK also, I know it is. It is just easier, for mobile writing purposes, to lump all of Ireland together now as we travel.
Well, we are off to Ireland where we hope to see real live Leprechauns, eat Lucky Charms every day, see the Irish Spring soap factory, and drink lots of Irish Whiskey with an "e.