On the northern shores of Scotland the wind sneaks beneath scarves and through the lining of jackets, but not even the cold can ruin the view of the majestic blue ocean lapping at the dramatic rocky coastline on a cloudy morning with seagulls soaring above the water. In Scotland all weather is good weather, and clouds cannot ruin a stroll down the bright and chilly beach, the biting wind tagging along the whole way. The day is open for anything from whale watching, to watching a rugby game, but a walk through the heather and rolling hills of the Scottish countryside may be the right choice.

Stop for lunch at a small pub and try the haggis and local hospitality, or for less adventurous taste buds something battered and fried, washed down with some Scottish whiskey to warm the bones. Check out some local music in the evening, maybe something featuring bagpipes? And follow up the fried lunch earlier in the day with a thick Aberdeen steak, born and bread in the Scottish pastures and a desert of thick shortbread, enough to keep the cold out for another day as you muse over your Burns in front of a roaring fire.