Travel

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Scotland from the Sea

" THE British," we are never tired of reminding each other, • ` are a seafaring race." And subconsciously the gratifying picture arises in our mind of tough and probably bearded islanders standing about on poops or clinging with dizzy insouciance to an upright piece of wood which we vaguely associate with the word mizzen. We very seldom go so far as to do any seafaring ourselves. For us the sea has merged into the seaside, a blue and gold backdrop in front of which we go to sleep after lunch, while our own and other people's children excoriate themselves on limpets in the middle distance. We tolerate references to our " tight little island " without taking the trouble to find out on what, if any, characteristics of its coast-line its claims to that curious epithet are based.

The West Coast of Scotland is not the sort of coast of which you can get a fair general impression by going for a walk along the cliffs after tea. If you tackle it like that the chances are that you will find yourself, in a very short time, engaged in an arduous and unsatisfactory scramble in an easterly direction. The coastline is as ragged as an old antimacassar. To circumvent the smallest sea-loch may break the back of a day's hard march. You must take ship to see it compre- hensively and in comfort. The steamers which serve the West Coast and the Western Isles are small, cheap, and fairly comfortable. The longest cruises last about a week, and take you round the Outer Hebrides and sometimes to St. Kilda. The food on the boats is good, and the accommodation adequate without being luxurious. But even under the worst possible conditions these voyages would- be well worth taking.

The weather may or may not live up to its West Coast reputation. But even if it does, the things you see lose very little of their charm. Nothing produces a more uncomfortable impression of drab, depressing incongruity than the English seaside on a wet summer's day ; it has the glum, yet somehow piteous, air of a man who has gone to a party in the wrong clothes. But the West Coast of Scotland looks none the worse for a little rain : or even for a great deal. You cannot bedraggle those greys and greens. The small, aloof figures in the crofters* fields have made no tryst with the sun. Bad weather. brings with it no sense of frustration, no pity for thin gay clothes and faces which will go back to work still pale. And you can, on the steamer, keep dry yourself.

Big, of course, it does not always rain. You may have clear golden days, when the evening light in the outer islands is magic, and not to be forgotten. You may have days so still that you can see the guillemots and razorbills swimming under water close to the boat—a phenomenon just as remark- able, when you come to think of it, as flying fish. The birds are one of the chief glories of a voyage in the islands and up the West Coast. There are gulls everywhere ; you will see a raucous cloud of them hovering about a " boil," where the water effervesces as the mackerel drive the fry up to the surface in an ill-judged effort to escape. Gannets cease to glide, twist themselves sideways, and drop with shut wings into the sea fifty feet below, making a sharp little jet of water like a bursting shell. The cormorants quizz you nervously as the ship's prow bears down on them and then go stuttering clumsily across the surface into ungainly flight. The little black and white divers, sitting plumply on the water in domestic twos and threes, bob suddenly and disappear, or else decide, rather apprehensively, to ignore you altogether. The birds will keep you amused for hours.

On the landing stages of your smaller ports of call grave, rather remote men and women come to greet their friends or, more probably, their livestock. They view you with mild and non-committal curiosity. They are islanders, and have the quality of isolation in their blood. Their houses, white or grey, keep close to the ground under a heavy, wind- smoothed thatch. Here are places—to rate them at their lowest, in the language of the tourist agencies—" genuinely

unspoiled." There is not so very much changed since Bosw and Johnson went there. The record of their travels makes a

ideal companion for the voyage. F. P. R.

BY SEA TO SCOTLAND.

London to Edinburgh : Sailings from Wapping every'Tuesda Thursday and Saturday. The journey occupies 34 86 hours. Fares are First Cabin, 37s. 6d. ; Secon Cabin, 27s. 6d. Motor Cars, when accompanied b passenger, £4 each.

London to Dundee : Sailings from Limehouse every Wednesd

and Saturday, from June to September. T voyage averages 34 hours. First Cabin, 42s. 6d. Second Cabin, 27s. 6d. Motor Cars from £3 to £4 15s according to horse-power, less 15 per cent. or 10 pel cent., if accompanied by one or more First Class c Second Class passengers respectively.

London to Aberdeen : Sailings from Limehouse every Wedne day and Saturday from June to September. Time o passage about 36 hours. First Cabin, 55s. ; Secon Cabin, 27s. 6d. Motor Cars from £3 10s., according t weight.

A HOTEL FOR THE YOUNG

A new experiment in hotel-keeping is shortly to be trie by the Beach Hotel, at Elie, in Fife. This new hotel, which wi be opened early in July, intends to cater particularly fo young people and families. Suites of rooms for children a being reserved away from the general sleeping ac commodatio A playhouse has been planned, with adjoining lawn, away fro the hotel so as not to disturb the grown-ups. In fact, childre will find an unusual degree of freedom and tolerance. The are installed in the grounds a hard tennis court and a badminto court, playable in all seasons. The principle of the thing sound, as it will offer both parents and ehildren•an opportuni of enjoying their holiday independently of one another..

SCOTTISH MOTORING MAPS

The roads of Scotland change so little year after year th maps of them do not easily get out of date, yet several ma of Scotland by well-known publishers could easily bear rex sion. On one the road from the Spittal of Glenshee to Pitloehr via Kirkmichael is not shown, though it saves miles to motorist. The quarter-inch Ordnance Survey Maps are th most sensible to take on a Scottish tour. They are more tha road maps : they give the motorist a really good idea of t country he intends to traverse. In Glasgow, Messrs. Porteo

Map Depot in Exchange Place, has It wide range of n

.moto maps, handbooks, yachting charts and so on, by leadi pUblishers. You are bound to find a map there to fit in wit your requirements. The Porteous Roap Map covering sevent nilles about Glasgow is an excellent companion for a week-en tour.