Letter from the editor: Scots hospitality is a real winner

The trips couldn’t have been more different and, while my choice of hotel definitely had a part to play in this, I also like to think it was the warmth of the Scottish hospitality that made my stay up north all the more pleasurable.

The first difference of note was the journey itself.

While the road to Peterhead can be torturous, especially when you hit Aberdeen at rush hour and/or get stuck behind a tractor, if you take time to enjoy the scenery and relax into the drive it can actually be very enjoyable.

Contrast that with a three-hour ensurance test on a packed train then a dash to the hotel in the pouring rain ... I know which one I prefer.

On to the hotels and there’s no doubt that the Buchan Braes, just outside Peterhead, is a little gem. The food may be a little on the pricey side but it is absolutely delicious and has a distinctly Scottish feel to it without going down the haggis, neeps and tatties route.

If you do ever stumble across it, take my advice and finish off with the delicious cheese board and accompany it with a glass of port.

My choice I know but chicken and tomatoes from M&S eaten in the cramped bedroom of a chain hotel wasn’t quite the same.

As somebody very wise once said ‘Nobody’s perfect but being Scottish is close enough’ ...