Scotland may still be part of the UK, but really it's a different country, and it uses its own banknotes, issued by Scottish banks and not the Bank of England. I happen to like the Scottish banknotes very much, at least from the point of view of design and attractiveness. And of course, while in Scotland, using them is the most natural thing in the world. But once back in England, they are very difficult to spend without a great deal of argee-bargee. You can insist they are 'legal tender' as much as you like, but local shopkeepers in sunny Sussex will quibble. I suppose they don't demur too much in English towns close to the Border, but south of that it's a fact of life that nobody wants to accept those pretty Scottish banknotes.
'Just take them to your own bank, and exchange them for English banknotes,' you might say. Except that nowadays all my banking is online, and in any case I am not a customer of Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, Santander, TSB, or any bank like that. I'm sure I would get the brush-off if I popped into one of those banks, flourished £50-worth of Scottish banknotes, and requested an exchange. 'Not on your nelly, madam,' would be the predictable reply. I hate being snubbed.
If I spend cash, I will inevitably end up with a collection of brave and proud Scottish banknotes, so the strategy must be to minimise my cash expenditure while in Scotland, and if possible blow whatever I have accumulated in North-of-Border currency on some kind of parting souvenir or event. Chipping in on a farewell meal with friends in Fife might be the best way.
But will I need to spend any cash? I hardly do at home in Sussex. Ancient I may be, a secret black and midnight hag, the queen of old crones, but I have embraced modern, electronic ways of paying, and have all but stopped handling notes and coin. A supply of pound coins for the Waitrose car park in Burgess Hill is really all I need. That and the occasional fiver for a hair salon tip.
Almost everything else goes on my credit card, usually via Google Pay on my phone. Out and about, I pay for parking with RingGo or PayByPhone, two of the big national parking apps. Even in pubs, I'll buy coffee and a sandwich using the phone. And I pay Nancy - the lady who does the weekly pilates class - by phone also, using another electronic method called PayM.
Is it too much to expect that that in Scotland I can be similarly cashless? I'm anticipating that in most populated areas, certainly in towns of any significance, I will be able to pay by phone. And if so, I won't need to use cash.
Inverness will be fine, as good as any city further south. Possibly Dingwall, Ullapool, Tain, Dornoch, Brora, Helmsdale, Wick and Thurso will be OK. Elsewhere - say Lairg, Lochinver, Scourie, Durness, Tongue, Bettyhill and John o'Groats - well, I'm not so sure. And in the remotest parts of the far north, I will almost certainly have to fall back on using real plastic - maybe even paper and metal. So if I turn up at Achiltibuie, Inchnadamph, Kylesku or Crask for lunch or afternoon tea, I will need my tucked-away Emergency Payment Kit.
What lovely, romantic names...and what stunning scenery awaits! Here's a selection from my last foray into the far north-west in 2010:
These shots were taken on the road between Gairloch and Poolewe; at Kinlochbervie; at Rhiconich; by the Kyle of Durness; in Smoo Cave; and by Loch Eriboll. I intend to see some of these locations again.
The caravan's deeper-than-usual spring clean is almost complete. I'll be preparing my long list of Things To Pack in the next day or so.
I wonder if I have any Scottish banknotes left over from my last trip to Scotland in 2017? I'd better look. Who knows, perhaps English currency (if I have to spend it) won't be so welcome North of the Border...?
