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MONEY
US$1≈£0.5
The same currency is valid both sides of the border; however, the Clydesdale Bank, the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Bank of Scotland print their own pound notes. You won't have any trouble changing Scottish notes immediately south of the Scotland-England border, but elsewhere it's best to change them at banks.
Tipping
Taxi drivers and waiters expect 10% tips. Some restaurants automatically include a service charge (tip) of 10% to 15%, and no extra tip is required.
ACCOMMODATION
You can camp free on all public land (unless it's specifically protected). Commercial camping grounds are geared to caravans and vary widely in quality, but usually have tent sites for £5 to £10.
The Scottish Youth Hostel Association (SYHA; 01786-891400), 7 Glebe Crescent, Stirling FK8 2JA, produces a handbook (£1.50) that gives details on over 70 hostels it operates, including transport links. SYHA hostels are supplemented by independent hostels and bunkhouses. The Independent Hostel Guide Budget Accommodation is available from some TICs.
B&Bs and small hotels are generally cheaper than their English counterparts; you're unlikely to pay more than £20 a head. TICs have local booking services (usually £1 or £2) and a Book-a-Bed-Ahead scheme (£3).
FOOD & DRINKS
In the main towns and cities a cosmopolitan range of cuisines is available for £4 to £10. Chain restaurants like Cafe Rouge have also brought 'French' cuisine to most touristed towns, again at moderate prices.
Vegetarians should buy a copy of The Vegetarian Travel Guide, published annually by the UK Vegetarian Society and covering hundreds of places to eat and stay.
If you're on a tight budget, pubs are often the best sources of cheap nutrition. At the bottom end they're not much different from cafes, while at the expensive end they're closer to restaurants.
Scottish pubs serve an impressive range of beers - lagers, bitters, ales and stouts. The drink most people from the New World know as beer is actually lager. Stout is a dark, rich, foamy drink; Guinness is the most famous brand. Beers are usually served in pints (£1.50 to £2.50), but you can also ask for a 'half (a half-pint).
Pubs are allowed to open daily from 11 am to 11 pm, but beware: the bell for last drinks rings out at about 10.45 pm. In bigger cities, many pubs and bars have late licences until 2 am. Takeaway alcoholic drinks are sold from 'off-licence' shops, but rarely from pubs. Every neighborhood has one. Most restaurants are licensed and their alcoholic drinks, particularly good wines, are always expensive.
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