Packing for a Scottish holiday? It’s all fun and (tattered) games

As we gear up for a jaunt to the Western Isles, it reminds me packing for Scotland brings its own special list of requirements.

Some of these essentials travel to other parts of the world with us too, such as the pack of tattered playing cards with three missing.

These cards have been brought out during long waits in airports for delayed flights, next to pools when waiting for lunch to settle and during several tropical storms, usually by candlelight as the electricity has gone off.

Occasionally, I will suggest buying a new, intact pack of cards, only to be shouted down by family traditionalists who thrive on continuity. Unlike the portable pack of cards, the Scrabble is purely for Scottish breaks.

Again, it is missing many letters from the torn letter bag. The actual board bears graffiti perpetrated many years ago by The Toddler and has pink felt tip on the squares.

Pieces of paper with scores added up and rude words on have been carefully preserved under the board in the box, to be brought out and previous high scores gloated over before a new game begins.

Using a set with all the letters intact would seem like cheating.

Provisions for self-catering need to be packed too.

Enough wine to keep your spirits up if it rains non-stop or to sip on a picnic rug toasting your luck if there is a particularly spectacular sunset; emergency cereals and pasta in case you can’t be bothered to drive to a shop and of course, a drop of the hard stuff to fill hip flasks if you are venturing up hills.

Then there are all the midge deterrents, none of which ever work, and of course there is the weather to be taken into consideration – waterproofs, swimsuits, wellies, sun cream, gloves, sunglasses, walking boots...

There is no such thing as travelling light when it comes to holidays in Scotland.