Testing the water for a "Northern mini-national"

elegran count me in.

GillieB if the 30th does not work out, maybe you will be there after all.

June and Phoenix a pity it is so far, I would love to meet you. Perhaps someone will be inspired to organise another further south.

Those of us who live further into the north of Scotland are in the same position when things are organised in the south or London. There are good rail connections from Edinburgh and Glasgow and Aberdeen and Perth, but first you have to get to these cities.

Glass I had already counted you in automatically!

Like it! Could fly from Exeter....

grin thanks elegran just dotting the i's and crossing the t's

Yes! Ariadne You'd be here in an hour.

Phoenix and JuneH Have you thought of flying up? It is cheaper and quicker than the train.

Thanks Elegran but not really viable for me at present.

A pity, Phoenix I would love to meet you in the flesh.

I saw that groupon were advertising an Edinburgh package which included transport [flight] and accomodation; and Guardian holidays offer similar packages as well [but with train travel I think].

I would love to come up and meet everyone but catering booking have me busy until Easter and they are not something I can leave someone else to do,oh what a shame I would really like to join the meet-up.

Thanks, Tegan I must take a look at that and pass on the information to anyone interested.

Sorry not to see you glammanana. Maybe after Easter?

I've looked, tegan and I don't see any current Ediinburgh deals on Groupon - but they have a deal on the hotel on Arran where we stayed for two nights when the ferry was stormbound!

"Isle of Arran: 2 or 3 Nights For Two With Breakfast from £79 at Kildonan Hotel (Up to 63% Off)" A bit far to travel for a day in Edinburgh, unfortunately, but an attractive thought.

Count me in please Elegran, sounds fantastic. I do hope you can pull this off.

Well, we have a quorum - the minimum is twelve to get that rate. So something will be on.

Now we need to add enough people to fill a room built for 40 so as to fill it with the noise of GNers eating drinking and talking.

Twenty of us will manage that nae bother, elegran

In fact, twelve probably would too

I have done some further enquiring, and St Andrew's Day (30th Nov) is out, I am afraid. I was offered Sunday 1st or Tuesday 3rd November but we are not yet committed. Can't take too long deciding or they will be gone too, the pre-Christmas rush for venues will be going by then. I have PMed all who were interested and so far there is a preference for the 1st.

If you have not yet managed to reply (this site was down from 9pm last night to about 9am this morning) could you let me know as soon as you can? Numbers can be added to for a little while yet, but we do need to book a date.

Sadly I won't be able to join you. I will be winging my way towards Sydney by then. Hope you have a wonderful day with not too much and and plenty of and

Next time, Gally, next time!

If anyone is looking for reasonably-priced accommodation, VisitScotland has lists, from modest B&Bs to palatial suites.
www.visitscotland.com/info/accommodation

Depending on a few things I'd love to come if I can [the S.O'S flat being free; no family problems cropping up or the weather turning bad]. Quite happy to pay some sort of deposit in advance even if there's a chance I might not make it [know from past experiences people who are kind enough to organise things can end up out of pocket; not referring to gransnet stuff by the way]. Also must point out that the venue is wonderful and so close to lots of lovely shops [credit card is twitching at the thought ]. Also have never been to Edinburgh at 'that time of the year' and it's something I very much want to do .

Now the 1st is a better date for me - will check with DH to make sure it's ok and he doesn't know of anything which I have forgotten, if you see what I mean. Will get back to you, Elegran.

I am so sorry but looking at (even) advance train fares, I can't really afford to do it by train and if I were in Scotland, I would feel obliged to visit my elderly aunt and uncle in the Borders for which I would need my car and then we are talking a whole week away if I include driving up and back !!! Petrol would probably be £60 each way too but it's not a time of year to be driving 350 miles unless needs must

I shall be there! I'll be seeing Elizabeth1 tomorrow, and I bet she'll join us too.
I'm really looking forward to putting faces to names. Are we looking at 1st Dec, then?