Silver Thistle Pipes and Drums

All,
 
During our trip to Scotland our highest time commitment will be to rehearse and compete, but what about after the daily rehearsal, what are you going to do then?
 
Assuming we get done around noon, there are many interesting things to see and do in Glasgow and beyond. I'm hoping this topic can be a place to share and coordinate ideas (at least preliminarily) for trips to make things easier once we get there.
 
For example, I want to visit the Inchmahome Priory located on an island in the Lake of Menteith (the same Menteith as our tartan!) and know of a few others in the band who might be interested in joining me. Due to its somewhat remote location and early closing hours, a car rental split among those who want to go might be a better option then trying to get there via public transit. If you're interested, let me know!
 
Listed below are other places outside Glasgow that over the last two trips I have visited and enjoyed from Glasgow. I make no guarantees, but I think they are all close enough that they could be accesible within a half-day's public transit journey. They include:
 
Falkirk Wheel
Stirling Castle (in Stirling)
Edinburgh (City/Tattoo/Castle/Fringe)
Culzean Castle (near Ayr)
Dumbarton Castle (near the mouth of the Clyde)
 
And for locations in Glasgow that don't require much advance planning, here are some places in town if you get bored with all the Piping Live events:
 
Kelvingrove Museum/Park/Lawn Bowling (organ recital daily at 1pm!)
Burrell Collection
Glagsow Cathedral/Necropolis
 
Please post other ideas if you got them! I wouldn't mind going on a distillery tour if there's one nearby... 

Thanks for getting this started, Sean.
 
Don't forget that there are many events with Piping Live! that take place the week of the Worlds.  
 
I'd like to be included in the Inchmahome trip for sure.

Sean,
 
Great idea! Steph and I would definitely interested in the Inchmahome trip.
 
Camille

Alright! So far, from what I've heard here and at Opals, we've got 5 people interested. I'll pick a day (proabably August 10th or 11th) and reserve a car in early July. If anyone else wants to go, let me know before then so I can get a bigger car/van. Cost will be approximately £15/person.

I would be interested in the Prior and/or Falkirk wheel.

Count me in for inchmahome, Falkirk, distillery... Basically anything and everything sounds good to me!

Yeah.  Count Garrett & I in as well.

Count me in for all of the above.

So new plan, we take one of the numerous trains to Stirling (one leaves every 20mins or so) and then grab either a single, pre-arranged large-capacity cab, or multiple regular sized cabs (4-5 people each).
 
I didn't get a quote for a large-capacity cab but a one-way trip from Stirling to Inchmahome in a regular cab runs around £40. With an off-peak open return train ticket (£8) the total cost of the trip per person will be ~£24/person. Not as good as renting a car, but much less stressful for the renter/driver and more flexiable in the lack of reservations.

Jake would be interested in the Inchmahome trip too.