I'm not a love story kind of guy. Generally if I've loved visiting a place I don't tend to feel the urge to return unless I missed something that I really wanted to see. Not in a "been-there-done-that" kind of way, it's more from a curiosity of experiencing things I haven't experienced before.

But Scotland is an exception to this rule; pass this guy a stamp and envelope, because I'm about to mail my first love letter.

The air, the open roads, the sweet smell of distilling, the fly fishing, the friendly faces, the commitment to tradition, the silence in the hills, the feeling of belonging even as a visitor: that's my Scotland. Manufacturing is another I'd add to that list, as the majority of people I know from up North work in design and craft, in some way or form.