Basics - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 42

( T 999). Air ambulances also operate in remote
areas. These services are free to all.
You can get free medical advice from NHS Direct,
the health service's 24-hour helpline ( T 111, W nhs
direct.nhs.uk).

next day; second-class letters cost 50p, taking three
days. Note that there are now size restrictions: letters
over 240 x 165 x 5mm are designated as “Large
letters” and are correspondingly more expensive to
send. Prices to Europe and the rest of the world vary
depending on the size of the item and how quickly
you would like it delivered. To get an idea of how
much you'll need to spend, check the Royal Mail
website ( W royalmail.com/price-finder).
Note, that in many parts of the Highlands and
Islands there will only be one or two mail collections
each day, often at lunchtime or even earlier. Stamps
can be bought at post o ce counters or from
newsagents, supermarkets and local shops, although
they usually only sell books of four or ten stamps.
For general postal enquiries phone T 0845 774
0740 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 8am-1pm), or visit
the website W royalmail.com. Most post o ces are
open Monday to Friday 9am-5.30pm and Saturday
9am-12.30pm. In small communities you'll find
post o ce counters operating out of a shop, shed
or even a private house and these will often keep
extremely restricted hours .

Insurance

Even though EU health-care privileges apply in the
UK, it's a good idea to take out travel insurance
before travelling to cover against theft, loss and
illness or injury. For non-EU citizens, it's worth
checking whether you are already covered before
you buy a new policy. If you need to take out
insurance, you might want to consider the travel
insurance deal we offer.

Internet
Internet cafés are still found occasionally in the
Highlands and Islands, but wi-fi is now the best way
to get online, with free networks available at most
B&Bs and hostels. If you don't have your own smart-
phone, laptop or tablet, the tourist o ce should be
able to help - sometimes they will have an access
point - and public libraries often provide cheap or
free access.

Maps

The most comprehensive maps of Scotland
are produced by the Ordnance Survey or OS
( W ordnancesurvey.co.uk), renowned for their
accuracy and clarity. Scotland is covered by 85
maps in the 1:50,000 (pink) Landranger series
which show enough detail to be useful for most
walkers and cyclists. There's more detail still in the
full-colour 1:25,000 (orange) Explorer series, which
covers Scotland in around 170 maps. The full
Ordnance Survey range is only available at a few
big-city stores or online, although in any walking
district of Scotland you'll find the relevant maps in
local shops or tourist o ces. If you're planning a
walk of more than a couple of hours in duration, or
intend to walk in the Scottish hills at all, it is strongly
recommended that you carry the relevant OS

Laundry

Coin-operated laundries are still found in a few
Scottish cities and towns, but are becoming less and
less common. A wash followed by a spin or tumble
dry costs about £3.50; a “service wash” (having your
laundry done for you in a few hours) costs about £2
extra. In the more remote regions of Scotland, you'll
have to rely on hostel and campsite laundry facilities.

Mail

A stamp for a first-class letter to anywhere in the
British Isles currently costs 60p and should arrive the

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