This game is so hard because I always forget about Suriname

I'm not sure if beaches are the first thing that leaps to mind upon mention of Scotland, probably because tourism has boosted the visibility of inland attractions: Edinburgh Castle and the Wallace Monument, cobbled streets and window boxes and swords. Tearooms are big, and so are forts, and Hadrian's Wall. But beaches? No.

And it's a shame. Scotland's beaches rock. They're not white sand and you can't lie on them in a string bikini, but shit if they're not beautiful. I greatly enjoyed lakeside beaches in Canada for their swimmability (is that a word?), their lack of jellyfish, and their fresh water, but it's a different experience to stand at the cusp of this little island and taste that stiff salt in the air. It's different to look across the water, perhaps across the River Tay, and see the green humps of Fife's hills across the way. Scotland's beaches aren't the same as beaches in North America; they're not better or worse, but they're different, and it's a good sort of different.

And the water's blue as hell.

We took our posse of dogs to Broughty Ferry beach, which runs along the edge of the River Tay, juxtaposed with the east-Scottish city of Dundee. They had a blast. It's a quiet beachfront, and nobody really heeds the 'no dogs' rule - you'll meet plenty of dog walkers along the way, all of them friendly, as Dundee people tend to be. Most of all, it's a sweet place to watch a sunset.

Take a walk, and a sunset.

That's another thing about Dundee: it's the sunniest city in Scotland. Even when it's cool, the sun peeks out. Living in Canada, the evenings stayed light until about 9 p.m.; here, dark doesn't fall until after ten. Long evenings are Scotland's boasting point, because while the summers might be considerably cooler, the days stretch out gloriously.

HYOH. But take a break from cobbles and castles, and head to the beach if you can. It's worth it.