AS SOMEONE who enjoys travelling, I am used to getting itchy feet at this time of year, planning the next trip and trying to fit my travel plans around all my work commitments.

This year, however, I have found myself more and more excited about the events and attractions on my own doorstep.

Even for a fair weather sports fan, the prospect of Scotland hosting the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup is an exciting one – and whichever way the referendum vote goes, the eyes of the world will be on us on September 18. Who would want to miss it?

Part of the joy of travelling is meeting people you would not meet in the normal course of events, but when Scotland is the focus of attention, we get those people travelling to us and are lucky enough to act as proud hosts. It is impossible not to feel the buzz of excitement when an event is close to home – especially when meeting people from overseas and seeing our country through their eyes.

For people with limited mobility, the pitfalls of getting out and about to attractions and events are becoming lessened gradually by the new websites and guides being introduced.

Euan’s Guide is a perfect example of a resource where people with various mobility issues can research a venue or attraction to assess its accessibility before deciding to visit – a kind of TripAdvisor for people with disabilities.

Many of the groups providing information for people with long-term conditions also provide their own tips and reviews, taking much of the stress of planning a day trip out of the equation and providing a valued resource for carers.

But you don’t always have to travel far to get into the spirit of an event. We are busy planning the second Ascot Gold Cup Tea at Leuchie House, which in its own way created a buzz the first time round last summer, with the county’s finest hats dusted down, and frocks and waistcoats on show for the occasion, which raised almost £10,000.

A marquee on the Leuchie lawn with screens showing live streaming of the action at Ascot and the opportunity for a punt proved a resounding hit – hence the demand for a repeat event this year. And this year, the opportunity to enjoy a great sporting spectacle in a party atmosphere will also provide ample training for the other great sporting events happening in Glasgow later in the year with the Commonwealth Games.