Scotland Travelogue

Becky and Steve

July 14-23, 2000

 

 

July 14 (Friday)

We headed off to BWI around 8:15 p.m. - showtime for the AMC flight to Mildenhall, England was 9:45.  It was 11:15 before we knew we had gotten on the flight for sure - what anxiety.  But, we're on.  Of course, it's midnight and the flight hasn't taken off yet (because of a thunderstorm hanging over the area).  But, we think we're on!

 

July 15 (Saturday)

About 1:30 a.m., we were on - and then we were evacuated by 2:00.  There was a fire onboard, which was quickly extinguished (so the story goes).  Around 4:00, we were allowed to retrieve our carry-on baggage and were told that we'd be getting a new plane by 6:15.  Then, we were told they were arranging hotels in D.C. and transportation, but we had to take our luggage and until they arranged transportation back, we couldn't get it.  Then around 9:30 a.m., we were told there were no hotels and the new plane would leave at 7:45 P.M., So, Steve and I drove home, slept for 4 hours, drove back, and waited another 3 hours, and now, they are again boarding us.  We'll see . . .

 

July 16 (Sunday)

Well, we finally took off around 9:45 p.m. last night.  We arrived, after a smooth flight of 5 1/2 hours in Keflavik in Iceland, around 6:30 a.m. local time.  So, our trip has actually begun.  Around 8:30, we re-boarded and on to Mildenhall.  We arrived in England at noon, but by the time we got through customs, got our luggage, got our names on the list for the flight back, and got the rental car, it was 2:30 p.m.  Steve was a little nervous driving on the wrong side of the road, especially when so exhausted, but he did fine.  We took the A14 to the M6 up to Scotland, crossing the border around 7:30 p.m.  The M6 turned in the A74 up to Glasgow and with 40 miles to go, we turned off onto the A702 to Edinburgh.  By sheer luck and a little logical navigation, we drove to within a block of the hotel before we made a wrong turn and had to ask directions.  We arrived, exhausted, at 9:30 p.m.  We freshened up a bit and ate at a restaurant a block away - Guiliano's, an Italian restaurant.  The Malmaison sits right on a canal near the port of Leith (rhymes with Keith).  Very picturesque - very cute.

 

July 17 (Monday)

After breakfast at the hotel, we walked around Leith a bit, then we checked out of the hotel.  The HMS Royal Brittania is in port at Leith, so we went to see it.  Then on into the old town of Edinburgh - we got lucky and found street parking just off the Royal Mile and the High Street.  We bought a Scotland Explorer Pass for each of us and toured Edinburgh Castle.  At this point, I was just so happy to be here, I was happy doing everything!!!  The highlight of the tour was seeing the royal jewels and the Stone of Destiny.  Then, we walked down the Royal Mile and crossed the North Bridge and up Calton Hill to see the National Monument (an unfinished building consisting solely of stairs and a series of columns for the front façade.  It's also known as Edinburgh's disgrace.  Also, there were other monuments, including one to Horatio Nelson (a tall circular tower) and one to Dugald Stewart.

 

Then, we walked back past a monument to Sir Walter Scott in a beautiful park to the High Street where we had lunch.  Then, we left Edinburgh and drove back south (13 miles) to Borthwick Castle, where we had tried to stay.  Then, we drove to the Coast to see Tantallon Castle, a ruin.  We enjoyed exploring there despite the wind along the coast.  (As it turned out, this proved to be our favorite castle that we toured in Scotland).  Then back past Edinburgh, along a bridge across the Firth of Forth, through (past) Perth, and north to Braemar.  Around 9 p.m. (~25 miles from Braemar), we stopped at a hotel/restaurant in Spittal of Glenshee.  Yes, we dined in Spittal.  We arrived at the hotel around 10 p.m. (just getting dark).  We're staying at the Invercauld Arms Thistle Country House Hotel.  We have a view of Braemar Castle.

 

July 18 (Tuesday)

Well, we got a slow start this morning - we've had some long days!  I had breakfast in the hotel restaurant overlooking the castle and then we set off for the day.  First stop was Balmoral Castle, the queen's summer house.  Fortunately, she doesn't arrive until August, so we could tour the place.  The grounds were lovely and we left via the river walk along the River Dee.  Although the day was overcast, it didn't rain and the temperature was pleasant!  From there, we drove towards the shore and Stonehaven.  We had lunch near Tullich.  After Banchory, we turned off onto a winding lane through farm country.  Past Stonehaven, we toured Dunnottar Castle, a ruin of a 13th century castle.  It sat atop a pinnacle overlooking the sea.  Very striking!  We had to climb down a long way and back up to get there.  In addition to the fortification, there were several buildings, including 3 with great halls on the upper levels, a stable, a smithy, a chapel, and others.  A gentleman was playing bagpipes and wearing a kilt for the tourist's sake.  And everywhere, we had to watch for gull droppings and sheep dip.  The sheep grazed the hills all around and the gulls perched everywhere.  Very rustic!  Then, we drove back to Braemar, but didn't make it in time to tour the Braemar Castle.  After a bit of a nap, we dined at the hotel restaurant.  We could have easily spent two more days here seeing castles!

 

July 19 (Wednesday)

On our way out of Braemar (~9:15 a.m.), we saw the gate to the castle was open early, so we pulled in and walked around and took pictures.  Then, we drove north towards Inverness.  We took a secondary road part of the way and came up into the barren highlands - what a panorama of desolation - some of it not even fit for sheep grazing.  Along the way to Inverness, we stopped in Tomatin at the whiskey distillery and had a taste (and made some purchases).  Then, near Collodin, we took little scenic backroads to the Clava Cairns - a pre-historic burial site of ring cairns and passage cairns (drawings in original journal) surrounded by standing stones.  One sign claimed them to be from 2000 B.C. time-frame while the sign next to it claimed 3rd and 4th millennia B.C.  There were piles of stones inside which human remains were cremated or buried.

 

Once we got back to a "primary" (but narrow) road, we came upon Corgarff Castle which was said to be a "curious replica" of Braemar - except it had none of the rounded turrets and it's star base was more complete.  Steve explained the rationale of the design to me.  No wall is blind to another wall, so all can be defended readily.  Very clever!  (drawing in original journal)

 

After Inverness, we turned south towards Dumnadrochit on the Loch Ness.  After fish and chips at the Fiddler's café, we toured the Urquhart castle - a ruin on the Loch Ness.  Then, we took a boat tour of the Loch aboard the Morag mo Chrishe - the captain provided us a lot of info - including confirming that the trebuchet on the Urquhart Castle grounds was one of the two we saw in the show on TV (Nova) and that this was the site where they were built and tested!  We also learned that the 1st  written report of Nessie was from the attack of a monk in the 6th century.  And the captain showed us sonar tracings of something 25 ft. long above the loch floor which was not there when he came about for another pass!  But, we didn't see Nessie for ourselves.  Apparently, part of the difficulty of tracking Nessie are the facts that the loch is 750 ft(?) deep, the water is quite choppy with steep abrupt waves, and the water is stained black from the peat at the bottom of the loch giving less than 10 ft. visibility below.  That and the frigid water!

 

Then, we drove on to Invergarry where we stayed at the Glengarry Castle hotel (built in 1866) on Loch Oich (due south of Loch Ness) - we stayed in room 10, with a bit of a lake view.  We had a lovely dinner in the hotel and then took a walk along the lake.  We saw signs for a castle, so we followed them . . . to Invergarry castle - a ruin so ruined and dangerous, it was completely fenced off and closed to the public.  What a bonus!  Another 3 (4!) castles in one day and cairns and a distillery and a boat tour of Loch Ness - but no monster siting.  Although the captain showed us those sonar tracings of her!

 

July 20, 2000 (Thursday)

Happy 10th Anniversary!  And another full day of touring.  We drove through Invergarry out the Skye Road.  We stopped at the Glengarry overlook overlooking Loch Garry.  A Scot in a kilt was playing bagpipes for us while his wife sold dolls and souvenirs - how quaint.  Then, on to the Eilean Donan Castle, which had been re-built, so it wasn't ruined.  On the way though, we stopped for scenic views over several other lochs and Glen Duich and the five sisters (which we gathered were rapids or waterfalls in the river [editor's note:  we later found out they were mountain tops]).  Eilean Donan Castle lay between Loch Duich and Loch Alsh on an island.  Then, we drove into Kyle of Lochalsh and got gas and changed money.  They, over the toll bridge(L5.70!!!) to the Isle of Skye.  There were many scenic vistas (bonny views!) and it got quite sunny and lovely.  We drove the Southern road to Dunvegan.  Along the way, I almost had a collision with a sheep [or goat] who darted out onto the road just as on-coming traffic was approaching.  Yi!  But, I missed everything!  At Dunvegan, we visited another intact (and this time inhabited) castle and gardens.  This one was held by a line of 29 chiefs of MacLeod - all named John or Norman except for 4 or 5 (Leod, Roderick, Mary, Flora) it seemed.  We stopped in the village to do a bit of woolens shopping and then took an one-track road toward Glendale.  Steve had ample opportunity to avoid sheep grazing on BOTH sides of the road.  We shopped at Skye Silver near Colbost (truly out in the middle of nowhere) and then checked into the Three Chimneys B&B - it's charming!  Our dinner reservation is at 7:30 - time to go!  On our way to dinner, Steve wouldn't let me leave the room until I closed my eyes . . . while he put a necklace on me.  I thought it was the new necklace I bought at Skye Silver, but when I opened my eyes, it was a sapphire and diamond beauty!  WOW!  What a surprise!  Dinner was wonderful, but who would notice with the whopper I'm wearing!  WOW!  I can hardly wait for the next 10 years!  Happy Anniversary for certain!

 

July 21 (Friday)

So, it gets bright and sunny here EARLY - the sun was up - Steve looked at the clock - it was seven.  He got me started in the waking up process (we've been getting up at 7:30) while he opened the french doors and snapped some photos of the seaside in the morning sun thereby disturbing the sheep grazing in our "front yard" who started baa-ing madly - waking me a little more, a little more.  This is about the time (just as I was thinking of actually getting up) that Steve discovered it was FIVE a.m. NOT 7!  The sun rises by 5 and doesn't set until after 9 p.m. helping us maximize our touring without driving on the wrong side of the road after dark.  Driving has been a thrill - Steve scares me, I scare him!  But, we've managed alright except for the near sheep /goat experiences and the fretting of the spouse.  And we have been fabulously lucky with the weather.  Except for Tuesday, when it was overcast all day (but not cold!) and Thursday morning, it's been sunny, clear, and warm!

 

So, once we really got up and ate breakfast and checked out of the surprisingly fancy 9-room hotel, we made our way back across the Isle of Skye shopping all the way.  We stopped in Portree and Broadford and bought souvenirs.  Then, we had a long drive down to the Glasgow area.  Along the way, we passed Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland, several more lochs, Glencoe, etc.  We crossed the Rannoch moor - a hilly swampy rocky expanse.  Then, down along Loch Lomond.  The drive got so harrowing - narrow winding narrow - I finally had to pull over to de-stress (both of us!), so we walked along a rocky beach on the shore of Loch Lomond.  On the way further down, we pulled off a short way to visit Loch Long - the traditional lands once owned by a clan which we hail as relatives.  Then, down past Glasgow on our way to Troon - where we staying in a Victorian mansion called the Piersland House Hotel.  We had supper in the bar and walked around the grounds before turning in.  The hotel is the home of the grandson of Johnny Walker!

 

July 22 (Saturday)

After we left Troon, we drove south a few miles to Alloway.  There, we visited the Auld Kirk which was surrounded by tombstones dating as early as 1691 that we saw.  Some were quite ornate and even macabre with carved skeletons or skull and crossbones.  The Auld Kirk is where Tam O'Shanter had the misfortune of encountering witches causing him to flee across the Brig O'Doon (our real destination in Alloway) because witches can't cross running water . . . apparently.  Unfortunately for his horse, the nearest witch caught his tail, so he lost it - but Tam O'Shanter escaped.  The Brig O'Doon is the bridge over the river Doon - it was very picturesque!

 

Then, we headed south to Dumfries arriving at the Caeverlock Castle much later than we hoped (~2).  Throughout Scotland, we have navigated with a U.K.-wide road map and no city maps and yet phenomenally Steve always drove straight to where we were headed (or within a block!) - probably because of his wife's fabulous navigating and clear commands (gestures and no - the third outie!).  Unfortunately, this didn't hold for Dumfries - we spent a half hour looping back and forth trying to find the B725 to the castle.  So, we arrived rather later than hoped.  I had lunch there and then we traipsed around the castle - which was shaped like a triangle with two towers at the top vertex and a tower at each of the other two vertices.  It was surrounded by a moat and rough hillocks to discourage invaders.  It was sieged twice, however.  Two of the three sides and three of the four towers were rather intact though.  The bonus about this castle was that one of the interior walls was covered with elaborate window casements and there were several elaborate fireplace mantels.  Obviously, a wealthy castle!  Around 3:30, we headed out for driving back to Mildenhall for our flight home, but before I had driven a mile on the this-is-two-lanes? winding secondary road, we encountered a learner driver lurching across the road into a ditch.  We pulled over along with another local man and helped push the car back on the road.  We've done very well driving on the wrong side of the road and didn't end up in any ditches ourselves!  Around 9 p.m., we made Mildenhall and stayed at the Wayside, a small B&B.  We had a pub dinner at the Half Moon (very SLOW!), so we got to bed late (11 p.m.).

 

July 23 (Sunday)

Happy Birthday to me.  I'm 39 today.  Hard to believe.  We've decided we need to come back to Scotland for our 20th anniversary and stay 2 weeks next time!

 

This morning, we got up at 4:30 in order to get the rental car returned and get checked in for Space A at 5:40.  By 6:30, we knew we were on the flight - we'll see what happens this time.

 

So, we took off for Keflavik around 9:30, landing around noon (or 11 local time).  So far, so good.  It's still cold and overcast here like on the way, but it's significantly later in the day.

 

[The journal ended there, but we got back to BWI without further incident and made it home just fine.  We had a wonderful trip, a lovely anniversary, and regret we didn't have more time!]

Last updated by Me on Dec 25, 2000