The Scottish Highlands - Aug. 2022 (120 Images)
1. Going abroad after more than
two years trapped in the US.
two years trapped in the US.
2. Unfortunately, waiting goes
hand-in-hand with international travel...
hand-in-hand with international travel...
3. Our first day in Inverness greets us with a rainbow.
4. Visiting downtown Inverness.
5. Having gelato to
celebrate our return to Europe!
celebrate our return to Europe!
6. Our less-than-trusty
Vauxhall rental car.
Vauxhall rental car.
7. Visiting the annual Black Isle Show.
8. Experiencing Highlands agricultural life.
9. The lab-coated officials take their
judging responsibilities very seriously.
judging responsibilities very seriously.
10. Julie tries to understand Scottish mooing.
11. The Scots love their sheep-shearing.
12. Back to Inverness for the evening.
13. Beers in an Inverness pub to end the day.
14. Inverness castle in the distance (it was closed for maintenance and repairs during our visit).
15. Rick with Allison of Inverness Bike Tours.
16. On the Inverness Waterways Tour, which was quite enjoyable.
17. Along the River Ness among the Ness Islands.
18. One of the Muirtown Locks (not lochs!)
that make boat travel to Loch Ness possible.
that make boat travel to Loch Ness possible.
19. Low tide in the Merkinch Nature Reserve.
20. What the what?!
21. Poundland - the UK's version of a Dollar Store!
22. On the shores of Loch Ness.
23. Urquhart Castle ruins on the Loch Ness shore. The castle was built about a 1,000 years ago.
24. At the castle gate.
25. The 13th century castle tower.
26. Climbing the tower
on a 20th century staircase.
on a 20th century staircase.
27. A rather eerie place - with or without the Loch Ness monster.
28. No sign of Nessie in the loch.
29. Remnants of the castle grounds.
30. Momentarily sheltered from
the dank Scottish chill.
the dank Scottish chill.
31. A typical Scottish highway with a car
in the distance headed in our direction - not stressful at all!
in the distance headed in our direction - not stressful at all!
32. At the Straphpeffer Highland Games gathering.
33. There were bike races on the grass.
34. And there was the hammer throw - an event
involving throwing something like a shot put on a rope.
involving throwing something like a shot put on a rope.
35. And they tossed the caber! The goal seems
to be to launch it onto its opposite end.
to be to launch it onto its opposite end.
36. On-track for a successful toss.
37. Quite the impressive feat.
38. Next day and we're on the road to
another castle about an hour north of Inverness.
another castle about an hour north of Inverness.
39. Dunrobin Castle, with 189 rooms, occupied since the 1300's.
40. A pretty darn impressive place.
41. A humongous billiards table to
match the ego of the castle's owner.
match the ego of the castle's owner.
42. Looks too pretty to sleep in.
43. A cozy room for lounging.
44. The gardens were huge and spectacular.
45. Walking down to the gardens.
46. Definitely the largest rhubarb plants we ever saw.
47. Dunrobin looks even more impressive from below.
48. A seemingly endless supply
of gardens and more gardens.
of gardens and more gardens.
49. Is that blue sky making its way into the picture?
50. Traditional Scottish Sunday roast
at the Golspie Inn - yummy!
at the Golspie Inn - yummy!
51. Making our way back to Inverness,
taking care to avoid smooshing any otters.
taking care to avoid smooshing any otters.
52. Low tide at a loch or a firth or some other body of water.
53. Laundry day at a memorable Inverness laundromat.
54. Inverness Cathedral.
55. Inside the cathedral.
56. Grocery shopping at the local
Tesco - Toad in the Hole, anyone?
Tesco - Toad in the Hole, anyone?
57. Or maybe you'd enjoy
some haggis crisps?
some haggis crisps?
58. Castle Cawdor, with a 600-year history.
59. Close-up of one of the castle's beautiful tapestries.
60. Lunch in the castle courtyard.
61. The castle's gardens
were particularly beautiful.
were particularly beautiful.
62. Awe-inspiring, sublime, and regal!
63. Seems like a pretty sweet place to live!
64. Clava Cairns, 4,000 year-old ruins for housing the dead.
65. Can you spot the toad in the hole?
66. Julie inside one of the tombs.
67. All smiles amongst the dead.
68. Culloden Battlefield, where the 1775
Jacobite Uprising came to a tragic end for the Scots.
Jacobite Uprising came to a tragic end for the Scots.
69. Our last night in Inverness
gives way to a night on the town.
gives way to a night on the town.
70. Beers, mac and cheese, and
chips (fries) at the Castle Tavern.
chips (fries) at the Castle Tavern.
71. More beers at the Gunsmiths Bar, with our new friend who's jamming to some classic rock.
72. It was easy to make new friends in Inverness,
although it wasn't always easy to understand them!
although it wasn't always easy to understand them!
73. Driving to the Isle of Skye, along a route
where the sheep outnumber the cars.
where the sheep outnumber the cars.
74. Beautiful scenery along the way.
75. Beautiful, but desolate.
76. Driving in the middle of nowhere, we stumbled upon a bakery with delicious treats.
77. There were waterfalls everywhere.
78. Ellean Donna Castle - most photographed castle
in all of bonnie Scotland - in an appropriately eerie setting.
in all of bonnie Scotland - in an appropriately eerie setting.
79. One of our first views of the Skye scenery.
80. Julie came face-to-face
with a Scottish Highlands coo (cow).
with a Scottish Highlands coo (cow).
81. Making our way to Dun Beag Broch, a 2,500-year-old stone tower.
82. Don Beag Broch, which we suspect
means brick tower in the middle of nowhere.
means brick tower in the middle of nowhere.
83. Leaving Dun Beag for hopefully drier climes.
84. We found some sun at Dunvegan Castle!
85. Dunvegan Castle is the only Highland fortress
to have been continuously occupied by the same family for 800 years.
to have been continuously occupied by the same family for 800 years.
86. The castle contains work from ten building periods from the 1200’s to 1850.
87. Home to an amazing buffet piece.
88. Also home to this portrait of a rather homely woman, proving that money can't buy everything.
89. Once again, another
castle with beautiful gardens.
castle with beautiful gardens.
90. Beauty everywhere on the castle grounds.
91. More beauty!
92. We really enjoyed strolling around
the gardens. Does that officially make us old?
the gardens. Does that officially make us old?
93. Lunch, Scottish style.
94. We planned to take a quick
10-mile drive to see a cool lighthouse...
10-mile drive to see a cool lighthouse...
95. But miles and miles of one-lane roads and high season traffic made it virtually impossible!
96. Living in that area must be incredibly trying at times.
97. Perhaps the amazing scenery compensates for the narrow roads.
98. Pretty sweet spot to go fishing, eh?
99. Our last day on Skye started with a
4 km hike to visit the Old Man of Storr.
4 km hike to visit the Old Man of Storr.
100. The wind was so strong that it was difficult to stand - seriously!
101. Standing on the rock steps was even tricky at times - seriously tricky!
102. And the fog limited the views. So why were all these crazy people, including
the Traveling Packards, hiking there?
the Traveling Packards, hiking there?
103. It must have been for the fantastic views - see the "Old Man" who's supposedly right behind us?
104. Fortunately, the skies were clearing closer to the coast.
105. Mealt Falls - 55 meters high.
106. While the views improved, the single
lane roads continued to present challenges.
lane roads continued to present challenges.
107. The gorgeous Isle of Skye coastline.
108. How about one another look?
109. Colorful sight in Portree, the island's largest village, with 2,300 people.
110. One last look at the Highlands scenery as we return to Inverness.
111. Rogie Falls, where we were
hoping to see leaping salmon.
hoping to see leaping salmon.
112. We didn't see any salmon,
but the hunt was still fun.
but the hunt was still fun.
113. Our last meal in Scotland - Cullen
Skink (hearty fish soup) and Steak Pie.
Skink (hearty fish soup) and Steak Pie.
114. Boarding the night train for our trip to
London, where we would fly back to the States.
London, where we would fly back to the States.
115. The wee night train cabin - close quarters,
but a great place for a good night's sleep.
but a great place for a good night's sleep.
116. In London so we could take another train to Heathrow Airport.
117. London was suffering from record heat, and it was pretty darn hot on the train to Heathrow.
118. The heat does strange things to people.
119. Settled in for the long flight home.
120. Our route to Denver.