The last segment of our three-week trip to Europe took us back to Scotland for the second time. We last visited in 2019 so we hoped to see different things and to visit places we liked last time (e.g., the Isle of Skye). We started our week at the Edinburgh Airport where we picked up our rental car. We would end the week dropping the car off at the Glasgow Airport since IcelandicAir, our airline of choice for the trip, only flew out of Glasgow.
We took the Edinburg Tram (£8 one-way) to the Airport and picked up the car from National. Our last trip we booked through Clark's Car Rental and drove a BMW for the week. Which was nice until I hit a huge pothole and needed two new tires and a rim. Needless to say, we opted for something a bit less-exotic; a Nissan Rogue. After struggling to find the ignition switch (they hide them in the darndest places sometimes) we hit the road.
On our first day in a car in two weeks, our trip took us from Edinburgh Airport to Inverness, 172 miles away. Of course, we didn't drive straight since detours are the way you see the countryside. On our last visit, we spied a pair of large equestrian statues off the M9, so this time, I took the exit and worked out way through Falkirk to a parkland called the Helix. After paying to park the car (seems like you have to pay everywhere these days), we spent some time with the Kelpies.
The Kelpies - The Kelpies (Duke on the left and Baron on the right)are
a pair of monumental steel horse-heads (30 meters high) located between the Scottish tfowns of Falkirk
and Grangemouth. The sculptures, which represent kelpies, are located in a parkland known as the Helix.
Keplies are mythical water horses that possess the strength and endurance of ten horses. The sculptures
represent the lineage of the heavy horses of Scottish industry and economy of the Falkirk area. For
scale, there's a few poeple on the left side near the base of Duke.
Dunfermline Abbey - Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland parish
church in Dunfermline, Fife. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a
large medieval Benedictine abbey which was sacked in 1560 during the Socttish Reformation. The Abbey
is one of Scotlands most important cultural sites having received more of Scotland's royal dead than
any other place in the kingdom. Among the ineterred here are King Robert the Bruce (1329), Saint
Margaret of Scotland (1093), Duncan II (1094), and David I (1153).
Benedictine Abbey - The Benedictine Abbey of the Holy Trinity and St.
Margaret was founded in 1128 on the current site of the Dunfermline Abbey. It was an important
destination for pilgrims because it hosted the reliquary shrine and cult of Saint Margaraet.
Dunfermline Abbey Pulpit - This is the pulpit of Dunfermline Abbey. In
the background is a stained glass window that depicts the life of Robert the Bruce. I primarily
took this photo because of what is under the pulpit. Which is the next photo.
Tomb of Robert the Bruce - King Robert I, popularly known as Robert the Bruce, was
King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. Robert led Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence
against England. He fough successfully during his regn to restore Scotland to an independent kingdom and is
regarded as Scotland's greatest national hero. While Robert's body is buried under the pulpit of Dunfermline
Abbey, his heart is interred in Melrose Abbey and his internal organs were embalmed and placed in St. Serf's
Church in Dumbarton.
Benedictine Abbey - Dunfermline Abbey (West View). The top of the tower
has the words King Robert The Bruce on its four sides. In front of the Abbey (where the red and white
flowers are) is the tomb of St. Margaret of Scotland. She was canonised in 1250 by Pope Innocent IV.
Plaque Dedicated to William Wallace's Mother - The royalty of Scotland
aren't the only ones buried here. Under one of the thorn trees on the property (we could never find
which one), the mother of William Wallace is buried. For all we know, the tree probably isn't there
any longer but I thought it was an interestiong piece of trivia.
One of the things that surprised us about the town of Dunfermline is that it is the birthpace of Andrew Carnegie (who knew?). There is an extensive Carnegie Library as well as a museum in the house where he was born. We visited the library and it is quite impressive. We bypassed the museum since we still had a ways to go to get to Inverness. Just another trivia fact to add to the memory banks.
From Dunfermline, we headed towards Inverness with a planned stop at Loch Leven. There is a castle on an island in the center of the Loch that we wanted to visit. After winding our way through a few neighborhoods we finally found the place to catch the boat. Only to find out that the boat wasn't running for some reason. It wasn't the weather since, even though it was cloudy, there wasn't any rain and the wind wasn't that brisk. Just our luck! It reminded us of our last visit when we tried to take a boat to Inchmahome Priory, also in the middle of a lake. That day the boat was running but you had to buy your ticket with cash - which I didn't have. Seems our luck with boat trips is on a roll.😉
After spending the night in the nice but very dated Macdonald Drumossie Hotel outside of Inverness, today's journey would take us back to the Isle of Skye. The direct route would take a drive of around 122 miles, but we chose to make the trip on several backroads that took us through new territory. We spent the day winding our way through the mountains, taking several hikes and just enjoying our time in the highlands. One note of interest if you're traveling, just like Paris, finding a bathroom is an exercise in futility. You just have to get creative.
Before heading out towards Skye, we took a detour to visit a place called the Clava Cairns. This is a complex of ~4000 year old burial mounds. The cemetary remained a sacred place in the landscape for millenia, and provides many clues to the beliefs and customs of the Bronze Age society. What remains today would have once been part of a larger complex. Two parts of the complex, Balnuaran of Clava and Milton of Clava, are open to the public. The sites contain a range of prehistoric burial monuments and medieval chapel. The three well-preserved cairns at Balnuaran each have a central chamber. But while the two outer cairns have entrance passages, the chamber of the central one is enclosed. Each cairn is surrounded by a ring of standing stones. Many of the stones used to construct the cairns have cup marks on them – these may have been reused from another place, perhaps an earlier sacred site.
Balnuaran of Clava Cairn - The Clava Cairns are about 4,000 years old
and were built to house the dead. The cemetery remained a sacred place in the landscape for millennia,
and provides many clues to the beliefs of Bronze Age society.
Balnuaran of Clava Cairn - This is the middle cairn of the complex.
This one has an entrance on the Northwest side that takes you to the center. It's unknown exactly
how people were buried here. But is is believed to have been used by multiple communities of
people over the eons.
Balnuaran of Clava Ring Cairn - This cairn is different than the
others at this sight. It is a complete circle of stones with no entrance that has been found. In
the center of the ring is an open space. It is believed that this might have been used as a tmeple
of some sort. This is when I wished I had brought my drone with me (which I plan to do on our
next trip).
Nearby from the Clava Cairns is Culloden Moor Battlefield. This is something akin to our Gettysburg for the Scotts. This place should be familiar to any of you who have watched the Outlander series on Starz or Netflix. It was here in April 1746 that the Jacobite army took their last stand to reclaim the thrones of Britain from the Hanoverians for a Stuart king. The Jacobites fought to restore the exiled James VIII as king and were led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart, James's son; George II’s government army (led by the Duke of Cumberland, George's son) was equally determined to stop this happening. The Jacobites were outmanned and out-gunned. The suffered a catastrophic loss where almost the entire Scottish Army was massacred. Even not knowing the full history of the battle, it was as eerie as walking around the Gettysburg or Antiteam battlefields at home. We were pleased that we decided to stop here.
Leanach Cottage - Old Leanach Cottage on Culloden Battlefield in
Scotland is believed to be the only remaining building from the battle in 1746 The cottage is located
on the northeastern side of the battlefield and is one of the last surviving examples of the
single-story thatched buildings that were once common in this area. The small cottage stands alone
today, but historic maps show that this area was densely populated in the past; the land was divided
in smallholdings and the local population was engaged in agriculture. There were two other buildings
next to it. One was a barn which, a story says, it was set on fire by government troops in order to
kill about thirty wounded Jacobite soldiers that were seeking refuge in the barn. The other one was
probably a stable.
Clan Mackintosh - Spread around the Jacobite lines of the battle are
small markers with the names of each clan who fought for the Jacobites. Given how the Scots and
British revere their history, it wasn't surprising to see several markers with fresh flowers by
them, much like you would see in a cemetary (though no one is officially buried on the battlefield).
Whioe we saw most people taking photos of the Clan Fraser marker (it's an Outlander thing), I had to
take the one of Clan Mackintosh since they are my ancestors on my father's side. I don't know if anyone
in my family tree fought at the battle, but it made the visit a bit more personal thinking that might
have been the case.
Culloden Memorial - On 16 April 1746, the final Jacobite Rising came
to a brutal end in one of the most harrowing battles in British history. Jacobite supporters,
seeking to restore the Stuart monarchy to the British thrones, gathered to fight the Duke of
Cumberland’s government troops. It was the last pitched battle on British soil and, in less than an
hour, around 1,600 men were slain – 1,500 of them Jacobites. The Memorial Cairn was erected by Duncan
Forbes of Culloden in 1881.
Falls of Rogie - A short but very popular walk descends through varied
forestry down to the Blackwater River to visit the Falls of Rogie. The best view of the falls is
from a suspension bridge that crosses the river.
Blackwater Falls - Almost directly alongside the A835 are two bridges
that span the Blackwater River. Just upstream of the bridges are a series of small falls. This was
my kind of waterfall - one where you didn't have to work to get the photo; just park the car, walk a
short distance and snap away.
We fell in love with the Isle of Skye on our last visit, so we had to return. Skye has turned into somewhat of a mecca for tourists visiting Scotland. It is rural and the scenery is gorgeous which is the magnet. So, the place is overrun with tourists (and yes, I know we are tourists as well) though not quite as crowded as Paris or London. And, just like we experienced on our trips to Iceland in 2017 and 2019, Skye doesn't quite have the infrastructure to support the crowds. Things are getting better, but if you plan on visiting Skye, make your reservations early. And get out to the sights and hikes early as well if you want a place to park your car.
Skye Neigbors - We stayed in a house just north of Portree (the main
town on the island). These were our neighbors that we woke up to and saw every day we were there.
Loch Snnizort Baeg is in the background.
Bridal Veil Falls - North of Portree (on another road from the one
where we stayed), is Bridal Veil Falls. It's not a very spectacular waterfall, but it is a waterfall.
So I had to stop and take a photo.
Upper Lealt Falls - A little further down the road is Lealt Falls. There
is two separate falls here. This is the upper one. There is a platform that sticks out over the gorge
a bit but it doesn't provide a very good view of the entire waterfall. For this one, I had to lean out
over the railing a bit further than Becki was comfortable with. But I got the photo! Lower Lealt Falls
will have to wait till our next visit when I take my drone with me.
An Leth Allt - These are the reamins of a diatomite factory which
was mined on Skye in the past. Diatomite is comprised of fossilized remians of diatoms (single-cell
aquatic algae) and is almost entirely composed of silica. It was (is?) used in cosmetics, toothpaste,
cat litter and blood clotting medicines. It was also used as a stabilizing element of dynamite.
Mining in this area was discontinued sometime in the early 1950s.
Salmon Bothy - Across the Lealt River from the diatomite factory
ruines are the ruins of a salmon bothy (or shack). There is a very steep and slick trail that
leads down from the car park to the shoreline. We chose to only go halfway since the mud was quite
slick and we didn't relish the idea of having muddy asses for the rest of the day.
Quraing - Taking a non-descipt (and pot-holed filled) road off the
main road, led us up the side of the mountains to the Quaraing, part of the Trotternish Ridge. This
area is one of the most scenic in all of Skye. If you ever plan to go here, go early. The car park,
which supposedly holds 100 cars was chock-a-block when we arrived. Cars and campervans were parked
all along the single-track road for several hundred yards. It is a very popular place to visit.
Quairaing - This shows the beginning of a 7KM loop hike around the
mountain peaks. We started the walked but turned back when we encountered a chasm that we weren't
comfortable crossing because it was so slick. Hopefully next time we'll make it across and can see
what's around the corner.
Quairaing - Another view of the Quairaint landscape.
Population of Skye - As in other locations we've visited around the
world, sheep outnumber people quite significantly. Scotland is no different. A photo essay on the
Isle of Skye wouldn't be complete without at least one photo of sheep. So here it is.
Duntulum Bay - At the Northern most portion of the island is
Duntulum Bay. The island in the bay is home to nesting seabirds for most of the year.
Duntulum Castle - On a point overlooking Duntulum Bay, is Duntulum
Castle. Well, the ruins of the castle. The castle was built int he 14th or 15th century when the area
was subject to fueds between the MacLeod and MacDonald clans. The castle was abandoned around 1732
when Sir Alexander MacDonald built a new residence 8KM away, reusing much of the castle's stones as
building material.
Duntulum Beach - Around a small spit of land from the castle is
Duntulum Beach. Not quite the beaches I'm familiary with, but it looked picturesque.
Unknown Ruin - After taking a break for an early dinner, we
ventured out in search of some ruins near where we were staying. Cool thing about Scotland is their
freedom to roam law, which allows you to walk across any property, even if it's fenced in. So we
went in search of the ruins climbing over fences (via provided steps of course). We found these
ruins but have absolutely no idea what they were originally.
Hugh's Castle - Turned out we initially went the wrong direction in
our search. Turning around and wandering along the shoreline, we found the ruins we were looking
for. This is all that's left of Caisteal Uisdean or Hugh's Castle. This was built by the Hugh
MacDonald who was the sone of a deposed clan chief. Hugh became an outlaw but was pardoned before
building the castle around 1589. However, he continued to seek revenge against those who had killed
his father. When he attempted to insite a rebellion against the reigning clan chief, he was murdered.
Hugh's Castle - Another view of Casitel Uisdean from the top of the
small cliff along Loch Snizort Beag.
On our last visit, our attempt to see the Fairy Pools was thwarted by heavy rain. So today, that was where we headed. The trail is located in the center of the South part of the island, reached by driving on a somewhat paved single-track road. We were surprised when we reached the trailhead because there was an actual car park there now (which, of course, cost £6). And of course, it was packed.
The Fairy Pools are located on the slopes of teh Black Cuilin range. Tthe Allt Coire a'Mhadaidh (Burn of the Dog), the Fairy Pools are a series of small waterfalls and crystal-clear pools that snaked down the gentle slope of Coire na Creiche (it's no wonder they just call them the Fairy Pools). The hike to the last large pool is around 2.4KM but the path is an easy one to walk as it's a gentle uphill on the way.
Fairy Pools
Fairy Pools
Fairy Pools
Fairy Pools
Fairy Pools - This is the last main pool along the trail (also the
most scenic). As you can see, the weather was quite cloudy with only small sprinkles (typical
Scottish Highland weather).
Fairy Pools
Fairy Pools
Fairy Pools Trail - This is taken from the top of the small hill
you descend before beginning the trek to the top. As you can see, it's not too steep but the setting
is magnificent.
Today, we started our trek back towards the big cities, leaving the highlands behind us. Our destination today was Oban, a port city along the Eastern coast of Scotland. As soon as we crossed the Skye Bridge back onto the mainland, it became clear that something had changed. There was a significant increase in the number of people of the road.
Heroes of the Hills - This bronze sculpture of Professor Norman Collie
and John Mackenzie celebrates the men that led the way through Scotland's most iconic mountaind
ranges. The two men are credited with creating many of the routes across the Cuillin Hills and are
considered locally as pioneers. The sculpture is located in the small town of Sligachan on the
Isle of Skye.
Sligachan Bridge - The Isle of Skye has alwasy been seen as a
magical place., Beautiful landscapes, plus myths and legends. This is the Old Sligachan Bridge that
now is only used by hikers. It was built betwen 1810 and 1818. According to legend, if you make
your way down to the river, lay down on the stones and dip your face into the crystal clear (and
arctically cold) water for seven seconds you will gain eternal beautyu from the faeries that
live around the bridge. Already past our prime, Becki and I chose not to subject ourselves to the
frigid water.
Isle of Scopay - A somewhat small island in the lochs that
surround the Isle of Skye.
Eas A Bhradain - A roadside waterfall along the A87 main road of
the Isle of Skye.
Skye Bridge - This is the Skye Bridge which replaced the ferry across
the loch in 2004. This is taken from the beach in Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye.
As we crossed the Skye Bridge back to the mainland and got closer to Fort William, it was clear that we had missed the memo about this weekend being a "Bank Holiday". The traffic was more along the lines of what we see in Boston than what we expected as we drove the highlands one last time. Unfortunately, there were so many cars on the road that we didn't have any opportunity to stop on the drive for photos.f There was absolutely no place to park the car. While our next visit will draw to a close around the same time as this one, we are at least staying an extra day in the Fort William area so we can explore some. I have my fingers crossed we might be able to get away from at least some of the expected crowds.
We spent the night in Oban on the East coast of Scotland but didn't get out to visit any of the sites around the small town. Oban's population must have increased ten-fold for the weekend because the sidewalks and streets were uber-crowded. It would have been like fighting upstream against a fast moving river. We just didn't want to put up with the hassle. That might have been due to us being a bit tired after three weeks on the road. But, there's always next time.
On our last full day in beautiful Scotland, we made the drive from Oban, through Loch Lomond National Park (chock-a-block with hordes of people) back towards civilzation. We took some back roads and found a few more places to visit that weren't crowded.
Carnasserie Castle - Situated overlooking Kilmartin Glen, Carnasserie
Castle was once one of Argyll's finest Renaissance residences. It was the home of the first Protestant
Bishop of the Isles, Master John Carswell. The castle was a five-story tower house and hall with finely
carved features throughout.
Carnasserie Castle - Another view of the front side of the castle.
Kilmarten Glen Stones - Kilmartin Glen is home to one of the most
extensive and important archaeological sites in Britain. Over 5000 years of human history can be
traced to the Kilmartin Glen area. These standing stones are the Nether Largie Stones taht date
to somewhere around 2500 BC.
Ballymeanoch Stones - These standing stones are all that's left of a large
henge monument erected sometime around 2500 BC. The remainder of the henge was ploughed almost flat when
the fields were farmed. The circular enclosure of the henge was some 40 meters in diameter (130 feet).
We had originally intended to stay in Glasgow since our flight out tomorrow was from there. But, I changed the plan to spend the night in Troon, East of Glasgow. We dined at the Royal Troon Golf Course, which, while I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to play if I had my clubs with me, wasn't that visually impressive. It was nothing like the Old Course at St. Andrews which we visited on our first trip to Scotland. But the quaint town of Troon was much better than spending the night in an airport hotel
Sadly, this was our last day in Scotland, at least for this visit. We took our time this morning packing and then headed to the Glasgow Airport where our Icelandic Air flight was scheduled to leave shortly after 1200. Since we flew in their Saga Class, we were able to use their airport lounge, which made our short wait that much more enjoyable (away from the hordes in the main terminal). Though, when we got to Keflavik, we were thrown back into the crowds for the cattle call that is loosely known as boarding. They don't announce your gate until quite close to your departure time, so it is always a mad scramble to find your gate and queue up with the 200+ other passengers. It's a shame a nice relaxing and enjoyable trip always has to end by spending time in an airport!
As I've mentioned, Becki and I are returning to Scotland for our third visit in 2024. We'll be visiting some of the same places and venturing out onto new roads as we make our way around the mainland and then take a ferry to the Outer Hebredies for several days. For this trip, we'll be spending the entire three weeks in Scotland, so we might get our fill this time. Or then maybe not. It is a wonderful place to visit. One that I recommend to everyone.
Here are the links to the other parts of our 2023 trip, listed in the order we visited:
