Day 1: Edinburgh to Inverness
We passed the famous Forth Bridge and into Perthshire, surrounded by mountains, forests and salmon packed rivers. We stopped in Dunkeld, heart of Macbeth country and its mighty cathedral. We continued north hearing tales of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the tragedy of his defeat on the eerie moor of Culloden, scene of the last major battle in Britain.
 |
| Waiting for the bus! |
 |
| Grazing sheep in Dunkeld |
 |
| Dunkeld Bridge |
 |
| We took a "wee walk" which means a hike to the Bruar Falls |
 |
| Our final destination: the beautiful Inverness, |
Day 2: Inverness to Loch Ness
Through the remnants of ancient Caledonian Pine Forest we took a walk through some of this amazing environment led by your fearless local Guide. Our journey takes us through Drumnadrochit and onto Loch Ness. We see the ruins of Urquhart Castle before arriving at Fort Augustus on the shores of the famous loch.
 |
| When we first arrived Loch Ness looked completely like glass, basically unheard of! |
 |
| War memorial at the end of Loch Ness |
 |
| These picturesque little houses are all over Scotland! |
Day 3: Free Day Loch Ness
On our free day at Loch Ness we spent the day at Fort Augustus sleeping, shopping and taking an awesome high-speed boat tour of the loch! We ended the day with a great dinner and drinks at an old abbey converted into a restaurant right on the beach.
 |
| The view from our table at the restaurant |
 |
| The incredible Caledonian Canal, really cool to see! |
Day 4: Loch Ness to Lewis
Today we journeyed through the wilderness of the north west Highlands, some of the most remote and most isolated mountain terrain in Europe. We visited Corrieshalloch Gorge, a breathtaking mile long gorge set amongst the trees then on to the wee fishing village of Ullapool.
 |
| We learned all about conservation and forest protection in the Scottish highlands, they even let our group plant a tree! |
 |
| We took a tour of Glen Ord Whisky and learned a lot about the process and all the flavours, Scots take their Whisky very seriously almost as much as Czech's take their beer. |
 |
| More proof mom is an alcoholic...haha |
 |
| GIANT Rhododendron!!! They are as common as tumbleweeds in Nevada |
 |
| Our guide told us that we were going to stop at "the best beach in the whole world". I had my doubts having been to lots of beaches but he was completely right, this beach is full of PERFECT, SMALL, FLAT skipping rocks!! |
 |
| Incredible! |
 |
| Coast of Ullapool |
 |
| Pretty Jenae on the ferry! |
Day 5: Lewis & Harris
We visited the stunning Callanish Standing Stones, Neolithic in age and dating back more than 4,000 years. Their meaning remain a mystery, perhaps an ancient calendar but these are considered to be some of the most impressive and inspiring of any of the ancient stones in Britain. These Hebridean islands are predominantly Gaelic speaking and have an unbroken culture dating back millennia. We visited a traditional blackhouse and the home of tweed makers, a fabric exclusive to the islands but now considered very trendy!
 |
| I climb cliffs :] |
 |
| Mom has been bodybuilding :] |
 |
| HAIRY COO's are sooooo cute!!! |
 |
| Jenae and I make national and sacred monuments our playground to mom's horror |
 |
| We made sand angels!! |
Day 6: Harris to Skye
In the morning we explored the amazing beaches of Harris, famous for its clear blue waters, magnificent mountain backdrop and traditional crofting culture. These islands are home to the Clan MacLeod who have lived here for centuries. After exploring the wonders of Harris, we left their homeland and cross by ferry to the 'winged island', the Isle of Skye. We explore the magical isle with its awesome scenery and Cuillin Mountains while hearing about its many legends and faerie stories.
 |
| The Isles of Skye is truly magical |
 |
| Best way to travel :] |
 |
| The colored houses on the shoreline where painted to ward off evil spirits from the sea |
 |
| We had a barbecue with the tour group and stayed up drinking, talking and laughing :] |
Day 7: Skye to Edinburgh
Back on the mainland, we stopped to view the impressive Eilean Donan Castle perched on the shores of Loch Duich then journeyed along the Great Glen fault line before passing Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain. We discover the story of the name 'The Weeping Glen' at Glencoe, and the infamous massacre of the MacDonalds. Over the wilds of Rannoch Moor, we pass Stirling with its famous Wallace Monument, where the true story of Braveheart is told, before returning to the capital city of Edinburgh.
 |
| Ben Nevis |
 |
| Completely magical |
1 comment:
Wow and Wow! Love the landscapes, the captions and most of all your big smiles. Looks like a great time, wish I could be there with you. Aunt Kerri
Post a Comment