Scotland
The land of kilts & Loch Ness
First stop…Glasgow
After spending a few days exploring Iceland, we embarked on our three week tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland. We spent our first week in beautiful Scotland, making the short flight from Reykjavik to Glasgow. This was where my husband had his very first experience with driving on the other side of the street & car for that matter. Not only is it bizarre for the driver, but it was very uncomfortable for me as the passenger as well. Needless to say, it took us quite some time to get used to being on the “wrong” side of the car. Thankfully we didn’t have to drive very far that first day. We picked up our rental car at the airport then made the short ten minute drive to Sherbrooke Castle.
This trip to the U.K. was filled with beautiful accommodations, more so than any other trip we’d been on. I mean, come on, if you go places where you can stay in a castle, you’d better stay in a castle. The Sherbrooke did not disappoint. It sat atop a little hill, surrounded by immaculate gardens. It was the perfect spot to spend our first night in Scotland. After we got situated, we hopped on a train to downtown Glasgow and wandered around a bit. It was rainy and I must say, I wasn’t blown away by the city (no pictures worth sharing). I was perfectly happy to go back to the castle and enjoy some delicious haggis, followed by a leisurely stroll around the beautiful neighborhood.
Next stop…The Isle of Skye
So we learned the hard way that driving around Scotland isn’t as quick and easy as you might think. While planning our trip we looked at driving routes, times, etc., but that didn’t really prepare us. You need to keep in mind that things are pretty spread out across the island and not very close to one another. Of course, all the places we wanted to visit had us zigzagging all over the place. Many of the roads once you leave the major cities are very narrow, with little to no shoulders on the sides. This made our first full day of driving nerve wracking to say the least. Also, all our projected driving times were nearly doubled because of the narrow roads, reduced speed limits and the annoyance of being on the wrong side of the road and car. I tell you all this not to deter you from doing it yourself, but so you’ll have a more realistic idea of how long it might take you to get around.
From Glasgow we headed northwest into the magnificent highlands. Although a stressful and long day of driving, it was very picturesque. What we thought would be a 5 hour drive turned out to be closer to 8. Thankfully we stopped a lot along the way, which helped break things up. We took a much needed break at the Eilean Donan Castle. This was a pleasant location and re-energized us for the final push to Uig, where we’d spend the next two nights. Keep in mind that there aren’t many cities once you get out into the countryside, mostly tiny villages. You’ll definitely want to find and book a room ahead of time, especially if you’re traveling anytime between May-September.
Fairy Pools on the
Isle of Skye
A Little Piece of Heaven on Earth
Hiking the Fairy Pools is a must if you find yourself anywhere near the Isle of Skye. This is just one of the many spectacular hiking areas in this region. You could easily spend the entire day meandering on the trails that surround the teal colored pools. Like the name suggests, this area looks like it came straight from the pages of some fairy tale book. On the day we hiked here, we experienced just about every type of weather you can imagine, wind, rain, sleet and bright sunshine. Come prepared with a wide variety of clothing, especially waterproof jackets & shoes. I would also suggest you bring a lunch since you aren’t anywhere near restaurants or even a market. The parking lot for this particular hiking area is very small, so come early in the morning to guarantee yourself a spot. I would have loved to spend an entire week exploring the Isle of Skye. There are so many incredible looking hikes.
Next up…Drumnadrochit, Inverness and Loch Ness
From the Isle of Sky we headed east, driving 2.5 hours to the tiny village of Drumnadrochit. This would serve as our home base for the next couple days as we explored Inverness and the famous Loch Ness. We stayed at a wonderful bed & breakfast called the Highland Bear Lodge just outside the village. We enjoyed a scenic drive around the loch (lake), looking for old Nessie. I was so bummed that we never found her. We did find lots of beautiful places to walk and climb nearby. Inverness was a pretty city, but I didn’t find it that different from most in the UK. I would recommend spending more time around the tiny villages and lakes. We found a really lovely spot in Invergarry with ancient bridges that was totally worth exploring. The U.K. is known for their fish & chips, and they didn’t disappoint. I had the best ones I’ve ever eaten in a tiny village while driving through the highlands of Scotland.
Our last stop in Scotland…Edinburgh
Lots to see and do in this capital city
It is a three hour drive south from Drumnadrochit to Edinburgh, and thankfully it was mostly highway. We stayed at The Carberry Tower Mansion, which is out in the countryside but just a short train ride from downtown. This place was gorgeous, and we were excited to learn that we stayed in the same suite where Queen Elizabeth II once stayed. Ooh la la, fancy! It was a quiet, relaxing retreat that mixed well with our bustling time in Edinburgh. We roamed the cobblestone streets taking in the sights around Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace and the Sir Walter Scott Monument. I definitely recommend you climb to the top of the monument (so long as you aren’t claustrophobic). It was the most narrow stairwell I’ve ever been in, but the views from the top were beautiful. Vic also got to hold a live owl.
We even experienced a taste of the night life in Edinburgh by checking out a dance club. It turned out they were having some sort of fetish night where everyone wore animal tails and ears. It was interesting, if nothing else. This was a great place to wrap up our week in Scotland before we continued south to England.
I did manage to see a few men sporting kilts while we were there, but I was a bit disappointed that they weren’t more prevalent. I think I was a little unrealistic in my expectations. I guess I was hoping they’d be a common part of everyday wear. Our travels took us on a big loop around Scotland, which definitely required some serious driving. If I could do it all over again, I would probably spend more time on the Isle of Skye and cut out Glasgow completely. Overall, we had a wonderful time and we met so many friendly people along the way. The landscape is truly beautiful and unlike any other place. Hopefully we’ll make it back there again someday to continue our exploration.
