Hello family & friends! My intentions have been to divi up our trip to Scotland in a few categorical posts, you know by order of activity and adventures. Until I realised that somehow many of the photos I had taken during the first few days of our trip have disappeared. This most likely happened while trying to upload them onto my lap top. A macbook air with as much disk space as a shoe box in which I’ve metaphorically stuffed with one too many pairs of shoes. Any ways, whilst transferring what few files I could onto my iPhotos and most likely not knowing exactly what I was doing when those pesky error messages popped up on the screen , I had removed the cameras memory card and wiped away many of our digital memories… Ah Poo! The gorgeous pictures of Queensferry Bridge and the seaside village of Fife where I ate the most amazing fish&chips will forever remain stored in my memories.

Alas! I have these other memorable photos to share. My trips through the Northern Highlands, along Inverness, past Glencoe and on the Loch Ness. As a nature girl at heart, I was in awe by Scotlands’ beauty and whisked away by its landscape. Below I’ll share my nature photo favourites with a few key notes here and there.

I was told that Princess Gardens was once a disgusting, mucky and wet swampy, narrow valley with a darker side… Not only was this now beautifully landscaped park  a common dumping ground for the village waste and the disposals of bodies, its also where accusers determined whether woman were witches or not.

The accused were thrown into the water. Those that didn’t drown were proven guilty,  fished out and burned at the stake. For the woman who drowned, they  were considered innocent and that their death would be their salvation. I’d prefer the later demise, wouldn’t you?  Remembering this as I’m sitting on the lush lawn enjoying my picnic. Hah!

 

 

 Dryer and desolately inhabited areas as you reach the norther tip of the Highlands.

3 Sisters Mountains pictured above and below. Glencoe is one of the most magnificent areas of natural wilderness considered in the whole of Britain. I can see why! The rugged beauty of the area and the often arctic weather make the area a hotspot for climbers and skiers today. I spotted many back backers preparing to hit the trials that day.

I took an hour long boat ride on Loch Ness in which I found to be quite boring. Sure the fresh air and pleasantly surprising weather welcoming but there were only low and bare mountains surrounding this lake thus making for a lack lustre sail and empty space on my cameras memory card.

I did quite enjoy the locally brewed Nessie Monster Mash Ale beer!  YUM!

Johnny Cash fans? During one his flights, Johnny Cash sat next to the owner of a music shop here in Falkland. The two had got to talking and it turned out Johnny had family from this area in Scotland. As their plane landed and before parting ways, Johnny asked for the shop owners address. A few months later the shop owner received a signed guitar gifted by Mr. Cash. I spotted this shop next to the cafe where I sat down for a iced coffee, not realising the musical treasure next door until I returned to our bus and heard about this story from our guide.

Finishing off with some macro love.

All in all my trip was awesome. I finally got to explore other parts of Scotland, crossed off an item from my bucket list (visit St Andrews golf course) made new friends, tried haggis and got to sample at least 10 different varieties of gins and beers. Also, I’ve learned a valuable lesson about not loosely carrying around an Hermes scarf and never booking with Highland Experience ever!!!!!

Cliffhanger? Sorry.