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📍 Escócia Leia mais Overland Park, United States
  • Viajante2024 London/Scotland
    Dia 16

    Day 16: Inverness

    Ontem, Escócia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Met with Susan and Myles at a pub for lunch today and really enjoyed the delicious Scottish food and some great conversation!

    We then walked to a nearby cemetery where Steve’s great great great uncle is buried. It’s very interesting to hear the stories of family history.

    For any Outlander TV show fans, our next destination is very interesting: Clava Cairn. The prehistoric standing stones are the time travel stones in the show. Unfortunately it didn’t buzz when I touched it. Stuck in the current time, for now.

    I learned Battle of Culloden from the Outlander show. Now I am standing on the actual battlefield made me feel surreal. The entire history of this rebellion is being presented in the museum expertly. The stories of opposing forces are displayed on the opposite of the walls, so you can learn what had happened from both perspectives. A reenactment of the battle is shown with 4 scenes that surround the audience, allowing us to get a feel of what’s like to be there during the battle. A table screen shows the entire battle formation and progression. On top of that, a guided tour by a staff walked us into the field, and truly made us understand the emotional history very important battle in Scotland history.

    It was wonderful to spend a lovely day with Steve’s aunt and uncle today!    Leia mais

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  • Viajante2024 London/Scotland
    Dia 15

    Day 15: Inverness

    1 de junho, Escócia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    The drive from Isle of Skye to Inverness was as lovely as ever. As Uncle Myles said to us at the dinner:”You go through all four seasons in one day in Scotland.” Well, it’s true. I left the Skye wearing 2 jackets, ended up wearing a dress in Inverness.

    The last time we saw Steve’s aunt Susan and Uncle Myles was at wedding more than 20 years ago. It was so nice to see them again today! Myles is just as funny as I remembered, and Susan looks remarkably similar to Steve’s mom.

    We had a very nice dinner together with them by River Ness.    Leia mais

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  • Viajante2024 London/Scotland
    Dia 14

    Day 14: Isle of Skye

    31 de maio, Escócia ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    After a nice breakfast in Portree, the major town in the Skye, we headed out to our first destination.

    In Braveheart movie, William Wallace was asking his girlfriend to go out, she complained about the rain. He said:”This is not rain, it’s not even horizontal!” Steve always joked it’s normal to have horizontal rain in Scotland… and I finally experienced it this morning.

    We were high enough to be in the clouds, the wind was cold and intense, and the rain was literally hitting us from sideways! Despite the unique scenery, we had to leave since we could hardly open our eyes!

    Fortunately, as the day went on, the weather got better. By the time we reached Old Man of Storr, we even got some sunshine! Isle of Skye is indeed very beautiful!

    However, for anyone coming here, I highly recommend staying on Raasay island like we did. Because the best part of our entire vacation so far was a bike ride in the sunset on Raasay. Since the sunset very late in summer here, we were able to ride our bike after dinner in plenty of sunshine.

    It’s difficult to describe just how beautiful the island is. The glistening ocean, the blue sky, the peaceful atmosphere of Scottish countryside, the purple rhododendrons lining up both side of the road, I seriously thought I was riding in the paradise! Since the last ferry has left the island, there were just the residents and few tourists on the island, there was no one on the road. We rode our bikes freely, the only sounds we heard were buzzing bees, the whispering leaves, and the gentle waves.

    We will miss this charming little island once we leave tomorrow.    Leia mais

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  • Viajante2024 London/Scotland
    Dia 13

    Day 13: Isle of Skye

    30 de maio, Escócia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    The drive from Fort William to Isle of Skye is one of the most beautiful journeys in the world!!

    The cascading mountains are stretching to the horizon, the peaceful lakes are surrounded by lush green, the beautiful purple rhododendrons are lining along the highway, and covering entire hills, and of course, there is a picturesque castle by the water suddenly appearing by the road. There are very few places in the world can compete with the beauty of Scottish Highlands. We basically wowed the entire way!

    When I was planning this vacation, Steve was very much against coming to Isle of Skye, due to the overcrowding of the tourists. I made a compromise by booking us at a nearby island called Raasay, with a popular of 190 people.

    After an 20 minute ferry ride, we arrived at Raasay House, the only hotel on the island, which used to be the clan house. We immediately fell in love with the charm building and our spacious rooms.

    There is a hill right behind the hotel, which has a really nice view of the isle of Skye. A little black bird hopped in front of us almost the whole way, guiding us towards the top of the hill. A hike to the little village granted our first sight of a Highland Cow, something we had wanted to see since we arrived at the highlands.

    After a very nice dinner at the hotel restaurant, Steve and Evan huddled together and planned our itinerary for tomorrow. We will see how well they did to see the best sights of Isle of Skye.    Leia mais

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  • Viajante2024 London/Scotland
    Dia 12

    Day 12: Fort William

    29 de maio, Escócia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in UK, was our destination today. We had been preparing for this hike since the trip planning started months ago. Hiking boots, raincoat windbreakers, sturdy umbrellas, bug spray, etc. all bought for this hike. We are grateful for all these preparations throughout the trip since all had been very helpful, but today is the big day!

    We had planned to hike to the summit, which would’ve taken 8 to 10 hours, but since we had dinner reservation and an evening cruise planned, we simply didn’t have the time to do so. Furthermore, the peak was shrouded in thick layers of clouds, we didn’t think we could see much from it. So we revisited our plan to 4 to 5 hours of hiking.

    Compared with our hike yesterday, this one was actually easier, because there is a clear path to the top, most of it are steps. There are spots that are very rough and harder to pass especially with two way traffic, but honestly not too bad. Easier path doesn’t mean the hike is not hard though. After climbing thousands of steps, legs do get tired and knees start to ache. However, I am proud to say that my fitness has passed the test. After about three hours of climbing, I could continue without an issue. However, we had to turn back due to time constraints. So after a lovely picnic by a waterfall, we turned back. As always, the return trip is faster. But due to the wet conditions of the path, I fell down twice!! Fortunately I landed on my bottom, and didn’t hurt my tailbone, or scrape my hands too bad. A nice British guy who saw my fall offered me chocolate to make me feel better. I thanked him but declined.

    The views along the hike were breathtaking.

    After a nice dinner at a local restaurant, we boarded our evening cruise, and had a lovely time on the water.

    We are heading to Isle of Skye tomorrow!    Leia mais

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  • Viajante2024 London/Scotland
    Dia 11

    Day 11: Fort William

    28 de maio, Escócia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    I am so happy that we got out last night when the sun came out (it gets dark around 10 PM here), because we didn’t see any sunshine today at all.

    There was no rain in the morning, we set out and hiked one of the hardest trails in the Glencoe Mountains areas: the trail to the Lost Valley. This 4 mile long trail has over 1,000 feet elevation, and many places have steep slopes without steps, so we really had to trust the traction of our hiking boots. I had to use my hands to assist the climb sometimes, and the most difficult part involved a large boulder with a bit groves to step on. I did like to step on the rocks to cross a wide stream on the trail though.

    At the end of the trail, we were rewarded a large valley that’s surrounded by tall slopes, like a giant bowl hiding deep in the mountains. This was the hidden valley that some refugees from a clan escaped to during a war with another clan.

    Just as we finished having some snacks sitting on a flat boulder, the rain started.

    The return trip was mostly downhill. It would’ve been a lot easier if wasn’t for the fact the rain made the rocks on the trail slippery. At the end of our hike, we were all soaked from rain and sweat!

    The Glencoe mountain resort was a short drive away. Some hot chocolate/coffee and a bowl of tomato soup were exactly what we needed at that moment!

    The rain was less intense by the time we sat on our chairlift, intended to take an easy way to go up to the summit. But the cold wind made the rain difficult to tolerate. The section of the chairlift that actually goes up to the summit was closed. So we didn’t leave our chairs, just let it took us back down the mountain. The view would’ve been spectacular if we had more visibility. Oh well, Scottish weather, can’t complain too much.    Leia mais

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  • Viajante2024 London/Scotland
    Dia 10

    Day 10: Fort William

    27 de maio, Escócia ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    The Hill House was one of the few buildings that designed by the renowned architect/artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh, located in Helensburgh, Scotland. Since Evan’s great grandmother was a Mackintosh, and we all really like the artistic style, we thought it’s worth a visit.

    Charles and his wife truly poured their heart and soul into house, every corner of the house was meticulously decorated with their unique style. We simply loved every minute spent in this house!

    Our drive to Fort William was nerve wracking due to the narrow lanes and the speed we had to keep. The car in front of us was clearly driven by an American as well, unfortunately they got a flat tire just few miles out of town, cut by the potholes on the road. We got even more nervous after witness that! Fortunately we made to our destination without an issue.

    Our Bed and Breakfast is a lovely house by the sea. An amazing ocean view is right outside of our window. We will definitely enjoy our time here for the next two days.

    After several days without seeing the sunshine, we were blessed by the blue sky after a really nice dinner at a local restaurant. Without hesitation, we drove to the most spectacular place in Scotland called Glencoe, and snapped some beautiful photos. Who knows how much rain we will see tomorrow? We need to treasure any sunshine we can while in Scotland!    Leia mais

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  • Viajante2024 London/Scotland
    Dia 9

    Day 9: Balloch/Loch Lomond

    26 de maio, Escócia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    OK, I was a bit tired to full Scottish breakfast plate, and really missed having some healthy options for breakfast, but my search for a simple fruit cup came back with nothing. So our breakfast this morning was a trip to the grocery store.

    I got a nice healthy smoothie and packaged boxes of cut fruit, the boys got their various pastries. Cheaper than any restaurants, and everyone was happy. While in the store, a nice Scottish old lady who was a bit short, tried to get an attention from a tall guy about something. I saw him walking away unaware, and she looked disappointed. So I walked over to see what she needed. Turned out she just needed something from a top shelf and she couldn’t reach it. Evan got them down for her without an issue. “It’s kind of like helping Granny!” (She looked and sounded a lot like Evan’s granny Helen).

    There was no plans for today, we were just driving around and see what we liked to do. The first stop was at Bird of Prey sanctuary. Even though it was nice to see the birds up close, and they were all rescued birds from the area, it was still a bit sad to see them in cages and chains.

    After a bit of driving, we somehow ended up on a narrow road that’s supposed to be two way street. Fortunately we were way off the beaten path, there was hardly any car around, so we were able to enjoy the quintessential Scotland Highland countryside with only sheep, lots of sheep, as company.

    We took many stops, quiet and beautiful beaches, cloud shrouded peaks, twisty streams that cut through valleys, basically anything interesting was admired and photographed. It was nice to be the only people on the road!

    We rejoined the civilization in a town called Luss. Steve found an empty spot and parked there. We went into a store and bought some items. When we came out, we saw a cop chatting with some tourists. Steve went up to him and asked if he could park where we left the car, the cop exclaimed:”I was just about to put a parking ticket on that car! Is it yours?! No, you can’t park there!” LOL! We were seconds away getting a ticket. So glad Steve asked.

    The weather cooperated. We didn’t feel a drop of rain until dinner time. The restaurant, a nice Spanish Tapa place, was located in Helensburgh, a coastal town at the mouth of the Gareloch, not far from the Sinclair street. 😉    Leia mais

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  • Viajante2024 London/Scotland
    Dia 8

    Day 8: Balloch/Loch Lomond

    25 de maio, Escócia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Happy to report that Steve did a fine job driving on UK road! He got us out of Glasgow and drove us to a small town by Loch Lomond safely.

    Loch Lomond is the largest freshwater lake in UK. Balloch is a charming little town next to it with a busy dock. Our hotel is right across street from the dock. A busy restaurant is on the bottom floor of the building, they were getting ready for a large crowd due to the championship game of Scotland Football League when we arrived.

    We took a relaxing lake cruise, learned some interesting things about the area. The line dividing Lowland and Highland of Scotland is right in the middle of this lake. Mary Queen of Scot spent her last days as free person in a castle on an island of this lake.

    However, we didn’t truly appreciate the beauty of the lake until we climbed a little hill that locals fondly called “the dumping”.

    We were the only people climbing the hill, stopping once a while to enjoy some very classic Scottish scenery as we walked. Once we reached the top, the entire lake expended in front of our eyes. Stunning, simply stunning views of the sparkling water, the dotted islands, the blue sky and white/grey clouds, and the mountains peaks on the horizon. WOW!! What an amazing view!

    Since we were the only people on the hill, we lingered for a while and patted ourselves on the back for coming here.

    Next, we headed to Finnich Glen, a hidden glen near here that appeared in the show “Outlander”.
    There were very few parking spaces here and we were lucky to find one. Walking on the muddy path right by the cliff of the glen was a bit nerve wracking, and the stairs going down to the water was steep and broken. We decided not to risk our lives for photos, instead walked to the end of the trail and headed to the water in a much safer way. It’s interesting to see how red the water was…iron in the clay perhaps?

    The boys insisted having proper Scottish Fish and Chips for dinner. So we went to a take out place that seemed attracted many locals. The fish were fired golden brown and crispy! Although we had to take them back to our hotel room and sat on the floor to eat them. Very different than our posh dinner in Glasgow last night 😂    Leia mais

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  • Viajante2024 London/Scotland
    Dia 7

    Day 7: Glasgow

    24 de maio, Escócia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    The rain has lessened a bit in our last morning in Edinburgh. We managed to get a couple good photos of the castle as the background.

    The train ride from Edinburgh to Glasgow provided some nice scenery of Scotland countryside: green meadows and rolling hills, dotted by black cows and white sheep. All seemed very pleasant and peaceful.

    We had heard that Glasgow was not a pleasant city, a trashy city with drunk people, but when we arrived here, we were happily surprised. The city is clean and grand, rows of Victorian buildings with wide streets in the middle. A major throughput is a pedestrian street which made the city very walkable. A large square right in front of the city chamber is dedicated to unknown soldiers memorial, and statues of writers and scientists, which is a nice diversion from all the statues of politicians we’ve seen.

    Best of all, we finally saw some patches of blue sky!

    Glasgow Necropolis is a very large cemetery about a mile away from the city centre. John Knox, the person led the Protestant Reformation in Scotland, has his memorial at the highest center ground here. However, his body is actually buried in Edinburgh, currently under a parking spot in front of a church. I will post both photos with this post.

    Dinner tonight was at a very fancy restaurant near our hotel. Evan and I had been wanting to have a Beef Wellington dish since we arrived in UK, and we were very pleased that this restaurant did an excellent job with it.

    Although I did something quite embarrassing. I couldn’t find the ladies bathroom (it’s on a different floor than Men’s which is in the basement), so I went into the bathroom for disabled people. To flash toilet in UK, sometimes you need to pull a string. I mistakenly pulled the distress string for the disabled person instead of flush string. I frantically tried to find a way to stop the alarm but couldn’t. I had to walk all the way upstairs to tell the manager of the restaurant. He just laughed and told me this happened all the time. He was able to shut it off thankfully.

    We will be renting a car tomorrow and head west. Steve is rightfully nervous about driving on the “wrong” side of the street for the next two weeks!    Leia mais

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