Reset search
Scotland 2025
  • Gustav Vermaas
  • Gustav Vermaas

Scotland 2025

"Scotland's beauty has always been forged in struggle" Read more
FollowInsightsInsightsCalendarCalendarPhotosPhotosShareShareBucket list
Newest first
  • Trip start
    August 25, 2025
  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler

    Day 1 Aberfeldy

    August 27, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Fetched Richard from the airport and we did the 2 hour drive to Meggernie Estate for a bit of fishing.

    Stayed over at Aberfeldy

    Not cold but WET.

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler
    11

    Day 3 Fishing River Spey

    August 29, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today was the big day.....

    "Trout fishing amidst stunning Highland scenery." ....they said

    Nowhere did the website say Atlantic Salmon is called the fish of a 1000 casts.

    Well....

    Finally, perfect weather.

    And ... 🫠

    Stayed at Ben Mhor in Grantown on Spey.

    The comment from guide when he heard where we stay: "Oh, that is special" is a good summary.🤣

    But after 9 hours on the River Spey the warm shower and clean bed was a blessing.

    Did I forget to mention the 🥃    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler
    1

    Day 5 Return to Edinburgh

    August 31, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Two hours drive and we are back in Edinburgh to regroup with Sue before starting the 2nd leg to St Andrews.

    Grant and Tessa also arrived.

    Did the quick Edinburgh tour and the Black Watch memorial caught my eye.

    A quick history detour🙃

    The Black Watch played a significant role in the South African War (Boer War 1899-1902), with its 2nd Battalion forming part of the Highland Brigade alongside other Scottish regiments under Major General Wauchope. The regiment is particularly associated with the disastrous Battle of Magersfontein in December 1899, where its commanding officer, Maj-Gen. A.C. Wauchope, was killed and the battalion suffered heavy losses in the face of a well-prepared Boer defense. The sacrifice and service of the regiment in the South African War are commemorated by a war memorial in Market Street, Edinburgh.

    The Battle of Magersfontein (1899) was a disaster for the Highland Brigade, with 211 troops killed, including Maj-Gen. A.C. Wauchope's. The regiment suffered confusion, with men running back from the front lines, further demoralizing the troops.

    The figure of a Black Watch soldier and a bronze scene of a battle charge, with the names of the 211 men who died on plaques around the plinth.

    And who can visit Edinburgh without going to the Elephant House - birthplace of the Harry Potter saga.    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler
    2

    DAY 6 St Andrews

    September 1, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    Today we arrived at St Andrews

    The holy grail for most golfers.

    Often called the “Home of Golf,” the Old Course at St Andrews in Fife, Scotland is the world’s oldest golf course, with play recorded as early as the early 15th century.

    In 1552, Archbishop John Hamilton granted the townspeople the right to play golf on the links.

    In 1764, the course was reduced from 22 to 18 holes—a development that established the global standard of an 18-hole course.

    The Society of St Andrews Golfers, formed in 1754 by 22 noblemen and gentlemen, later became the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (The R&A)—one of golf’s key governing bodies.

    Control of the course shifted over time: land was saved from rabbit farming in the early 19th century by James Cheape, and later transferred under public trust via the St Andrews Links Trust, formalised by legislation in 1894.

    The Old Course has hosted The Open Championship more times than any other venue—30 times to date, starting in 1873.

    South African Winners at the Open, Especially at St Andrews

    Bobby Locke was the first South African to win The Open, triumphing three times between 1949 and 1952, and claiming a fourth in 1957.

    Gary Player and Ernie Els also claimed victory at The Open in other years.

    Only four South African men have won The Open: Locke, Player, Els—and Louis Oosthuizen.    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler

    Day 8 St Andrews to Aviemore

    September 3, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Absolute beautiful drive from St Andrews via Pitlochry and House of Bruar to Aviemore.

    The House of Bruar was established in 1995 by Mark and Linda Birkbeck, who envisioned a luxury country clothing destination with high-quality Scottish products and food. The brand began with a mail-order catalog in 1998 and has since grown into a major luxury retailer, maintaining its family-run status and commitment to Scottish heritageRead more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler
    2

    Day 9 Golf Spey Valley

    September 4, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Recently voted one of the best golf courses in Scotland, Spey Valley features some of the most breathtaking views in the world, offering a glimpse right into the very heart of the Scottish Highlands.

    Designed by Dave Thomas and host of the European Challenge Tour's Scottish Hydro Challenge from 2009 to 2018

    Not only voted 'Most Picturesque Golf Course in the UK' we've also been awarded 'Scottish Highlands Golf Course of the Year 2018' by Your Golfer Magazine

    The Spey Valley Championship Golf Course meanders through ancient Caledonian pine forests and along the banks of the sparkling River Spey.    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler
    11

    Day 10 Aviemore to Nethy Bridge hike

    September 5, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    18km hike from Aviemore to Nethy bridge

    Started off in Aviemore and followed the Speyside way to Boat-on-Gartner.
    From there beers and lunch at Nethy Bridge.

    Airbnb is a special venue at Nethy Stables.Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler

    Day 12 Grantown to Ballindalloch

    September 7, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Today was the most strenuous session almost 35km from Grantown on Spey to Ballindalloch.

    Located in the heart of Speyside, Scotland’s most prolific whisky region, Ballindalloch Castle is one of the few private castles in Scotland that has been lived in continuously by the family which founded it, the Macpherson-Grants. Originally a fortified tower house that was erected circa 1546.Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler

    Glenfiddich

    September 8, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    A Brief History of Glenfiddich

    Founded in 1886–87
    William Grant and his nine children handcrafted the Glenfiddich distillery in Dufftown, Speyside. The first spirit flowed from their copper stills on Christmas Day 1887 .

    In the 1920s, during U.S. Prohibition, Glenfiddich ramped up production despite the global downturn—positioning itself strategically for the post-Prohibition whisky boom .

    In the 1960s, facing industry consolidation, the Grant family shifted focus. Glenfiddich became one of the first distilleries to market single malt as a premium, standalone spirit. The 1963 launch in the U.S. helped create the modern single malt market, including the iconic triangular bottle introduced in 1956 .

    Family-Owned Legacy Continues
    Remarkably, Glenfiddich remains under the ownership and management of William Grant & Sons, now in the hands of the fifth generation of Grant descendants .

    Glenfiddich Today: Status & Highlights

    Operational Scale & Distillery Assets
    Still fully operational, Glenfiddich boasts 43 distinctive swan-neck copper stills and a production capacity of around 21 million liters of spirit. Its water source remains the beloved Robbie Dhu Spring, which contributes to its consistent quality .

    Widely sold in approximately 180 countries and accounting for roughly 35% of single malt Scotch sales, Glenfiddich is the world’s best-selling single malt Scotch whisky .

    Recent Collaborations & Special Releases
    In August 2025, Glenfiddich launched a limited-edition 16-Year-Old single malt in collaboration with the Aston Martin F1 Team—aged entirely in American oak and retailing at around $75. This marks the start of a longer partnership with the prestigious racing team .

    Owner William Grant & Sons posted a pre-tax profit of £554 million for the 2023 fiscal year, with nearly £2 billion in revenue, up from £1.7 billion the previous year.    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler
    1
    111

    Day 14 Dufftown to Inverness

    September 9, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    A longer day in the car

    Goodbye to the river Spey 😢
    Via Elgin to Inverness

    Did the must visit to Culloden.

    The Battle of Culloden took place on 16 April 1746 near Inverness, Scotland, and was the final confrontation of the Jacobite Rising of 1745.

    Charles Edward Stuart (“Bonnie Prince Charlie”) led the Jacobite forces, made up largely of Highland clans, in an attempt to restore the Stuart monarchy to the British throne. They faced the government army of Duke of Cumberland, son of King George II.

    The Jacobites, tired, poorly supplied, and outnumbered (about 5,000 vs. 9,000), launched a traditional Highland charge across boggy ground. The government army held firm with disciplined musket and artillery fire, devastating the Jacobite lines.

    The battle lasted less than an hour and ended in a crushing defeat for the Jacobites. Thousands were killed or wounded, and the aftermath was brutal: the British government imposed harsh measures to dismantle Highland culture, including banning tartans, disarming clans, and suppressing Gaelic traditions.

    Culloden marked the end of the Jacobite cause and the last pitched battle fought on British soil.

    The Clan Cameron fought with the Jacobite forces at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, led by their chief, Donald Cameron of Lochiel, known as "Gentle Lochiel". His regiment, one of the most respected in the Jacobite army, charged the government forces and was hit by grapeshot, severely wounding Lochiel. The clan suffered heavy losses in the battle, and afterwards, the clan's ancestral home was burned, and members were forced into hiding or exile

    Wrapped up with a visit to Clava Cairns.

    Clava Cairns are a Bronze Age site near Inverness that served as the inspiration for the fictional time-travel stones of Craigh na Dun in the Outlander books and TV series, though the site itself was not used for filming. This prehistoric cemetery complex features three prominent chambered cairns and surrounding standing stones and is easily accessible, making it a popular destination for Outlander fans    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler
    1

    Day 15 Isle of Skye

    September 10, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Spend the day driving Isle of Skye

    Visited - Loch Ness, Portree, Kilt and Uig but most importantly - hiked the Storr.

    The Old Man of Storr is one of the most famous landmarks on the Isle of Skye.

    It’s a tall, jagged pinnacle of rock rising dramatically from the Trotternish Ridge, shaped over millions of years by ancient landslides and volcanic activity. The name comes from its appearance: from certain angles, the formation looks like the silhouette of an old man’s head and body watching over the landscape.

    Beyond geology, it’s wrapped in legend. Local Skye folklore says the “Old Man” was a giant who lived in the area. When he died, he was buried in the earth, and his thumb remained sticking out — becoming the iconic rock pillar we see today.

    Lunch at Portree and we are staying over at a lovey cabin near the Skye bridge

    https://maps.app.goo.gl/d68zAhPXtKQiR9pp8    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler

    Day 16 Rain, Rain and some more Rain

    September 11, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    The plan today was to do some fly fishing in the lochs, but Poseidon ( the god of the sea) decided against the plan of man.

    Bought the permit, selected the flies but never got out of the car🫠

    It rained the whole day....

    So a nice rest day in our little cabin by the sea    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler

    Day 17 Cameron Museum to Oban

    September 12, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    Today we did the long awaited visit to the Cameron clan museum.

    Cameron rally cry: "Chlanna nan con thigibh a' so 's gheibh sibh feòil!", which translates to "Sons of the Hounds, Come Hither and Get Flesh!".

    Then via Fort William to Oban.

    The most beautiful city on the West coast    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler

    Day 18 Fishing above Loch Tay

    September 13, 2025 in Scotland

    Scotland is known for three fishing spots:
    - River Spay
    - High land lochs in areas like Isle of Skye...
    and the River Tay

    Today, I tried my luck in the rivers above Loch Tay

    One photo tells the story....

    The pain of fishing in Scotland isn’t just the cold or the beating rain; it’s the endless fight between your mind telling you this is a stupid idea and your soul looking at the lovely rivers, insisting on one more cast.    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler

    Day 19 Kelpies and a brave heart

    September 14, 2025 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Spend our last day around Sterling to visit

    The Kelpies
    Stirling Castle
    The Wallace monument and
    The Bannockburn

    The Kelpies are monumental horse-headed sculptures, each standing 30 meters (approximately 100 feet) tall and weighing over 300 tonnes. They are the world's largest equine sculptures, made of structural and stainless steel and completed in 2013 as a tribute to the heavy horses that worked in the local industries and along Scotland's canals

    The kelpie is a Scottish folklore figure that appears as a shape-shifting water spirit, often taking the form of a beautiful horse by a loch or river to lure people onto its back, after which its magical adhesive skin traps the victim, and it plunges them into the water to drown.

    The Wallace Monument in Stirling is a 67-meter tower honoring Scottish hero Sir William Wallace, overlooking the site of his 1297 victory at Stirling Bridge. Think Braveheart with Mel Gibson 😁

    Next on the list was Bannockburn

    The Battle of Bannockburn (1314) was Robert the Bruce’s defining triumph, where a smaller Scottish force shattered the mighty English army of King Edward II on the fields near Stirling. Bruce’s clever tactics, fierce schiltron formations, and the sheer determination of his men turned the tide, securing Scotland’s independence and immortalizing him as one of the nation’s greatest warrior-kings.

    The last highlight was a dinner with special friends who helped us navigate Scotland.    Read more

  • Gustav VermaasScotland 2025Traveler

    Day 20 Goodbye Scotland ... hello Canada

    September 15, 2025 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Our Scotland trip is at an end....
    On route to see our little Canadians😍

    If only I could get the plane in Cabelas to fly😆

    Life 2.0: “Beauty has always been forged in struggle.”

    Our 19-day journey through Scotland has come to an end. Scotland’s beauty is undeniable. You sense it the moment you step onto its mist-covered Highlands, tread the ancient golf links, or wade into the rivers that were carved by time itself. The hiking is excellent, the golf sacred, and the whisky smooth.

    But fly fishing for salmon? That is another story.

    A note in my travel journal captured it best:

    “The pain of fly fishing in Scotland isn’t just the cold or the beating rain; it’s the endless fight between your mind telling you this is a stupid idea and your soul looking at the lovely rivers, insisting on one more cast.”

    Fly fishing for Salmon in Scotland is harsh—relentless, often unrewarding.

    And yet, the struggle is the point.

    Visiting Scotland’s battlefields brought the same lesson into sharper relief. At Culloden, where the Jacobite dream ended in blood, the wind still howls across the moor as if carrying the voices of the fallen. At Bannockburn, Robert the Bruce’s clever tactics and sheer determination turned the tide, secured independence, and immortalised him as one of the greatest warrior-kings.

    “Scotland’s beauty has always been forged in struggle.”

    Sometimes we need the harshness of weather to appreciate the sun. The rain makes the rare warmth feel like gold.

    Standing on battlefields where history turned reminded me: it is resilience—not comfort—that shapes us.    Read more

    Trip end
    September 15, 2025
  • 2026© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice