Resetuj wyszukiwanie
UK & Ireland - hiking & more
  • Jeff Joll
  • Eileen Joll
Obecnie podróżuję
sie – paź 2025

UK & Ireland - hiking & more

A trip to the British Isles featuring hiking on the West Highlands Way, Cotswold Way, and Dingle Way. Czytaj więcej
ObserwujPodsumowanieKalendarzDzielićDzielićLista postanowień
Najpierw najstarsi
  • Obecnie w
    🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Stroud, England
    UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    The Cotswold starting pointA cute houseThe signs we are followingLiterally walking through fields!11A rainbow near the end

    The Cotswold Way - day 1

    12 września, Anglia ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Today we started walking the Cotswold Way in England. We started in the town of Bath and walked 17.5 miles to Tormarton. The path was pretty easy walking. There were some hills, as few steeper than others, but the only thing that slowed us down was some mud and stepping around cow patties. We walked along some roads out of Bath and then mostly through fields, next to cows and sheep, crops, wild flowers, and old civil war battlefields from a war in 1642. We also encountered as few raindrops but we had mostly sunny skies. There was no where to stop on this section of the trail for food or drink but we found a nice bench to eat the lunch we had packed. There's not a lot around our hotel so we are thankful they have a restaurant here.

    We didn't encounter any walkers going our direction but we did see a number going the other direction. Most people end in Bath, while we started there. We did talk to a couple from Colorado who where originally from PA and had met at Penn State.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    The old city wallThose are cross bow holes that look little crossesThe Minster11Never have I ever seen a dragon in a church!Show at the York Royal Theater1Another church1On the river1

    25 hours in York

    10–11 wrz, Anglia ⋅ 🌬 64 °F

    We arrived in York just before noon and had a very nice visit. We had already booked a 2 hour walking tour at 1:15 and entrance to the York Minster (cathedral) at 3:45. We had a short walk to our room at the Georgian House and Mews. Fortunately, our room was ready and we were able to check in.

    Along the way to our lodging, we passed the York Theatre Royal and saw that the musical Military Wives was opening that night. We went online and booked tickets to the 7:30 performance.

    On our way to our tour, we grabbed a sandwich and gathered for our truly free walking tour. York is a city steeped in history and this tour was all about it - trying to cover 2000 years in 2 hours. Eileen was less than impressed.

    The York Minster is one of the largest gothic cathedrals in Europe. While the original church was established in the 7th century, the current building wasn't started until the 13th century and was finished in the 15th century. Originally a Roman Catholic structure, it is now part of the church of England.

    Interestingly, there is a recently opened school to train stone masons. They use hammer and chisel to carve stone and new figures. About half of the new masons are women.

    We went back to our room for a quick shower, then out to dinner. We ended up at the Taas, an Indian/Nepalese restaurant. The food was good and a nice change from what we have been eating.

    We enjoyed the performance and the venue (relatively small). There was a pre-show performance in the lobby by actual military wives choirs.

    On Thursday, we explored more of old town, particularly the area known as the Shambles. The word Shambles comes from a word that is derived from the butcher shops or the tables used for the meat. Now it is area full of shops and eateries. There is a Shamble St and it seems like it could have been Diagon Alley from Harry Potter, including a number of magic shops.

    Before heading back, we sat along the river enjoying a latte and the sun. There were crew teams practicing as well as older adults who were seemingly taking lessons. The river cruise boats were fairly busy with most passengers being older.

    After going back for our bags, we hustled back to the train station and boarded the train with a minute or two to spare. We are off to Bath, where we will begin our Cotswold Way walk tomorrow morning.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    The bridge crossing from old town to new townNite contemporary streetA blend of old and new buildingsPaddington Bear!!!Small contemporary churchPitt - his father gave his name to Pittsburgh!Found on Rose streetFirst floral clock in the world.Plaque doctor

    Edinburgh day 2

    9 września, Szkocja ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    Today was another beautiful, sunny day. We started by exploring the new town area. By the 1800's, the old town had become overcrowded and full of diseases. Officials decided to expand the city and the new town was created, though it is still very old! The streets are wider and there is more green space with lovely gardens. It is also way less touristy! We took our time exploring the area, side streets, and garden areas where many locals enjoyed their lunch break.

    We headed back to the old town to do a guided tour of the Mary King Close. It was unusual for a close to be named after a woman. At some point a new government building was built. The tops of old tenements were removed and a new building was built across the buildings and closes. The tour was of the closes and people who lived there under the new building, making it like an underground area. The tour talked about the people living there, their jobs, and the lifestyles they lived.

    With some time to waste before dinner, we just enjoyed the street entertainment which is plentiful on the Royal Mile.

    We dined at the Deacon Brodie pub. Deacon Brodie was a prominent businessman by day and a gambler and thief by night. His life was the basis of The Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde written by Stevenson. A nice day to end our stay in Scotland!     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    Steeler Game
    Entrance to our BnB in Riddle Court CloseOld church now an event centerPart of the Royal MileTouching his toe brings good luck!Once a prison and tax collection place. People spit on it 😐St Giles ChurchThese were all made in Scotland.A close (alley way)A closeScotland parliamentThe Holyrood PalaceEdinburgh CastleLooking down the Royal Mile from the castleThe Whiskey ExperienceWhiskey is not all bad!

    Edinburgh day 1

    7–10 wrz, Szkocja ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    We spent two full days and an evening in Edinburgh, a very busy city, second largest in Scotland. We spent day one in the old town where we walked the Royal Mile, visited the Edinburgh Castle, and did the Whiskey Experience.

    But first, we were able to find a sports bar on Sunday evening when we arrived that covered NFL games. The Steelers were on the big screen. We shared a table with a couple (Aaron and Cloie) from Denver who were Steelers fans. He was originally from the Cranberry area.

    The old town dates back to the 1500's when England and Scotland were fighting over control of the land. The Royal Mile is a 1.1 mile of buildings that were tenements - mostly very crowded one or two room flats in the center of town. At the top of the hill is the castle and at the bottom is Holyrood Palace, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. The street is lined with touristy shops, restaurants, and pubs. But if you look up, the architecture is amazing. In the 1500's there was no running water or sewage so people would dump their wastes in the street leading to a lot of diseases. Along the street there are also a lot of closes, little, skinny alleys leading to a maze of little streets between the buildings. Our air BnB was in Riddle Court Close. We stayed in a building that was only 300 years old, on the 5th floor - no elevators, of course.

    The castle, built into the hill, is fortified on three sides. The fourth side is a sheer cliff of rock. The Scots thought that no one could attack from that cliff but one night the English scaled the cliff and took charge again. The views of Edinburgh from the top were awesome. We also had fun watching the cranes and disassembling the grandstands that are used for the tattoo (music festival) that takes place in August. 6 weeks to assemble, 5 weeks to disassemble.

    The Whiskey Experience talked about how whiskey is made and how and why different areas of Scotland produce different tasting whiskeys. There are five main areas of whiskey producing in Scotland. We were able to sample whiskeys from all five areas and all whiskeys do not taste the same. Eileen even found some she likes! It was a very high tech presentation and their collection of whiskeys was massive.

    We had dinner at the Ensign Ewing. Live Scottish music was just getting started but we didn't stay for much of it. The music scene starts get at 9:00 some places, even later in others.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    Fairy pools
    Fairy PoolsOur greeting committee on road near our pod3The pod- cute and cozy!Climbing the StorrFor the not so climbers, take a cruise shipA shy highland Shetland cow - best picture I could getDunvegan CastleDunvegan Castle grounds

    Isle of Skye

    5–7 wrz, Szkocja ⋅ 🌬 57 °F

    We rented a car in Fort William and drove to the Isle of Skye on the west coast of Scotland. Yes, they drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right so there was a little bit of a learning curve getting started, but Jeff did a great job of adjusting. I was the copilot helping with reminders to stay left, roundabouts, and the ever changing speed limits. Additional challenges on the island were curvy roads and many one lane, potholed roads with two way traffic and pull overs for passing. Our air BnB was on this kind of road so we eventually got used to looking ahead for cars.

    On our way in on Friday we stopped at the Fairy Pools. It is a mile long babbling brook with little waterfalls - a natural occurrence. Someone was smart enough to add some Scottish folklore about the fairies and advertise it. Many, many people walked the trail. It was very pretty and if we hadn't already crossed hundreds of streams and waterfalls, or if it was a sunny day, we may have been even more impressed. Of course, it started to rain while walking it and we got to our car soaking wet.

    We went on to our air BnB which was a pod about 9 feet by 15 feet - two rooms and a bath. Very cute and cozy. We met our host, Peter, who has been running his two pods since 2019. They are almost fully booked from March through October. After drying out we went to The Old Inn for dinner then back to our pod for an early evening.

    On Saturday we hiked The Storr, a steep, ragged mountain line created from ice glaciers. The scenery, of course, was beautiful. Near the top, there was an area where the wind had to be at least 40 mph.

    From there we went to the Dunvegan Castle and gardens for a tour. It has belonged to the chief of the MacLeod family for 800 years.

    Lastly, we stopped at the Talisker Distillery gift shop followed by one more dinner at The Old Inn (there weren't many choices where we were staying but the food was very good!) and then back to our pod.

    Sunday we returned the car to Fort William on a drive that was much better than on our way to Skye. We took a taxi to the train station and then caught the train to Glasgow and then another to Edinburgh.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    The ending point at the town center
    Another rainbow!Rainbow forest! (Zoom in for better view!)3One more waterfallSheep or rocks? Zoom in to see!2Gnomes!!!

    Day 7 - Ft. William - end of WHW

    4 września, Szkocja ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    We arrived at the end of the West Highlands Way late this afternoon after 16+ miles today. It felt good to be done!

    We started the day with a long uphill climb for 4 miles (remember we ended yesterday with a long downhill) . While going uphill, we were attacked by the midges so much so that we wore our nets while hiking. Once we reached the top, a cool breeze started and kept them away. The uphill climb was followed by rolling trails for about 8 miles before we headed back downhill. Generally, the trail was pretty easy today. We had a little bit of sun and some rain throughout the day.

    We did come across 2 couples from Harrisburg, PA late in the day. Our only spotting of people we had seen throughout the week were Francesco and Oscar and Sophie as we were heading into town. They had already completed the trek and were heading back to where they are camping tonight.

    Our bed and breakfast is the Myrtle Bank guest house. It is housed in what appear to be a couple of old mansions right across from the water. Our room has a fantastic view of the water and mountains. http://www.myrtlebankguesthouse.co.uk/

    We had dinner at the Tavern. The food was good, and once again we had dessert (it has become a habit, although we split one). Jeff also continued his sampling of whiskey.

    Tomorrow, we rent a car and head to the isle of Skye for a couple nights.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    Iconic Scottish highland houseDevil's Staircase startMidge netsThe Highland Getaway1

    West Highlands Way - day 6

    4 września, Szkocja ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    It was a beautiful day physically and scenically! The sun was shining, the trail easier than expected, and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous!

    At breakfast we met Natalie and Steven from Australia. They started hiking the day before and will only hike 3 days. Our hosts, Mary and Colin joined us for breakfast as well and supplied us with many stories. It would be fun to just spend the day with them.

    At the start of the trail there were more hikers than we have seen all week . This is the popular Glencoe tourist area and many people come to do day hikes up the devil's staircase. Many are younger people carrying camping supplies and maybe only hiking for a day or two. Either way, there are a lot of people on the trail .

    We hiked only 9 miles in the Scottish Highlands. While I'm sure they look beautiful from the road, being in the mountains surrounded by more mountains was amazing.
    The trail started easy enough for three miles and then we started up the devil's staircase. It's a step climb with a lot of switchbacks to the highest point in the trail. The trail was used for many things in the past including during WWII. It was more treacherous then and many died on the trail, hence it's name. Though it was steep, the path was pretty clear. We took our time and had no problems. We were rewarded with stunning views. Along the way we met the midges - tiny biting gnat like creatures who swarmed you when you stopped moving. We had spray and wore our nets when we stopped.

    Of course what goes up must come down and down is not always easier than going up. The way down was mostly gradual until the last two miles which became rather steep. The entire trail was open and one could see hikers in front of you and behind you like ants on a hill.

    Throughout the day we saw our younger friends Sophia and Oscar , as well as Francesco. We also met Cherylina from New Mexico. She had bad knees and was definitely taking her time, but this had been on her bucket list to do. On our way to dinner we saw our friends from New York as well.

    We ate at the Highland Getaway as recommended by our BnB host and we were not disappointed. We finished our meal with the spotted dick and custard - Delicious!     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    Baa baa Black sheep!
    Scotland Highlands - Sheep and waterfallsNice path for walking - finally1A rainbow greeted usThe view out of our BnB window.St Munda's Manse

    West Highland Way - day 5

    3 września, Szkocja ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    Today was supposed to be a 19 mile day. Given how tired we were after 15 the day before, we made the decision to give it bodies a break and not walk the whole thing. We had a leisurely morning and spent time talking to Claudia and Wendy, the ladies from Colorado and PA.

    The path on the morning was an old military road so much easier on the feet. We made good time on it as we trekked at the base of the mountains, part more waterfalls and bubbling streams, and next to a scenic railroad.

    After 7 miles we reached the Bridge of Orchy where most of the people we met were spending the night. They are doing the hike in 8 days. We had lunch there and met Shannon from Knoxville TN. She is traveling alone. It always surprises us the number of solo female hikers we are. While we were still there, our Australian friends - Simon and James arrived. They are brother in laws. Simon is a pilot and James is in security. They look the parts! Lol. We spent a couple hours there.

    We took the bus to the closest stop near the trail - Kings house. It was a 17 minute ride. We got off right at the trail and hiked another mile to a Kingshouse Hotel. Our accommodations were a 20 minute taxi ride from , to the village of Ballachulish in the popular Glencoe area.

    We are staying in the St Munda's Manse, a former rectory of the next door church of Scotland. Our hostess is Mary, a lifelong resident is the village. She and her husband spent about 3 years remodeling the place after buying. The church has already been sold and being turned into a residence.

    We walked into the village to buy lunch for tomorrow and have dinner so we did pick up another mile of walking.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    On the ferry, the only time we wore raincoats
    The ferry rideOur lunch packed by the hotel. It looks like a school field trip lunch!1Lagging behind, as usual1Watery trailsAnd muddy bogs to get aroundThere have been black berries all along the trails- yum!!Locals picking hazelnutsWhen you want to hike by can't afford new shoes - duct tape to the rescue!A Scottish cottageHe almost didn't that make it throughBeautiful mountains!!He posed for me!Stone wall and sheep - very scottishOld cemeteryEnjoying a drink with our Aussie friends.

    Day 4 - to Tyndrum

    1 września, Szkocja ⋅ 🌧 52 °F

    Today's hike ended up being a bit over 15 miles and our start time was dictated by the ferry schedule. The earliest ferry was at 9:00 so we were there in time to get a seat. The ferry only holds about 14 people. However, at "rush hour", he will make a second trip. Easy enough since it's only 5 minutes across the lake.

    A word to describe today's trek: water. Dozens of waterfalls, both up close and visible in mountains across the way. Rushing streams, small and large. We crossed a number of smaller streams trying to find stones above water. About 1/2 to 3/4 of the trail had water, a mixture of puddles and running water. And, lastly, rain - light at times, fairly heavy at others. The sun did peel through for a few minutes throughout the day but the appearances were brief.

    The first half was a fairly gradual uphill, followed by a descent that was a bit steep to begin with but leveled out. The last couple miles was the easiest to travel, which was good since we were tired.

    These last few days have been physically challenging for us given the terrain and walking on very rocky surfaces. We are watching where we put our feet most of the time (although we manage to look up and take in the beautiful scenery). There have been places it is difficult to squeeze through, a tunnel today that Jeff could barely get through with his pack on, fallen trees that Eileen needed help lifting her legs over as she rolled herself over top.

    We met two ladies from New York, Joy and Amber, who had hiked this 10 years ago. We were amazed when they said they were 50, would have guessed 10 years younger.

    After dinner, we popped in the bar and our Aussie acquaintances, James and Simon, were there. We sat and talked to them for a while and James bought us a drink. During our conversation, we realized this was likely the last we would see if them given our respective walking itineraries.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    Jeff with Sophie and OscarAn honest box - filled with goodies and drinks and you leave the money. Most aren't this nice!Heather in bloomAnother waterfallThis is the third or forth pair of boots we have seen left behind ???Another waterfall!So green!!!Our lunch viewCareful stepping!Can you tell I like waterfalls?This hotel had a separate entrance for hikers.Crossing over waterfall streams (5 times!)And the fun continues!Jeff got stuck here!Raising the ball to signal for the ferry.The hotel across the riverOur ride. It started raining while we were waiting.

    West Highland Way - Day 3

    31 sierpnia, Szkocja ⋅ 🌧 54 °F

    Today we hiked 13.5 miles. Before hiking we stopped at a little store to buy lunch and snacks as we weren't sure if there were any services along the way. We talked with a local who was telling us about the weather here in the winter. She and her family are headed to Disney in October. She would have talked all day had we let her.

    The beginning of the hike was easy, rolling hills through the national forest. Sometimes we were high with great views of Loch Lomond and passing by many waterfalls. (About 40 throughout the day!) With all of the water running down the hill, the area was a lush green. Sometimes we were down low on the Bonnie banks of the lake.

    We met Sophie (originally from Germany) and Oscar from London. We have played leap frog (we would stop, they would pass us, they would stop, we would pass them) with them for a couple of days, but today we started together and had a chance to talk. We also met a mother- daughter duo from Germany, a pair of older ladies from Colorado and PA (State college area), and a couple from Cleveland. Lastly we met up with two guys from Sydney, Australia - James and Simon.

    We stopped for a bite to eat at a stoney beach along lake and later found a hotel that did serve drinks so we had a coffee. This is where we meet the Australians. The trail after this stop was difficult. The book described it as more of an obstacle course than a hike. That was a good description. We did a lot of boulder climbing and carefully picking our way through rocks and tree roots and around mud puddles. At first it was fun but after a while it got very tiring. It was a very good leg workout, one might even call it exhausting. Along the way, we talked to a guy from Poland on bicycle. He was carrying it more than riding it, not sure how he did it.

    We had to catch a ferry to get to our hotel across the river. We joked with the Australians that the last one to the ferry had to buy the first beers. The ferry left hourly at 10 past the hour. The Australians had to run down the path to catch the ferry. We were 5 minutes too late and had to wait 50 minutes in the rain for the next one to arrive. We bought their beer at dinner.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    Good morning cows!These are throughout the pastures. They are often a challenge to open!Heather in bloomOther hikers on the trail.Great views as we go up the hill.Cow dung and sheep poop along the wayA old stone wall and sheep - can't get more Scottish!A rocky wet, climbLoch Lomond from on top of Conic HillThe greeting committee!The climb down. Zoom in to see how far it goes!More of the climb downA haggis house. A haggis is a fictional character that children try to find. Much like our fairies.A very wet rat in the home stretch!The white dots are sheep, brown dots, cows

    The West Highland Way Hike - day 2

    30 sierpnia, Szkocja ⋅ 🌧 59 °F

    Today we hiked 15.5 miles from Dryman to Rowardennan. The day started easy enough with a gradual uphill climb for about 5 miles through pastures with cows, then forests, and then more pastures with more sheep. The meadows were filled with heather (the plant). It is just about done blooming and had a maroon look to it. A week ago it would have been a brighter purple. The weather was overcast and in the 60's.

     The next two miles involved a steep climb to Conic Hill with the second mile being very steep, rocky and wet as a stream ran down through the trail. Our bodies began to protest near there top. At the top we were greeted by cows who regularly graze there and great views of Loch Lomond (large lake) and the hills around it. There were many people in the area as it is s popular day hike and it is Saturday.

    We were excited to start the downhill climb until we did. To help protect the area from erosion, the path is lined with large rocks of various sizes and shapes, fashioned in a step like formation. You must watch your feet on the way down and carefully decide where to step. It is also very steep. This goes on for a solid mile The toll on the knees and hips is hard. Even the young people heaved a sigh of relief when they got to the bottom!

    We continued for a short distance through the Lake Lomond and The Trossachs National Park arriving at the Oak Tree Inn where we took an extended lunch break to give our legs a chance to rest. From there we headed out still having another 7 miles to travel. As we started to leave it began to rain and we hiked through a light rainfall the rest of the trip. It was somewhat refreshing since it was very humid. The remaining 7 miles were not near as interesting with most of it being by the lake or through the forest and all of it through the rain. There were enough hills and mud to keep it interesting.

    We arrived at our hotel with enough time to shower and put on dry clothes before dinner. We have seen a lot of the same hikers at the hotels and places to eat - people from Germany, Australia, and Scotland.

    Our hotel / restaurant was established as an inn in 1696, although parts of the building are older than that.

    We met a couple on the trail today who had met 2 years ago doing the Camino de Santiago. He was from the Netherlands, she from England.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    Getting started!
    A cottage called the Shire!There are sheep everywhere!!Other hikersThe distilleryThe Beach Tree for lunchA common wildflower found all along the trailThis is the symbol we look for to stay on the trail.The Crachan - good food.Our hotel

    The Highland Way Hike - day 1

    29 sierpnia, Szkocja ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Today we started hiking on The West Highlands Way in Scotland. Day one involved walking from Milngavnie to Drymaen. We took a bus to the starting point where we had breakfast and saw many other hikers starting the journey, everyone getting their picture taken at the famous obelisk.

    The weather was mostly cloudy with occasional sprinkles. Great hiking weather.

    We hiked 13.5 miles mostly through meadows next to sheep and cows with some rolling hills. The surrounding hills were very green and beautiful. About halfway, a distillery called out to Jeff and we did a short side trip to the Glengoyne Distillery. We didn't take the time to do a tour but we were able to sample some whisky and purchase travel bottles for later.

    There aren't a lot of places to stop along the way so when you find one, you take advantage of it. So, we stopped at the Beech Tree for lunch. They have a petting zoo with Shetland ponies. From there it was just one foot in front of the other until Dryman. Along the way we met two girls from Colorado. One just moved to England to go to school and she and her sister are doing the hike before school starts. We also met Francesco from Italy (Sicily).

    We are spending the night at the Buchanan Arms. Once in Drymen we ate at the Crachan, noted as the oldest licensed pub in Scotland.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    Bagpiper on the Glasgow University campusGlasgow campus groundsAshton LaneRiver Museum - a museum of transportationGlasgow cathedral1On tour at the Tennets breweryOne of many murals throughout the cityGeorge wears the cone all the time and sometimes other celebratory decor as well!A couple of many of the cool old buildings in the cityThe "armadillo" as called by the locals - a new concert venueLike Pittsburgh, this used to be a industrial site, now revitalized.

    Glasgow

    27–29 sie, Szkocja ⋅ 🌧 63 °F

    We arrived in Glasgow Wednesday afternoon after leaving home at 5:30pm on Tuesday. We were tired enough that we decided on an Uber instead of taking bus and subway. Chris greeted is when we got to our Airbnb. We had a bedroom, sitting room and private bath in a very modern (interior) townhouse in the west end.

    After resting a bit, we ventured out for food and drink. We ended up at Curlers Rest, one of the recommendations of our Airbnb host. The food way good and I enjoyed the St. Mungo's beer.

    We then wandered around and spent some time exploring the University of Glasgow campus. Certainly some beautiful old buildings. There was some type of event taking place and we got to enjoy some bagpipe music.

    A stroll through cobblestone Ashton Lane was nice. At night, it is lit with twinkling lights.

    We made our way back to our room and it wasn't long before we decided it was time for some sleep.

    On Thursday we slept in but once we got moving we headed on the subway to the city center. The subway circles the city with only 15 stops. It is very modern despite dating from 1896. It is the 3rd oldest in the world. We walked around the city center a bit to get a feel for it. It reminded us of Pittsburgh with a gritty feel, no doubt due to its industrial history.

    We decided to do on the hop on, hop off bus for a tour of the city. We decided to go off at the Riverside museum, dedicated to transport. I expect a major focus on ships, given that at one point Glasgow had about 50 percent of the ship building capacity in the world and employed 100,000 people in the ship yards. However, the museum covered everything related to ground transportation, as well. A good stop.

    After getting back on the bus, our next stop was the Glasgow cathedral. This was built around the year 1200. While not the most impressive of cathedrals, it is the only cathedral that survived the Reformation, although not as a Catholic church. The crypt below the church contains the remains of St. Mungo.

    Since we were so close, we decided to walk to the Tennent Brewery and caught the last tour of the day. Tennent claims to be the best selling beer in Scotland. The Tennent family started brewing on the site back in the 1500s. The tour finished up with a pint and some good conversation.

    Food (and some more beer) was at Sloan's, a recommendation of the bartender at Tennents. Eileen had fish and chips while I had a haggis melt in ciabatta per recommendation off the Tennents bartender. Very good.

    We then wondered around some more before hopping on the subway for the last bit of the journey to out room.

    Tomorrow starts our 7 days of hiking on the West Highlands Way.     Czytaj więcej

    Zobacz tłumaczenie
    Rozpocznij wyprawę
    26 sierpnia 2025
  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Strona główna
  • O nas
  • Śledzenie grupy
  • Wciśnij
  • Warunki
  • Prywatność & Cookies
  • Centrum pomocy
  • Odcisk