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septiembre - noviembre 2024
  • Danielle and Co travels
Heading off with my BFF to Scotland and then meeting Ian in France to make some wonderful memories. Leer más
  • Danielle and Co travels

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2024
    Melbourne airport
    View 4 hours inApproaching SingaporeChangi AirportDeparting SingaporeFinnair Business Class Cabin is very spaciousMy podArriving HelsinkiHelsinki airportDelicious lunchFinal destination of this first leg

    And we are off!

    11 de septiembre de 2024, Finlandia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Katie and I left Melbourne at noon. We flew to Singapore with Qantas where we then had a 3hour layover. Next stop Helsinki with Finnair - the business class “pods” are fabulous as is the service. Our flight time to Helsinki was about 13 hours ( I managed about 8 hours of sleep, Katie only a couple). On arrival in Helsinki we had about a 7 hour wait for our flight to Edinburgh. We amused ourselves by wandering around the airport, drinking coffee and eating cinnamon buns and also located the Hilton airport and did a reconnaissance over to it as Katie will spend a night there on her return trip to Australia in October.

    We then checked back in and went through security ( every airport has different rules and procedures which is very frustrating to say the least) to wait for our flight to Edinburgh (via Amsterdam). We were late leaving as there were thunderstorms in Amsterdam, this meant we didn’t have much time to make it to our next flight, but we made it! The flight to Edinburgh was uneventful and the Edinburgh airport underwhelming- it is very dated and quite small and wasn’t coping with the arrival of four international flights arriving in close succession. The taxi system here was also less than optimal.

    Finally, we made it to our Airbnb in Edinburgh and so the adventure begins (for real).    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2024
    Our street
    We are located at the top of the cul de sacOur home for the next 4 nightsLounge roomMy bedroom11Our LocalDanielle walking up our most interesting street

    The Hood

    12 de septiembre de 2024, Escocia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    We finally arrived at our digs at about 6.30pm. It is a cute little apartment in Cowgate near the Old Town. Once we unpacked we headed out to explore as we needed to locate a supermarket and find a place for dinner. We aren’t far from Edinburgh University and there are many many many pubs and clubs and restaurants close by. Our little street is so very cute with so many interesting sites and quirky signs.

    We found the little supermarket and got a few supplies the most important being milk so that Katie could have a cuppa. We then shared a pizza at a local Italian restaurant before heading home for an early night    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2024
    St Giles' Cathedral
    Mercat CrossUnicorn on top of Mercat CrossSouth Bridge - the vaults are built beneathInside the vault complexThe vault used by the witches for worshipAnother room containing a circle of rocks to ward off bad spiritsThe vault in which the Stains rehearsedBag pipe playerDavid Hume MemorialScott Monument (Victorian Gothic)The Balmoral HotelLovely streets in New Town

    Underground Walking Tour

    13 de septiembre de 2024, Escocia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We did a wonderful tour of the now defunct vaults that lay beneath South Bridge in Edinburgh. Our tour leader, Fraser, was very engaging and knowledgeable with a lovely accent and handsome to boot.

    We met in the middle of the Royal Mile and made our way down towards Cowgate (which is about 100 metres from our digs). On the way down we stopped at the Mercat Cross (Market Cross) where proclamations were made and 100’s of years ago people were executed (hanged, drowned, burnt or beheaded) and young boys who stole were nailed to the wooden door (they would tear their ear away to get away which is where the term “tear away” comes from). The actual top of the cross had been replaced with a unicorn which is the Scottish National animal, this mythical creature was chosen as it is the only animal that can beat the Lion (England’s national animal). We also passed through a close or wynd ( a narrow street that ran between the tall buildings.

    We made our way down to the vaults that were intended to be storage rooms for the stores and businesses that ran along south bridge, but they leaked and were damp and mouldy and so were basically abandoned. The vaults then became a place for the homeless and down and out people of Edinburgh to seek refuge. It wasn’t long before criminals and basically bad people arrived and preyed on the weak and vulnerable who had come to the vaults to seek shelter. They set up illegal gambling dens, brothels and bars and police chose not to attend to calls from the vaults because of the risk of catching one of the many diseases and illnesses going around. It was very unhygienic because of the water and mould but also because there were no toilets and so people would go in the corner of the vault which would seep through the many levels of the vaults where people lived spreading disease. In 1996 the vaults were reopened for tours to be run at this time a coven of witches set up a place of worship in one of the vaults which operated until the head witch died in 2014. A punk band called the Stains also rehearsed in one of the larger vaults.

    Following the tour we returned to the Royal mile for a bit of a wander, saw a bag pipe player and looked at some lovely tartan shops. We also walked over to the New Town to check out a jewellery store Katie had been told about.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2024
    Lovely building below the castle
    West Bow RoadColourful stores along Victoria StreetMore of Victoria StreetThe Hub Assembly HallVery green lawn at the Edinburgh LibraryFine young Scottish man in a kiltByers Close - one of the many narrow little allies around EdinburghThe Royal MileTron Kirk Market - full of local artists wares

    Exploring Edinburgh

    14 de septiembre de 2024, Escocia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Today we had a bit of a late start as we have a free day to just wander around Edinburgh. We headed off up Cowgate towards GrassMarket to check out all the bars, cafes and stores. We also went in search of a good coffee which we found at Zaza’s cafe. We met a lovely couple from NZ who have been travelling around Scotland for a couple of weeks - they have done the Jacobite train ride out of Fort William and said it was fabulous.

    There was a market open today in GrassMarket where there were some lovely hand made products for sale, everything from scarves and gloves to prints, bags and whiskey as well as a range of baked goods. I withstood the lure of these lovely local artisan wares but Katie succumbed.

    After the market we headed up Victoria Street where I couldn’t go past a lovely Christmas Shop, those who know me well would know I find it hard to resist a Christmas Decoration from a place I visit. I was restrained and only purchased 2 decorations, the damage could have been much worse but as we are only 4 days into our holiday, common sense prevailed (and I am sure Ian will be pleased to read this!)

    We then continued up Victoria street, which is full of very colourful shopfronts. We made our way up to the Royal Mile and explored more of the lovely Scottish stores full of gorgeous cashmere and lambs wool scarves as well as hats, kilts and pewter brooches.

    There were several weddings happening in a range of venues along the Royal Mile and so we could hear bagpipes and saw many guests in their finest kilts. We stopped for a late lunch at a lovely Italian restaurant and then headed back to our apartment to relax for a couple of hours before we head out tonight for the Edinburgh Dark Side Walking Tour: Mysteries, Murder and Legends which we are looking forward to.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2024
    Starting point of our walking tour
    Ryan our fabulous guideSt Giles CathedralView across Edinburgh1Monument to where many Covenanters were hangedEntrance to the KirkyardRyan recounting a gruesome storyEdinburgh Castle from the cemetery

    Edinburgh Darkside Walking Tour

    14 de septiembre de 2024, Escocia ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    This evening we headed off to join the Edinburgh Darkside Walking Tour: Mysteries, Murder and Legends. Our tour guide Ryan was fabulous, a Canadien social worker who had been a tour guide in Prague until early 2020 when he contracted meningitis and shingles. Once he was released from hospital he decided to move to the UK where he worked as a social worker as there was no work for tour guides. He moved to Edinburgh a couple of years later where he has been leading these tours.

    Ryan was very engaging and a great storyteller who knows his history and was both serious and comedic. He first took us to the Town Hall and told us about “Black Death” and due to the unhygienic nature of the city the plague went through Edinburgh about 15 times over a 300 year period. In fact there were poor people living below Town Hall on one of these occasions and the powers that be just sealed them in to prevent the spread of the plague, where they all died and their bodies remain to this day.

    Ryan told us about King James VI (who also became James I of England following the death of Elizabeth I ). King James wrote a book called Daemonologie which was a guide on catching / identifying witches. He and his followers were responsible for the murder of 2000 women falsely accused of being witches - the Scottish parliament only apologised for this in 2021.

    Ryan also recounted the tale of Thomas Weir (1599 - 1670) a Scottish soldier and occultist who was executed for bestiality, incest and adultery. He was a Covenanter who professed a particularly strict form of Presbyterianism. He was an evil predator who was able to continue his despicable life because he was well connected. At his trial the powers that be tried to shut down his testimony but his sister (victim since she was 13) also testified so they executed them both, his sister because she announced she was his ‘witch’. The only reason he was on trial was because he fell ill and was expected to die and from his deathbed began to confess to a secret life of crime and vice. He recovered but wanted to be punished for his crimes ( even though the powers that be tried to cover it up initially). He was garrotted and burned at the stake in a public execution ( the locals enjoyed an execution and turned up in their 1,000’s).

    Another story we were told about was the Burke and Hare murders. William Burke and William Hare murdered sixteen people over a period of 10 months in 1828. Edinburgh was a leading European centre of anatomical study in the early 19th century, in a time when the demand for cadavers led to a shortfall in legal supply. Scottish law required that corpses used for medical research should only come from those who died in prison, suicide victims or from foundlings and orphans. This shortage led to an increase in body snatching. When a lodger in Hare’s house died, he and Burke sold the body to Dr Robert Knox for which they received £7 10s (a generous sum). Two months later another lodger fell ill with a fever and Hare thought she may deter others from lodging at his house and so he and Burke murdered her and sold her body to Knox. They went on to murder a further 15 people who they sold to Knox (who probably knew what they were doing).

    The police were alerted when lodgers found the body of their final victim, Margaret Docherty and contacted police. A forensic examination was inconclusive as to cause of death and so the police offered immunity from prosecution to Hare if her turned king’s evidence, which he did. He provided the details of Docherty’s murder and confessed to all sixteen murders. Burke was charged and found guilty of one murder and sentenced to death by hanging and his corpse dissected and his skeleton displayed at the Anatomical Museum of Edinburgh Medical School where it remains to this day. Hare walked away a free man.

    We were told several other gruesome stories and our tour concluded in the Greyfriars Kirkyard.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2024
    Some of the people re-enacting historical events
    Brass BandPart of a group - The Jacobites that entertained the crowdsOf course there was a Pipe bandSt Giles2John Knox is supposedly buried beneath car park 23Decorative entrance to a closeA section of the remaining city wallJohn Knox buildingWater pump - where town folk would come to collect waterA statue honouring Tom Gilzean a 99 year old war veteran who raised £1M for charityEntrance to Edinburgh CastleThe Royal CrestThe Governor's quartersHouses the royal jewelsMilitary museumViews across New TownBrass Band starting upPipe Band Warming Up

    Royal Mile Walking Tour

    15 de septiembre de 2024, Escocia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We had a relaxing start to the day as we were scheduled to do a walking tour along the Royal Mile ending at Edinburgh Castle that started at 1pm. The weather today is again fairly mild with some blue sky and sunshine. After getting a coffee from our local we headed up to the meeting place at the Merkat Cross.

    The Royal Mile was very busy today with barricades up along the road. Turns out today is the Riding of the Marches celebration which is a big deal here in Edinburgh. The term “riding of the marches” refers to a practice of the lord of the manor or a proxy riding the boundaries of their properties to ensure that the boundaries were intact. Each year riders from around the world apply to participate in a 26 mile ride in the countryside which finishes with the riders riding their horses up the Royal Mile. There are only 280 places and they sell out in a few minutes each year. Prior to the riders making their way up the Royal Mile there is a range of entertainment for everyone, including a brass bad, a pipe band, dancing, singing and some people dressed up in costumes re-enacting certain events involving past Kings and aspiring Kings and other historical people such as Douglas Stewart and Robert the Bruce. The celebrations go for about 4 hours.

    You can imagine with big crowds and barricades meeting our tour leader and other participants became a logistical nightmare, we were all finally present and accounted for by 1.15pm and headed off. Our guide Stephanie was very knowledgeable and had a lot of interesting anecdotes on key historical figures including David I, James IV and I (the first King of both England and Scotland), John Knox, Charles I, King Robert the Bruce and King James II, We visited the Scottish Supreme Court, St Giles Cathedral and the burial place of John Knox ( car park no. 23 outside St Giles),

    We then visited some of the narrow alleyways that run between buildings along the Royal Mile, these narrow passageways are known as Closes or Wynds. During this period people lived in cramped conditions in multi story buildings without running water or toilets. A bucket was used as a toilet, for scraps and other waste and as they lived up multiple floors instead of walking down to empty bucket, instead they would lean out the window, shout Garde L’eau ( French for watch out for the water) as French was the international language. This was adopted by the people of Edinburgh but was anglicised over time to “gardy-loo” and then to just loo.

    We also learnt about the origins of Whiskey. The Scottish Gaelic term for “water of life” was “uisge beathe”. It is a straightforward translation of the Latin “aqua vitae”. Over time and through common use in Scotland, “uisge beathe” was shortened to “uisge” and became known as whisky.

    The city of Edinburgh used to be a walled city but they proved to be not very effective as defensive structures as they were easily breached. The walls began to be demolished in the mid 18th century, but there are a number of sections of the walls that remain.

    We then made the long walk back up the Royal Mile to visit Edinburgh Castle. Just before the castle a stadium is erected each year for the Military Tattoo, it is currently being removed. It takes about 9 weeks to erect and 6 weeks to remove.

    Edinburgh Castle stands on Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since at least the reign of Malcolm III in the 11th century and continued to be a royal residence until 1633. By the 17th century it was principally used as a military garrison. The castle has served as a royal residence, an arsenal, a treasury, a national archive, a mint, a prison and as mentioned a military fortress.

    The castle, as one of the most important strongholds in Scotland, was involved in many historical conflicts from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century to the Jacobite risings of 1745. Research undertaken in 2014 identified 26 sieges in its 1,100-year history. The castle stands upon the plug of an extinct volcano. The summit of the Castle Rock is 130 metres above sea level. It is quite an impressive site that affords lovely views of the surrounding area.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2024
    Breakfast venue
    Our carCallanderOn our way to Fort William1The Grange - our home for the next few daysMy bedroomThe Terrace Suite - my roomMy BathroomKatie's room the Garden SuiteView from the Garden SuiteGarden of the Grange

    Heading for the Highlands

    16 de septiembre de 2024, Escocia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Today we leave wonderful Edinburgh to make our way North West to Fort William where we will base ourselves for the next four days. We left our AirBnb and made our way to GrassMarket square to have breakfast. Following breakfast we caught a cab out of town to pick up our rental car at Arnold Clarke. We were allocated a lovely Beamer and then headed off towards Fort William. The speed signs in Scotland are in miles which is very confusing when you are used to kilometres. Luckily Katie was able to change the car settings so I could drive with Kilometres displayed.

    We headed North via the M9 and A84 as we passed the Falkirk turn off we went past “the Kelpies”, the largest Equine sculptures in the world. We passed Stirling and stopped in Callander for a coffee break. We then drove through some beautiful areas including Loch Lomond, the Trossachs National Park and Crieff and went past Ben Nevis (the tallest mountain in the UK) before arriving at our final destination Fort William and the Grange, our home for the next four nights. Our suites are absolutely gorgeous, so luxurious and well appointed.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2024
    Our tour guide Nathaniel
    Donald CameronThe Lychgate at St Andrew'sSt Andrew'sOrganInside St Andrew'sHigh street, Fort WilliamBronze Model T FordGorgeous hydrangeaArchie, the walkerRestaurant where we had a fabulous lunchDelicious musselsCullen SkinkSoleHaddock

    Exploring Fort William

    17 de septiembre de 2024, Escocia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    This morning we headed into town to meet up with our tour guide, Nathaniel, a 12 year old young man. Nathaniel is a lovely young man who takes small tour groups, with assistance from his mum Elizabeth around the town of Fort William. We had a lovely time learning about the origins of Fort William. This site was first known as the Garrison of Inverlochy, then became known as Fort William post 1688 after William of Orange. It was also called Maryburgh, Gordonsburgh and Duncansburgh before being renamed Fort William after Prince William, Duke of Cumberland.

    Fort William is located on Loch Linnhe and during World War II was used as a training base for 1,000’s of soldiers. It was also the first location in the UK to have electric street lighting. One of the largest and most important clans in the area was the Cameron clan.

    We walked down the High street and Nathaniel pointed out a number of interesting buildings including St Andrews, a Scottish Episcopal church built on the foundations of the oldest church in Fort William. The church has a small yard containing a number of grave stones that were from the mid 1800’s. There is also a lychgate which is where the family would deposit the coffin and wait for the minister to arrive to bless the body.

    There is also a Bronze Ford Model T in one of the squares that commemorates the ascent of Ben Nevis in a Model T Ford by Henry Alexander in 1911. The ascent took 9 days.

    Further down the high street there is a bronze statue of “Archie” who represents the walkers who complete the Western Highlands Walk (154km).

    After our tour we had a wonderful seafood lunch at Grannog at Garrison West.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2024
    Engine Driver1Glenfinnan viaductPeople at Glenfinnan viaduct waiting to photograph the Jacobite Steam TrainLochailortBrianLooking out to the Small IlesMallaig HarbourCruise boat Katie did the Wildlife tour onStreet art MallaigA statue commemorating those lost at seaCar ferry preparing to depart for SkyeWhere I had lunch in MallaigBen NevisCheers - on the Ben Nevis deck

    Jacobite Train

    18 de septiembre de 2024, Escocia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    This morning we headed down to the Fort William station to catch the Jacobite Steam Engine to Maillag. We found our seats in the First class carriage and departed at 10.15. It takes about 2 hours for the train to get to Maillag. The journey is about an 84 mile round trip and starts close to Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Great Britain. We pass the village of Corpach which lies at the entrance to the Caledonian Canal, which opened in 1822 which connects the Scottish east coast with the west coast.

    We passed over the 21 arched Glenfinnan viaduct (made popular as it is used in a number of Harry Potter movies) which overlooks Loch Shiel and the Glenfinnan Monument (also known as the Jacobite monument) that was erected 70 years after the 1746 battle of Culloden, the last military battle to be fought on British soil. It pays tribute to the Jacobite clansmen who fought and died for the cause of Prince Charles Edward Stuart otherwise known as “Bonnie Prince Charlie”. It was on this site in 1745 that Charles raised his Royal standard after landing from France before marching South.

    We briefly stopped at the village of Glenfinnan for a leg stretch before continuing our journey. Beyond Glenfinnan are a number of lovely villages including Lochailort, Arisaig and Morar. Just out of Lochailort we passed Dumbledore’s island. As you pass Arisaig you can see the “Small Isles” of Rum, Eigg, Muck, Canna and the southern tip of Skye. The train then continues on passing Morar, home to Britain’s deepest freshwater loch, the silvery beaches used in the films Highlander and Local Hero and home to Brian, an 82 year old gentleman who greets the passenger with a sign wishing them a nice day, he does this rain, hail or shine.

    The train trip terminates at Mallaig, which was founded during the 1840’s when the owner of the North Morar Estate, Lord Lovat, divided up the farm on the coast into a series of parcels of land and encouraged his tenants living around Loch Morar and Loch Nevis to resettle there. Mallaig grew slowly but also suffered due to a great storm destroying many of Mallaig’s boats and a number of houses in the village. The population reduced from 170 to 133 in 1891.

    Mallaig’s fortunes changed with the extension of the West Highland Line from Fort William. The line opened in 1901 and the transformation of Mallaig was immediate and lasting. The Jacobite Steam Train started in 1984 and continues to be a success. They also introduced a roll-on, roll-off ferry service to Armadale on Skye from Mallaig. Mallaig is a working port first and foremost and tourism is a secondary focus.

    Katie went on a 1-hour wildlife tour while I wandered around the port and town and had some lunch. When then had a 2-hour return journey back to Fort William. We decided to go to the Ben Nevis pub where we had drinks on the deck, where we met some lovely locals, an English hiker and a couple from Echuca.

    We then had dinner there, Katie had a chicken pie and I had steamed mussels, which were delicious.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2024
    Oban High Street
    I love that the Scots use the word 'wee'Beautiful building in the High streetHas been in operation for over 200 yearsLovely streets of ObanThis is Gypsy who we met this morning- her owner was surprised she sat for and a photographEnjoying the sun in ObanGorgeous pots of flowers everywhereOban foreshoreCaledonian Ferry about to dock after a trip to the islandsNeptunes Throne Oban ShorefrontDelicious ice-cream, perfect on a sunny dayKatie indulged in a waffle with Belgian chocolate, flake and vanilla ice cream1Not a bad moto - Katie thought it was very accurate for meThe Oban Inn - over 200 years oldColumba Hotel near the pier and foreshoreAnother aspect of Oban baySome views on the way back to Fort WilliamAnother view on the drive back to Fort William

    Daytrip to Oban

    19 de septiembre de 2024, Escocia ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Today we have been blessed with another glorious day and so we are going to explore the town of Oban which means the little bay so as you might guess it is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It is about a 75 minute drive from Fort William. Close by you will find the island of Kerrera and the Isle of Mull.

    It is a lovely town to wander around and explore. It is full of tourists but everyone is very friendly, while having coffee we chatted to a lovely couple from Newcastle who have spent time in Melbourne. I also spoke to a couple of women from Falkirk who were having a girls break and Katie befriended a lovely Scottish couple who lived in Donvale, Melbourne for 7 years. It was great to swap tips and recommendations with them.

    The modern town of Oban grew around the distillery which was founded there in 1794. A royal charter raised the town to a burg of barony in 1811. Sir Walter Scott visited the area in 1814, the year he published the poem The Lord of the Isles. Interest in the poem brought many new visitors and the town was made a Parliamentary Burch in 1833.

    There is McCaig’s Tower which is a prominent attraction and is visible from much of the town. Construction began in 1897 funded by John Stuart McCaig as a way of providing work for local stonemasons and to serve as a lasting legacy for his family.

    About 8% of the population can speak Gaelic and an annual Highland Games, known as the Argyllshire Gathering is held in the town. During the tourist season, the town can swell to over 24,000 people (normally 8,140).

    It was a perfect day to visit Oban.    Leer más

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