We began our journey after arriving in Stirling, home to national legends and scene of many of Scotland’s most famous and bloody battles. We hiked to Wallace's monument, where we appreciated a panoramic view of the lowlands and explored an exhibit featuring native birds. We passed through Glencoe, enjoying the beautiful rolling, brown hills and valleys of Great Glen and even stopping to dip our faces into an icy river that promises eternal youth.
That evening, our group participated in a local Clan Show, a demonstration of early life for the Scottish Highlanders. We listened to stories about cruel and primitive early living conditions, interacted in weapon and fighting demonstrations, and I volunteered to model the clothing worn by females - a lovely white gown, the traditional tartan wrapped around the waist and shoulders, red hair, and a musket in hand! Local fare for dinner - Haggis-Stuffed Chicken! Haggis, an extremely popular dish in Scotland, contains a sheep's heart, liver and lungs, along with minced onion, oatmeal, and spices all simmered in the animal's stomach. I tried very hard not to think about the contents of my dinner as I ate, but when in Scotland...
The next morning, we toured the spectacular 13th century Eilean Donan Castle, jetting out into the surrounding loch. We spent the afternoon exploring the magical Isle of Skye, famous for its mountain scenery. This part of the country is stunning - beautiful brown and green mountains rolling and tumbling one after the next, jagged cliffs bolting into the blue and misty sky, waterfalls crashing into the coastal line below.
Jen and I spent our evenings in Loch Ness, home to the famous Loch Ness Monster Nessie. We learned about the origin and history of this legendary beast and as Jen and I strolled along the docks early one morning, I think we just may have caught a glimpse of Nessie's tail popping out of the water!
After leaving Loch Ness behind, we passed through Inverness, capital of the Highlands, Dunkeld and Perth, stopping to visit the town church and water-front park before returning to Edinburgh.
