Let me backtrack a bit and tell you some things we saw as we drove from Scrabster, the ferry landing from Orkney, down to Glasgow. We first drove for a while down the east coast of Scotland. It was very different from the west. Flatter, dairy country, more open.
We stopped at Cawdor Castle and walked through beautiful gardens. The castle is still lived in, in the winter, by the Countess of Cawdor. The honey bees were busy at work; I suspect the estate has hives somewhere. They were the first bees I have seen in Scotland. Up north, my guess is there is not enough food for them. I did buy heather honey, but the heather hasn't even started to bloom down in the south, so that is a rather limited nectar source.
We also stopped at Culloden Moor and I walked on the moor where the famous battle took place. Unfortunately it was raining and we didn't have a long time there so I could not spend as much time as I'd have liked. Still, it was important to go to the scene of a turning point in Scotland's history. It was after this battle that the English government virtually destroyed clan life by outlawing wearing tartan, playing the pipes, and any clan activity. The clan chiefs became lords and in order to maintain the wealthy lifestyle that was their only option after the clans were destroyed, they became sheep farmers, which resulted in the Highland Clearances where so many small farmers were evicted and moved to the U.S., Canada, and south.
Another place we stopped in was Glencoe, scene of a famous massacre. It is a beautiful glen. We were only there long enough to take a quick photo. Then we drove down through the glen to points south.
The final stopping place was Urquhart Castle, on the shores of Loch Ness. It was cool. I enjoyed climbing up and down the stone spiral staircases and imagining what it must have been like to live there. No, I did not see Nessie...
When you see my map of Scotland and all the places I've been you will be amazed. I have traveled through most parts of the country. The eastern parts are the areas I have NOT been to, but I have a good sense of the various parts of the rest of the country.
I still think the Champlain Valley is the most beautiful place on earth.
We stopped at Cawdor Castle and walked through beautiful gardens. The castle is still lived in, in the winter, by the Countess of Cawdor. The honey bees were busy at work; I suspect the estate has hives somewhere. They were the first bees I have seen in Scotland. Up north, my guess is there is not enough food for them. I did buy heather honey, but the heather hasn't even started to bloom down in the south, so that is a rather limited nectar source.
We also stopped at Culloden Moor and I walked on the moor where the famous battle took place. Unfortunately it was raining and we didn't have a long time there so I could not spend as much time as I'd have liked. Still, it was important to go to the scene of a turning point in Scotland's history. It was after this battle that the English government virtually destroyed clan life by outlawing wearing tartan, playing the pipes, and any clan activity. The clan chiefs became lords and in order to maintain the wealthy lifestyle that was their only option after the clans were destroyed, they became sheep farmers, which resulted in the Highland Clearances where so many small farmers were evicted and moved to the U.S., Canada, and south.
Another place we stopped in was Glencoe, scene of a famous massacre. It is a beautiful glen. We were only there long enough to take a quick photo. Then we drove down through the glen to points south.
The final stopping place was Urquhart Castle, on the shores of Loch Ness. It was cool. I enjoyed climbing up and down the stone spiral staircases and imagining what it must have been like to live there. No, I did not see Nessie...
When you see my map of Scotland and all the places I've been you will be amazed. I have traveled through most parts of the country. The eastern parts are the areas I have NOT been to, but I have a good sense of the various parts of the rest of the country.
I still think the Champlain Valley is the most beautiful place on earth.
Comments
Hope it has been nice and cool and blowy (Orkney was incredibly windy when I was there). I envy you in the Scottish climate, even with some rain!
Best, Lian