Category: Photos

Inverness today and the weather outside is mental. Snow in parts of the Highlands too for a laugh. This should be interesting. So having a cuppa tea & some chocolate before I head out because tea fixes everything and chocolate is just delicious. Now to find out if the bridge over the Firth of Forth is open because apparently that closes in high winds.

The drive to Inverness was beautiful. There was snow in the Cairngorms and it was a tad windy. Scotland has the magic of average speed limit cameras so people tend to stick to the speed limit. Because it was snowing they were going slower than normal. I forgot how nervous people are driving in snow. Having spent the last 5 winters in the Midwest, it’s not considered ‘snowing’ until there’s at least an inch of the stuff on the road. So by my measure it was more like flurries than snow. I must have looked like a lunatic keeping to the speed limit of 60 mph.

There was a lay-by on the side of the road so I stopped to take pictures. It was breathtaking and instantly felt like I was home.

Over the next hills was a sign ‘Welcome to the Highlands.’ My heart knows when it’s home. God I love this place! I hate snow but here it just makes sense. I stopped for breakfast at a coffee shop on the side of the road and inhaled a cock-a-leekie soup and a fresh bun. Holy Hannah it was AMAZING! I’ll be making that soup when I get back stateside!

At one point my GPS took me down some wee winding roads, which still had a 50 mph speed limit. HOW? Those roads are 1 car wide! Thankfully it passed without incident and I got to Culloden Moor. It was more than a little bit cold and there weren’t many people there. I had the moor to myself for virtually the entire time I was on it.

There’s an energy about the moor that’s hard to explain. It’s like they’re still there, waiting. The wind was bitingly cold but it was oddly calm at the same time. The Clan stones crushed my heart. At the Campbell stones it felt like my throat was closing and I couldn’t breathe. I don’t even know anyone named Campbell… I didn’t want to leave. God, it’s hard to put it into words; the knowing without knowing how you know something you can’t even be sure that you know at all.

Culloden is a war grave and it’s impossible to forget when you’re surrounded by Clan grave markers. Some are so faded, you can barely make them out.

I don’t know how long I stayed on the Moor but I eventually went back inside and had a cream tea to warm up again. While I was eating, it started snowing. Apparently it snowed on the day of battle so it seemed a fitting end to the day there. I need to come back here.

It’s also Friday, 13th.

 

What.a.day! I needed to pick up the rental car this morning and started off getting a tad lost trying to find the bus stop to get to the plane station. I walked around in square circles and eventually saw the bus in traffic. The driver noticed me turn around and run after it. Bless that man! He drove slowly so I could keep pace with the bus but then I got caught up at a red light. He pulled over, waited until I’d caught up before he pulled into the bus stop. I could have kissed him. With tongue!

Got to the plane station to pick up the car. The helpful dude upgraded my car because it would cost the same as getting a separate GPS so he gave me a car with a built in one. Wee difference. I asked for the SMALLEST car they had, he upgraded me to a big one. Dear God in heaven and all the angels and saints. MY NERVES ARE SHOT TO HELL!!!!!! Never thought I’d say this but thank the pope he gave me an automatic! It took me 40 minutes to get out of the car park because I couldn’t figure out how to set the GPS or even turn the heating on.

My brain was fried trying to a) stay on the left side of the road b) avoid all the other cars on the world’s narrowest roads and c) navigate traffic. And for a laugh, on the way to Roslyn, my GPS developed laryngitis and was completely silent the entire way. So driving, watching the road, the GPS , the road signs, the cyclists, the roundabouts….

So….. there’s Storm Abigail incoming with a storm warning out for 80 mph winds over Scotland until Thursday night. That’s the same wind speed as a category 1 hurricane! I was meant to drive to Inverness on Thursday. I’ll wing it!

I stopped at the tastiest coffee shop on the planet for Eggs Benedict & inhaled a divine cuppa coffee. Seriously, I am going to eat my way through their menu while I’m here. Pay the chef whatever he wants; he’s worth every penny and then some!

It’s November 11, 2015 and it’s Remembrance Day (Veteran’s Day for the US). I headed up to Prince’s Street to the Scott Monument and there were poppy crosses everywhere. To see so many crosses planted in the ground, in perfect rows left me choked up. There was an elderly gentleman wearing his medals, standing at one of the memorials; probably for people he knew and lost. Of course, there was a bagpiper playing Amazing Grace, which had me sobbing my eyes out watching the old man. God, it’s heart-wrenching.

Once I pulled myself back together, I walked down behind the Memorial and saw an old guy slipping down the muddy embankment into the Gardens. I went to help him back up but he was quite stubborn. He was busy feeding the squirrels so had one hand clutching a bag of peanuts.

We chatted for a while. What a riot! He gave me some peanuts to feed to the squirrels, giving instructions on how to hold it out to them. Well the one damn squirrel bit my finger. ‘Och aye, that one’s a wee devil. The other one is better, he always waits for 2 nuts. If it’s the one that waits, ye’ll be fine. If it’s the other one, he’ll be having ye, lass. Ye cannae tell by looking at them, wee fluffy bastards.’ Well thanks, Scottie. I got the renegade squirrel.

I told him I was heading up to Culloden and Loch Ness on Friday. I told him how much I love the lakes in Scotland, at which point I was informed, ‘There’s only 1 lake in Scotland, lassie.’ Uh……. are you sure? Because there look to be a shit ton of them from the map I’m looking at!

‘Aye, lochs. Dinnae confuse them for lakes, wee lassie. There’s but 1 lake, named for an Englishman, Lake Menteith. Curses to the English, they’ll no have a loch here!’ This guy’s militant irritation with the English had me rolled up laughing, squirrel bite or not.

I left him after a while and took a stroll up to Calton Hill. What a view! I sat on one of the benches for the longest time, listening to the bagpipes from the city below. I met a guy from Alabama and we sat chatting for a while. He’s decided he’s done with Alabama and is in Scotland looking for a house up the coast somewhere. Smart man!

It started getting a tad chilly so I headed back down Prince’s Street, up the Mound, over the Royal Mile and down to the Grassmarket. I pulled into The Last Drop Inn for a pint of hobgoblin and a plate of haggis, neeps and tatties. First time trying haggis and it was delicious! Very unexpected.

Tomorrow I’m off to pick up the rental car and head off to Rosslyn Chapel. It’s going to be epic!

For someone who isn’t nervous flying, I was freaking the hell out this morning! I didn’t sleep a wink last night so needless to say, Mykal had me chugging diet coke on the way to the airport at the crack of sparrow’s fart. I don’t know whether it’s the fear of doing this trip solo, or because I’m finally going to the place I’ve craved all year; what if it’s not how I remember it?

The flight was uneventful and I was met by the prebooked taxi. Walking through Edinburgh airport and hearing Scotties everywhere was brilliant! How I’ve missed that accent! You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

I met my AirBnB host, Andy, outside his office and he took me back to his flat. What his ad failed to mention is that he’s on the 3rd floor (4th floor to Muricans), up REALLY narrow, worn down tenement stairs. I’m fairly sure those stairs are older than America. I really need to master the art of packing light. I was knackered just getting up the stairs.

After a quick tour around the apartment and figuring out how everything works, I unpacked my stuff and headed to the coffee shop on the corner, Loudon’s.

Oh.My.God. The BEST cream tea I’ve had in forever!! A pot of decent tea, a warm scone with strawberry jam and clotted cream and I’m pretty sure I made sex noises. Pure nirvana on a plate! I will be eating my way through their menu while I’m here. I packed stretchy pants so just sit back and watch, people.

After warming up on tea, my camera and I headed up towards the Royal Mile. It’s about 0.8 miles from the flat. Yes, it was drizzling. It’s Scotland. Seeing the Castle up on the hill was as breathtaking as it was on my previous trips. That wee fortress has dominated the top of that cliff for centuries. I did forget the sheer volume of stairs in this city. That cream tea was worked off in short order.

I didn’t really have anything planned for day 1, other than settling in and finding my way around so I just mulled around on the Royal Mile. I stopped at St. Giles Cathedral. It was my first time there and there are no words to describe how absolutely stunning it is.

It was built in the 15th century and has certainly stood the test of time. For £2 you can take photos inside the Cathedral. I snapped a ton of pics but my camera battery died before I got to the Thistle Chapel. It didn’t occur to me to charge my camera before I left London. Rookie mistake.

No fear, I’ll be back here again before I leave.

I spent the afternoon strolling down the Royal Mile and popped in to the Wyrd Shoppe, opposite the Tollbooth Tavern. If you like incense, crystals and all things mythical, this wee shop is worth a visit. I’ll be back here too. My sister wants a chalice so I want to check which one she wants before buying.

After a few miles on the ol’ boots, I stopped at the Fiddler’s Arms and had some Scotch. The barman’s taste in scotch was pretty damn great! I tried the Aberfeldy 12 and Belvenie 12 – both amazing whiskies.

After warming up from the inside, I headed back to the flat after stopping at Tesco to pick up some wine and curry for dinner. Early night for me, camera is charging and tomorrow is another day. Sitting under the covers, it’s difficult to remember what I was so stressed about this morning.