Oban - Blog 15

May 16, 2015

Using bed and breakfasts as our home base has contributed so much to our trip. I am not sure what is driving the tourism economy in Scotland, but it seams that nearly every home we stay in has been recently upgraded and top notch facilities. It seems as though everyone has completed their upgrades in just the past few years.

More importantly the hosts are always well informed and have given us great suggestions for walks, tours, dinners, and directions. It always feels like we have walked into the home of long time friends. As the isle of Skye recedes in our rear view mirror we remember our host and her young family. Despite debilitating arthritis, young children, and the rigors of running a bed and breakfast, she filled us with helpful information, a warm upbeat spirit, and a beautiful classic Scottish crofters home.

So now we have a choice. Drive an extra two or three hours to make our way to Oban or take the shortcut. Yes! shortcut it is! We simply squeezed our car on the ferry and relaxed and enjoyed the view from the ship. 

Our route, provided by Secret Scotland, worked great! We stopped briefly at the Sands of Morar, a beautiful beach setting. The rain made it a short stop, but still fun to get a look at the beautiful white sandy beach. 

Another brief stop was on Loch Shiel at the Glenfinnen Monument. Another of those historical moments in time that changes the future of many people. Our new found friend, Bonnie Prince Charles chose this spot to declare his father as king and started a revolt that ended very poorly with the clans nearly extinct and the prince exiled to France. Like many times in life, we start with the best intentions and finish greatly humbled!

At this same stop we could see an amazing curving train bridge with many arches. The engineering masterpiece was perfect for the Harry Potter movie it was used in. Our timing was a little off or we could have climbed to a better vantage point and seen the steam train crossing this valley. We saw the train earlier as in crossed the road right in front of us.

We hopped on one more short ferry and stopped for tea at a little cafe overlooking the Castle Stalker. This  stone structure was not accessible since it is in private hands so after tea we drove on to the Dunstaffnage Castle where we could get our daily castle fix. I wonder if Ashland building codes would let me build a stone castle? It would have to be surrounded by water and have a draw bridge so our current drought could be a stumbling block!

Our Oban bed and breakfast is a little distance out of town. The view is one of bright white sheep and dark black cows in deep green grass. With the windows slightly open we can here the water in the nearby stream. Don't you just want to be here too!!

Today, I took the day off from driving and we used ferries and busses to make our way to the Isle of Iona. Our weather included sun, wind, rain, and, according to one of the guides, a little brief snow flurry in the morning. The local bus driver chatted amiably as we crossed the Isle of Mull, provided the backstory of this island. 

The ferry ride from the Isle of Mull to the Isle of Iona was very short and we disembarked very near the Abbey and Nunnery. A partially restored ruins captures the story of St Columba. This courageous monk settled on Iona in 563 AD to establish and oversee a monastery. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Scotland. It was within these walls that The Book of Kells was created in the Middle Ages. The monks here were very instrumental in keeping Christianity alive during this dark time in Europe.  This beautifully illustrated book of the Gospels is now in safe keeping in Ireland.

We ended this relaxing day with a simple salad and glass of wine at home. We are starting to ponder the significance of the cultural and religious history we are experiencing. It is more than just history and stone buildings. It is the foundation of who we are. I need to let these thoughts stew in my head for a while.

Speaking of stew! Last night, I (Tim) enjoyed the best seafood chowder I have ever tasted at a little pub in downtown Oban. I have to find a way to recreate it at home! It would be really nice in the Ashland castle overlooking the moat!

Since I (Kathy) always have my raincoat on, this is my one fashion statement, my red umbrella!
Tim and Kathy

Sunshine! - Blog 14

May 14, 2015

Sunshine was upon us today! What better activity to enjoy in the sun than a hike on the Isle of Skye! Our German housemates road with us to the little community of Portree where they were catching a bus. We headed on to find the trailhead to the Fairy Pools hike. On the way we picked up two girls from Hong Kong who were trying to get to the next town. Short visit, but fun.

Our total hike was only eight Kilometers but it was another round of tromping through bogs. The day was exemplary as we soaked up the sun walking along a stream with many waterfalls and pools. We were at the base of a very large mountain range. Water was flowing wherever we looked. 

As you look across the countryside, it seems very dry and desolate. As you walk through it you can see how the water flows under the brush and into every ravine. We went the loop trail but many others just traveled along the stream and returned on the same path. All in all, a great hike!

As we made our way back home, we stopped in a couple towns to enjoy the harbors and views and found a bit to eat. It all made for a great day with lots of good exercise. 

Tim and Kathy

Happy Birthday Kathy! - Blog 13

May 13, 2015

Happy Birthday to Kathy! How great it is to celebrate Kathy's birthday in the beautiful hills of Scotland with birthday songs from the Netherlands! Hold it! did I just write the Netherlands? It is true! Our fellow Bed and Breakfast guests from Germany rode with us to the starting point of of today's hike. As we got out of the car, I mentioned it was Kathy's birthday. We were wedged in a parking place with a motor home filled with young men from the Netherlands. They must have overheard my birthday announcement, because they popped out with a lit candle and sung, with much gusto, Happy Birthday in Dutch! What a hoot!

That was the perfect start to a wonderful day of hiking in the Quiraing area of mountains with expansive views of the coastline. We hiked along the mountain ridge until we came to some interesting rock formations called "The Needle" and "The Prison".  We returned to the car in the early afternoon and continued over the mountain pass to the port city of Uig. At the suggestion of our host we stopped in at Ella's cafe for home made butternut squash soup and fresh home made bread. It was very very good and a perfect hold over till supper.

We continued around the coastline to enjoy the now sun lit views and little coastal villages. We ventured to the Fairy Glen and found a very peaceful if not mystical area of hilly mounds with circles made of small stones and several cairns.  Further down the road there was a nice display of crofter homes at the Sky Museum of Island Life. It really helped to better understand what life was like for many on this windswept coastal area. 

From Kathy: I have read in books how the Highland Scots used peat to heat their homes and we finally got to see what peat is.  Our host Joanna is a native of the Isle of Skye and she says that they still go out and cut peat each year as a low cost way to heat their home.  I had no idea that this was still done!

We had just enough time to hike out toward the Rubha Hunish. We did not make it all the way since the ground was quite water saturated and difficult to traverse. Plus we had birthday dinner reservation locked in that we did not want to miss.

At the suggestion of our host, we chose to have our special birthday dinner at the Flodigarry Hotel Restaurant. The setting could not be more pretty and the food was very delicious and creatively presented. The perfect end to a wonderful day!

Correction Note: A great resource for our planning was Secret Scotland. Their route and site suggestions have been excellent. They, too, are following this blog and provided the following correction to our Culloden trip: "Need to correct you about Culloden. It wasn't an English versus Scottish conflict. It was a Protestant versus Roman Catholic civil war. There were Scots fighting on both sides and on the Jacobite side there were French and Irish soldiers. It was not a battle that secured English dominance of Scotland, but it did result in the systematic dismantling of the Clan system in Scotland."

Thank you Secret Scotland!!

Tim and Kathy

Water, Water Everywhere - Blog 12

May 12, 2015

We have arrived at the Isle of Skye! We are greeted with a much different environment from the city life of Inverness. This very small seaside village is sparsely populated with little farms with white painted farmhouses set in a landscape of low brush. Higher mountains lie in the distance but no forest to be seen. A beauty all of it's own.

There have been fewer and fewer trees as we explored both yesterday and today. We attempted a small walk in the woods yesterday, but ended up off the trail and scampering over logs, brush, and bogs to find our way back out.

Earlier yesterday we drove out of Inverness to the more recently lived in, Dunrobin Castle. The current owners have moved into separate living quarters and filled the castle with many of their family heirlooms. Very well presented and was complete with beautifully sculpted gardens. As we came in out of the rain, it was particularly welcoming to be greeted by a warm crackling fire. The men of the family are very proud of their hunting skills and the walls were adored with many stuffed examples of the hunting expeditions.

A highlight was a presentation by their falconer exercising birds of prey in the grounds below the Castle. There were at least ten birds that he works with everyday, feeding and allowing them to fly. The birds have been trained to be very comfortable around the crowds which provided lots of up close and personal. The Harris's Hawk landed just above my (Tim) head. The camera was shooting at full speed for the whole approach and I could feel the tail feathers on my forehead as he landed. What a blast!

Leaving the castle, we stopped in the little berg of Dornoch for a cup of tea and snack. We heard about a local superstition called the Clootie well. So on our way back to the Inverness Bed and Breakfast, we ventured off the main road to see if it was findable. A bit of a risk having just gotten lost on our walk in the woods!

The local lore says that there is a a natural spring with healing waters. The drill is to take a piece of clothing worn by the sick, soak it in the spring water, and hang it on a tree. The result is restored health and lots of material hanging everywhere. It was not hard to miss the location as we approached. Walking up the trail to the top only increased the impact. There were clothes and pieces of clothes everywhere. Honestly, it was a little bizarre, if not creepy!

It has continued to rain today as we made our way through the beautiful hills surrounded by lake after lake and eventually the ocean. Waterfalls could be seen cascading down the hillsides everywhere you looked. We scanned the waters of Loch Ness for anything resembling a large reptile swimming about, but saw nothing.

While still on the Loch Ness shores we wandered around the ruins of the Urquhart Castle along with quite a few other tourists and tour groups. After the rush of people, we needed solitude so we drove up into the nearby mountains to learn about the former homes of the ancient Picts. These tall circular stone structures were very well engineered. There were multiple stories with a place for animals and humans both. A central heating system was provided by a fire pit on the second floor with ample space above for drying meat etc. There were hallways designed into the walls to get them from room to room as well as floor to floor. Amazing!

The drive was quite a bit more adventurous with many single lane mountain roads for vehicles going either direction. There is a natural understanding for who gets to proceed ahead and who pulls into the nearest wide spot. Lots of fun to drive using all six gears available in our manual shift car!

The Bealach Uige Bed and Breakfast is our home for the next three nights. A rural farm setting hosted by a young couple with several children. As with all our hosts, they are very welcoming and anxious to help in any way they can.

Tim and Kathy   

Epic Battles - Blog 11

May 11, 2015

Using Bed and Breakfast facilities for our housing has been wonderful! The original plans were to find places on the fly. After further thinking, Kathy decided to pre-book the accommodations and she did a perfect job. We are meeting new friends at each location and could not get better service. Our current hosts even washed and dried our laundry!

Do you remember the story of John Brown, the devoted servant of Queen Victoria? The movie, "Mrs Brown" with Judi Dench, tells the story of her friendship with this Scottish highlander who helped her during her grief following the death of Prince Albert. Well, we found his burial site at the beautiful little cemetery of Crathie Church near Balmoral Castle.  This is the royal residence in August and September each year and right down the road from our B & B.  Cemeteries are such a great historical record!

Leaving the River Dee, we headed up a very curvy, roller coaster, one lane road that was challenging but very fun to drive. We crossed little stone bridges that were so arched in the middle, I'm sure long trucks would get high centered. This route brought us by yet another ski resort, and to the small community of Grantown with a two block long farmers market. We enjoyed perusing the many handcrafted items including some great chocolate and rapeseed oil. The fields all around Scotland and England are bright yellow with the flowering rapeseed.

Todays castle of choice is the Cawdor Castle on our way to Inverness. We were there just yesterday but we both are having a hard time remembering what we saw on the inside. I guess we are suffering from Castle memory overload. I have been continually impressed with how well these beautiful homes have been displayed. It is easy to understand what life was like during the different periods of each of these castles. I guess you will just have to come to Scotland yourself to really get the full picture.

We change gears now as we drive deeper into the highlands and closer to Inverness. Every now and then in history, there are events that are game changers. For the Scots, it was the battle of Culloden. It was another battle for dominance, this time between the Scottish Clansman and the English. After many years of conflict, the English conquered the Scots on the battlefield of Culloden. The area is well preserved and we walked the battlefields and heard the story unfold as we walked. So many were killed at this one place.

Following this strategic battle, the English continued to persecute the highlanders by taking their land and sending them to lives of starvation and neglect.  Oh the crimes against humanity that have been committed for dominance and personal gain.

We have now made our way to the city of Inverness and found our next home without difficulty. We are just a few blocks from the downtown area where we found a great little pub that provided very creative and tasty grub!

Tim and Kathy 

A Day Of Castles - Blog 10

May 11, 2015

Our morning began with another large traditional breakfast which included our first taste of blood pudding. Our hosts being from London, this was the English recipe. We learned that the Scottish version includes oats. This was just pure pigs blood. Not terrible, but I don't plan to google the recipe. 

Today is major castle day with our first destination being the Crathes Castle and it's amazing estate. If you were to look up the county records you would find that King Robert the Bruce granted this land to one of the royal foresters in 1323. The construction of the castle was completed in the late 1500's. What we enjoyed today was the result of their last remodel completed in 1966 after a huge fire.

The wood ceilings were brightly painted with representations of the many Scottish heroes, lists of Christian virtues, and passages from the Geneva Bible. Very impressive! It would have been great to get pictures, but like most of the historic locations we have visited, photography is not allowed.

The gardens, however, are very photogenic. They will be even more beautiful at the height of the blooming season. The estate is immaculately managed with greenhouses full of future plantings. Had we had more time, we could have joined in on a game of crochet in the shadow of the castle.

Leaving a very livable castle home we zoomed to the North Sea coastline to examine a not so livable ancient ruins. The Dunnottar Castle was at it's best in the 15th and 16th century. Today, it sits in ruins. The setting could not be more grand. We had a little bit of a walk over hill and dale to get out to high cliffs overlooking the expansive waters. It is very easy to imagine what this amazing stone castle was like at it's best. 

We still needed more castles to make this a complete day, so we returned inland to Castle Frazer. At each of the multi-storied stone masterpieces, we have walked up grand entry stairs and carefully inched our way up spiral staircases to the top of the towers. I can't imagine what it would be like to live in Castle Frazer with only one leg. We learned that one of the past owners was wounded in one of the many Scottish wars leaving one of his legs on the battlefield. Being of the royal class, however he had an artificial leg constructed. In fact he had several made, one for walking, one for hunting, and of course one for dancing! I am not sure which one it was, but one was on display. We are finding that many of these amazing mansions have been beautifully maintained and furnished. Castle Frazer is no exception.  

Today's adventures included many periods of rain and sun. As we returned home we dodged the showers to go even farther back in history to several pre-historic stone circles. The educated guess is that they are very ancient burial sites. Yes! I do love a good cemetery! 

The second stone circle we found was on a hilltop in the middle of a cattle farm. As we walked along the fences to the hilltop, the steers got very agitated and stomped around right beside us. I realized that Kathy had her bright red umbrella open! Since she is not a trained matador, I suggested she close that thing ASAP! That helped immensely to calm the four legged troops and they just watched us curiously from a distance.  

We found a small pub close to home for supper and dropped our tired selves into bed soon after returning home.

Tim and Kathy