Scotland 2022
In April, we took a trip to Scotland. Izzy had a pile of work to complete for the end of her college semester, so she didn’t make the journey. The last time we were in Scotland, Izzy hadn’t yet started elementary school. It’s been a few years! But, we were joined by Eli who has been eager to see Scotland for years!
We stayed in the city of Inverness, which sits in the southerly edge of the Highlands. It was absolutely gorgeous and a great spot to use as a basecamp for day trips. We rented a lovely townhouse that overlooked the Inverness Castle and River Ness.
On our first day, we went to a craft fair and later a cafe in the nearby Muir of Ord.
A short walk from our townhouse, Craig Phadrig rose up over the town with great views of Inverness and Beauly Firth. The walk through town took us over the Caledonian Canal, then up the steep hill to a site that at one time held a fort of the Pictish king Bridei mac Maelchon. Emily and I made the walk one evening, and I returned a couple of days later to catch the sunrise on the hill.
We made a day exploring Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. No sea monsters were spotted, but the remains of the castle were spectacular.
Violet and I explored the Ness Islands which were a quick 20-minute walk from home base. The city islands have benches and bridges and trails that give you a natural respite in the heart of the city.
The Old High Church near Leakey’s Bookshop has a serene beauty and bloody history. It was used by the British to hold captured Jacobite soldiers after the Battle of Culloden. The captured soldiers were executed in the graveyard and their bodies rolled into the river below.
While wandering through Inverness one evening, we were treated with a rainbow. The gorgeous clouds at sunset were worthy of a couple snaps as well.
The Victorian Market is maybe something to miss, but a quick stop for a photo of the old iron work was worthwhile. While waiting on the sidewalk while Emily, Violet, and Eli shopped, I caught some pics of birds with my 70-300mm lens.
While you could be forgiven for skipping the Victorian market, the Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre deserve a visit. The exhibit at the visitor centre houses an enthralling retelling of the Jacobite uprising in 1745. The information is conveyed on opposing walls through several galleries, with one side telling the history from the Jacobite perspective and the other telling the history from the Government, and those loyal to the British crown.
Clava Cairns are ancient stone structures near Culloden. Little is known about their history but there are several structures built over centuries dating back as far as 2000 B.C.
Surrounded by water, and hailing from Rhode Island, we just had to get out on a boat and see the Beauly Firth ourselves. The wind was brisk, and there weren’t any sea creatures in view, but the scenery did not disappoint.
Violet and I took a short drive over to Rogie Falls on our last full day in Inverness. We hiked the short, steep trail and caught some lovely views of the water falls.
After Scotland, we packed up and headed to Spain for a quick, but jam-packed visit to A Coruña and Santiago de Compostela. We met the family of the exchange student we will host in the fall and they gave us an amazing tour of Santiago, the Cathedral, and A Coruña’s Tower of Hercules (an ancient Roman Lighthouse). We also enjoyed scrumptious tapas and jamón. The hospitality was overwhelmingly generous, with the only sadness being the brief visit. We’ll have to go back!
