Scotland 7:  Stonehaven and Dunnottar Castle

Oh my goodness could I gush about Stonehaven.  We absolutely loved the little fishing town on the East Coast of Scotland.  The town was charming and quaint and the castle just to the south was absolutely breathtaking.  

J really wanted to golf here just on the north side of the town but unfortunately the timing and chilly, wet weather didn't let it work out.  The course was beautiful right on the cliffs above the ocean and I'm sure he'd love to go back and play if he ever got the chance.  

What an ideal setting for a round of golf

Oh....my....goodness!!!  This was one of my favorite Scotland moments (there were multiple).  You must click on this picture to make it bigger to get a better effect.  We drove down from Aberdeen and watched a storm pass right over the ocean near Stonehaven.  We pulled up to this bay on the main part of the town and witnessed one of the most complete, brilliant and gorgeous rainbows I've ever seen.  It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed.  For our wedding we got a beautiful sunset and for our 10-year anniversary trip we got this.  What marvelous gifts from God.

J & I goofing off at the tide pools of the bay.  Our B&B hostess said the tide is about 18 feet!  Holy tide Batman!  Of course she said it in meters and J translated in feet for me.  He's so great like that.  Our B&B was amazing and we were on the second floor bumped right up against the boardwalk of this bay.  And sure enough in the morning the tide had unbelievably come in to perhaps 10-20 yards of the boardwalk. 

I love hermit crabs!  I found this little guy and several of his friends in the tide pools.  Can you spot him?

No, we did not have a deep fried mars bar but the thought of it almost made my heart stop.  We did eat at what ended up being my second favorite Indian restaurant of the trip.

We took a walk around the town and harbor, just next to the bay with the rainbow.  Ahh, so picturesque.  I'm afraid the pictures don't do it justice.  You will just have to go yourself.  

Dunnottar Castle

This castle was just a mile or two south of Stonehaven and it was one of the most magnificent views to behold.  Just the location alone provides much to ponder from medieval romance to sheer beauty and natural protection from enemies to a calm, quiet place to pretend to call home.  Trying to imagine life in a castle in such a setting conjured up many feelings.

Much of the castle is in tact.  You could see where sleeping quarters were, much of the chapel, the stables, the kitchens, the keep, blacksmith shop, gate, and the Whigs Vault--a chilling vault with a story of captives from the wars of religion from the late 1600s.  This was a castle full of history that we simply couldn't capture in pictures.  But, this gives you an idea. 

Next up:  St. Andrews, Glamis Castle & Falkirk Wheel (the end)

Scotland 6:  Crathes Castle & Aberdeen

We got to Crathes Castle just at lunch time so went into the little castle cafe.  J was disappointed we didn't see any red deer while in Scotland, but at least he got to eat one.  And I was surprised by seeing Banana milk that I just had to try.  Tasted just like banana pudding that had been really thinned.  I also had a really yummy carrot basil soup.

Crathes Castle was on my top castles to see mostly because of the gardens.  We were there 3-4 weeks early for better garden viewing but timed it right this day to see the inside during a mild shower and outside just a bit after it stopped.  This castle is well kept and used for weddings and by the family, who entrusted it to Scotland, for family reunions.  It is lovely inside, though as usual we were not allowed to take pictures.  The neatest thing inside the castle was an antique four-poster bed that was intricately and beautifully German-carved.

The gardens were really fun to explore!

I Loved this funny tree--I called it the gumdrop tree.  They had several and every time I saw one I couldn't help but giggle.  The garden seemed to hold a mystical kind of magic and it was hard to leave.

But, on to Aberdeen!  We really wanted to get on to Stonehaven so we just did Aberdeen as a drive-by

The architecture on this building was a little over the top for me but still cool.  Aberdeen seemed to be a busy city but felt it more for business than pleasure as it felt in Glasgow.

This is the oldest building in Aberdeen still standing

On the drive out of Aberdeen there were TONS and TONS of daffodils.  I couldn't believe how many there were.  It was gorgeous!  We figured perhaps they planted them all because it took drivers minds off all the traffic.  We were glad that we did a stop-by in Aberdeen but our decision to spend more time in Stonehaven, which had charm oozing out of its streets, well worth it.

Next:  Stonehaven & Dunnottar Castle

Scotland 5:  Loch Ness and the Highlands

Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness.  Sadly, we did not capture an image on film of the notorious monster.

Inverness Castle.  Inverness is dubbed the "capitol of the Highlands" but it is a much quieter city than Glasgow or Edinburgh.  This is half a block from our Hostel.  Yes, I had my first hostel experience in a mixed-dorm 6 person tiny room on a bunk bed.  Interesting.

Many cities had war memorials from WWI and some from WWII as well.

Inverness had a neat little walking trail along the River Ness that went onto a grouping of islands connecting by bridges.  I LOVED the Celtic designs all over Scotland.

On the drive to the Eastern side of Scotland we hit snow! and happened upon this old ski lift, apparently out of use.

Then, more exciting was happening upon a ruined castle, Glenbuchat Castle, that we actually didn't have to pay an arm & a leg to go in and see!  It was really a cool castle!

This is more of a countryside castle and I romanticized about living there and waking up in this castle surrounded by beautiful, rolling green hills with tons of sheep on them.

This is Craigievar Castle, but I call it the pink castle.  Here we got a little more snow/slush and decided against a tour so we could carry on to Crathes Castle.

Next:  Crathes Castle & Aberdeen

Scotland 4:  The Isle of Skye

We stayed at a nice little Bed and Breakfast near Portree.  Portree is pretty small but has this cute little harbor.

These are the highland cows; we thought they were hilarious & badly in need of their bangs cut.  We had to get pics so the kidlets could see them.

This is the town of Uig.  The water was incredibly blue and it looked like a very cute, small little town

Just outside of Uig is a peaceful little spot of land called Fairy Glen.  There's ruins of stone homes and stepped hills and it is very, very green.  

People through the years have obviously had fun with some of the rocks strewn about.  This design was a circular maze with money in the middle from all over the world, apparently as a wishing well.

Lambies!!  We saw baby lambs EVERYWHERE!!!  I never tired of getting excited to see them.  They are so adorable!

Kilt Rock and waterfall.  The rocks near the top of the pic are suppose to look like a kilt.  J and I didn't see it real obviously but it's still quite stunning of a spot.

We went on a glass bottom boat tour.  It sounds like the bottom of the boat is glass, but it's a room below deck with windows that you can look out underwater.  It was pretty cool.  The tour guide was very knowledgeable and I'd recommend the tour.  

Fun lighthouse

We saw lots of these cuties.  They were a little wary of us.

We also saw lots of birds--cormorants and a similar bird and others with long beaks that I forgot the name of.  Underwater we saw sea life but not much that was super interesting.  Kelp, anemones, a couple fish and some crabs.

Next up:  Loch Ness and Highland Touring

Scotland 3:  The Road to Skye

The day after our Stirling trip we rented a car to do the Scottish Highland tour.  Once we found the right way to go, kudos to the hubs for doing well with the European driving, we were off into what felt for a while like the wilderness.  It definitely fit what I pictured part of the Highlands to be; very rugged and barren.

This took some getting use to

Bicycle race!

Of course there is a man in full tartan-wear playing the bagpipes at a large pullout in Glen Coe.  What else would you expect?!

Glen Coe area

The hike to Steall Falls, near the base of Ben Nevis, was pretty awesome

Oh yeh!....

This cable tyrolean bridge was sick!  The bottom cable is 8-10 ft. off the ground and over on the deep side of the river the water was 7-10 feet deep of *freezing* super clear water.  I really wanted a harness the moment I stepped up.  Did I mention it began to snow about this point?

We wanted to change things up and go a different way back across so found some shallow spots to cross.  Fortunately the sun, yes the weather was very fickle in this area, came up right after we crossed and it helped dry and thaw our frozen wet feet.  Unfortunately we had to cross a second time because the first time we apparently crossed onto an island.  How I do love a good adventure!

Hello!

How picturesque is this castle?!!  This is one of my favorites.

Next up:  The Isle of Skye

Scotland 2:  Edinburgh and Stirling

Probably my very, VERY favorite thing about Edinburgh was the Indian dish I ate for dinner!  J helped me find something on the menu that wouldn't be too spicy for me--Coconut Chicken Korma with rice and it was probably one of the yummiest things I have ever had!  Once I finished the rice off I still had more chicken and it was delicious still burrito style with the Naan.  I've already tried replicating it but was disappointed and I'm quite sure I could never get it to taste as good as the restaurant.  Maybe if I write them begging for the recipe they'll give it....or maybe I'll have to go back...

Of course we also enjoyed Edinburgh Castle and seeing the Honours of Scotland, the crown jewels.  A room within the castle held a crown, sceptre and sword of state which are the oldest royal regalia in the UK.  It was really neat to enjoy the history of the city & royalty.

We walked along the Royal Mile from the castle to Holyrood and this is some of the cool things we saw along the way.  We went into one museum where they have what is believed to be the oldest chess pieces in the world.  Of course J was interested in that.  Also, I found a couple swords just my size.  And off the Royal Mile not too far is The Writer's Museum which celebrates the works of Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.  And it's housed in a impressive and elegant historic home of Lady Stair dating from 1622.

And of course we could not pass up a visit to Holyrood Palace, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland.  Sadly, we couldn't take pictures inside and obviously couldn't tour the entire estate as the Queen does have private quarters since she frequently stays during summers.  We  found the gardens and the old abbey, founded in 1128, particularly enchanting and imagined going to a royal gala in the gardens.

I found this clock amusing, just outside the bus terminal.  We took the bus to Edinburgh one day and to Stirling the next and it made me smile every time we passed it.

In Stirling we went to the Wallace Monument, which I found more impressive than beautiful.  We saw the William Wallace sword and made it up all 246 steps to the top where it was so extremely windy that we snapped a pic and escaped as quickly as possible.  We walked through Stirling from the monument on one side to the Stirling Castle on the other and it proved to be a pretty quiet little town filled to the brim with cute little B&B's.

We found the layout of this cemetery just down the hill from the castle to be actually charming.  And Scotland loves daffodils!  So many pretty varieties of daffodils everywhere!!  We went back to Glasgow for dinner this night and that's when we ate at a yummy, yummy Spanish Tapas restaurant.  Next up:  Skye