SCOTLAND
The Journey
We took the train to Edinburgh Scotland from our home base in the UK, Worthing. This was our first long train ride in the UK, and it was quite a different experience than our train rides in Japan.
We were smart because we started early for our first leg of the journey from Worthing to London Victoria Station. Our train to Edinburgh was scheduled to leave at 12 :00 noon from London Kings Crossing Station and we left our home at 8:00 am to give us plenty of time since we had to take the tube from Victoria Station to Kings Crossing Station to catch our train to Edinburgh.
Our first train to Victoria Station was cancelled. The train we took was taken off line before reaching Victoria station and so we had to disembark and take another train so that our 1.5 hour ride became a 2.5 hour ride.
We purchased our tickets on-line so we had to print them at Victoria Station to gain access to the TUBE to Kings Crossing Station. This took a little time and we arrived at Kings Crossing at 10:50. Plenty of time to catch our train and to have a quick lunch.
Our train to Edinburgh was delayed by 1 hour. Then 90 minutes outside of Edinburgh our train was taken of line so we had to catch another train to get to Edinburgh. So we lost another 45 minutes. We finally arrived in Edinburgh at 7:30 pm. Trains in England are not as reliable as Japan, so plan accordingly.
Edinburgh
Stepping off the train we arrive in the Old Town of Edinburgh where our Hotel was centrally located to our delight. Walking to our hotel we crossed High Street called the Royal Mile because it leads up to Edinburgh Castle.
These photos were taken on our walk to dinner immediately after dropping our luggage in our room. More representative photos are later in this blog, but these represent our first impressions of the town.
Our first impression was that we already loved the city and is one of the most beautiful places we have been. Looking up the Royal Mile, it’s clear to see why Edinburgh is renowned as a city of architectural interest. Old Town is full of surprising twists and turns with its narrow streets and steep stairwells.
We did a quick walk up to the location we were to meet our tour for the next day and on the way back we stopped for dinner. We ate at a typical Scottish Lounge with a Restaurant up top and a pub below. I had a wild boar meat pie and MK had a steak meat pie. No Haggis for us, thank you!!
THE SCOTTISH LOWLANDS AND HIGHLANDS
After a day of traveling across England to Scotland, in our infinite wisdom, scheduled a 12 hour 365 mile tour of the Highlands, Lowlands and trip to Loch Ness. However, it was great planning because the day was sunny and not the typical grey and damp Scottish weather for the majority of the day.
LOWLANDS
The Scottish Lowlands are a majestic mountain landscape is furrowed by numerous wide valleys, with beautiful green rolling hills lush with folage
HIGHLANDS
The Scottish Highlands are wild and picturesque. Their rocky, barren summits were chiseled by glaciers and the rainfall of many centuries. Purple heather clothes the lower slopes in late summer. The valleys are usually steep-sided glens, with a long, narrow loch at the bottom.
LOCHS
The Scottish Highland long, narrow lochs were especially beautiful this day because it was sonny, clear and calm, we can see the reflections of the horizon and mountains off the water.
URQUHART CASTLE
Urquhart Castle, a ruin, in the Highlands of Scotland, stands on a rocky promontory on the north shore of Loch Ness. As soon as you get here you can’t help thinking, "Well, if I were going to build a castle to survey this wide glen, and the loch itself, this is where I'd build it!’
LOCH NESS
After visiting the Urquhart Castle we took a 30 minute boat ride on Loch Ness. Unfortunately, sneaky Nessy did not show up to visit us in the boat. Of course Loch Ness is the largest in water volume Loch in Scotland. Its water visibility is exceptionally low due to a high peat content in the surrounding soil, the rain carries peat from the surrounding hills down into the water. These wee peaty particles mean that visibility under the water is poor, with the darkest of depths. Excellent conditions for a monster in hiding.
Three Bridges of Queensferry
On our way back to Edinburg we crossed the Forth river on the Forth Road Bridge. Iconic, historic and dynamic, Scotland's Forth Bridges are a wonder of the modern world. Towering side by side over the Firth of Forth, these structures represent the pinnacle of engineering from three centuries.
The Rail Forth bridge was built in 1890. The first of the three bridges. It is a cantilever railway bridge. With its characteristic rust red color it is considered as a symbol of Scotland.
The Forth Road Bridge is a suspension bridge in east central Scotland. The bridge opened in 1964 and at the time was the longest suspension bridge in the world outside the United States.
The Queensferry Crossing opened August 2017. The 1.7 mile structure is the longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world and also by far the largest to feature cables which cross mid-span.
Midhope Castle
Midhope Castle is believed to have been built in the mid-late 15th Century (earliest reference 1458) and today stands as a derelict castle on private land on the Hopetoun Estate near the village of Abercorn. It is also the castle used as Lallybroch the home for the Fraser's in the fictional series of Outlander.
"Oh Jamie .... Jamie !"
MK has read every book of the Outlander saga by Diana Gabaldon several times and I do not know how many times she has watched the filmed episodes of the STARZ series. Quite frankly, I don't get the attraction. Jamie is nothing like me and she married me!
Blackness Castle
Due to its bow-shaped walls, Blackness Castle is often referred to as 'the ship that never sailed'. The 15th century fortress guards the Scottish Firth of Forth with its imposing presence.
The fortress has served as a royal castle, a prison, an armaments depot and of course a film location, featuring not just in Outlander.
In Outlander, Blackness Castle stands in for Captain Jack Randall's headquarters in Fort William. Fort William was an important garrison of the Redcoats in Scotland, and in Outlander it is the stronghold of Captain Jack Randall. It is from here that he conducts his reign of terror over the highlands.
Linlithgow Palace
The magnificent ruin of a great Royal Palace set in its own park and beside Linlithgow Loch. To add to the history you go up a lovely old cobbled road with old houses.
The Palace is basically a shell with all the wall outside intact. It has not been restored, just maintained, so you can let your imagination run wild. The Palace was not open but we were able to a walk around the exterior, set in a beautiful park. It is located in a beautiful small town where we stopped an ate lunch at Three Marys Café.
Colross Abby Church
Culross Abbey Church stands on the north side of the ruins of Culross Abbey, on a hillside above the village of Culross. This is an unusual and exceptionally interesting church with an unusual and extremely complex history.
The large memorials on view in the vault are impressive, with that to Sir George Bruce and his wife Margaret especially impressive. The most remarkable feature must be the eight kneeling statues, representing the couple's children as adults, lined up in front of the memorial.
The lovely town of Culross, in Fife,has been used in several Outlander episodes so I need to mention some of the sites used in relation to the series.
Mercat Cross (in the centre of Culross) acted as the centre of Cranesmuir. Here we find Geillis Duncan’s house and the historically picturesque town square where Geillis is sentenced to burn for being a witch. It is also here that Jamie and Claire rescue the thief, Tammas, when his ear is pinned to the post. The sandwhich board advertising coffee and Brunch was probably removed for the filming.
This impressive house, was used as Geillis Duncan’s home. It overlooks Mercat Cross.
Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace, in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a royal palace of the Scottish Kings. It was one of the favorite places of Mary, Queen of Scots, providing an escape from political and religious turmoil.
One of the more unusual items on display in the castle was this wax casting of the face of Mary Queen of Scotts made from an impression of her face after her beheading. So this is what she actually looked like.
Sightseeing in the City Of Edinburg
A couple of shots of High Street, the Royal Mile.
St. Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile. The origins of St Giles' date back to about 1130 when a parish church was built to serve Edinburgh during the reign of King David I. This is a very touristy area and on the weekends there are vendors and musicians in the courtyard.
The Royal Botanical Gardens
Looking for a break from the city we decided to take a stroll through the Royal Gardens. It is a beautiful, tranquil, diverse,and colourful place to visit. We were lucky to have a lovely sunny day walking It's really interesting and stunning to see all those very different plants and trees and you kind of enter a new world around every other corner. Fantastic gardens with amazing plants landscaped in a peaceful and sleepy part of the city.
EDINBURGH CASTLE
What an imposing and interesting spot high above Edinburgh. Loved seeing the many spots within the grounds, like the prison and the views from the high walls. Dog cemetery is sweet too. Well worth your time!
We enjoyed seeing the Royal Crown jewels, the Stone of Destiny, the space where Queen Mary gave birth to her son, the views of the city, and Margarite's Chapel. impressive display of the richest of Scottish history and its peoples' dedication of its preservation. may its glory shines forever.
Located off the main path at the top of Edinburgh Castle, a small garden space holds a soldiers' dog cemetery that dates back to 1837. The site of the cemetery may have once been a medieval tower, but it now acts as the final resting place for honored canine companions of the regimental officers.
STORY OF HAGGIS
I thought it was so interesting I did some research and found this poem written by the Scottish poet Ali Strachan commemorating the dog cemetery of Edinburgh Castle in verse:
“Berkin dugs here lie at rest
The yappin worst, obedient best
Sodgers pets and mascots tae
Still the guard the castle to this day.”
While we were riding through the highlands on our 12 hour 365 mile trip, our tour guide told us the story of the Haggis. Below is my best recollection of the story, because it was a wee bit difficult understanding the story in a Scottish brogue with a Spanish accent.
Och, the wild haggis is a scrappy, wiry-haired wee beastie that’s held a dear spot in Scottish lore for generations! These bonnie, rodent-like critters roam the rugged Highlands, dartin' aboot the hills like they own the place. They’re hunted, ye ken, to be the star ingredient in Scotland's grand national dish: haggis, neeps, and tatties!
Ach aye, the wild haggis is a hardy wee creature, well-suited for the chill o’ the Highlands, hence that thick, shaggy mane! Now, here’s a funny thing—these beasties have longer legs on one side o’ their wee bodies. This odd design lets them scoot around the mountain slopes with nae bother at all. Ye’ll find there’s two types o’ haggis: one wi' a longer set o' legs on the left side that only runs clockwise, and t’other wi' longer legs on the right that scurries anti-clockwise.
Since the wild haggis can only run in one direction, poor wee things have a rough time dodgin' predators, makin' 'em fairly easy tae catch. Mating’s no a simple task either, ye ken! A male haggis o’ the clockwise type has tae turn tae face the same way as a lassie o’ the anti-clockwise sort. But when he tries tae turn, he’s liable tae lose his balance and go tumblin’ doon the hill!
In the rare chance a male haggis manages tae breed wi' the opposite type, the poor wee offspring end up hopelessly wobbly, rollin' doon the hills straight intae the hunter’s net! A loss for nature, aye, but a grand gain for us!