Scottish Highlands

Train to Edinburgh
A nearly beautiful journey through the country side of England a bit of Scotland brings you to Edinburgh from London after about 4.5 hours on a train.
Waiting on the train for the view to get better and better we fell asleep till we reached. Edinburgh was on the verge of a fest so everything was shut down or closed out and bus stops were changed and worse of all, maps were removed I mean REALLY !!!

We found our little hotel behind the castle that looked like somehow they managed to keep it together, but it was really nice inside. A spooky look on the outside was pretty cool...
The next day we found Hertz, showed him a license and got a lovely little family car. A car so much like our own that it felt own. A near new Ford Fiesta. And invested well in a good road map.

The Loch Drive
We started off west towards Glassgow and weaved through the city passing by the Cathedral before hitting for the prettier roads. We drove through the Trossachs and past the all the Lochs that come in the way. Loch Lommond was lovely. taking mini detour's through little villages we pass by it was the prettiest little place I have seen. Loch Ness should be called a river, really. It is so long!

And we stopped for the night at a place just off the highway which was a pretty little hospital convert.


The Castle Drive
We had the Scottish National Explorer Pass for 3 days that allows you to visit many of the castles in Scotland for free. 70 attractions for some 28 quid, pretty good deal if you are here for a short time.
The next morn, we went back a bit to the Loch Ness to visit the Urquhart Castle. A ruin but the castle has the locational advantage of being on the Loch Ness bed and more lovelier on the morning we went cos of all the fog. And as the old man would say, Nessy is breathing heavily. The intro film is actually quite boring with blood and fire and steel but the ending is marvellous. Recommend anyone to watch the film and then move to see the castle.


From Urquhart we made our way by passing Glamis and Blair castles to Stirling Castle. Stirling Castle is a fully complete castle very recently made and very nicely maintained. There are stories on how it was built, etc. they protect it and show case it so well. It is definitely worth a visit.

And finally reached Edinburgh, dropped the car and slept in a Travelodge.
The next morning we walked up the royal mile and into the Edinburgh Castle. Very cool very you see the links between the Unicorn with the golden horn and the Lion with the crown. From the wall you could see as far as Water of Leith and a good view of the city as well.


Train back to London
On the train back to London we were sitting on the right side of the train passing by the east coast. Pretty pics along the way. But the best was the rainbow that became a  full semi-circular rainbow and then a double rainbow as our train went around it. Lovely as ever.


Scotland! Enchanting, out of a fairy tale!

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