Today was our final day in Edinburgh. We head back to Canada tomorrow. It’s bittersweet. It’s been a great adventure, but I need to see my dad in person. My sissy has been holding down the fort and I’m overdue. So today we max out!

We started the day with breakfast. The waitress took our orders. There was a great display of continental items and a self serve coffee brew station. Another waiter delivers the orders but it seems mine has been forgotten. Yikes! Rather annoying …

After breakfast Rudy and I head off for the hop on bus. I would like to attend church and Rudy has offered to accompany me! Yeah! I chose a church to attend just outside of the Old Town as I found a “Somerville” grave reference in line. As it happens, the same church was a stop on the bus tour. Perfect!

Canongate Kirk is a lovely ancient Scottish Anglican Church with a massive graveyard behind. It’s the church where Princess Ann remarried after the Church of England refused her due to divorcing.

We were a bit disappointed not to find the Somervilles, but the service and experience were great. After the service we hop back on the bus. In a fluke, it’s the same driver who dropped us off. He asked if we’d prayed for him and we assured him we had.

It was another sunny day but I noticed the street was wet. Apparently it had rained while we attended the service. And looking around we could see a strange, ominous cloud pattern. Yuck. Our first time of nasty weather. Maybe.

In the past we have used “with locals” (it’s an app where you can hire a private local tour guide) and have a tour booked with Monica at 1:30 pm. Since we are early, we hop off the bus and find a pub. Of course!

We hop back on and get to our meeting point at Waterloo Place. Our friends are meeting us there too.

Monica is there promptly at the meeting time and we set out on foot.

It was here that our guide Monica told us a funny story about the royals. She prefaced it by saying she from someone who heard from someone…. Queen Elizabeth was offered the keys to the palace of Holyrood as a gesture of friendship by the Scots and she politely declined saying how the Scots were taking such good care of it and she would always enjoy visiting as a guest. After her death, King Charles and Camilla came to visit and the same offer of the key was extended to them. Charles deferred to Camilla who accepted and opened her purse. Her purse was jammed full of gin and cigarettes leaving no room for the key so she was, regretfully (tongue in cheek) forced to decline the key.

What a grand adventure! So long Scotland. It’s been a slice 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿♥️💋

Today we say goodbye to Islay. But not before checking out a few more places. There’s a ton of distilleries on the island; we chose a couple in Port Ellen the next town over from Bowmore.

First stop: the post office in Port Ellen. Rudy mails my postcards for me.

First stop: Lagavulin

Next stop: Ardbeg

We enjoyed our wee drams and carried on to a historical church and cross believed to be circa 1200’s! The Kildalton is a beautiful and serene setting for a reminder of the deep religious roots in the area.

After a short stroll around the ruins and cemetery we head to the ferry in Port Askaig Our ferry will take us back to the mainland. We have time for a pint and some crisps at the local hotel.

Our destination on the mainland is our accommodations for the night: Loch Lomond Arms Hotel

A bit of a late arrival. But here we are.

Sweet dreams 😴

The mission for today was ultra relaxation for me and a windy golf game for Rudy. The sun was shining but it was super windy and chilly.

Rudy started out early so I lingered and had a relaxing bath before heading to breakfast before they closed. I had a nice plate of eggs Benedict and a latte before heading out for a walk to the beach. The barista laughed when I told him I was hoping to see Rudy on my walk. He said the course is huge! Your chances are very slim. Oh well ….

So I put on my gear and headed out into the wind. Wouldn’t you know after the first dune, there was Rudy. He was hitting an expert chip shot onto the green. I wasn’t fast enough to catch the pro chip, but I did manage to film the epic putt!

The walk to the beach was about 15 min but I battled the wind both ways. The beach is a 7 plus mile stretch of white sand and rugged backdrop. It’s wild and gorgeous. The grasses blow in the dunes and the waves crash violently into the shore. It’s desolate. Eerie, calming and beautiful. I’m so busy looking at the masterpiece in front of me I’m startled when I hear/feel a crunch underfoot: I’ve crushed a snail! Ugh. There are lots of them on the path. Poor fella.

Back at the Machrie I order a bottle of wine and plant myself in the lounge in front of the huge floor to ceiling window hoping that I will catch another glimpse of the golfers. I was not disappointed; they rode up in their cart and putted right in front of me. The sun’s glare was intense so pictures were dodgy. But Rudy looked up to see me waving at him.

Shortly after that he joined me in the lounge to share my wine. But not until he had a pint and tallied his score at the bar!

We lounged until dinner time and met another group of golfers from Whitby Ontario. Go figure. They had spent the 4 days previous at St Andrew’s. Nice.

After dinner we night cap in the lounge and then head for bed. 💤

Today we spent a relaxing day roaming the area. After another delicious breakfast we head out to discover Jura.

Jura is another island directly north of Islay. It is reachable only by ferry. Our drive to the ferry port is about 30 minutes. It’s a non reserved crossing with multiple trips on the schedule. The ferry ride is about 7 min total. However it’s the loading process that was interesting. We had to back on to the ferry which simply pulls up onto shore. There is no “dock” so the entire time if backing on, the boat is bobbing in the rough water.

Once on board, jammed in like sardines by the ferry workers, we begin the choppy journey to the isle of Jura. There is only one road on the island and travels from the ferry port to almost the northern tip. George Orwell completed his famous 1984 novel here. Deer outnumber humans although we didn’t see any.

We head to the distillery for a wee dram tasting. Our host Graham at the distillery has Canadian connections in Mississauga and Oakville. Go figure. He tells us about his whisky with pride and we savour our samples in the quaint tasting room/shop.

Back on Islay we head to the Bowmore Hotel where we have lunch.

During lunch I talked to my dad. He seemed interested in the lunch menu but I could only show him our mostly devoured plates. I shared the steak pie with Rudy and it was delicious.

After lunch we head back to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon and evening.

Tomorrow is our final day in Islay. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

As I’m recollecting the day, Rudy is snoozing. It was a super early start! Our ferry was scheduled to leave at 10 am; boarding by 9:30 am. It’s a 2 hour drive from our hotel – you do the math. And, to boot, I have a built in alarm when I have to get up early (everyone knows I’m not a morning person!) so I wake up ultra early – before the alarm – and then I’m up.

It’s a cold rainy morning. Figures. We gather our belongings and pick up the “breakfast to go” prepared by the hotel – four brown paper bags filled with goodies. And we set off for another ferry. Today we are heading to Islay which is pronounced: eye-la

The drive to the ferry is wet, windy and gorgeous. The views around every corner are stunning. Then the sun pops out!

We land on Islay and head for our lunch spot across the island.

The fish and chips were the best yet! The secret (according to the owner Andy) is beef tallow for frying oil. So yummy!! 😋

Off onto our respite place for the next 3 nights; rather looking forward to unpacking and not repacking in 12 hours! The Machrie Hotel in Port Ellen is a grand white structure amidst the dunes and the links. Rudy will be golfing here and it’s a mega course ranked in the top 75 in the world! The modern aesthetic combined with the untamed surroundings of the coastline make for a divergent impression.

Sweet dreams 😴

What a whirlwind! The day started with a sunny wake up call and breakfast of poached eggs. For some reason everyone here understands what poached hard means so I’m loving the eggs! At breakfast we meet a couple from California who are also on a driving holiday. They are enjoying the scenery and the challenging roads, too. We shared a few mutual moments.

Since the sun is out we thought we’d try to see Old Man of Storr again; our view was obscured by weather on the first attempt. The volcanic rock (basalt) has created some interesting features.

Now we are off to the southern tip of the Isle of Skye. We are booked on the ferry at 2 pm. So there’s time for a hike to The Fairy Pools Again this is interesting rock formations that have created grottos and water falls from the mountain runoff. The water is crystal clear but icy cold. However it doesn’t stop a few brave souls from taking a plunge. Brrr.

Back on the road the scenery is beautiful huge rocky landscape, sheep grazing, pristine waters and unique foliage.

At the ferry we are loaded up quickly for a short jaunt to the mainland. We hit the road again with one destination in mind (in my case anyway): the viaduct featured in Harry Potter!

From there we have to book it to reach our destination for dinner in Oban. While scenic, the road is busy, lots of construction and very winding. It’s been a long day on the road. Finally we arrive at dinner 30 min late and they gave our table away. Luckily the manager squeezed us in. It’s remarkable how busy everything is here!

Our accommodations for the night are at Knipoch Country House Hotel which is 15 past Oban. It would have been nice to check Oban out a bit more but time was limited. The hotel is part of a group of properties all country homes. This one was a hunting lodge and had been carefully updated to host guests overnight. They allow dogs and it was nice to meet a few!

We enjoy a wee dram and then hit the hay! I’m pooped long driving day. And tomorrow our wake up call is super early!

Slainte!

Last night we decided to make a late start and enjoy our king size beds and heated towel racks! So breakfast was at 9:30 am. The weather was cloudy with possible rain. Something we have alluded this trip. However, our eggs Benedict’s and french press coffee assuaged our weather blahs.

Our trek today is a loop around the north end of the island. We are in search of fuzzy cows, sheep local flavours and more gorgeous scenery. The Isle of Skye is a contrast in extremes. You can experience everything here and it attracts the seekers of wilderness by bike, hike, caravan (motor home) and car. By the time we get underway, the parking lot is bare. We are the last car.

Our first destination is Uig There is a cloudy horizon and a bit of drizzle. The roads to our target are single lane with passing points. There’s not enough room for cars to pass on the road; you have to use a cut out. Oncoming cars will flash their high beams to let you know they are letting you pass.

The roadway leads us around the top of the island to a scene we can’t ignore. At home you might find the odd kid’s kemonade stand , but in the highlands the kids weather the cold wind and sell homemade baked goods and duck eggs 😊

Back at the hotel for a (some) nap. And for me it was a cozy afternoon by the fireplace with a whisky. Then we ordered grazing boards for dinner. An assortment of cheese, meats, bread, olives and wine 🔥

Tomorrow we leave the isle by ferry. Stay tuned 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The morning started with a great breakfast. How is it that here in the UK I can ask for eggs poached hard and it’s no problem? Perfectly cooked eggs are a thing of beauty. After breakfast we move on for our trek cross country to the Isle of Skye. In order to get there, however, we cross some interesting terrains.

In Elgin there’s a lot of office buildings and an interesting downtown. We take a quick pop into Marks & Spencer (haven’t been in one since they closed in my home town) for …. Men’s underwear. And almond biscuits. And wine. And a t shirt. And socks. Love it!!

From there we venture into the most extravagant cashmere wool shop ever. It had the royal seal. But only the royals can afford it!! A pair of socks was 60£ … that’s $100. Crazy. It’s not only a store, there’s a mill attached and they make every piece in house. Quite extraordinary.

Right around the corner is the Elgin Cathedral .

After Elgin we head further west towards Loch Ness via Inverness. Right around here our lucky charm for weather wears out and we get a quick sprinkle. Didn’t last long but we drove through it quickly.

There’s a few castles and other good visuals along route.

As we approach Loch Ness there’s tons of signs. Our gps takes us to the Loch Ness Experience. It’s kind of like Clifton Hill at Niagara Falls. Rudy refers to such places as a “trappe de touriste”. Quick glance and move on.

We decided to see the Loch Ness from another angle. So the route suggested Fort Augustus

It’s at the southern tip of the Loch Ness and slightly out of the crazy tourist zone. As we approach through the village, there are people, dogs, cars, boats, buses and you name it clogging the roads. So we drive straight through the village and head to the church. We figure: free parking and something to see. As luck would have it we end up at the lake and decide to have a light lunch and short break. It worked out perfectly as my dad was ready to chat.

If you’ve ever read Ken Follets books Pillars of the Earth this building reminded us of that.

After lunch we head on to our final destination. The scenery is haw dropping. Every curve in the road brings more awe.

The main village on the island is Portree. And our accommodations for the night is Cuillon Hills Hotel

More tomorrow …. Stay tuned. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Changing things up a bit. We were in such a gorgeous place we decided to linger. A later wake up and breakfast followed by a stroll along the river. Wow.

Off we go en route to the Scottish Highlands. Home of the famous games and Balmoral Castle and whisky! 🥃

We stop to stretch our legs in a small village called Braemar. There’s a lovely river running through and lovely shops. The highlight for me was a 5 star hotel called The Fife Arms We had a coffee and soaked in the ambiance of a truly unique property.

The town itself is the highest in Scotland and the Highland Games are held nearby each September. It’s a favourite place among the royals.

There were other neat stores in town. Including a tartan shop.

There’s a few castles and cemeteries en route but we are on a time clock (since we lingered in the morning).

The terrain takes a rugged turn as we leave the park area. We are now in (surprisingly) ski country. There are a few lifts and trails in this remote area. The road was a challenge. Very narrow and like a roller coaster. Vegetation was sparse. No trees. High elevation (ear popping high) and very little traffic.

We are pushing to meet our distillery tour at Cardhu (owned by Johnny Walker).

Our accommodations for the night is the Craigellachie Hotel on the Spey River. It’s a historic building with a pub, Michelin restaurant and whisky bar.

Good night …. 😴