On the Moors

On the Moors, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: August 14, 2011

A day of travel - through mountains and past many lochs. In the ever changing weather we saw the last of the Highlands.

We stopped in Doune to see the castle (it was used for the filming of Monty Python and the Holy Grail).



Back in Stirling we had dinner and returned our car. The weather did not disappoint. A brief rain shower then spread a rainbow over the town.

The next day we boarded a train for London.

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View on the Isle of Skye

View on the Isle of Skye, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: August 12-13, 2011

Even in the light rain you can see the waves of mountains, row upon row. We crossed the bridge to the Isle of Skye from Kyle of Lochalsh, but a curtain of cloud came down, obscuring our views.

It is fascinating to me how quickly weather changes in this part of the world. It can be sunny in one spot  with cloud cover just a short way off and rain.

This can result in lots of rainbows.

We went to see Eilean Donan Castle which is supposed to be the most photogenic castle in Scotland, but cloud obscured the mountains behind.



But sometimes it is nice to see these venues cloaked in mystery. It is easier to picture the events of the past, their echoes in the mist.

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One Track Road

One Track Road, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.
Photos: August 10-11, 2011

This may look like a lane but in reality it is a one track road. While this one is narrower than some (it was part of a 12 mile detour), one track roads are common in northern Scotland. There is a whole etiquette to driving them.



If you are able to see ahead (not always the case when there are sharp curves) the one closest to the passing place, especially if it is on the left, pulls over to let the other pass. Both drivers wave thanks and continue on. If you meet someone unexpectedly (not unusual with these curves) the one closest to a passing place backs up. If there is someone behind you who wants to pass, pull into a passing place, the one who passes honks to thank you. If you are at a passing place and want to signal to oncoming traffic that you will wait for them to pass, flash your lights. The real challenge comes when you meet unexpectedly near curves. One of the drivers has to back up to the nearest passing place to allow the other to pass. It is all more complicated that fancy dance steps!

I found this challenging and I wasn't driving. But these roads took us through some spectacular scenery (though our eyes were often focused on the road ahead). Misty, rainy days brought moody closed in views and when the sun  shone, the vistas opened up to moors, mountains and lochs.

Fortunately there were parking areas where it was possible to stop and just enjoy the views. Above is the Kyle of Durness. As we got near Kylesku the mountains were higher. They plunged down into the lochs. We decided against the very scenic route (another many mile one track road) as the main road actually allowed us to admire the scenery.



Even the main road (at this point two lanes - one in each direction) wound up and down the mountains.

So many of Scotland's mountains are treeless. The views go on forever.

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Goodbye to Stromness

Goodby to Stromness, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photo: August 10, 2011

The Orkneys are a special place. It is amazing how much local produce there is from lamb to beef to fish and seafood. And of course, there is a local distillery (Highland Park) and local beer. As in much of Scotland, houses are built of stone and in Stromness, even the streets in the centre of town are paved with flagstones.

The history from the prehistoric sites to the Orkney connection with the Hudson's Bay Company was fascinating. The landscape is both pastoral and wild. There is a haunting feel about the Orkneys with the standing stones bearing witness to thousands of years of human habitation there. And what has changed? People still farm and fish and find ways to enjoy the long winter darkness and the summer light.

The Orkneys are full of stories and storytellers, crafts people and other creative folk. I may be drawn back there again some day.

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Looking Down on the Brough

Looking Down on the Brough, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

We travelled many centuries in one day. Our morning stop was at the Brough of Birsay, an old Viking settlement built on top of a Pictish settlement. It was occupied by the Norse people from about the 9th to 12th centuries. The island is only accessible at low tide.



This is what is left of the cathedral. When the site was excavated by archeologists, they felt that the site had been of importance to first the Picts and then the Norsemen. They found artifacts that had been imported from Scandinavia, from Ireland and from Anglo-Saxon England.



The only way to reach the brough is to follow the path at low tide. This made the island a perfect place for people as it was easy to guard and protect. After exploring the island, we walked back across and drove off past the ruins of a 16th century palace. Then on a neolithic site: Skara Brae.

This neolithic settlement was occupied from around 3200 BCE to 2200 BCE by stone age people. It was discovered after a major storm in 1850. The dwellings are connected by covered passageways. It is fascinating to see the stone bureaus, built for storage, the areas sectioned off as sleeping quarters, the many passageways... It is even believed they had a drainage system which may have supported some kind of indoor toilet facilities.

Again - that feeling of touching history. Unlike visiting the castles of Edinburgh and Stirling - here in the Orkneys we got glimpses into the lives of normal people, not the elite.

These posts only touch on some of what we saw. The Orkneys are quite amazing in what they have to offer those interested in history.

More photographs can be found here.

Arches

Arches, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.
Photos: August 7 and 8, 2011

We visited two churches - each interesting in its own way. St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, dates from the twelfth century. At the time, the Orkneys were occupied by Vikings who settled there. The old grave markers from the 1600s leaning against the walls were fascinating, with ghoulish images of skulls and crossbones.

We also visited the Italian Chapel, created inside a Nissan hut by Italian POWs during World War II. It is amazing what they created using little more than paint and some plasterboard.



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Standing Stones of Stenness

Standing Stones of Stenness, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.
Photos: August 7, 2011

It is astonishing to see the many pre-historic sites in the Orkneys. The Standing Stones of Stenness is just one example. They are over 5000 years old. At that time there were settlements of stone age people who farmed. Remnants of one of the villages can be found nearby: Barnhouse Settlement.



You can walk through what was once the doorway and stand where people once lived over 5000 years ago. It is hard to imagine what their lives were like and why they felt the need to erect these large stones. What kinds of rituals took place there?

Down the road is the Ring of Brodgar - a huge stone circle that dates from about 2500 - 2000 BCE. It is quite a mystical experience to walk around the circle, to touch the stones and to hear the sounds of nature. You truly feel connected to history and to the people who have come before.



If the stones could speak, what would they be saying? What stories would they tell.



More photos can be found here.

H.M. Hamnavoe

H.M. Hamnavoe, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: August 6, 2011

We boarded the ferry to go to the Orkney Islands. Luck was with us as we had an easy trip. The day before the wind had been blowing hard and this area is known for cross currents.

The gulf stream works its magic in this part of the world. In Scrabster at the north end of Scotland, there were palm trees in someone's small yard. We were to see them in several places along the west coast of Scotland.



The crossing takes about an hour and a half and goes past the island of Hoy with the Old Man of Hoy, a tall sea stack. Tiny birds flew near the ship - perhaps baby seagulls. We pulled in to harbour at Stromness.

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Sunset at Dunnet Beach

Sunset at Dunnet Beach, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: August 5, 2011
We reached the north of mainland Scotland. Our B&B was a restored manse house in the middle of an agricultural area in Brabsterdorran (a collection of just a few homes). We could hear the sheep in the field behind our room.

The house has quite a history. J.M. Barrie visited frequently and his sister was engaged to marry the minister. Unfortunately he had an accident; he was thrown off a horse and landed in a stream and died. Barrie came up for the funeral. We went to a nearby town for dinner and enjoyed a walk on the beach afterwards.



With the tide out there was a huge expanse of sand. The setting sun painted the sand dunes gold.

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Edderton

Edderton, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: August 5, 2011
It is wonderful to wake up to sunshine, even if it doesn't last the whole day. It was a beautiful morning for a walk in this rural area. Sheep and cows were plentiful.



The countryside soundscape is full of baas and moos. From a distance we could see some highland cattle - but we hoped to see some close up.

Back in the car to head closer to Thurso where we would get the ferry for the Orkneys. We stopped in Golspie to admire the beach and wander through the town.

The beauty of the countryside is only exceded by the beauty of the people - friendly, helpful and welcoming. As we were driving northward I spotted a herd of Highland Cattle and luck was with us - there was a parking area near enough for us to stop and gawk.



I'm not sure how they see; their hair droops over their faces. After admiring them for a while we continued our drive, taking a small road to see some standing stones.



These stones at Achavanich have been standing here for about 4000 years. They are unusual in that unlike most stone circles, the sides of the stones, rather than the flat surfaces,  face the centre of the circle. These stones were in a remote field, reached by a one track road. Fortunately with the treeless landscape it was easy to see if someone was coming and you could pull into one of the passing places.

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Heather in the Scottish Mist

Heather in the Scottish Mist, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: August 4, 2011

Scotland - mist, rain, heather and sheep. That is what we often encountered. The heather was just starting to open, but the mist and rain were in their glory!

Driving from Dromnadrochit to Beauly we passed by lochs and hills. A side trip took us to Portmahomack.



Shortly after we arrived a truck pulled up - the Highland Libraries - with books in English and Gaelic. It was nice to see children arriving with books tucked under their arms, ready to exchange them for a new stack.

We headed for Edderton, our destination for the night. Fields of sheep greeted us.



Now what is the best antidote to the damp weather in Scotland? Whisky, of course. Just down the road from our hotel was the Balblair Distillery, so in their honour we had a "wee dram" of whisky to warm up.

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Urquhart Castle

Urquhart Castle, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

The end of the day, the sun shone on Urquhart Castle, situated on Loch Ness near Drumnadrochit. We couldn't get close as the visitor centre was closed. The next morning, in typical Scottish weather (dark cloud, light rain, harder rain...) we explored the ruins.

The castle was first built in the 1200s, though there is evidence of people in the area long before that. It was destroyed in the 1600s to prevent it from becoming a Jacobite stronghold.



While we were at the castle a piper marched out, playing familiar Scottish airs. The plaintive sounds added to the mood as the mist surrounded the area. It's hard to imagine life here at the time the castle was occupied. Now it lies in silent testimony to what has gone before.

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Robert Bruce

Robert Bruce, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: August 2, 2011

Scottish weather - frequent drizzle followed by brief periods of su, white cloud and more rain. Robert Bruce stands looking over his realm near Stirling Castle.



The castle is really worth a visit, giving a good sense of how it was in the late 1500s. The tapestry studio where they are making replicas of the unicorn series of tapestries found in the Cloisters in New York was fascinating.




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Street Music

Street Music, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

The Edinburgh Festival is about to start( we'll be heading to the Highlands) and the number of buskers has proliferated, from street musicians to musicians to the many human statues. It makes for a lively street scene. we went on a tour of Mary King's Close - a fascinating look at Edinburgh's past. and lots of walking around - fun to explore the city.

More photos at Flickr

Edinburgh Lane

Edinburgh Lane, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

It's lovely to wander the streets of Edinburgh, to stroll through lanes and peek through the many closes(narrow pedestrian lanes which in many cases are on a hill connecting two streets). Edinburgh of the 1600s built high, with 5 story build ins attached in a row.

For more photos go to Flickr

Looking Down

Looking Down, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

On a beautiful day in Edinburgh, we walked up to the castle. The views from there are magnificent. You can see to the Firth of Forth and beyond.

I liked looking down from the higher parts of the castle to see the buildings we had passed on our way up. There is something special about walking through historic places, to imagine the people who walked here before from royalty to all the people who served them.