You'll take the high road an' I'll take the low road, an' I'll be in Scotland before you!

....For me and my true-love we'll never walk again on the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. Haven't I heard these lyrics before? Oh yeah, Rod Stewart. Anyway...

What a terrific day we had! We woke up to SUN!!! And we made the most of it. Started it off with a great hotel breakfast, then caught a cab back up to the Edinburgh castle to meet with the tour. Had time for some better pics and shopping before hopping the bus up to the west highlands Trossach's area.

We started out at Dunblane, where they made the first military flintlock pistol which was used to fire the first shot in the 1775 American revolution. America was the biggest buyer of this pistol apparently. Anyway, we stopped for coffee and met "Hammish" the famous highland bull, took some pics and fed him veggies. Then we ventured onward to Doune, whose famous castle was the film location for the comedy 'Monty Python & The Holy Grail'. We explored Dunstaffnage Castle. We took some really great pics there...such beautiful fall colors. I hope I can capture some of it in the pics.. we made a stop for lunch in the pretty fishing town of Oban, with its horseshoe bay. We ate at Ee'usk and had fresh Lisbon oysters on the half shell, haddock fish and chips, and smoky clam chowder. On our return journey stopped to admire the spectacular Kilchurn Castle, majestically situated on Loch Awe and spectacularly framed by mountains. We caught spectacur pics there with TWO rainbows in the background!!!

The highlands were definitely a must see and especially in the fall with all the waterfalls, sheep dotting the hills, bright lush green patches of forest and rolling hills. We were even lucky enough to see a full heard of dear and two stags with huge racks of horn.

Later back at the hotel we had pub grub at a sort of sports bar...I had a really good Danish beer Tborg at a place called Standing Order. Beef pie with abbott ale, mashed potatoes with browned gravy...yum!

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Part of trip: November in Scotland and Ireland to celebrate my 40th

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