http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , United Kingdom , Scotland , The Highlands en-us Sun, 06 Dec 09 04:25:43 +0000 Sun, 06 Dec 09 04:25:43 +0000 Wow it's been a while. I won't try and fill you in on the past six months. But the last two weeks have been very busy indeed. Firstly I ran a marathon. And I actually ran the whole thing too. Excuse me for being a wee bit boastful It was the Loch Ness Marathon which goes along the eastern side of the loch and finishes in Inverness. 10 degrees sunny and crisp wintry light. It was all rathe http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-443857.html Kyle of Tongue Lochinver Ullapool Durnoch Shin Falls Lairg InvernessToday felt like a typical Sunday back home very few people on the streets and very few cars on the road except of course this was the far north of Scotland and every day seemed to be just like thisThe weather was changeable bright one minute overcast the next sometimes blue sky sometimes black with looming c http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-442134.html We spent five days walking near Corrour Station a station that was made famous by the film Trainspotting. It is Britain's highest train station and the area between the station and Ben Alder is one of the most remote in Britain. in Trainspotting Tommy explains to Rents Sickboy Begby and the ginger one what a great country Scotland is but they wholeheartedly disagree. Maybe they knew something http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-440818.html The Strathnaver Trail and the Kyle of TongueIt was Saturday and we expected terrible weekend traffic on the narrow roads of this tourist trail. It certainly proved to be like nothing wersquod ever experienced before. We drove all day and if it hadnrsquot been for a veteran sports car rally of 20 cars travelling in the opposite direction our total tally of vehicles would have been one Royal http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-438589.html John orsquoGroats Castle of Mey Dunnet Head Kyle of TongueWe woke on Friday to the mooing of cows and a bright sunrise a good omen for the sunny day that was to follow. Over breakfast we talked with fellow guests about their very enjoyable day trip to the Orkneys. We canrsquot fit that into our itinerary this time but we always have to keep something for next time Instead we drove http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-438539.html Why at home of course.In anticipation of our imminent departure from the UK we decided that it would be best if Lisa saw the best that the UK had to offer so off top the West Coast of Scotland and the Highlands we went. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-414171.html After spending a couple of good weeks with family we were off again to explore Scotland. This time we headed up into the highlands to some trekking. We caught a train about halfway up the West Highland Way and made several treks in the Crianlarich area. Perfect weather was on our side and made this hillwalking even more beautiful. The walk was everything from small farms with livestock roaming th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-405664.html We decided to do all of our highland sightseeing in one day so we headed up to see Loch Ness and then drove over to the west coast through the spectacular highland scenery to Elain Donan castle. We then headed south toward Oban and ended up staying at a BB that was right on the banks of a loch and had a pub that served great food but the midges were after our blood and we couldn't enjoy the view http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-402026.html Bonjour vous tousAlors que s'estil pass depuis mon dernier chapitre Je suis revenue de l'Irlande j'ai repris les cours mardi de la semaine dernire et j'ai commenc raliser qu'il me reste trs peu de temps ici. En ce lundi 27 avril il me reste officiellement 4 semaines d'enseignement Arnold mais c'est un peu moins que a parce que la plupart de mes lves partent en study leave la http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-394349.html Bonjour vous tousAlors que s'estil pass depuis mon dernier chapitre Je suis revenue de l'Irlande j'ai repris les cours mardi de la semaine dernire et j'ai commenc raliser qu'il me reste trs peu de temps ici. En ce lundi 27 avril il me reste officiellement 4 semaines d'enseignement Arnold mais c'est un peu moins que a parce que la plupart de mes lves partent en study leave la http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-394314.html Anfang Dezember hat sich Stefi Postgraduatestudentin aus Deutschland ein Auto gemietet weil ein Bekannter sie besucht hatte und Vanessa und ich sind spontan mitgekommen so dass wir an einem Tag rund 500 Meilen entspricht ungefhr 800km gefahren sind. Wir sind von Aberdeen Richtung Mallaig gefahren am frhen Morgen um 7 und haben dabei das Glenfinnan Viaduct aus Harry Potter passiert sowie http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-370381.html Kinlochleven to Ft. William 12 milesIt was a nice day. If my knee was ok all would be right with the world. As it was I dreaded every descent. At one point I walked backwards easier on the knee for almost a mile. I walked with off and on the Jersey girl both sets of Belgians the couple and the two guys and a really nice German couple this was their first long distance hike Dani an http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-356154.html Kingshouse to Kinlochleven 9 miles This day turned out to be the only rainy day I would encounter. It was also the most strenuous. We had to ascend the Devilrsquos Staircase the highest point along The Way. It was so cold windy and rainy. None of the walkers spoke much we all just climbed rested passed each other rested climbedhellip. At the top going around the bend the wind hit http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-356134.html Bridge of Orchy to Kingshouse 9 milesIt took me less than 4.5 hours to complete this leg. The day started out drizzly but soon cleared up. I was a fairly level section. My knee barely hurt but my toe was getting very bad. The nail was turning black and pressure was building. I decided to find a lighter and heat up a safety pin and puncture the nail to release pressure as soon as I got to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-356120.html Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy 7 milesBefore heading out I bought a roll of bandaids and some breakfast. My total was 7. The 7 miles from Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy was very level only taking 3.5 hours to complete running parallel to some railroad tracks. Because it was level my knee was good until the descent at the end but of course itrsquos always something. My big toe on my righ http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-356098.html The Scottish Highland were quite an adventure. Incredible scenery so beautiful and so much history http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/Applecross/blog-334793.html Some photo's from Iain's stag at Blairgowrie and Iain and Claire's big day itself Click photos to enlarge. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-333202.html Mat Well summer if indeed you could call it a summer is over. The leaves are falling as is the thermometer. We were lucky to have quite a few friends and family visit us here at Lady Ersquos after our Europe trip so I thought I would pop a few pics up of our recent Scottish escapades.The day before Trace left Slovenia to fly back to Scotland she found out that the visa she had been writ http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-328474.html A Hike in the Scottish HighlandsLast weekend I went to the Scottish Highlands to hike across the Five Sisters of Kintail. The trip was organized as a charity fundraiser by one of my coworkers and so on Friday afternoon 22 of us flew up to Inverness and then drove two hours to Kintail. Kintail is not really a town as such but there is a charming bed and breakfast there on the picturesque shore http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-321457.html Inverarnan to Crianlarich to Tyndrum 12 milesI woke up to see the screen around my tent covered totally by midges. I knew once I opened it I would be inundated. Eventually I had to get up so I unzipped an crawled out as fast as possible which is not fast enough. Within seconds I was covered. I found myself trying to slather on skin so soft basically rubbing drowning midges into any e http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/The-Highlands/blog-316906.html