Day 6: Inverness/ Edinburgh

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Woke up this morning really, really early, with the intention of getting to Culloden Battlefield when it was still shrouded in fog, but apparently the fates were against us, because in the confusion of trying to figure out which bus to take, we missed it twice... I know you're laughing, but don't forget the Scottish like to play friendly tricks on travelers. Finally just before 10 we found out that there's only one bus that goes to the battlefield, and all the others labeled Culloden are about 5 miles away from the actual historic site.

We made it, it was wonderful, and cold, but very much worth the time we spent trying to get there. It's such an intense experience, walking over the clan graves near the memorial cairn, that lies between the Jacobite and Government lines now marked with blue (Jacobite) and red flags (government). There's a cottage that dates back to period still standing, called Leanach cottage, that served as hospital quarters for the wounded government soldiers. As for the Jacobites, a majority of the wounded never left and now lay under their clan gravestones, for Culloden is known as much for the battle itself as it's aftermath, when the British soldiers gave "no quarter" and killed all the wounded. The few who managed to flew were tracked down over the coming year and were killed or shipped off to the Americas. This was the decisive battle that crushed the Rising in Scotland.

The train ride from Inverness to Edinburgh was beautiful; Europeans really have traveling down to an art. Along the way we saw castles, beautiful mountains covered in heather, and green as far as the eye could see. Now we are in Edinburgh and with the few hours of daylight left we walked around the Royal Mile, saw Edinburgh Castle from a distance, and managed to get 5 meals at the supermarket (for two people) for 8 pounds. We'll be touring the city tomorrow with the same tour company we enjoyed in Amsterdam.

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Photos

Boggy Culloden Field
They say that part of the reason for their defeat was that half the Jacobite troops were slowed by the bogs during the charge.

Old Pasture Wall
Broken down in parts by the British troops crossing the pastures toward Inverness