Blogs from The Highlands, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe - page 5

Scotland 2017 25th June – 15th July Kilts, Bagpipes, Clootie Dumplings and Haggis We’re doing it again: setting off in our motorhome for that bit at the top of the UK where it’s bound to rain bucket-loads, the midges will be out in force and many of the roads will be frustratingly winding and slow. Yes, it’s Scotland and the Highlands once more: the little bit of the UK untouched by the Roman Empire, the land of warring clans, sword swinging, tartan skirted, hairy warriors with tam o’ shanter bonnets and their wailing bagpipes waking the dead. This time we’re travelling in convoy with our Australian cheese-maker friends, Jan and Trevor, from Redhill, Melbourne, in their own motorhome. So, yes, it’s raining in Stirling, our starting point, when we arrive to take a look at the ... read more

The beautiful pictures of isle of skye, way out in outer hebrides were awesome. It is one of the most picturesque islands of Scotland. Scotland is called Switzerland without the Sun! When I got an invitation to spend Easter weekend with my cousin and his wife in Scotland, I did a high jump. I finished my work early and took the 6:30 pm train to Glasgow. London underground and train station was chocoblock. Most were young travellers who were going to Lake district for the long weekend and there were not enough unreserved seats. I observed how passengers read, knitted or stood silently lost in their own thoughts. Some listened to music. Others got cozy with their significant others. There was a black man with whom I chatted on the condition of British railways. They were ... read more

Day 1 - Getting back in touch with nature September 7th 2016 Finding myself with some spare annual leave and a strong sense of wanderlust, I grabbed the opportunity of taking a break from the office for a few days, in pursuit of the Scottish highlands. With the summer temperatures cooling off, and many muddy camping experiences haunting my past, I organised my walking holiday around the rural holiday lodges situated in Scotland’s remote countryside. With an ambitious itinerary involving hikes to the highest points of the Outer Hebrides, I began my island hopping tour by taking the ferry transfer from Ullapool to the town of Stornoway. With rumours circulating on board about sights of whales, dolphins and puffins, the 2 and a half hour journey to the Isle of Lewis fl... read more

We got up in time to have sausages & eggs for breakfast and still get off in time to make the Kilchoan ferry to Mull. It was very wet out and sadly we never made it to the island as a few miles outside Kilchoan both our tyres blew - due to an arguement with the edge of the road! The first went suddenly so we performed the quickest tyre change ever in the rain (I say we, I was hiding from the rain behind the car!) & set off with hopes of just making the ferry, but when the second went a hundred yards down the road we gave up & called the RAC. Well, first we called the local garage, then the AA (as Mark's bank had changed providers without us noticing). We eventually ... read more

Monday night we decided to keep a watch out for the pine martin so I spent set up by the window with a torch shone one the feeder and after 45minutes (made shorter by a couple of glasses of wine) I spotted eyes at the end of the garden. The others joined me & the eyes bounded up the garden & the pine marten came into view! We had an exciting time watching him eat up al our peanut butter before vanishing off into the night again. Tuesday's weather was looking like out best bet for climbing the highest hill around, Ben Hiant. We had a brief false start when we realised we'd left the OS map behind and went back for it but in hindsight the directions were enough, especially as there was only one ... read more