best pic of this trip
Road trip from Edinburgh to the north of Scotland and back along the West Coast. We drove about 2000 kilometers during this 10 day holiday trip.
places we stayed for the night
The initial plan with one battery (= place to stay) at the wrong spot of the map (Wick is far further up in the north)
Day 1, Saturday 27th August 2016: from Edingburgh to Pitlochry
driving at the wrong side of the road in our rental car, a red Fiat 500x
First stop at Dunfermline, the park bought by Mr. Carnegie, who was born here and made his fortune in the US, for the people of the village. Great plants and gardening.
Church of Dunfermline
Church and burrial place of Dunfermline. Great location
lots of trails here, we walked the Killiecrankie path
Killiecrankie walk: at the river
At our first place to stay of this holiday, the hotel Atholl Palace, which wasn't what we expected it to be. More sort of a 'Van de Valk' type of place. The food was not good and seriously over prized. Bugger.
Upper right picture shows our 'Tower Attic' room at the Atholl Palace hotel which was very small, too expensive BUT had a great view of the gardens.
Day 2, Sunday 28 August 2016: A day in the Highlands and our first whiskey tasting
leaving the Atholl Palace hotel
bottom right: drinking coffee at the local 'grocery'
More sheep than people in Scotland
Our first whiskey tasting at distillery Royal Lochnager, which is situated next to Royal Balmoral castle.
Loch with fishermen
breath taking sceneries
Top right: visiting the photogallery of artist Gerard Murphy. Watching great photos and having a lovely chat with a very interesting and kind man.
the road to nowhere
Our next stay for the night 'Thistle Dhu Bed & Breakfast', a lovely place situated near Glenlivit, with kind hosts, a large bedroom, good bed. Phew what a change compared to last nite.
dinner at 'The Croft Inn', which was at about 10-15 minutes walking distance of our B&B: kind people and good pub food: home made soups and good meat (lamb shawk for Peter and feather blade steak for me, both slow cooked).
Just noticed on the internet that the place is for sale... anybody interested?
Day 3, Monday 29 August 2016: to Wick in the far north
great scenery along the way to the north
visiting Cawdor castle and gardens
Another distillery, one of P's favourite whiskey's: Glenmorangie
still going strong
the harbour of a small fishermans place called Helmsdale on the north coast
Gunn clan memorial place, very photogenic
Our home for this nite Ackergill Tower Castle near Wick. Ackergill Tower Castle is situated at the sea shore and feels like a museum, but one where you can sit on every chair, touch all the (very old) books, walk around and feel at home. Awesome place. Loved it!
Inside the castle, with bottom right our awesome room with canopy bed
lovely dinner at the hotel: wow love these 'fish places' (upper left photo)
Day 4, Tuesday 30 August 2016, our wedding anniversary day: driving along from the North East to the North West coast
More photos of this awesome situated place. We are lucky because it's lovely weather: 20-22 degrees Celcius
stop at 5000 years old tombs (Grey Cairns of Camster)
Next awesome home for a nite: the Summer Isles hotel in Achiltibuie. Dressing up for our dinner.
Our wedding anniversary dinner at the 1 star restaurant of the hotel: all yummie. Only negative point was the service by Romanian girls that needed some more training for sure.
Day 5, Wednesday 31 August 2016: to Loch Ness - rain rain rain
breakfast at the Summer Isles Hotel
The Summer Isles hotel, which according to internet is for sale
Sheep on the road.
Although it rained, I couldn't resist to leave the car to make photos of the overwhelming scenery
Inverewe Gardens and Estate
photos made when it wasn't raining now and then
Foyers Bay Country House, nice from the outside, dowdyish and outmoded from the inside, badly needs renovation. We stayed here unfortunately two nites. Our hosts were an elderly couple who didn't appear to be very enthousiastic. Bottom right: mustard I asked for at breakfast on day one, the remnant was handed to me on day two (arghhh), how thrifty can one be....
Day 6, Thursday 1 September 2016: walks around Loch Ness area
bulls and their mothers top right and another photogenic graveyard.
great flowers
Day 7, Friday, 2 September 2016: along Glen Coe
rainbow at Glen Coe
rain, rain, and cloudy
cute yelling piggies and the river Orchy
Our place for the night was Bed and Breakfast Corrie Bank, which was ok, but nothing special. I didn't make any photo. Shame on me
Day 8, Saturday, 3 September 2016: from Loch Awe to the Isle of Kintyre
St. Conan's kirk Loch Awe, opposite our Bed & Breakfast, what a historical place
Oban harbour, a lovely busy place
We did the Whiskey tour at Oban Distillery: very interesting. We could keep the whiskey tasting glasses, which are really nice.
Oban is a nice little town, with a lively harbour where you can eat all kinds of (shell)fish. Moreover, there are places to sit and have a nice glass of wine.
Oban is a nice little town, with a lively harbour where you can eat all kinds of (shell)fish. Moreover, there are places to sit and have a nice glass of wine.
Our home for the next 2 nites B&B Allt-Na-Craig in Lochgilphead, an awesome place, with lovely hosts. Loved it. We felt very welcome, breakfast was superb and our hosts supplied us with good information about the isle of Kintyre.
view from our B&B window
We had a nice dinner at restaurant The Yot Spot, in the nearby harbour: we ordered 4 starters accompanied by a nice bottle of Chardonnay. Right bottom photo: playing cards at our B&B
Day 9, Sunday 4 September 2016: round trip along the isle of Kintyre
Superb breakfast and great tips of the lady of the house. The B&B is situated in a 160 yrs old Victorian house with a view on the loch (mm no loch but sea according to P.)
mirroring effect at the harbour of pitoresque Tarbert on the isle of Kintyre
seals
The Machrihanish Golf Club has become well known in recent years especially for the exceptional first hole which requires the round's opening shot to carry the Atlantic. But oh well you receive membership of the golf club for life when you book a week's holiday for life at the adjacent hotel ...
Early dinner with lots of shellfish at rural restaurant Skipness Seafood Cabin with in the background Skipness castle
Day 9, Monday 5 September 2016: visiting Inveraray castle (not the gardens because of the fierce rain) on our way to the airport
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten