We took an early ferry from Belfast to Scotland on Monday morning. Once in Scotland, we drove up to Oban via Dumbarton Castle, which has withstood Viking raids and once hosted William Wallace and Mary Queen of Scots. We all had fun exploring the grounds and checking out the view of the loch below. The rest of the drive was gorgeous, taking us past Loch Lomond, Loch Etvie, and Loch Awe. Though the weather was still clear, it was a bit cooler in Oban, which is a port town known as the gateway to the Hebrides. The sun didn’t set until well after 10pm, so we all enjoyed wandering the town and some even hiked up to the colosseum at the top of the hill.
After breakfast overlooking the bay, we headed out from Oban east towards Inverness. Our route took us along the Caledonia Canal, which cuts straight across the highlands. We made our way through lush green countryside, passing Ben Nevis, the highest point in the UK, which still shelters a few sparse patches of snow.
We stopped at Urquhat Castle, which overlooks Loch Ness, then settled down to a group lunch at the Clansman Hotel and Restaurant. It hailed a bit while we were at lunch. It is much colder here than Ireland! We’re now in Inverness where we’re enjoying our stay at the Palace Hotel, which sits on the River Ness right across from the castle. Some of us may check out the local trad music scene later this evening.
Tomorrow, everyone has the option to sleep in or visit Culloden Battle Field, where the Scots made their last stand against the British in 1746. We’ll then drive down to the Lowlands for two nights in Edinburgh.
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