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Day 1:
Day 1:
Fàilte gu Alba! Welcome to Scotland! On this day, we got to know everyone in the group and took a walk through Inverness. Our guide was very knowledgable and brought the city to life as she told us the stories behind the sites we saw. She even pointed out the Faith, Hope, & Charity statue and how they are in the wrong order.
Inverness
Inverness
A rainy view from my top floor hotel room. The perfect spot to sit with a cup of tea after a day of traveling.
Our first stop was at the River Ness Hotel. I was very satisfied with the single-room accommodations!
Inverness is a beautiful, walkable city with plenty of shops, restaurants, and pubs to explore. Be sure to check out the live pub music during one of your evenings!
Make sure you pack a good coat! Even in July, those Highland temps got pretty chilly out on the water. Luckily, we were able to sit inside the boat and purchase hot drinks, if needed.
Day 2:
Day 2:
Today, we met our driver, Steven, and rode to Loch Ness to search for Nessie. After our cruise on the Loch, we landed at the ruins of Urquhart Castle. Later, we explored the beautiful Cawdor Castle and learned about Scottish history at the Culloden Battlefield.
(Spoiler alert: we were not able to find Nessie this time. Jamie Fraser was also not at Culloden... Sorry, Outlander fans. Maybe you'll have better luck!)
Our tour bus was very spacious and comfortable!
Our tour bus was very spacious and comfortable!
My group members were all so kind and always willing to take a picture for me!
The afternoon tea we had at Cawdor was delicious!
Fun Fact!
Fun Fact!
I love tea! During my entire trip, I managed to have 36 cups of tea! And I enjoyed every cup.
My group mates thought my counting was funny and always encouraged me to finish "one more cup!" during breakfasts. Who can say no to that??
Perthshire
Perthshire
Day 3:
Day 3:
On our way to Perthshire, we stopped in Speyside to tour a whisky distillery and woolen mill. Both tours were very interesting, and I even had my first sample of a "wee dram." One of my favorite highlights from the week was seeing the sheepdogs in action (and playing with the puppies!!) before listening to a bagpipe demonstration by the wonderful Gillie McNab!
Our guide, Helen, made us some homemade Scottish Tablet for the bus ride. It was very good!
PUPPIES!!!
I got to help shear a sheep and someone was kind enough to snap a quick picture.
I mean, come on... Who can resist a literal bucket full of puppies??
The hotel alongside Loch Rannoch was beautiful and very comfortable. Once again, I was pleased with the single-room accommodations.
Gillie McNab is a treasure! So funny and talented. I enjoyed every moment of her presentation!
Our second stop was at the Loch Rannoch Hotel.
Travel Tip
Travel Tip
Snacks!
Calories don't count on vacation ;) I chose to sample a few of the popular snacks/candies that the UK had to offer during the longer bus rides. I think it's a good way to get to know the country you're in a little better.
I recommend Maltesers!
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