Edinburgh/Inverness: Scotland

Ah, bonnie Scotland, the more we see, the more we love this place.  The JB has been at me to do some hiking over the rolling green hills of Scotland, so on Sunday we climbed the real Arthurs Seat, which sits some 250 odd metres above sea level.  It didn’t rain but the gale would have blown a dog off its chain. 

On the way up to Arthurs Seat

  

Arthurs Seat: View from the top

We can see our homeland from here...

After we descended, we headed into Holyrood Palace; Queen Lizzie’s Scottish headquarters, even today.  She spends a week at Holyrood each summer conducting official events.  I love that we wandered through rooms where she recieves people…

Holyrood Palace

The Abbey ruins at Holyrood Palace

The Abbey ruins at Holyrood Palace

We stayed in a fantastic little B&B we found in Lonely Planet; in chatting to the owner we discovered that Paul Kelly (Aussie singer/songwriter) stays there when he has gigs to perform in Edinburgh.  Judging by comments in the guestbook, a fair few Aussies go through the place.  On Monday we caught a local bus out to Rosslyn Chapel (yes, the one from Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code) which features the very beautiful Apprentice Pillar and possibly the Holy Grail…

Rosslyn Chapel: under restoration

Rosslyn Chapel

On Tuesday we boarded a bus to Inverness, some four hours north of Edinburgh.  On the way we glimpsed our first sight of snow capped peaks amongst the rolling green hills of Scotland.

Snow capped peaks from the bus to Inverness

Inverness is a beautiful little city in the Scottish Highlands, through which the River Ness runs.  Its fresh water is a cold dark colour and it’s one of the strongest water currents that I’ve ever seen.  The JB and I walked across a footbridge that is supported by cables and it shook the entire way; I’ll be using the roadway for the rest of our time here… 

River Ness

Can you see the water swelling around the bridge pylons? Fast current let me tell you.

The River Ness

Today we joined a tour group to search for the mysterious Lochness Monster; since the 1930’s it’s taken countless scientists many hours of research to dispell the myth; sonar readings, special underwater contraptions all because a few Scottish crackpots saw an illusion across the water, a bird, a mirage…  but hang about…

Could it be...

Oh my goodness...IT IS...WE FOUND NESSIE!!!!!! Call the newspapers!

On Lochness

Urquhart Castle from Lochness

Urquhart Castle ruins

As our tour guide said, this is a genuine plastic version of Nessie...

Good night from Inverness

Day breaks around 7am and it’s dark by about 3.30-4pm.  It’s pretty chilly but it hasn’t rained.  We can see snowy peaks from our front door, but Margaret our delightful B&B host assures us that fortunately snow rarely settles in town.  Another few nights here before we head back south…until then keep your kilts clean!