Spent some time filling more of the map for the British Isles.
To Inverness
The Georgian splendor of Perth.
Of course have to get a scone.
You know how Manchester, England has a rough reputation?
Morning run in Callander.
Sunday, May 26th 2024
Chicago to Heathrow
My home for the next 7 days. Was disappointed they didn't have a manual as I reserved.
Buckie along the harsh North Sea.
Colored fishing homes brightening up the drabness of Findochty.
An 1800s railroad over Cullen.
Portsoy
Driving inland now heading south.
Craigievar Castle, 1626.
Not sure why Aberdeen is referred to as the granite city.
Perched on a cliff above the sea, Dunnottar Castle.
Monday, May 27th, 2024
At a 6 decade institution a proper Scottish breakfast- sausages, baked beans, bacon, fried bread, blood sausage, fried egg and to keep it healthy grilled tomato.
Such a typical scene of the a B road dropping into a small down with even narrower lanes.
Taking in the country side.
Then passing through Cupar.
To St Andrews.
Which has the University of St Andrews.
Guess this is a golf course.
St Andrews Castle was quite the facility in the 1200s.
Shrouded in mist, St Andrews Cathedral was built in 1158.
Oh boy, lots of flavors to choose from. Cannoli and Mascarpone, Strawberry and Almond were outstanding.
Aristocratic Crail.
Captivating Anstruther.
And made it to Edinburgh. Grassmarket is where hay and seeds were traded starting in teh 1400s. Today it is al fresco dining.
Mesmerizing scenes abound.
The curve of Victoria Street.
Looking down on it.
Up on Lawnmarket.
High Street is the famous Royal Mile.
New stuff.
Looking back of what I just walked.
George St.
Edinburgh Castle overseeing this great city.
Leaving Edinburgh and heading south.
Quickly back in nature.
Tuesday, May 28th, 2024
Morning from Peebles.
Hillside Silkirk.
Inviting Melrose.
Florentine.
The Melrose Abbey was founded in 1136.
Imagine!
Looking back in time.
Good bye Melrose.
Not getting old.
1700s and 1800s engineering marvels.
The omnipresent one line, two way road.
With these views.
Dryburgh Abbey sits in a bend of River Tweed.
Some of the original paint survives.
The market town of Kelso.
Just a little shack.
Floors Castle, outside of Kelso, is the oldest operational castle in Scotland being built by the John, Earl of Roxburghe in 1721.
Descendants still reside here and operate an empire of companies.
Salmon Fishcake with Sorrel Sauce
Stumbled upon in Jedburgh.
Seemed fitting to cross from Scotland into England in a blustery wind rain.
Through the English countryside to...
...see Hadrian's Wall.
When the Roman Empire encompassed what is pictured, this wall was built to protect its northern boundary.
And this is the remains of a Roman fort.
Back of the fort and the wall.
I was on the wall!
There was a guard house every mile.
They said, "Baaaa." I said, "Baa..eye."
Wednesday, May 29th, 2024
The past glory days are just that.
Speaking of, Liverpool.
Massive, ornate buildings; with a sheen of dingy.
Leeds on the other hand, has a foot in the past while presenting a refined modern angle.
York has the most intact city walls in England.
Loved this medieval town. Has it all.
Markets,
narrow alleys,
street performers,
first view of York Minster,
1600s era restaurant for Bangers and Mash.
York Minster
1405 to 1408
It has half of the stained glass in all of Britain.
1800s organ.
Cross this, don't look down.
Climb like 200 stairs.
Carefully take another pic.
200 or so more stairs for this.
And this.
Could amble about all week.
And this.
Every turn is sensory overload.
Down an alley is one of the best gelato shops in the world. Ginger Nut Biscuit and Doughnut.
Heading back north.
Hey, another castle!
Penrith was on my list to see.
As was Carlisle.
Working class neighborhood.
Thursday, May 30th, 2024
In 1998, Pan Am flight 103 was brought down by a bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland killing all 243 souls. Tucked down a residential street is a memorial for this tragedy.
Really enjoyed checking out Dumfries.
Pedestrian streets intertwine.
A vast space at a confluence.
Heading through SW Scotland
You might think this is Culzean Castle. Nope. That is the barn and gardens.
This is the castle.
It was built by the 10th Earl of Cassilis in 1777.
It was later expanded as a bachelor pad. Got me thinking...
With decent views.
The Armory
The Library
The Oval Staircase
The Round Drawing Room and its views.
The State Bedrooms
The Blue Drawing Room
The Long Drawing Room
For appreciation his leadership for WWII, they gave Dwight Eisenhower the gift to stay at the castle whenever he wanted. He took advantage of that offer several times.
My favorite room.
Ayrs feels, well, like it never recovered from wartime.
If you don't know what Haggis is- sheep lungs, heart and liver cooked in a sheep's stomach. It was really good.
High Street is Ayr's pedestrian town centre.
Welcome to Glasgow. Wide pedestrian Bruce Street is lined with marvelously intricate buildings.
Argyll Arcade opened in 1827.
Frasers opened in 1849.
Just mind boggling.
Keep thinking of all the immense and attractive buildings the world over...
...and now we build strip malls.
George Square is the heart of Glasgow.
Glasgow Cathedral
A thousand years old.
Then and now.
Sauchiehall is another pedestrian street. Meh.
Back to Buchanan Street.
Old Towne Stirling.
Stirling Castle
Goes back to the 1100s.
Added on over the centuries.
It has buildings on three levels.
The Queen and King's apartments.
A courtyard reveals those centuries of buildings.
Adjacent to that courtyard was what was the finest hall in all of the lands.
Just amazing to imagine what life was like here.
The kitchens.
A great visit.
Dunblane has small twisted streets and a huge Cathedral.
Doune
Friday, May 31st, 2024
Heading north towards the mountains.
The alpine village of Aberfoyle.
The river cutting through Killin.
Desolate areas with ancient farms.
Tourist centric Pitlochry is focused on outdoor adventures.
Ayershire back bacon, potato scone, Portobello, ubiquitous grilled tomato, pork sausage, excellent black pudding (regional blood sausage), phenomenal haggis and baked beans (which, unlike America, have no sugar here)
Pro tip when in Pitlochry- go around an alley, find the suitably named The Bakery and get a treat fresh out of the oven.
Hours of this, pulling as far to the left as possible when seeing an oncoming car and both giving a wave.
The next stretch was the 2nd most scenic of the trip (1st to come).
Braemar Castle, 17th century
Balmoral Castle is on 50,000 acres.
Garden Cottage was used by Queen Victoria.
Built 1853 to 1856, it's more recently known for the late Queen's visits.
Granite and limestone
No pictures allowed inside, this is AI created.
Navigating yet another one lane, two way road...
...to see this.
Corgarff Castle was a watchtower from the 1750s to guard the Highlands.
Middle of nowhere.
Inverness
Ambling about the pedestrian streets of Inverness.
The Victorian Market
Fruit of the Gods
White Chocolate
Toffee Mallow
Saturday, June 1st, 2024
Pausing on the morning run in Alness at a monument for The Great War. Behind it was a newer monument for WWII and Northern Ireland.
Dornoch on the North Sea.
Heading NW on a single lane, two way road for a couple of hours.
Alternated from watching for oncoming cars and taking in the beauty.
Decided I wanted to live in this home next to a waterfall, until realizing I could hear the waterfall across the loch.
Loch Shin
Changed my mind, this is the house for me.
Yeah, pictures are better than in person.
The Atlantic off to the right, now heading south.
The MacKenzies of Assynt built the extravagant Calda House in 1726.
Ardverk Castle saw bloodshed among the waring clans in the 15th century.
Ullapool has a history of fishing.
The Seafood Shack serves locally caught seafood.
Creel caught langoustines, sweet cured herring, smoked mackerel, Ullapool smoked trout and Ockran oyster.
Another single lane, two way traffic carriageway.
Elilen Donan sits at the confluence of Lochs Long, Duich and Alsh.
This strategic location allows it to protect against Vikings.
It was mostly destroyed by cannon in 1719.
In 1912 Major John MacRae-Gilatrap restored his ancestral home.
Scottish Bread Pudding. Yum-O.
Drove the 23 mile length of Loch Ness.
Urquhart Castle has been watching over Loch Ness since 1509.
Sunday, June 2nd, 2024
My 99th airport. Yes, that is all of it.
Miles Driven: 1,704
Spent On Gas: $507
