Glencoe, Mallaig and the Jacobite Steam Train

On another very rainy day, we piled into a small-group tour bus for a day trip through the highlands. Our driver was friendly and entertaining. In spite of the considerable weather challenges, vehicle trouble and intermittent road work, he still managed to keep the tour upbeat. Highlights included Glencoe, the Glenfinnan Monument, Visitor Center and Viaduct, charming Arisaig, the Silver Sands of Morar, the small seaside town of Mallaig, and a ride on the Jacobite Steam Train.

The day started with a beautiful drive the full length of Loch Lomond and on to Glencoe. Glencoe was the site of one of the most shameful events in Scottish history, the massacre of 38 MacDonald men, women and children in 1692. While there are many brutal warring events in the history of Scotland, this one is singled out because it was sanctioned and ordered by the Crown, a murder under trust, carried out by men to whom the MacDonald families had graciously extended hospitality. It is said that the men stayed for several nights in the MacDonalds' homes, accepting their hospitality and socializing with their families. Early one morning, they carried out the slaughter there in the MacDonald homes, some of them killed while still in their beds. The valley is called the "Valley of Tears" to this day. Passing through the Glen, one could not help but feel the solemn quietness. The gray skies and mist-laden hills only added to the feeling of lingering sadness.

On the road from Glencoe to Mallaig, we stopped to see the Glenfinnan Monument and Viaduct. The Viaduct is an amazing work of engineering built in 1897. The Silver Sands of Morar along the coastline on the way to Mallaig were not silver that day, but rather slate gray with stormy waters beyond, but the sight was no less beautiful. In Mallaig we stopped for lunch and a bit of shopping before boarding the Jacobite Steam Train (made famous the world over by the Harry Potter movies) back to Fort William. Our final stop for the day was the Drover Inn, established in 1705. A wonderful way to end the day, gathered around a fire, sitting with strangers, listening to the chatter of community and visitor alike. Great day!

 

And just so YOU can experience it, here's a bit of video from the train...

 

World Pipe Band Championships

The highlight of Glasgow was the 2014 World Pipe Championships held on the Glasgow Green, a large and beautiful park in the heart of Glasgow. Even for a lifelong Seattleite, the rain was really, really heavy, and the ground was really, really muddy. However, it did not seem to "dampen" anyone's spirits! The atmosphere was jubilant and electric. All ages were well represented, and other than the many umbrellas and raincoats in evidence, no one seemed to care about the rain. At lunch time, people politely stood in line in the rain for ages, then huddled under awnings to eat their steaming fish 'n chips and hot out of the oven meat pies. For me, it was a little bit of heaven to be there surrounded by the sounds of the bagpipes and the sight of so many tartans. Here are two short videos that tell the story.

 

On to the Big City - Glasgow!

We turned in the car in Kyle of Lochalsh and boarded an early train bound for Glasgow by way of Inverness. From the road, the station is non-descript and looks very small. But upon arriving, we found the building housed a museum and gift shop. It was quaint and rich with history, having been established in 1897--read more about the Kyle Railway here. I'll never forget the friendliness of every person I met that morning. From the personnel opening up the station, to the ticket agent and the gift shop clerk, each one was friendly, helpful and genuine. This was true throughout Scotland, without exception, but for some reason, the warmth and graciousness in the early morning at this tiny little station, came to symbolize the wonderful people of Scotland to me.

It took the better part of a day to make our way to Glasgow. Here's a short video clip of the journey.

When we arrived, it was a bit of a shock to be in a big bustling city. We stayed at Hotel Indigo on Waterloo Street, close to Central Station. As with all of the train stations in the UK, this one was photogenic! We found Hotel Indigo to be quite glitzy and a fun change of pace.

Central Station in Glasgow

Inside Central Station (above and below)

Taxis Everywhere

Hotel Indigo

Armadale and Eilean Donan

Today was our day to explore some of the Isle of Skye and visit two nearby castles. As we headed out on our adventure, we stopped to walk a bit of the land--not the road, not a sidewalk, not a pathway, but the land itself, wild and untouched, tangled with a rich tapestry of grasses, ferns, purple heather, thistles and other colorful wildflowers.

Our first destination was the Clan Donald Skye 20,000 acre estate in south Skye featuring historic gardens, the world class "Museum of the Isles" which tells the story of Clan Donald, and the remains of Armadale Castle. It is difficult to express just how moving it is to visit a museum devoted to the story of your own family heritage. From DNA, I know I am descended from the legendary Norse-Gaelic warrior, Somerled, and the Clanranald branch of Clan Donald. On our next visit, I hope to spend time in the Archives and Library which is housed in one wing of the museum. Read more about this lush estate and rich historical site at Clan Donald Skye.



Next, back across the Skye bridge we went to Dornie and the iconic Eilean Donan castle, which dates to the mid 13th century and is one of the most familiar sights in all of Scotland. Photography was not allowed inside the castle, so there are no pictures to share of the many delightful nooks and crannies, not to mention the furnished rooms. Explore this castle at Eileen Donan Castle.

Good-bye, Edinburgh. Hello, Skye

We left as the sun was coming up. Views as we left Edinburgh were breathtaking, and soon we were in the heart of Scotland traveling toward Inverness on ScotRail.

Sunrise - much prettier than the photo shows.

Settling in for the trip.

The Route - Edinburgh to Inverness through the Cairngorms National Park. We "enjoyed" an extra long stay in the Cairngorms due to the tracks being flooded! What an adventure. The last leg of the journey from Inverness to Mallaig was by a bus provided by the ScotRail since we were hours late arriving in Inverness.

Just some of the gorgeous scenery we passed along the way.

Some of the flooding from the recent rains. I KNEW we were getting a lot of rain. Sheesh!

Beautiful, pastoral scenes all along the way.

As we traveled into the highlands, the signs appeared in both Gaelic and English

Such scenery! Not much call for reading or cell phones, Too much to see!

Our Little Car

After picking up our rental car in Mallaig, we drove across the Skye Bridge onto the island.

Not too bad driving at first, but it wasn't long until the roads narrowed (and the oncoming trucks got bigger!).

Glenn on the right side of the car driving on the left side of the road. Tricky. Especially since we were often on boggy ground with NO shoulder.

Our destination - 5-Star Kinloch Lodge owned by Lord Godfrey and Claire Macdonald. Godfrey is the Chief of the Name and Arms of Macdonald. Read about Lord Godfrey Macdonald  here.
This destination was the splurge of the trip and worth every penny. More about Kinloch Lodge.

What a setting!

View from our room

Such luxury :-)

The bedroom in our apartment. Views from every room. Every imaginable comfort was thought of.

On the bed was a personal welcome card from Godfrey and Claire.

A gift from Glenn

One of the many, gracious common areas.