Summer Travel Series: Part 4 – Inverness and the Highlands of Scotland

I’m pretty sure that every time I’ve flown into the UK, the descent changes from sunshine, gets darker, and soon enough, there’s rain. And our descent into Edinburgh from Germany was no different. We pulled the jackets out of our carry-ons, braced ourselves in the cold rain and took off driving on the wrong side of the road and luckily realized it without incident. It appears that my husband is becoming more American by the year.

Most of the time that we were in Scotland was spent in Aberdeen, where my husband’s parents live. One day, with the grandparents watching the kids, my husband and I spent an entire day driving all around parts of Scotland. We started out driving north along the coast and headed towards Inverness.

Scotland is beautiful. There were countless places I asked to pull over so that we could take a picture.

I also got to use a Canon 1D mkIV for the day, and that was an equally thrilling experience.

This is Inverness.

Let me tell you about the first time I went to Aberdeen. We were living in the outskirts of London at the time and we headed up to Aberdeen for Christmas. As got nearer, the main road was closed and we had to take a detour, which involved a single lane road and total darkness. We kept driving longer and longer, further and further North. And I really and truly felt like soon we would end up driving off the edge of the earth. It’s so far north. And the thing that amazes me, just like as we were driving to Inverness, is that a long time ago, when it was being settled, people got to England and thought, let’s go a bit further. And then they’re in York or something and think, no still not far enough, and the get to Aberdeen, and still think, no, let’s go FURTHER where it’s colder and the days are shorter and there’s more RAIN! Does that baffle anyone else?

But like I said, Scotland is truly beautiful.

And it was fun to have some time alone with my husband. We wandered, and talked, and ate in peace.

I love how you can drink wine for lunch over there.

The restaurant had maps of Scotland all over the ceiling. Very cool, and a beautiful view of the River Ness.

And Naturally, after a short walk though Inverness, we headed out to see the Loch Ness.

There it is. Nessie territory. And although I was afraid we’d be disappointed about not getting some photographic evidence, Nessie was kind enough to pop out for a bit.

Yes, I’m such a nerd, and no, don’t judge my two minute composite.

Next, we drove towards Fort William.

And lot of castles…

And the Highlands.

And the Scottish coos.

And thistles, of course.

Near Fort William, we stopped at the Neptune Staircase, a series of locks that allow a boat to pass to Loch Linnhe, which is higher than the rivers that feed into it. It take about an hour and a half for a boat to pass through and it’s pretty cool to watch.

And then we drove home though more highlands.

I think the coolest part about driving around the highlands is how alone you feel. You can drive for miles surrounded by the bare hills and not see another car. It was an amazing experience. When I took the picture below, the sun was setting so I asked to get out and take a picture. My husband pulled the car over and I got out to climb a hill to take it. When I climbed the hill, I couldn’t see him anymore. I couldn’t see anyone, all I could see was the beauty of nature and I felt like a part of it.

Altogether, about 12 hours of driving, a lot of BBC Gaelic radio (fitting), a breaking scandal about Rupert Murdoch and the English police, and some great conversation with my husband.

Up next, Edinburgh!

Previous Summer Travel posts: Venice, Sterzing, Germany