A. L. Kaplan

Tag: Highlands

  • Post 8: My Trip to Scotland: Part 8 – Culloden and Highland Coos

    Post 8: My Trip to Scotland: Part 8 – Culloden and Highland Coos

    We left Ullapool on August 6 after a nice breakfast.

    The first stop was Culloden, site of the Battle of Culloden which took place on April 16, 1746. The Jacobite army under Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) was defeated by the British army, ending the Jacobite uprising. In less than an hour, around 1,300 men were slain – about 1,250 of them Jacobites. Many highland clans were in the Jacobite army. After Culloden, the wearing of tartan and highland garb was forbidden, as was carrying weapons in the Highlands, and the Clan system was abolished.

    There are markers for the clans that fought and died. They had to put a fence around the marker for Clan Fraser to keep the Outlander fans back.

    Of course, I couldn’t leave the Highlands without seeing a wee Highland Coo.

  • My Trip to Scotland: Part 7 – Italian Chapel, Smoo Cave, Ardvrech Castle, and Ullapool

    My Trip to Scotland: Part 7 – Italian Chapel, Smoo Cave, Ardvrech Castle, and Ullapool

    On our way out of Orkney on August 5th, we stopped at the Italian Chapel. It was built by Italian prisoners of war during World War 2. This unassuming little Catholic chapel was beautifully painted inside.

    There was a sculpture outside the church.

    Sands of Wright and Dam of Hox were pretty.

    I also tried some Irn Bru. This caffeinated orange colored drink, known as Scotland’s other national drink after Scotch whisky, was good with a slight bubblegum like flavor.

    Some pictures at Kyle of Tongue in northwest Highland.

    Smoo Cave was neat! But the walk down to it was steep.

    Smoo Cave is a sea cave and a freshwater cave. Unfortunately, it’s been a bit dry, so the waterfall in the cave wasn’t flowing. It was still very pretty.

    So was the surrounding area.

    We stopped at Ardvrech Castle and the Calda House by Loch Assynt. At least what was left of them. The castle was built around 1490 by the Mcleods. The Calda house was built in 1672.

    Then it was off to Ullapool for the night. We didn’t get there until almost 7:30 and wanted to go to the Seafood Shack for dinner. They close at 8:00 and we were warned that they close early when they sell out. We dropped our bags and walked quickly. The langostinos were wonderful. They look like miniature lobsters. Sorry, I didn’t get pictures of the food. There was no wind and that night and the midges came out in force. (Tiny, gnat-like flies that bite. It was the one time we didn’t have the bug repellant with us. Figures. We ate as quickly as possible and fled to our room.

    On the way back, I spotted this sign down the road from our bed and breakfast. I’m a huge Lord of the Rings fan and couldn’t resist taking a picture.

  • My Trip to Scotland: Part 2

    My Trip to Scotland: Part 2

    August 2nd began our five-day tour through the Highlands and up to Orkney Island. If you’ve ever tried to drive on a narrow winding one lane road over hills in a foreign country, you know why we chose to do a tour instead of renting a car. It was well worth it!

    Along the way we learned a lot about Scottish history and saw some beautiful sights.

    The drive took us through Glencoe in the Highlands, site of the Glencoe massacre. In 1692, men, women, and children of the MacDonald Clan were murdered in their sleep by troops of the Clan Campbell. It was ordered by the government but violated clan hospitality that Clan Campbell had requested because of a winter storm.

    We drove past Ben Nevis Mountain, the highest point in Scotland.

    And through Loch Lomond National Park.

    Of course we stopped at Loch Ness. Nessie didn’t make an appearance, but we did see some brave swimmers in the icy water.

    Inverness is on Scotland’s northeast coast, where the River Ness meets the Moray Firth. It’s the largest city and the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands.

    We got to spend the evening there.

    I even found some wolves on a church along with some other critters.

    Dinner was a MacGregor’s Bar which had this lovely quote from Sir Walter Scott.