A dream come true: a trip through the Scottish Highlands, land of several of my ancestors, on both sides of the family. The journey began from Toward, on the Cowal Peninsula. The area is peaceful and windswept, with beautiful views of passing boats over the Firth of Forth to Ayrshire, and across to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, with the mountains of Arran beyond that. The little town even has its own Toward Castle, built by the Lamont Clan in about 1475, and later destroyed by the Campbell Clan.  Ruins are all that remain, but it’s a lovely spot and a nice walk.  Nearby Castle Toward is used as an outdoor education center. A ferry’s ride away are Greenock and Port Glasgow, where my McIlvenny relatives live, and a bit further south Ayrshire, where the Close-side of the family lived. One day, on a different road trip, I will explore these areas more deeply.

With Liz, our trusty friend and guide at the wheel, we set out north past Holy Loch and Loch Eck before reaching Loch Fyne, where we stopped at Fyne Ales brewery for some samples and a purchase for later. Water comes from a burn above the brewery, and this fresh, clean source makes for some tasty ales! Just up the road is the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar and Farm Shop, where we snacked on fresh oysters, grown naturally right in the loch! The oysters feed naturally on plankton only, with nothing artificial done or added, a completely sustainable activity. Yeah! (There is a great oyster blog called the oyster’s my world, if you’re interested in oysters!) In Inverary we passed by the castle and jail. There are lots of old, historic buildings, and Front Street and the harborside are very picturesque. The Inverary Cross (relocated from its original location at the center of the old village) dates from the 1300 or 1400s.

Castle Stalker

Further along, the loch tour continued: Loch Awe, Loch Etive, Loch Creran. Oban, the largest port in western Scotland, has a beautiful harbor too. The most obvious sight to see here is McCaig’s Folly, a Colosseum look-alike that stands above the town, commissioned by Mr. McCraig to create jobs for local stonemasons in the late 1890s. Back on the road we passed Loch Linnhe, with the mysterious Castle Stalker (1495) in the middle, Loch Lochy and Loch Oich.  The Glencoe area had some amazing scenery, and it was easy to see why it’s so popular with walkers and hikers. A trip back to this area is definitely in order.  The town of Ballachulish was famous for its slate quarries, and the slate arch just off the road is an interesting remnant of that era. The village was also the terminus for a major rail line. Just north is where we now suspect Donny’s McMaster family was from, until they were almost killed off by a rival clan. There is still a row of white birch trees there as a memorial.

Inverness Night Scene

We drove past Loch Ness with one eye out for Nessie, before stopping in Inverness for the night. This area is where the McGregor’s in my family are from, and it was nice to hit one more spot with personal historic significance.  In the morning, we were treated to a full Scottish breakfast at the Maple Court Hotel.  Full details on THAT meal are to come in an upcoming entry on our Scottish food experience soon. At the north end of the Great Glen, Inverness is a riverside city with access to great walks, a historic castle on the river, a variety of restaurant options and a well-known playhouse.  Historically, it has served as a natural center for communications through the Highlands for 2000 years.

Urquhart Castle, on Loch Ness

The Historic Scotland organization offers 3-day and 1-week Explorer Passes for £25, covering 78 attractions throughout the country. Our first use was at the Urquhart Castle ruins. Overlooking Loch Ness and the mountains beyond, the castle’s setting is gorgeous. The fortress has a fascinating yet turbulent history, which the information center captures in its displays of artifacts found onsite. There is a short movie on castle history as well. At the end, the screen is raised, and the curtains part, revealing a panoramic view of the castle and loch outside. The rest of the day consisted of a scenic drive through the highlands, featuring the Grampian mountain ranges with snow-capped peaks, green valleys dotted with sheep and shaggy-faced Highland Cows, and watchtowers that still stand on hilltops where scouts looked out for rival clans.

The Ever-Elusive Highland “Koo”

Highlights and stops along the way: the ski resort town of Aviemore, Blair Atholl and its unique, white castle, Pitlochry’s salmon ladder and dam, Perth on the River Tay, site of the Scone Palace, crowning place of Scottish Kings and the famous Stone of Scone. Arriving in Stirling in the evening, we were ready to start exploring again bright and early the next day.  First stop was the National Wallace Monument, overlooking the scene of Scotland’s victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.  The monument takes visitors through the life and accomplishments of Sir William Wallace, Guardian of Scotland.  Each floor of the tower has a different theme.  On one, an overview of Wallace, the hero and patriot, is told by himself in the form of one of those slightly creepy, lifelike models onto whose face film is projected, kind of like a talking head, but with a body. Another level tells about the building of the monument; another is a Hall of Heroes. At the top of the 246 steps are some beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.

Stirling Castle may have been our favorite castle in Scotland. The grounds are extensive, and a full day is really required to see it all. The main palace is one of the best preserved Renaissance buildings in the country.  The royal apartments have been recently renovated to show what life in the palace rooms may have been like in the 1540s when they were the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots. The sculptures on the outside of the castle feature, among several, one, looking very much like the devil, that sends the timeless reminder of the ever-present danger of evil. There are some special exhibits worth mentioning as well.

The Stirling Heads are a collection of 16th Century carved oak roundels, portraits from different themes, once taken from the castle and dispersed, but now (mostly) collected again and on display.  the details, and expressions on the subjects’ faces are particularly exquisite. The Scottish Tourism Board has named 2012 the Year of Creative Scotland, and Stirling Castle has chosen to celebrate that with an exhibit of art produced by castle employees. The gallery includes everything from sculptures made from sugar, to photography, music, costumes and engraving. In the castle vaults, there is an entire wing devoted to children’s interactive activities, entertaining enough for our little group all over 30! In the tapestries showroom you can watch weavers work on recreating pieces based on the collection of seven tapestries from the 1500s now displayed by the Metropolitan Museum of New York at the Cloisters in upper Manhattan (very close to my old neighborhood).  From the castle walls you can see the battlefields where William Wallace and Robert the Bruce were victorious in some important battles against England in the Wars of Independence.  There is also some interesting history and photographs from the years the castle was used as barracks. On the approach to the castle is the Argyll Lodging, a 17th Century townhouse we were also able to tour. Interestingly, it was a youth hostel for a number of years, but someone was forward-thinking enough to hide away many historical pieces, and the reconstruction/renovation is amazing.

Next stop: Edinburgh!

Photos HERE. Please check them out!

Related articles

• Five great hikes in Scotland (gadling.com)