On May 24th, we took a tour up through the Eastern Highlands, Glencoe and to the infamous Loch Ness. While we heard that the Western Highlands were more beautiful, we wanted to see both the Eastern and Western Highlands and experience it for ourselves.
There were about 30 of us on our Mercedes coach tour. Mercedes vehicles are everywhere - even most of the taxis are Mercedes! Our first stop on the tour was at Crianlarich where I met my very first hairy coo (Scottish long haired Highland cow) named Hamish.
We then drove alongside Loch Lamond to Glencoe up to Ben Nevis - the tallest mountain in England (note: it's height is more like a hill in Canada...not that big). The scenery was pristine along the way but as I'm writing this after already going through the Western Highlands...it becomes just ok. It was lush greenery with cows and horses freely roamed the mountain ranges.
We cruised up the Loch Ness (no - I wasn't wasting time spotting the Loch Ness monster) up to Urquhart Castle. We then headed back onto the coach after the cruise and headed to the capital of the Highlands, Inverness. We then began to go south back to Edinburgh via the Grampian mountains, Pitlochry and at some point we drove through the Cairngorns National Park.
The weather that day was crazy!!! Wind, rain, snow, sun, clouds, clear skies - we had it all. We even saw the damage cause by the prior day's windstorm. Large, thick tree branches littered the ground, trees were ripped away from the earth exposing their roots and roads and bridges closed down, demolished campers etc.
The Eastern Highlands trip was great...but if you're ever in Scotland and only had enough time for one tour, I recommend the Western Highlands. That post will follow soon!
There were about 30 of us on our Mercedes coach tour. Mercedes vehicles are everywhere - even most of the taxis are Mercedes! Our first stop on the tour was at Crianlarich where I met my very first hairy coo (Scottish long haired Highland cow) named Hamish.
Meet Hamish, the Hairy Coo!
The infamous Loch Ness
Matt enjoying the loch cruise
The British Flag proudly flying
Urquhart Castle
Enjoying the loch cruise...and no, I'm not looking for the Lochness Monster. Brr, it was chilly!!!
The weather that day was crazy!!! Wind, rain, snow, sun, clouds, clear skies - we had it all. We even saw the damage cause by the prior day's windstorm. Large, thick tree branches littered the ground, trees were ripped away from the earth exposing their roots and roads and bridges closed down, demolished campers etc.
The Eastern Highlands trip was great...but if you're ever in Scotland and only had enough time for one tour, I recommend the Western Highlands. That post will follow soon!
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