Iona in the rain

When I looked at the hourly weather this morning it was:
8:00 – 56 – light rain
9:00 – 56 – light rain
10:00 – 56 – light rain
11:00 – 56 – light rain
12:00 – 56 – light rain
…
and so it proved to be. A whole lot like Oregon in say March. I gave up trying to get photos out the bus windows because of the water drops and streaks.

We took a ferry over from Oban to the Isle of Mull. This is part of Oban taken from the ferry. There was actually a brief break in the rain while when we left Oban.

Along the route we passed this lighthouse.

Once on Iona we had lunch and then visited the Abbey. The Abbey is still in use while being renovated.

Because of the recent rain all of the streams on Mull are running full. Lots of water. Very picturesque.

Tom

Skye and back

This morning we toured Skye. This afternoon we returned to Scotland and drove through Fort William to Ballachulish. Our first stop on Skye was the Museum of Island Life where they had recreated several old crofter’s huts.

Our trip around Skye also took us to a basalt column cliff. These formations are known by different names in different lands. Here in Scotland these are called “kilt rocks” for their resemblance to the pleats in a kilt.

Back in Scotland we stopped at the iconic Eilean Donan Castle. This was our lunch stop so I got to take photos of it from several different vantage points. Eilean is prounced like Alan with the first A long.

Eilean Donan Castle.

In the afternoon we took a tram to the top of Ben Nevis where we had a view of the great glen. We could see Loch Ness and Loch Nochy with Fort Augustus between. 

Tonight we are at the Ballachulish Hotel. A lovely Victorian age hotel.

Tom

Over the sea to Skye

Today started out dark and rainy. Low clouds and mist. Not much to see. It is difficult to get photos out of the bus windows at the best of times. I get reflections and the foreground is flying past so quickly that it blurs. This morning was impossible. Our first stop was at a small waterfall on the river Shin, chosen, I suspect more for it’s fine visitor center than the beauty of the falls though they are pretty.

Our lunch stop was Ullapool. A nice little fishing village facing the Atlantic.

Mid afternoon we crossed over to Skye. The Isle of Skye, celebrated in story and song
”Speed tiny boat, over the sea,
over the sea to Skye”
The ferry to the island has been replaced by a bridge. It isn’t even that long. So much for myth although where Charles crossed to Skye was further North and a longer ride.

Like most of Northern Scotland Skye is mountainous. It is shaped like  multiple peninsulas stuck together. As a result with over 600 miles of coastline no part of the island is more than 5 miles from  the sea.

Tom

The Orkney Islands

This morning we took a ferry across to the Orkney Islands.On the way out we passed this uninhabited island. At one time there were many small crofts here but the Scottish Government decided that they needed a new harbor. They hired the workers to build the harbor from the local population. Having gotten a taste of working for salary many of the crofters decided it was easier than subsistent farmers and sailed away from the new harbor never to return. Today they are all gone.

For lunch we stopped at Kirkwell, the capital and largest city. We visited the Cathedral there.

In the afternoon we visited the standing stones at the Ring of Brodgar. These predate the ones at Stonehenge.

Our last stop was at the Italian Chapel. This was built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II. These prisoners were building anti submarine barriers of concrete blocks so they had access to concrete. This is a quonset hut with a carved concrete façade.

Tom

Culloden to Thurso

The battle of Culloden is to Scotland as the battle of Gettysberg is to the South; the end of the dream of independence. As history is written by the victor, the Scottish version of Culloden is subtly different from that of the English but there is consensus that Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Catholic allies were soundly defeated. As the battlefield is in Scotland it is sympathetic to Charles.

In the afternoon we stopped at Dunrobin Castle, home of the Earl and Countess of Sutherland. At one time Sutherland land totaled 2200 square miles. The largest landholding in Scotland.

In the gardens of Dunrobin we had a demonstration of Falconry. Carol and I have seen Falconers fly birds before but this one was absolutely the best we’ve seen.

We ended the day at Thurso in the far North of Scotland. As an unexpected bonus, the Thurso Pipe Band was having a concert along two blocks just a short way from our hotel.

Tom

Into the Highlands

We left Aberdeen this morning headed for the highlands. Carol and I chose not to visit the royal castle at Balmoral. While many of the group took that tour we strolled through Ballater. Took some photos and then had lunch at a café there. When the Royal Family is at Balmoral this is the closest village for shopping. Many of the shops sport the Royal warrant indicating that it has been visited by the Queen.

After we picked up those who had visited Balmoral we visited Crathie Kirk. This is the church that the Queen attends when she is in residence at Balmoral.

Driving through the highlands our bus passed this small castle.

The highlands of Scotland is hard country. At one time there were many small crofters trying to eke a subsistent living from the land. There are many fewer inhabitants today and they largely run sheep on this land. It is cold and damp here and many sheep breeds do not do well here. Those that do have coats that are too coarse for most uses of wool though the fleeces can be used for carpet or insulation. Most Scottish sheep are raised for meat rather than fleece. At our last stop we watched a modern day shepherd use his sheepdogs to work a small flock. Neil not only uses his dogs for herding but also competes in sheepdog trials with them.

Tom

From Edinburgh to Aberdeen

Along the Eastern coast the land is fertile and has been fought over for centuries. This is the desirable bit of Scotland. Tomorrow we will head toward the highlands but today we are still in fertile farmland.

Our first stop was at Saint Andrews. Originally home to the Catholic Church in Scotland it was razed when the Catholic Church fell out of favor in favor of Protestantism. We saw the ruins of the Bishop’s castle and of the Saint Andrews Cathedral.

Our next stop was at Glamis Castle. Birthplace of the Queen Mother or, as she is known in Scotland, the Queen Mum. Queen Elizabeth spent some summers here when she was a girl. There are family photos in the castle. Our visit included a tour through part of the castle but no photography is allowed within the castle.

Glamis Castle

When the Romans came to Britain in the 4th century the Northern portion of England was held by the Picts. The land wasn’t very desirable and the Picts were good fighters so rather than attempting to defeat them the Romans walled them out of the South. As the Picts had no written language that we know of there is little evidence of their culture. In the churchyard at Aberlemno is a stone bearing Pictish runes.

We ended the day in Aberdeen.

Tom

Southern Scotland

Today the bus took us from Edinburgh South through the country to see the ruins of the Abbey at Jedburgh. From there we went to the coast to see the Seabird center at North Berwick.

The Scottish countryside is not a lot different from what we see in Oregon. Rolling hills under cloudy skies and light rain falling. When we got to Jedburgh we saw the old three tier abbey.

At North Berwick we saw the small boat harbor. The tides are really high here in Scotland so when the tides are out as they were when we were there the boats are sitting on the bottom.

Also at North Berwick is the Scottish Seabird Center. We ate lunch there and while I have an overall photo of the center my favorite is this photo up through the skylight and chandelier.

This week we’ve been in Edinburgh and there has been free wifi in the lobby. Tomorrow we’ll be in Aberdeen and we probably will not have wifi. In the highlands we probably will not have wifi. I’ll keep writing the blogs and I’ll put them up where and when I can…

Tom

Edinburgh Castle/Rosslyn Chapel

This morning we had a local tour guide take us around Edinburgh. We ended up at Edinburgh Castle. This is the royal quarters of the castle.

The castle sits on the core of an ancient volcano overlooking the city. This is a view of the city from the castle.

Wherever medieval times are revered there are those who study the occult. Edinburgh is not an exception. This shop is near the castle walls.

This afternoon we had an excursion to Rosslyn Chapel. Work on Rosslyn began in 1448 and took over 40 years to complete. Heavily damaged by protestant reformers in the 1580s it is now being restored. Rosslyn features prominently in Dan Brown’s popular book the DaVinci Code.

Tom

Rainy day in Edinburgh

When we got up this morning it was to light rain. Not that this is unusual as we have had some amount of light rain more days than not. Carol wanted to visit Edinburgh’s Museum of Childhood but as it doesn’t open ‘til 10:00 we had time to spend so we took one of the city bus tours which we hadn’t. Because of the rain we had to sit within the bus so didn’t get any photos.

Once the museum opened we stopped there. When you enter the museum you find a diorama of children at play. In this case, leapfrog.

There are also more conventional exhibits such as these dolls.

By the time we’d finished at the museum and lunch the rain had pretty much stopped so this afternoon we walked along Princes Street Garden to St Paul’s church. From here you get a great view of the castle.

At the end of the park is St Paul’s church. We went in the gift shop and book shop there. We also visited the sanctuary. This sanctuary has an amazing ceiling.

Tom

Touring Edinburgh

There are multiple hop on hop off tours of Edinburgh and they all start and stop at the same location making it easy to go on several of them. We purchased a two day pass and went on three different ones today. When we travel between cities as we did yesterday I take my camera apart so that it fits in my carry on bag. When I assembled it this morning I neglected to attach my GPS tool. This is the only day this trip that I’ve not been able to locate the photos. Ah well, I will have it tomorrow…

All over the British Isles I’ve noticed the difference between the old towns here in England and the old towns we have on the West coast of the US. Old town Sacramento incorporates something like 12 city blocks and dates from the 1800s. Here is one street of many in one of Edinburgh’s “New towns” It dates from the 1700s.

In London, most of the statues honor kings or military figures. The largest, most impressive work of public art here in Edinburgh is the memorial to an author, Sir Walter Scott. Here is the statue in that memorial

The pinnacles of Victorian age engineering were the Eifel Tower in Paris and the railroad bridge across the Firth of Forth outside of Edinburgh. One of the tours we took today included a boat trip on the Firth of Forth where we got to see that fabled bridge. The main portion of the bridge is three cantilevered sections, This is the middle one. Although trains today are far larger and heavier than in Victorian times this bridge is still in hourly use.

Tom

Riding the train

from London to Edinburgh today. It’s about 240 miles and about 4 hours so about 60 mph with half a dozen stops. No more than 3 minutes off schedule ‘til the delay for a weather damaged bridge. Lost 19 minutes but made up ~5 and was about 15 minutes late getting to Edinburgh. Eastern England has been just pounded with rain the past few days. Got several months worth in a single afternoon. Free wifi on the train also so I was able to catch up.

Anyway, here we are in Edinburgh. Wifi is free in the lobby so I can write the blog in our room and come down here to post it. Tomorrow we plan to take an Edinburgh tour so should have images. We have a fabulous room with a balcony and a view. Our first on the whole trip I think.

Day after tomorrow we meet up with the tour director and will start our Scotland tour. The last this trip.

Tom

Last day in England

The Scenic England tour included a 1/2 day sightseeing tour of London. This one was not done by Trafalgar people but was subcontracted. Our tour guide was Valerie. She gave us three stops. The first was at Royal Albert Hall. Across the street from the Hall is a statue honoring Albert, consort to Queen Victoria. As this statue was showing its age it was renovated a few years back. When the new one was unveiled the queen (Elizabeth) reportedly commented. It’s a little OTT (over the top) don’t you think. Seems like classic English understatement.

Our second stop was at Westminster Square where got another shot of Westminster Cathedral.

Finally we got to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. It was raining lightly so there was some question as to whether they would actually do the guard change so Valerie took us to a spot where the horses would come by as the horse guard changes irrespective of the weather. My favorite shot of the guard change was not of the guard but of one of the police escorts on her beautiful white horse.

This tour did not return us to the hotel but dropped us the better part of a mile away. As we didn’t realize just how far from the hotel we were we decided to walk. Walked. Walked. Walked. Stopped at a Pret A Manger for a sandwich. Lovely sandwich shop. Hot and cold sandwiches, salads, fruit cups, soft drinks. Good lunch. Walked to hotel. Passed this delightful wifi kiosk.

Tom

Day - 7

We were to take a walking tour in York yesterday afternoon but as we were driving into York we were driving through driving rain so our tour director chose to defer the York walk to this morning. As it turned out, it was raining lightly again this morning but not enough to interfere with a walk to the cathedral in York.

This is “The Shambles” in York. It is the the street where the butchers would have had their the shops in medieval times. If you look at the signs, meat can still be bought here today. This is interesting because the street is not only narrow but as the houses get taller they also get closer together.

Today when the price of oil goes up it affects the economy. In medieval times when the price of barley and other grains went up it affected the economy. There was a Barley Hall in York, one of the venues that established the price of barley in the 16 and 17th centuries.

The Cathedral at York is having some renovation work done. It is going slowly because there aren’t as many master stone masons around as there were 500 years ago.

The last stop today and on the Scenic England tour was at Cambridge. One of the iconic images of the college 100 years ago or so is of a student poling his girl in a punt down the Cam River. It was good to see that not much has changed except the clothing and that the girl now assists in maneuvering the punt…

Tom