Late one night about a year ago, my cousin Layla, my mom Lorelyn, my aunt Becky, and I got together to watch the TV series Outlander. We were bubbling with excitement at watching the new show based on one of our favorite series of books. After watching several episodes and oohing and ahhing over the stunning scenery and comparing and contrasting the show with the books, Layla said, "I think we should plan a trip to see all these places we have read so much about!" And so, snuggled in blankets, our tummies full of sweets and our heads full of dreams, we began planning our trip to Scotland and Ireland.
There were several times over the months I wasn't sure if our dreams would be fulfilled. Thanks to Layla's determination and expert trip planning, on July 14, 2015 we finally did make it through 27 hours of travelling to the most beautiful place I have ever seen. My aunt Renee, my cousin Shavon, and my sister Samantha, completed our group. Becky, Layla, Sam, and Lorelyn met Renee and I in Canada for our red eye flight across the Atlantic Ocean. The adventure began as soon as we boarded the plane. We tried to sleep but sitting in the last two rows of the aircraft with the crew preparing food behind us, a never ending stream of people using the restrooms on either side of us, seats that did not recline, and dinner rolls raining down from the bins above, it was futile. So, when we stepped off the plane in Edinburgh, Scotland at 6:30 AM we were running off of pure excitement. We freshened up in the airport "toilet", found Shavon (who looked considerably less bedraggled), and went to get our rental car.
The trip from the airport to the "carpark" near our hotel should have taken approximately 45 minutes ended up taking us 2 hours. It took a while for our driver, Shavon, and our navigator, Renee, to figure out how to drive on the left side of the road and find the way down narrow nameless cobblestone streets. Sitting in the backseat I could have sworn I was on Space Mountain! We careened around corners and shrieked with fright at near head on collisions. We made it alive and in one piece to the carpark so we could begin our day of sightseeing. That first drive earned our Volks Wagon Vito van the name Mons Meg after the medieval bombard located at Edinburgh castle.
We spent the day power walking up and down the Royal Mile stopping to see the Palace of Holyrood House (where Coulmn Mackenzie dies in the Outlander TV show), Edinburgh Castle, St.Giles Cathedral, the Witches Well, and several other Outlander sites like Canongate Kirk, Carubber's Close, and World's End. One of the highlights of the day came when we stumbled upon a little fudge shop. We barely made it out of the shop and across the street before stopping in a Close where, like a pack of hungry wolves, we huddled around our pound of fudge and devoured it in 30 seconds flat. It was the best fudge to have ever graced my taste buds and its creamy sweetness provided us with the energy we needed to continue on our way! We finished up the day walking through the haunted South Bridge Vaults and the Covenanter's Prison in Greyfriars Graveyard with the City of the Dead Tour. I personally did not experience anything ghostly but it was a bit creepy. Lorelyn claims to have grown faint while touring one of the haunted vaults and Layla swears she received a bruise in the shape of a hand print after being grabbed by a ghost.
With aching backs and sore feet, we finally made it the Mercure Edinburgh where we fell into our beds for some much needed rest.
Holyrood House
An example of one of the many Closes (alleyways).
The pub Jaime and Claire visit and the place which marked the end of the outside world and the beginning of Edinburgh.
Different shots of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. The Royal Mile links Edinburgh Castle at one end and Holyrood Palace at the other.
The Scottish fudge we devoured.
St. Gile's Cathedral
Edinburgh Castle
Mons Meg, the medieval bombard located in Edinburgh Castle
Looking for our next stop.
The Witches Well, a cast iron wall fountain commemorating the place where over three hundred women were burned at the stake for witch craft.
Five girls in a phone booth on the Royal Mile.
DAY TWO
On the second day of our adventures in Scotland we woke in time to enjoy a Scottish breakfast at the hotel and then began our procession around the island. Our first stop was 15th century Blackness Castle (Fort Williams in Outlander) which served as a garrison and state prison. Blackness looming before us, we stopped to explore the Firth of Forth. We spent some time combing the shore for bits of sea glass and pocketing perfect shells of all shapes and sizes, We also stumbled across some strange gelatinous creatures bidding their time until the tide came in.
Blackness castle ended up being one of our favorite places. We were the only tourists there and were free to explore the place from top to bottom. The moss covered walls and damp dungeons fueled our imagination as we fancied what it would be like to live in such a place. After about an hour of exploring we hopped back into Mons Meg and headed to Linlithgow Palace (Wentworth Prison in Outlander) in West Lothlian. Despite being in ruins now, the Royal Palace is still majestic. Walking through the place you can see why it was the favorite residence of the Scottish monarchs in the 15th and 16th centuries. A fire in 1746 destroyed most of it but the beautifully carved fountain and striking windows helped us envision what it must have been like gather there for a feast on a damp Scottish night.
Blackness Castle
Linlithgow Palace
We rested and ate lunch in the charming little town of Culross (Crainsmuir in Outlander). We barely squeezed Mons Meg down the "wee" cobblestone streets that lacked any kind of shoulder or sidewalk. Had a resident been inclined to step out of their adorable little house for a stroll down the street they would have found themselves nose to nose with our van! We ate soup, sandwiches, fresh scones, and tried rose cordial at a cozy little cafe called The Biscuit Cafe. It was light, cheerful, and airy. The Scottish young man waiting on us did not understand our jokes and sense of humor. As a whole, the Scots seem to be a stoic people. We got a kick out of a black hen who kept trying to visit with us in the cafe. Every time she would set foot in the door, our waiter would scurry over and chase her out. Her presence added to the rural atmosphere and made us all smile.
The streets in Culross. You can see how the doors just open right up to the street!
The Biscuit Cafe
After lunch we continued along the winding roads of Scotland to our next destination, Culloden Battlefield. Good conversation helped our four hour drive pass quickly. In that relatively short amount of time we were able to learn all the Scottish monarchs in the house of Stewart/Stuart. It took us awhile to get all the James' and Charles' straight! Sam, who was dozing in the back seat, heard nothing but our confusion about James V of England and the I of Scotland and James the VII of England and the II of Scotland, over and over again. She would wake up long enough to hear what we were talking about, roll her eyes, and say," You guys are STILL talking about this!"
While we drove through the the countryside we were able to experience the fitful Scottish weather. One moment the sun would be shining and the next the clouds would be dark and looming above, threatening to dump freezing cold rain on us. At one point, the sun broke through the clouds and we were able to see an impeccable rainbow. Shavon pulled over, we clambered out, snapped a photo using Layla's selfie stick, and then squeezed back in to finish our drive. Everyone needs their photo in front of a Scottish rainbow, right?
This is a sleeping Sam...
This is us using the selfie stick to take a photo up her nose.
Thankfully, we reached Culloden right before it closed. We bundled up in coats and scarves and tramped out on to the moor where, in April 1746, the Jacobite rising was squashed by the Duke of Cumberlain and his army. We were able to see where the English and the Jacobites faced one another and, in less than an hour, the highlanders were defeated. We saw the stones were clan after clan met their fate and were buried beneath the heather. It was a beautiful but solemn field. You could definitely feel the importance of that place and that event to the history of Scotland.
Just down the road from Culloden we were able to see the Clava Cairns. We were in awe as we circled the standing stones and explored the tombs dating back to the Bronze Age. We did a little dance around the edge of the stones to see if we could harness their power like witches of the past may have done and then we touched each stone to see if we could be transported back in time like Claire Beecham to find a highlander of our own. When no one was catapulted through time we headed to Inverness in search of sustenance and a good night's rest.
Culloden Battlefield
Clava Cairns
By the time we checked in to our hotel in Inverness, all the pubs and most of the restaurants had stopped serving food. Tired, grouchy, and hungry, we found a Tesco and purchased food and snacks to eat the next day on our visit to Orkney Island. In the supermarket, our spirits were buoyed by all the new kinds of candy and digestives (cookies). The excitement at the prospect of eating all these yummy new treats the next day gave us the strength we needed to find somewhere still serving dinner. We ended up in a chain Italian restaurant. It wasn't exactly the local fare we had hoped for but it filled our bellies.
Inverness
DAY THREE
We really hit the ground running on day three, literally! We had to meet our bus to the Orkney Island ferry at 7:00 AM. We piled in to Mons Meg at 6:15 AM, thinking we would arrive at the bus station with plenty of time to spare. Boy were we wrong! We drove up and down street after street looking for a place to park the van. It seems like every street we went down was either closed due to construction or it ended up being one way. As the minutes ticked by and we were still driving around looking for a place to park, we decided to drop Becky off close to the station so she could at least be there to get our tickets. A few minutes after dropping her off she called Layla to tell her the bus was there already and it was getting ready to leave. The driver said we had three minutes to get to the station or he would leave us! The stress levels in the van quadrupled. We sped here there and every where, careening around corners, running red lights and stop signs, driving the wrong direction on streets, until finally we decided to just park illegally and run to the station. Shavon screeched to a halt, the van doors flew open and we RAN full speed. We rounded the corner to the bus station just as it was getting ready to pull away from the platform. We breathed a sigh of relief as we trudged down the bus aisle to the remaining seats in the back, deflecting nasty looks from fellow passengers.
The ride to John O'Groats Ferry was uneventful. The driver pointed out historic sights, filled us in on some Scottish history, and provided interesting facts about Scotland. A few of us slept and a few of us, though we were trying to listen to the bus driver, couldn't help but eaves drop on Sam's conversation with the young man she was sitting next to. They talked THE ENTIRE drive non stop. We got to hear all about their past, present, and future, We learned their hopes and dreams and their deepest secrets. It was a very entertaining conversation. I thought for sure a love connection had been made and that Sam would have to leave her heart in Scotland but once we got off the bus in John O'Groats, they went their separate ways without even exchanging phone numbers.
It was cold and rainy at the northern tip of Scotland. We huddled together in coffee shop and bought a few more layers of clothes to wear on the ferry. Due to the poor weather conditions, the 40 minute ferry ride across the Pentland Firth drug on for over an hour. We were tossed about over choppy seas, green faced and miserable. Lorelyn popped Dramamine and an unknown motion sickness medication given to her by a Dutch woman, She barely made it off the ferry. I was worried we may have to carry her onto the tour bus on Orkney Island. We were all glad to be back on solid ground but I think she wanted to kneel down and kiss the pavement!
Holyrood House
An example of one of the many Closes (alleyways).
The pub Jaime and Claire visit and the place which marked the end of the outside world and the beginning of Edinburgh.
Different shots of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. The Royal Mile links Edinburgh Castle at one end and Holyrood Palace at the other.
The Scottish fudge we devoured.
St. Gile's Cathedral
Edinburgh Castle
Mons Meg, the medieval bombard located in Edinburgh Castle
Looking for our next stop.
The Witches Well, a cast iron wall fountain commemorating the place where over three hundred women were burned at the stake for witch craft.
Five girls in a phone booth on the Royal Mile.
DAY TWO
On the second day of our adventures in Scotland we woke in time to enjoy a Scottish breakfast at the hotel and then began our procession around the island. Our first stop was 15th century Blackness Castle (Fort Williams in Outlander) which served as a garrison and state prison. Blackness looming before us, we stopped to explore the Firth of Forth. We spent some time combing the shore for bits of sea glass and pocketing perfect shells of all shapes and sizes, We also stumbled across some strange gelatinous creatures bidding their time until the tide came in.
Blackness castle ended up being one of our favorite places. We were the only tourists there and were free to explore the place from top to bottom. The moss covered walls and damp dungeons fueled our imagination as we fancied what it would be like to live in such a place. After about an hour of exploring we hopped back into Mons Meg and headed to Linlithgow Palace (Wentworth Prison in Outlander) in West Lothlian. Despite being in ruins now, the Royal Palace is still majestic. Walking through the place you can see why it was the favorite residence of the Scottish monarchs in the 15th and 16th centuries. A fire in 1746 destroyed most of it but the beautifully carved fountain and striking windows helped us envision what it must have been like gather there for a feast on a damp Scottish night.
Blackness Castle
Linlithgow Palace
We rested and ate lunch in the charming little town of Culross (Crainsmuir in Outlander). We barely squeezed Mons Meg down the "wee" cobblestone streets that lacked any kind of shoulder or sidewalk. Had a resident been inclined to step out of their adorable little house for a stroll down the street they would have found themselves nose to nose with our van! We ate soup, sandwiches, fresh scones, and tried rose cordial at a cozy little cafe called The Biscuit Cafe. It was light, cheerful, and airy. The Scottish young man waiting on us did not understand our jokes and sense of humor. As a whole, the Scots seem to be a stoic people. We got a kick out of a black hen who kept trying to visit with us in the cafe. Every time she would set foot in the door, our waiter would scurry over and chase her out. Her presence added to the rural atmosphere and made us all smile.
The streets in Culross. You can see how the doors just open right up to the street!
The Biscuit Cafe
After lunch we continued along the winding roads of Scotland to our next destination, Culloden Battlefield. Good conversation helped our four hour drive pass quickly. In that relatively short amount of time we were able to learn all the Scottish monarchs in the house of Stewart/Stuart. It took us awhile to get all the James' and Charles' straight! Sam, who was dozing in the back seat, heard nothing but our confusion about James V of England and the I of Scotland and James the VII of England and the II of Scotland, over and over again. She would wake up long enough to hear what we were talking about, roll her eyes, and say," You guys are STILL talking about this!"
While we drove through the the countryside we were able to experience the fitful Scottish weather. One moment the sun would be shining and the next the clouds would be dark and looming above, threatening to dump freezing cold rain on us. At one point, the sun broke through the clouds and we were able to see an impeccable rainbow. Shavon pulled over, we clambered out, snapped a photo using Layla's selfie stick, and then squeezed back in to finish our drive. Everyone needs their photo in front of a Scottish rainbow, right?
This is a sleeping Sam...
This is us using the selfie stick to take a photo up her nose.
Thankfully, we reached Culloden right before it closed. We bundled up in coats and scarves and tramped out on to the moor where, in April 1746, the Jacobite rising was squashed by the Duke of Cumberlain and his army. We were able to see where the English and the Jacobites faced one another and, in less than an hour, the highlanders were defeated. We saw the stones were clan after clan met their fate and were buried beneath the heather. It was a beautiful but solemn field. You could definitely feel the importance of that place and that event to the history of Scotland.
Just down the road from Culloden we were able to see the Clava Cairns. We were in awe as we circled the standing stones and explored the tombs dating back to the Bronze Age. We did a little dance around the edge of the stones to see if we could harness their power like witches of the past may have done and then we touched each stone to see if we could be transported back in time like Claire Beecham to find a highlander of our own. When no one was catapulted through time we headed to Inverness in search of sustenance and a good night's rest.
Culloden Battlefield
Clava Cairns
By the time we checked in to our hotel in Inverness, all the pubs and most of the restaurants had stopped serving food. Tired, grouchy, and hungry, we found a Tesco and purchased food and snacks to eat the next day on our visit to Orkney Island. In the supermarket, our spirits were buoyed by all the new kinds of candy and digestives (cookies). The excitement at the prospect of eating all these yummy new treats the next day gave us the strength we needed to find somewhere still serving dinner. We ended up in a chain Italian restaurant. It wasn't exactly the local fare we had hoped for but it filled our bellies.
Inverness
DAY THREE
We really hit the ground running on day three, literally! We had to meet our bus to the Orkney Island ferry at 7:00 AM. We piled in to Mons Meg at 6:15 AM, thinking we would arrive at the bus station with plenty of time to spare. Boy were we wrong! We drove up and down street after street looking for a place to park the van. It seems like every street we went down was either closed due to construction or it ended up being one way. As the minutes ticked by and we were still driving around looking for a place to park, we decided to drop Becky off close to the station so she could at least be there to get our tickets. A few minutes after dropping her off she called Layla to tell her the bus was there already and it was getting ready to leave. The driver said we had three minutes to get to the station or he would leave us! The stress levels in the van quadrupled. We sped here there and every where, careening around corners, running red lights and stop signs, driving the wrong direction on streets, until finally we decided to just park illegally and run to the station. Shavon screeched to a halt, the van doors flew open and we RAN full speed. We rounded the corner to the bus station just as it was getting ready to pull away from the platform. We breathed a sigh of relief as we trudged down the bus aisle to the remaining seats in the back, deflecting nasty looks from fellow passengers.
The ride to John O'Groats Ferry was uneventful. The driver pointed out historic sights, filled us in on some Scottish history, and provided interesting facts about Scotland. A few of us slept and a few of us, though we were trying to listen to the bus driver, couldn't help but eaves drop on Sam's conversation with the young man she was sitting next to. They talked THE ENTIRE drive non stop. We got to hear all about their past, present, and future, We learned their hopes and dreams and their deepest secrets. It was a very entertaining conversation. I thought for sure a love connection had been made and that Sam would have to leave her heart in Scotland but once we got off the bus in John O'Groats, they went their separate ways without even exchanging phone numbers.
It was cold and rainy at the northern tip of Scotland. We huddled together in coffee shop and bought a few more layers of clothes to wear on the ferry. Due to the poor weather conditions, the 40 minute ferry ride across the Pentland Firth drug on for over an hour. We were tossed about over choppy seas, green faced and miserable. Lorelyn popped Dramamine and an unknown motion sickness medication given to her by a Dutch woman, She barely made it off the ferry. I was worried we may have to carry her onto the tour bus on Orkney Island. We were all glad to be back on solid ground but I think she wanted to kneel down and kiss the pavement!
Our stops on Orkney Island were very interesting. Due to Dramamine induced comas, everything in between the stops is a blur. I know for sure we stopped in Kirkwall and had a picnic lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, saw the stone-built Neolithic settlement Skara Brae and the Churchill Barriers which are a group of four causeways built in the 1940's connecting four smaller islands to the main island of Orkney. As you drive across the causeways you can still see a few of the sunken WWII ships poking out of the water. We also saw Scapa Flow, the second largest natural harbor in the world. It too has a sunken WWII ship which draws many divers to the area. The Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness, two Neolithic henges and stone circles, were massive and breathtakingly beautiful. Our last stop was the Italian Chapel, built by Italian prisoners during WWII. In between all the major sites we saw a lot of the countryside. Fields full of Highland cattle and sheep. Stone cottages in the middle of acres of hay. A bridal party waiting outside a chapel in full Highland dress. With all that beauty behind us, we again boarded the dreaded ferry. This time the seas were calm and we weren't so green. However, several of our party almost got left AGAIN when we boarded the bus back to Inverness. When we got off the ferry Lorelyn and Becky went to get something to drink and use the restroom. The rest of us got on the bus and promptly fell asleep. We were awakened by Sam yelling, "STOP!" at the top of her lungs. The bus driver hit the brakes and everyone on the bus turned to look at us. I looked at Sam, eyebrows raised in question and then realized Lorelyn and Becky weren't on the bus. We had almost left them! Thankfully, just at that moment they came bustling across the parking lot. I don't know which one of us started laughing but it was infectious. Pretty soon the seven of us were laughing uncontrollably, tears running down our cheeks, gasping for breath. No one on the bus was very happy with the "loud Americans in the back." I think most of us slept on the ride back to Inverness. Shavon stayed awake worrying about what we would find when we got back to the illegally parked van. We got lucky and returned to find the van ticket free and boot free exactly where we had left it.
That night we ate dinner at the Castle Tavern next to Inverness Castle. The food was good and it was one of the only places that gave us water with our meal. When we were seated our waiter said, "I'll bring you a pitcher of water because of your accents." Apparently, no one drinks water in Scotland unless they are visiting from America. We didn't see a single drinking fountain the entire time we were there. Other than the kitchen closing before we could order dessert, it was a nice end to another busy day.
Skara Brae
Ring of Brodgar
The Italian Chapel
Ships in Scapa Flow
Skara Brae
Ring of Brodgar
The Italian Chapel
Ships in Scapa Flow
Churchill Barriers
Castle Tavern
Castle Tavern
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