Pages

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Scotland Vacation, Part 2

The sign that can either represent "Elderly People" or "Disabled People"

We spent our third night in Fort Williams, which is a little town in the Highlands. It was big enough for McDonald's (which we had for breakfast! I was able to get a McMuffin - or whatever-it-is-called-here... unfortunately they don't have the McGriddle.... mmmm... cue Homer Simpson...) but not for a Starbucks (the nearest one was 100 miles away).
Castle Urquhart on the shore of Loch Ness

We left early in the morning after that healthy breakfast for a long day on the road. We had some distractions as we stopped at a little town we had seen on TV at the south end of Loch Ness. They have some lochs that run up the river. I hopped out to grab some snacks (Tomato Ketchup chips/crisps... yummy!) 
 Georgia and me at the castle, overlooking Loch Ness. It was beautiful! Please don't comment on Georgia's matching pants (trousers) and socks. Our big-foot is in need of some new socks...
We got back into the car (and Georgia promptly fell asleep) and we were off towards the Isle of Skye. We stopped once more, at another castle - Eilean Donan.
Honestly, all the castles are beginning to run together. It was beautiful though, on the edge of a loch - a couple of miles from the ocean.

This was just leaving the castle, the bridge to the Isle of Skye. 


I made it my personal mission to touch a sheep. Everytime we drove past one that was reasonably close, I made Dave stop the car and I tried to run and pet one. It didn't work, but we have lots of great pictures of my behind!

We spent our two nights in Portree, the largest city on Skye. It was a cute town, but not much to photograph. We left early in the morning to drive around the island.
There were phone booths all around the island - probably due to the fact that cell service wasn't very good.
On the northern-most point of the island. There was a castle ruins that we explored (on the very far right), and this was looking out from where the castle used to stand.
 There were more animals than people on the island. An example of a Scottish cow. They are very hairy. And taste yummy.

Fairy Glen is a magical place with these round hills (large ones on the left and small ones on the right) and lots and lots of sheep. The sheep like to chase humans. Seriously.
Aren't the hills crazy-looking? You ever see anything like that?
Remember earlier I mentioned my obsession with sheep? Well, this is where it ended. I climbed up to the top of one of these tall, steep hills and surprised this lamb. And it surprised me, too. I snapped this picture, and then it charged - baa-ing and head butting. I ran for my life, trying not to twist an ankle or drop my camera. Dave was in the car and had no clue where I was, and I was picturing myself being a lamb's lunch....
Needless to say I did make it to the car, and my little lamb followed me all the way. Dave said it was baa-ing and trying to head butt the car. New meaning to the song "Mary Had a Little Lamb".
We heard about a place called Coral Beach, so we made our way to the parking lot and set off on our walk. It ended up being a long walk - probably about an hour there and another hour back. But, this was the view (complete with cows on the beach) when we arrived.
Georgia was happy riding with daddy. After we did a bit of walking and enjoying the beach, she got hungry so I fed her on the beach. I have to say its the most random place I've ever done that - on a secluded white sand beach on an island in Scotland.
By the time we were done with our hike, it was early afternoon and we had about an hours drive back to the hotel. We only got to explore half the island (some other day!) but we had dinner plans and a tired baby (see how she fell asleep that night?!).

Next post: Edinburgh

3 comments:

Courtney said...

I LOVE that you chased the sheep! So great!!

Linda and Michelle said...

Love the lamb ending to the sheep saga! So funny!

Anonymous said...

You know, in Canada, ketchup chips are considered a kids' snack. I don't know of any adults that would admit to liking them.