Welcome to a week that starts in Wales and ends in Scotland. By definition (see below), I am still within the United Kingdom so my move from Wales to Scotland is a domestic transition (as opposed to switching countries). All this to say, I continue to blessed to be immersed in a magnificent and picturesque world.
I've learned, through my limited driving, that Scotland's roads are both wider and for the most part easier for me to drive on. There are far fewer one track country lane roads to travel on. For the few narrow roads I have driven, they lack the tall stone walls and hedges so you can actually see vehicles coming towards you. The added benefit of having a smaller car (Toyota Yaris) makes driving that much easier as well. Finally, my confidence driving has also improved after almost two weeks of being on the road.
I had a small bit of anxiety when picking up my rental car at the Edinburgh Airport. The Green Motion (car rental company) agent noticed my driver's license was issued this year (a replacement license for the license I lost when my wallet was stolen in Bangkok). She asked if I had the previous license when I explained the issue date. Now I was potentially stuck. The license date suggested I started driving in 2023 - a new driver presents a greater risk I suppose. After a brief interaction with a colleague, I was good to go. I also had to confer with the car rental staff on the basics of driving a hybrid before departing as I was unsure how to 'start' the car.
What's in a Label
In last week's post I mentioned I had discovered I (perhaps others) may be using labels somewhat incorrectly when referring to the part of the world I'm currently traveling in. The difference is bigger than how a North American says 'tomato' and how someone from the British Isles says 'tomato'. Therefore, if you are interested, I've compiled the following definitions to differentiate what the following terms are intended to reference:
- United Kingdom - political term referrring to England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- British Isles - geographic term referring to a group of islands off the northwestern coast of Europe. The largest of these islands are Britain and Ireland. Smaller ones include the Isle of Wight. (Britannica)
- Great Britain - a geographic term referring to the island also known simply as Britain. (Britannica)
Ireland is an independent country that is part of the EU which means I will be switching to euros as payment except when I visit Northern Ireland when I will revert to British pounds (GBP).
I mentioned in last week's post that there felt to be something different about being back in this part of the world. Here are some initial random thoughts about what I'm experiencing.
- I am slowly realizing that the differences I am experiencing is as much about the changes happening with me through this traveling as it is the different places I am visiting. I like the person I am becoming. The underlying issue is reverting to the person I was before leaving Canada once I am back in familiar surroundings.
- My travels have reinforced that as big as this world is, we are really one collective on a planet with definitive boundaries.
- I've also survived throughout this journey without turning a TV on. I've relied on staying current by referencing a number of different news sites to, hopefully, get an informed view.
- What I have definitively appreciated is the absence of endless advertising that seems to fill our waking hours encouraging us to consume even more.
All the foregoing are emerging thoughts. My experience suggests that as time elapses my thoughts take on more colour, texture and perspective. Thanks to those who have read the above.
This week's travel summary:
Wales
Sunday was a day of many different adventures and lots of driving. My first two destinations were a short distance north and my remaining destinations were on the island of Anglesey which is northwest of my location. My itinerary was based on the suggestions that Jeanette (B&B host extraordinaire) had shared. While the geographical distances between destination were relatively short (for a Canadian driver) the driving time between destinations is a different experience. The parking is crazy - a lack of available space for parking inspires people to make crazy decisions on where to park their vehicle. I have a better perspective on our Canadian parking challenges - what parking problems, haha.
I've found yet another small paradise on Earth. I had a chance to continue my love affair with flowers. This beautiful oasis seems to be in the middle of nowhere. I am so thankful for Jeanette's suggestion as this destination was missing from all my Google searches on top destinations. A natural setting with beautiful paths, interesting brooks and ponds and an explosion of green. An amazing retreat from the 'real' world. I take a plethora of photos whenever I see flowers. Enjoy my obsession below.
The Gardens setting
Here's a few photos to provide a sense of where the flowers were found.
The Flowers
Llandudno
I'm sharing what the Visit Wales website has written about this destination - 'Vibrant Llandudno, the Victorian seaside gem with a history that goes back to the Bronze Age.' Reminder about how cold the water will be to swim in, it's water from the Atlantic Ocean after all.
The one photo I missed taking was the row of beautiful Victorian houses that line the bay that would have been behind me when I took the photos below. There was a plaque by the seaside with a somber reminder to those who venture out on the sea 'The tide is the only sure thing that will return to shore everyday'.
Anglesey Island
Much to my driving surprise (and delight), there is a four carriage way (lane) divided highway from Llandudno to the northwestern tip of Anglesey Island. Unsure of the highway's utility in this part of Wales given the fewer number of people who live here. I also drove across the Menai Suspension Bridge. I paraphrase what is found in Wikipedia: 'This suspension bridge, spanning the Menai Strait between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales was designed by Thomas Telford and completed in 1826. It was the world's first major suspension bridge.' Apologies for the missing photo - personal safety comes first. You can find a photo at this link:
Menai Suspension BridgeBeaumaris on the island of Anglesey is famous as the greatest castle never built. It was the last of the royal strongholds created by Edward I in Wales – and perhaps his masterpiece.
Monday was a bank holiday (a long weekend for us North Americans) and the Castle was hosting a festival over the weekend. Now try to imagine the volume of traffic on narrow roads and the challenge with finding a parking space. For some reason, the parking gods did shine their benevolence on me and a space was found. The fee was 6 GBP for 24 hours - no other options. I mention this as I left my parking receipt with the person taking my parking space as I left.
Red Wharf Bay
Next Anglesey Island stop was Red Wharf Bay. Loads of winding and narrow Wales roads to this destination. Finding a parking space in a reasonable time was impossible. I ended parking near the car park long enough to take the photos below. Jeanette thought I'd appreciate the picturesque setting.
South Stacks Lighthouse
Unfortunately I input the wrong destination into the car's GPS and ended up on the South Stacks coast (northwestern part of island) minus the lighthouse. What a wind swept, cold and barren part of the world. Yes, people live in this area. And yes, finding a parking space was equally impossible. People park anywhere and everywhere. Still surprises me that I was able to navigate my way to these places. The drive was Red Wharf Bay to South Stacks was an adventure on multiple single carriage roads. I was driving from the Island's west coast to the east coast. The GPS found the shortest route for sure. All in an effort to improve my driving experience and confidence I'm sure. The photos leave something to be desired as I was hurried. I parked in the handicap parking spaces (briefly) just so I could take a few photos and be on my way. Like I say, we make odd parking decisions...
Betsw y Coed
Monday was dedicated to blog writing. My commitment for a Sunday update sometimes gets usurped by my traveling. My apologies to you, my reader and fellow traveller. Monday morning, local time, seems to be my fallback option. I'm experiencing the same challenge this week. I have to confess that you are best to check for an update on Monday afternoon to ensure you avoid disappointment of a missing update. Again, my apologies. I live in an imperfect world most of the time.
I spent Monday afternoon going on a short trail walk just across the road from my B&B - Jeanette's suggestion. I loved the walk. The sound of rushing water in the stream, the smell of the forest and the peace and quiet. This location reminds me of the Rocky Mountain foothills, specifically the town of Banff, in the province of Alberta, Canada where I grew up. Wales has the sound and feel of the mountains minus the Rockies' majesty. Was a comforting place for me to be.
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After my wilderness adventure, I explored the small village ending up at a coffee shop with outdoor seating at the opposite end of the village. I decided to impose myself on an older looking man sitting by himself at a picnic table outside the cafe. His son soon joined us after speaking with a cyclist that had a titanium bike. The son was a cyclist as well and titanium bikes are very expensive, hence the interest. The father (self disclosed he was 79) started a fabricating business (metal and wood) that he had since passed onto the son who was sitting with us. Fascinating business to learn about. The son was keen about the business which currently employed six people besides the ownership team. The father shared he had lost about 25,000 GBP back in the early seventies to a business partner. Hard lesson learned and never forgotten. Bitterness was still evident. In parting the father expressed thought I had chosen an interesting lifestyle, a lifestyle that he thought he might have enjoyed himself. I forgot to ask their names.
Tuesday was moving day. I had to drive four hours south to the Cardiff Airport to catch my 4 pm flight north to Edinburgh, Scotland. Someone I met had impressed upon the irony of my travel choices - travel by car south so I could fly north. This choice is dictated by the decision to travel by using rental cars. I continue to count my blessings that I decided to have my stolen driver's license replaced and that my younger brother Jim was agreeable to receive the license and then arrange to have the license couriered to my Kuala Lumpur hotel back in July. How our past decisions influence the current day choices...
Scotland
Uneventful flight from Cardiff to Edinburgh; the check-in and boarding process left something to be desired. Hey ho, the continuing saga of the variable airport experience in today's flying experience. I am grateful for the option I have to fly between destinations. I am also grateful each flight has taken off and landed safely. The only real hiccup was the medical emergency on the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai where we had to return to the terminal.
Green Motion, my car rental agency, was offsite in Edinburgh which means you take a bus ride from the terminal to the rental office. The car rental agency, which was unknown to me, has rave reviews based on their customers' feedback. I was on my way after sorting through how to start the car. My destination was The Glen Hotel, Newtonmore in the Scottish Highlands; a 2.5 hour drive on amazing highways. I thought it was a central location to reach my destinations - visiting Loch Ness plus the Glenlivet and Glenfiddich distilleries. I also learned about some additional historical sites to add to my travel itinerary.
Wednesday was a lot of driving. First destination was Loch Ness. I was going to see the Loch Ness monster and end all this uncertainty about its existence. Coincidentally, there was a team on the lake concurrently who published a photo of Nessie.
Loch Ness
Sadly, the mystery of Loch Ness monster remains unresolved by my visit. Beautiful lake, no monster sighting!
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| Loch Ness - looking north |
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| Loch Ness - looking south |
'On 16 April 1746, the final Jacobite Rising came to a brutal head in one of the most harrowing battles in British history.
Jacobite supporters, seeking to restore the Stuart monarchy to the British thrones, gathered to fight the Duke of Cumberland’s government troops. It was the last pitched battle on British soil and, in less than an hour, around 1,600 men were slain – 1,500 of them Jacobites.'
It was a moving experience to walk about the battlefield, imaging what the soldiers experienced on that day. 'The horror, the horror...' (Marlon Brando quote from my all-time favourite movie -
Apocalypse Now)
Quote from Visit Scotland website - see link above):
'Clava Cairns or the Prehistoric Burial Cairns of Bulnuaran of Clava are a group of three Bronze Age cairns located near Inverness. A hugely significant and exceptionally well preserved prehistoric site, Clava Cairns is a fantastic example of the distant history of Highland Scotland, dating back about 4,000 years.'
The Scotch Whiskey Distilleries
I enjoy two specific scotch whiskeys - Glenlivet and Glenfiddich. A desired outcome from being in Scotland was visiting these two distilleries. I should say I used to enjoy drinking these whiskeys. My alcohol abstinence during this journey has affected my alcohol consumption. I now get immediately physically ill if I drink wine or spirits. I have had a beer recently without any adverse effect. Unsure if this is a permanent condition; abstinence has its benefit in contributing to my weight loss over the past several months. I will return to Canada a lighter person than when I left. 😁
Glenlivet
First stop on the Whiskey Trail (yes, Scotland has a whiskey trail with about 50 scotch whiskey distilleries - could be a lifetime adventure to visit them all) was The Glenlivet. I visited the tasting room as I was unable to find the gift shop. Was an amazing experience to be immersed in all that fine scotch whiskey. Good quality scotch as far as the eye can see. The staff were friendly to an extent; much less hospitable than the Glenfiddich staff.
Glenfiddich
I enjoyed the Glenfiddich distillery vibe. I think the number of photos belie the favourable experience I had. Even the distillery setting was more appealing!
My first distillery interaction was with a staff member asking me if I was lost. Apparently I had missed the car park and had driven my car in an area meant for pedestrians. The woman approached the car and, in a kind voice, suggested I was in the wrong area, indicated where I should park my car and asked me to keep my speed to 5 miles per hour for the safety of others. All this information was shared with a smile and understanding. What a great customer experience to start my visit.
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| This scotch is priced at 122,000 GBP |
Newtonmore
Thursday was my day to do more walking. I get much less pleasure from driving these days. All this sitting on my bum also means I get far less exercise through walking. The hotel staff (Kelly, Michelle and Jeanette) were helpful in identifying walking paths. Nikko and Claire, a couple visiting from Edinburgh with walking experience in the area, also shared their walking experiences. The area is stunningly beautiful as hopefully my photos show.
Cats
My curiosity led me to drop into the Wildcat Centre located down the main street from my hotel. I was blessed to have a knowledgeable volunteer inform about the wildcat history. About 900 years ago the multiple small clans (tribes) banded together to help protect themselves in the valley. They chose the wildcat as their collective emblem. Nothing to do with wildcats roaming the valley.
The community also dreamed up the idea to place ceramic cats throughout their village as a promotional idea to interest tourists. There are 132 cats to be found if you really look hard enough. Only four families have found all 132 cates since the idea was launched 25 years ago. And there is more. There is a waiting list within the community to get their own cat. A cat is now attached with a property so when a property is sold the cat is included in the property sale. The Centre, as a fund raiser, sells a small package that has a booklet with all the cats. The idea to to find all the cats listed in the booklet. Here is what I found during my Thursday walk. Guess I'll need to return someday to finish the hunt...
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| On my hotel roof; above entrance |
Glen Roy National Nature Reserve, Fort William and Glencoe
Friday was moving day. I was traveling from Newtonmore to Dunfermline which was about 15 miles from Edinburgh. I discovered through my searching I would be close to a train station so I could take the train to Edinburgh thereby avoiding driving and finding a parking space. The location would also be close to Glasgow and St. Andrews (golf's birthplace).
My journey to my new home for the next four nights took me through more spectacular Scottish landscapes. Scotland is truly a glorious location with so much more to discover than I have had a chance to do in the time I have taken.
Glen Roy National Nature Reserve
Equipped with just a glancing notion about something I had read about the 'Parallel Roads' you would see in this location I input the destination in my Google Maps. I have to confess I missed the turn off initially. I was trying to find destinations the old fashioned way - reading road signs. Seems I misinterpreted a road sign. After backtracking three miles to the turn off and navigating another three miles of single lane roads I arrived. What a great decision to chose this destination. The 'Parallel Roads' refer to the lines in the hillsides that are thought to be left by the receding glaciers in the last ice age.
Fort Williams
Fort Williams is home to Ben Nevis, the UK's highest point. I stopped at a ski site just before Fort William as I was told I could take a gondola ride up another hillside from which I could see Ben Nevis. Great views of Fort William and countryside from where I ended up on this specific hill. I was unsure if I actually saw Ben Nevis though. I planned to stop at the Ben Nevis Reserve to figure how I could get a photo on what happened to be a clear and sunny day. How blessed I was with the weather.
As I was riding the gondola up I glanced down to see two mountain bikes racing down the side of what I thought was a very steep slope with loads of rocks and other obstacles that may cause an instant and painful stop. Mountain biking at its best. The only requirement to use the bike trail was signing a waiver. It's that easy to toy with serious injury - at least for me, that is. I tried to capture the slopes in the following photos:
Ben Nevis
I had to forgo the 13 - 15 hour hike (return) to Ben Nevis' peak. I had to be satisfied with a few photos from a distance. Ben Nevis is the peak to the right in the photo below.
Glencoe
Another beautiful stop on my way was Glencoe. More of nature's beauty at its best!
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| Example of historic living accommodation (recreation) |
St. Andrews
Golf Course
I ended my week by traveling to golf's birthplace - St. Andrews. I was also treated to seeing magnificent historical sites I was unfamiliar with given my preoccupation seeing the golf course. I sat on a bench by the starter's hut on the Jubilee Course. Spoke with a guy who was buying a round of golf for himself, his wife and two sons and had to rent the clubs, pull cart (buggies not allowed unless you're 65 needing assistance to walk), golf tees and balls. He has also purchased a tartan cap to have the full experience.
St Andrews Historical Sites
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| St. Andrews Castle |
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| St. Andrews Castle |
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| Interesting shoreline by castle |
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| Interesting shoreline by castle |
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| St. Andrews Cathedral remains |
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| St. Andrews Cathedral remains |
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| St. Andrews Cathedral remains |
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| St. Andrews Cathedral remains |
Crail
I took the scenic route (following the coast) to return to my hotel from St. Andrews. I made one stop at Caril, a seaside village to take some photos, walk about and have my new favourite coffee - flat white.
I met my new best friend, Morgan, while exploring the village. He was sitting in a chair on the sidewalk in front of his B&B. He was a retired property developer from Edinburgh who was strongly disliking his retirement. We managed to cover a range of topics including his divorce, his two daughters living and going to university in Toronto and Vancouver as well how to pronounce both Edinburgh and loch correctly. Scotland's richness is non-stop!
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| My coffee by the roadside |
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| Cafe serving my flat white |
Drying My Hand Wash
My thanks to whoever created the towel warmer. What a godsend to assist in drying my hand washed laundry. Just in case you are unfamiliar with this device, the rack has an electrical heating element that warms the metal frame that then warms a towel. The outcome is you have a toasty towel to dry yourself after a shower. And it also does a brilliant job in drying wet laundry!
Canadiana in Scotland
Lo and behold! Tim Horton's is in Dunfermline, Scotland! After further research, I've found that there are at least 77 Tim Horton locations in the UK! I had no idea that Tim's was in the UK. Here's the link to their UK website for anyone who wants to learn more about this business (there is info on Tim Hortons history) that started in Canada in the coffee and donut business -
Tim Hortons - UK. Think Dunkin Donuts for anyone unfamiliar with Tim Horton's.
Meals and Treats
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Carrot cake and flat white
Break in my Thursday walks |
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| Haggis for breakfast |
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| Black pudding for breakfast |
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| Dinner - Pork chop with fixings |
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Dinner
Beef stew, mashed potatoes and my veggies |
Next Week
My Scotland plan is to visit Edinburgh on Sunday and visit Glasgow on Monday if time permits - blog writing may influence my travel plans. I fly to Dublin on Tuesday to start my Ireland adventure. Look forward to catching up with you next week.
Monday was a bank holiday (a long weekend for us North Americans) and the Castle was hosting a festival over the weekend. Now try to imagine the volume of traffic on narrow roads and the challenge with finding a parking space. For some reason, the parking gods did shine their benevolence on me and a space was found. The fee was 6 GBP for 24 hours - no other options. I mention this as I left my parking receipt with the person taking my parking space as I left. 
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