I probably would have skipped this tour and spent more time in Edinburgh if I’d known what it was going to be like. I chose Rabbie’s because they offer smaller, more personal tours. With bus tours, a lot depends on the driver/guide you get, and I just didn’t really get on with my guide. He didn’t talk enough during the drive – I love a guide that just tells you everything about the country and the history you’re passing through. This guy was more into playing music, which would have been ok, if he’d stuck to Scottish music, and didn’t keep veering off into random music like Pink Floyd. (That was when he really lost me…I hate Pink Floyd. Nails on a chalkboard…)
The largest horses in the world; who knew they lived in Scotland?
And I was just a bit underwhelmed by the scenery too. The Highlands are beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but they are so very much like where I live, in the Pacific Northwest.
Everyone else on the tour was oohing, and I was just…it looks like home. Yeah, by this time I was completely spoiled by all the things I’d already seen, in Iceland and elsewhere.
I don’t remember the name of the place those first three pictures were taken. Some loch on the way to Glencoe.
Glencoe, at least, did live up to my expectations of beauty. That is definitely a place worth going to. And different than home, yes!
And here’s an example though, of why I didn’t like my guide overly much. He told us basically nothing about the history of Glencoe. I knew the basics, of course, but I’m sure there are tons of fascinating details I don’t know – and in opinion, a guide shouldn’t assume his tour already knows even the basics. I had perfect weather, again, and the guide did a great job of beating the large tours up here, so we got an unspoiled walkaround.
After Glencoe, we went to Loch Ness. I was super pleased with my guide here, because instead of taking us to one of the touristy, busy parts of the lake, he brought us to a little village whose name I have forgotten. Queen Victoria came here, though, on her tour of the Highlands. She was eating her lunch on the deck of her boat when they came through the canal locks, and was very displeased by the rudeness of the villagers who all crowded around the banks to stare at her while she ate. In reality, though, it wasn’t to see her eat, but simply because they always gathered to watch boats pass through the locks.
I got to watch four boats go through the locks while I was there, and it was fascinating.
One thing that was on my must-do list was try a steak and kidney pie. I finally had my chance. I took it down to Loch Ness to eat.
It was good! I’m now a fan.
Loch Ness itself was very quiet and peaceful. I sat beside the water for almost an hour. So pretty. And so much like home.
From the Loch, there’s a canal through the village.
On the way back to Edinburgh, we stopped briefly in Pitlochry. It’s another village that Queen Victoria visited. Another solo girl from the tour and I foraged out together, first to find a restroom, and then ice cream. She had the familiar choice of raspberry. I tried the Traditional.
The girl (as we’re waiting for the clerk): “What flavor is that? Vanilla?”
The clerk: “No. It tastes like…like milk.”
The girl, making a disgusted face: “Milk????”
It was good. It did taste like milk, very very creamy rich milk. There was another flavoring in there, too, but I couldn’t identify what it was.
Continuing on in the bus, we had to stop for some hairy coos.
I was so delighted.
And so was everyone else on the bus.
Out of Eden 