Aug 2007

It's been getting a bit monotonous lately, getting up - working - pub - sleeping blah blah blah. So we took a long weekend off from work, got a rental car and went to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

First night was at a place called Kinlochleven, 20 min drive from Fort William. On the way we stopped in at Sterling to see the old town and the castle (which is supposed to rival Edinburgh for Scotland’s best castle), and it was ok but we didn't go through the whole thing so it's a bit hard to compare.

Got to Kinlochleven in the afternoon, small town Scotland right by a loch. We stayed at the local backpackers and went for a few walks to some local waterfalls. They were ok and the veiws of the loch and valley were pretty cool.

2nd day was in Fort William, the UK's version of Queenstown/Wanaka. It's a little below NZ standards veiw and mountain wise, Ben Nevisis the highest at around 1300m. But the town itself is good. There were heaps of people around because of the local Highland games on that afternoon, which we decided to check out. They were kind of like a small town athletic events with 100m sprinting mixed with hammer throws and caber tossing. They also had a reenactment group doing some sword fighting shows and some highland dancing troupes.

We got bored of the games pretty quickly and headed of to the Ben Nevis Gondola. It was raining and visibility was pretty poor by the time we got there, couldn't even see the top of the gondola but we decided to go up anyway.
Bad Idea, as at the top the visibility was even poorer the rain was harder and it was pretty damn cold. We tried to go on one of the walks to see some views but it really started packing in so we headed back to the gondola restaurant and warmed up with some hot soup.

So after the disappointing gondola trip we headed to the small town of Kyle of Locash, right next to the Isle of Skye.
The next morning was spent and the Eilean Donan Castle still on the mainland, apparently Scotland most photographed castle. It wasn't very big but it wasn't your standard castle as it was done up inside like a English country house.
The bagpiper outside was really good but every time he blew into his pipes his neck popped out like a bullfrog.

After the castle we headed over the Skye bridge to the Isle of Skye and go for a walk to go a see some otters. Well no otters but some ok scenery.
We then went onto a glass bottom boat apparently to see the local marine life. It was kinda lame as the only life was a few seals sunbathing on a rock but nothing under the water, just a guy talking about what 'could be' or 'once was' under the water .

Our last day was spent taking the long way home around Loch Ness and back down to Edinburgh through the center of Scotland.

We stopped at a few places along the east back of Loch Ness and saw some old castles. There's bleeding castles everywhere here, but no nessie.

Our main reason for taking the long way home was to go to 'Landmark' which is a high wire course / kids theme park. It was pretty cool there if a bit kiddy, especially since it was English and Scottish school holidays and it seemed every kid in the country was there. Still we had a good time and got to see a different type of squirrel (the red squirrel).

And that was our little trip done, back home to Edinburgh and our little place on Brandon terrace.

So a few weeks ago now me and Rach got a real cultural Scottish experience and a bit of a knees up. Which they call a ceilidh, pronounced kay-leigh (i don't get it either). It was a fund raiser of some sort but I was mainly there to get some proper haggis. Mmmmmm mmm random meat minced up and cooked in a sheep’s stomach, yum!!

Bit of a surprise when we got there, as it was in a church hall and you had to start dancing straight away. Not even the robot or anything cool like that but folk dancing??!!!?!?!? So while the Gay Gordon’s was playing we warmed up with some £1 pints and wines.

Eventually after and bit of false confidence and jeering we got up and joined the rest of them on the floor.

Half way through the dinner was served, Paper plates and Mush. Well Haggis, Neeps (mashed parsnip) and tatties (mashed potatoes). It might not have looked very appetizing but tasted really good (I’ve even had it a few times since). Rach had the lighter veggie haggis, a bit nutty but still good. We'd Highly recommend you get some.

But the dinner was not to last as it was time to get our dancing shoes back on and see out the night. Of course everyone was getting a bit merry by this time and most of the dances were turning into a bit of a mess, especially the Flying Scotsman which was a mix between bull rush and river dance.

Then right at the end everyone held hands it a big circle and sang 'Auld Lang Syne' and in the chorus the two sides of the hall ran at each other, these Scottish are as nuts as their haggis.

But these things are not to last as at a bit past 12 we had to clean up the place and put away the tables for Sunday school the next morning.