A tour of Scotland, from Edinburgh all the way up to the Shetland Islands, crossing the Highlands. FANTASTIC!!!
This year I decided to spend my summer holidays in Scotland. A 16-day trip, precisely from 21/08/07 to 06/09/07. I had already been in April 2005, but I had promised myself I would return to visit the far north, pushing on up to the Shetland Islands.
Day 121 Aug 2007
Departure
I leave from Milan Malpensa at 12:50 and land in Edinburgh at 14:20. I pick up a rental car and head straight to the B&B I booked in advance to drop off my luggage. I take a stroll in the center and in the evening I go to see the Edinburgh military festival Tattoo which takes place right in front of the castle. What can I say about Edinburgh? It's fabulous, the whole historic center is stunning! There's everything here, lots of pubs, restaurants, shops, shopping centers... no room for boredom!!!! A must-stop is the visit to the castle, from which there's a spectacular view over the whole city. Also very interesting is the official residence of the royal family in Edinburgh, the palace can be reached by walking along the Royal Mile.
Sea with Caribbean colours on the north coast
Day 222 Aug 2007
Oban - Highland games
08/22/07 I leave Edinburgh and head to Oban, where the next day the characteristic "Highland games" will take place. Oban is a beautiful little town on the west coast, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. There are several shops, pubs and restaurants and a beautiful promenade, where you can take pleasant walks. The Highland games are athletics competitions, but the setting is rather remote. The participants are dressed in the characteristic kilt and the competition equipment is rather rudimentary (there's the caber toss for example or the tug of war). Besides this, there are competitions of traditional Scottish dance and of bagpipes.
The Standing Stones of Stenness at sunset - Orkney Islands
Day 324 Aug 2007
Towards Ullapool
08/24/07 I leave Oban to head north. The landscape that appears before me is the characteristic one of the Highlands. The woods and forests give way to the moors, forming a stunning contrast of colors... green, yellow, purple, brown. I arrive in Ullapool, on the northwest coast and I stop there for one night.
Scapa Flow, Orkney - wreck of a German ship
Day 425 Aug 2007
Thurso
From Ullapool I go to Thurso on the north coast to take the ferry that will take me to Stromness on the Orkney Islands. Along the way I stop at Smoo on the northern coast, beautiful landscape and possibility of accessing some caves. A little further on I stop to admire a white beach and a sea with Caribbean colors. To get to Thurso, after crossing the Highlands, the road is rather narrow and single-lane (two-way) so it often happens that you have to pull over in one of the numerous "passing places" to let the cars coming from the opposite direction pass.
Shetland islands
Day 526 Aug 2007
Isole Orcadi - Orkney Islands
We set off for Stromness (Orkney Islands) and arrive there after about 2 hours of sailing. In northern Scotland the wind gusts are rather strong, so the sea is quite rough. Once I arrive at my destination, I immediately take a tour of the island, looking for a place to stay for a couple of days. I decide to stop in Kirkwall, the main city and starting point for the Shetlands. The landscape of the Orkneys is characterized by an endless series of cultivated fields, cows and sheep everywhere. If it weren't for the sea, I'd think I was in the Po Valley ^_^. The coasts though are beautiful and the sea is stunning, in some spots you happen to see the wrecks of the German ships that scuttled themselves in the bay of Scapa Flow. A must-stop in Stenness to admire the famous "standing stones" and at the Kirkwall distillery, the northernmost in the world, where Highland Park whisky is produced.
Shetland Pony
Day 628 Aug 2007
Shetland Islands
Departure for Lerwick - Shetland Islands. I leave at 11:30 p.m. and arrive around 7-7:30 in the morning. The landscape of these islands, unlike that of the Orkneys, is very wild and recalls that of the Highlands. Almost everywhere, besides the numerous sheep and cows, there are the famous Shetland ponies, very short and adorable horses. Apart from Lerwick which is the main city, the other towns are rather small and the Nordic and Viking influence is evident, you can breathe it in the air and notice it from the colors of the houses. In some areas you travel several km without meeting any village, but the colors of the landscape are truly beautiful!
Oban
Day 731 Aug 2007
Leaving the islands
I leave the Shetland Islands to return to the northern coast of Great Britain, but I must first make a stopover in Kirkwall, where I will spend the night.
Oban - Highland Games
Day 81 Sep 2007
Loch Ness
From Kirkwall I return to the "mainland" and head towards the mysterious Loch Ness. I take a tour of Inverness, I like the city a lot, there's everything here... lots of venues, shops, shopping centers and a beautiful castle. I stop in Fort Augustus where I stay in a cozy B&B.. 09/01/07 I decide to take a cruise on Loch Ness, I must say the water is very dark and you can't see anything of what's underneath. It's truly a challenge, understanding what really hides in the depths of the lake.
Orkney Islands
Day 92 Sep 2007
Ullapool
I leave Loch Ness and return to Ullapool, where I take the ferry to the Isle of Lewis. The crossing lasts about 3 hours. The island is quite big and I head straight to the standing stones site, which is second only to Stonehenge in size and number of monoliths. Apart from that, the island doesn't offer anything else of interest...
Sunset on the Orkney islands
Day 104 Sep 2007
Aviemore
I leave the Isle of Lewis, the sea is very rough due to the bad weather. I head towards Edinburgh and stop in Aviemore in the central area. The town is full of pubs and there are quite a few tourists.
Highlands
Day 115 Sep 2007
Edinburgh
I head to Edinburgh, the last stop of the trip. I pay one last visit to the city and, reluctantly, on 6 September 2007, I board the plane that will take me home and that will mark the end of my trip!!!! I will miss everything about Scotland: the landscapes of the Highlands, the warmth of the people, the smell of burning peat, the Shetland ponies, the lochs, the castles, the cliffs, the Atlantic Ocean, the whisky, the cider beer... EVERYTHING!!!!
un bel viaggiare il tuo, che mi porta a giovani ricordi sulla scozia, foto molto belle che già bastano a commentare il tuo viaggiare.
un saluto e buonviaggioancora!
ventoenuvole
idamdolciaria · 24/02/2012
Egregia vagabonda,
mi voglio congratulare per i dettagli del tuo viaggio in Scozia ma soprattutto per le foto che hai inserito : sono meravigliose!
Saluti. idamdolciaria
2 reader comments
un bel viaggiare il tuo, che mi porta a giovani ricordi sulla scozia, foto molto belle che già bastano a commentare il tuo viaggiare. un saluto e buonviaggioancora! ventoenuvole
Egregia vagabonda, mi voglio congratulare per i dettagli del tuo viaggio in Scozia ma soprattutto per le foto che hai inserito : sono meravigliose! Saluti. idamdolciaria