The Highlands: Day One
A trip to Scotland would never be complete without a visit to the glorious highlands and that’s exactly what I did during April 2016. I had always planned to visit as much of Scotland as I could during my time in the UK and on the advice from a friend, I planned my week away with this particular three day trip as my central reason for visiting. I want to preface this post by saying that visiting the Highlands with Nory from Heartland Travel was without a doubt one of my highlights during my time abroad. He was so welcoming and beautifully passionate about both Scotland and his clients. We joined the tour early in the morning departing from Stirling and were eventually joined by other international students from the area. The itinerary was fairly jam packed over the three days though given I didn’t have access to transport myself, this was the most practical way to see as much as possible. We saw so many iconic locations and had the pleasure of hearing both Nory’s amazing stories which were interwoven with a mixture of Scottish folklore and history. Below is Doune Castle which is home to scenes from both Outlander and Game of Thrones, it was the first stop of many along the way.
Whilst Scotland’s national animal is actually the unicorn, personally I am a strong supporter of the Highland cow being considered. They’re such incredible creatures and mostly still a novelty to me, given the difference between them and the livestock we have here in Australia. Much to the dismay of the rest of the group I was eventually asked by day three to stop pointing them out along the way. (Sorry not sorry guys!) We were able to stop and feed some of them not long after our visit to Doune Castle.
Seeing Glencoe in person was an experience in itself, the mountains extend along a vast valley, with twisting roads built through them. During our first day we saw snippets of many iconic locations (Skyfall or Harry Potter anyone?) and I was so happy to see snow capped mountains again. Many of the landscapes were breathtaking and I was so excited to see the rest of the locations given we had only just passed through the entrance of the Highlands. We had a small hike to complete around lunchtime which was a wonderful way to stretch our legs whilst really appreciating the scenery.
The Glenfinnan viaduct was another famous location we visited along the way. By the time we reached the area there was a misty but steady rainfall, which just added to the atmosphere. With so many expansive views there was so much to take in, on one side of the viaduct, sits the Glenfinnan monument. The monument was created as a tribute to the clansmen who fought and died for Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart) during the Jacobite risings. Beyond the monument is Loch Shiel, which was featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Our final castle visit for day one was Eilean Donan castle located one the edge of a gorgeous location. The castle is connected to the mainland via a bridge and is popular spot for tourists. I should note as well that many of these structures have incredible histories behind them, which are well worth reading up on if you’re so inclined. After visiting the castle we made our way to our accommodation for the evening to prepare dinner and rest up before more exploring over the course of the next two days. In the following posts I will be recounting our visit to the Isle of Skye and famous Loch Ness!
Kathleen Freeman is a graphic designer and freelance writer; she is currently undertaking a Media and Communications degree. In her spare time she continues the search to find the book/coffee shop combination store throughout the globe.
All images, unless otherwise stated, are copyright of Kathleen Freeman, and may not be reproduced without express written permission of the author.