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Scotland, Part One

So… you can probably guess where we went based on the title of this post.  We just got back from a trip to Scotland.  The trip was planned a few years ago and then cancelled when Josh was laid off.  Then it was back on and cancelled when I changed jobs.  But like they say, third time’s a charm?

I like to think that it was even better than it would have been if we had gone when we first planned the trip because (1) the kids were older and able to do so much more, (2) everyone pitched in with the planning, (3) we savoured it deeply knowing that it was cancelled twice.  There were plenty of times on the trip when I burst into tears of happiness, so much so that it became a joke where everyone in the family would stare at me when we reached a spot, waiting for me to start sobbing.  So I got to enjoy those, “I can’t believe we’re really here” moments along with the scenery.  Scotland is just a place I’ve always wanted to go.

Just as we had abnormally cold weather in Montreal, we had abnormally warm weather in Scotland.  Everywhere we went, people commented on how Scotland was never like this.  We never saw rain.  It was 70ish degrees every day.  We spent every single day outside, sometimes until midnight because once we got up to the northern towns, there was (at least some) light almost 24 hours per day.

But I’m getting ahead of myself because we started in Edinburgh.  We chose Scotland because we aim to give JK Rowling 100% of our money, and Scotland held the last few Harry Potter sites we couldn’t cover in England.  We went to Greyfriars Kirkyard, which holds the tombstones for Potter, Black, McGonigal, Moody, Scrimgeour, and Riddle.

Greyfriars Kirkyard

We toured Edinburgh Castle, went on the best Sherlock Holmes tour, spat on the Heart of Midlothian, and touched the Flodden Wall.

Flodden Wall

We went on the Royal Britannia, which is currently docked in Scotland, and rubbed Bobby Greyfriar’s nose.

Bobby Greyfriar

We saw the hotel room where JK Rowling finished Harry Potter…

Balmoral Hotel

…and I sat for a moment at her table when we had dinner at Elephant House where she wrote the earlier books…

Elephant House

…and sobbed reading the graffiti that covers every single inch of the bathroom wall (and ceiling) signed with messages of love from Dumbledore’s Army.

Dumbledore's Army

After a few days in Edinburgh, we continued on to Glasgow to do a bunch of Charles Rennie Mackintosh things, including a sneak peek into the newly restored Mackintosh at the Willow and tea at a “Mockintosh,” which are the fake Mackintosh tea rooms in the city.

Mackintosh

Next we moved into the Highlands, traveling to Loch Lomond, Glencoe, and Glenfinnan where we saw the viaduct from the Harry Potter movies.

Hogwart's Viaduct

We went out to Mallaig and took the Jacobite — the Hogwarts Express — back to Fort William.

Riding the Hogwarts Express

We hung out at the Drovers Inn — which is deliciously creepy — and went out to Loch Ness (no monster found) and Pitlochry and Cairngorms National Park.

Drover's Inn

We loved hard on the hairy coos.

hairy coo

And then finally… we headed north.  Like really really really north.

To be continued.

14 comments

1 Turia { 07.17.18 at 11:05 am }

What a great trip! Can’t wait for the next installment.

I think there is so much to be said for waiting to see some things until the kids are a certain age. Q and I have these discussions all the time because there are certain places I really want to go see that could be made to be little-kid friendly and I just flat out do not want to go until P is older and we are not dealing with naps or diapers, etc. Q keeps pointing out we could go back, but really, the odds are we won’t, so I don’t want to spoil those places by being there in a stage of life where I can’t feel like I can really enjoy them (Newfoundland and Ireland are the two main examples)

2 Charlotte { 07.17.18 at 11:27 am }

Ahhh…I LOVE Scotland. I can’t wait to go back one day.

I am so glad you finally got to go…I know how heartbreaking it is to have to cancel big plans when life gets in the way.

Wowowow…I am in love with that bathroom wall…that is SO amazing!!!

3 Sharon { 07.17.18 at 12:27 pm }

Very cool! Scotland is on my list of places I would like to visit someday.

4 Mali { 07.17.18 at 7:42 pm }

Ooooh, I love a good travel blog! Scotland has been moving up on my to-go-next list, as I have Scottish ancestry, but these days, with the call of photography and puffins, it is getting closer. So I loved this.

I’m glad you had a wonderful time. I also know the feeling of being in a place that seems unbelieveable and having a little cry, though it happened to me elsewhere.

5 Cristy { 07.17.18 at 8:04 pm }

Oh my, those photos. Particularly the one of you in the booth! Looking forward to part 2

6 Claire Purkis { 07.17.18 at 11:22 pm }

I’ve spent many happy summers in Scotland and your trio sounds like a very happy summer. Were you there for the heat wave? So wonderful to read this and see pics. Can’t wait to read more!

7 Claire Purkis { 07.17.18 at 11:22 pm }

Trip not trio!

8 Valery { 07.18.18 at 4:11 am }

We are going there next week! Can’t wait to read more travel tips (and tricks)

9 Raven { 07.18.18 at 10:08 am }

This is one of my dream trips! I made Mr. Big promise that when I finish my Masters, we will celebrate with a trip to Ireland and Scotland! Looks wonderful! (Also i’d sob at the Dumbledores Army graffiti too!)

10 Charlie's Bird { 07.19.18 at 4:46 am }

Eeek! I’m squealing with excitement! We had a fabulous holiday in Scotland last year, its just fabulous!

11 Lori Lavender Luz { 07.19.18 at 3:16 pm }

I love all these pix, but my fave is the one with you in it 🙂

12 loribeth { 07.19.18 at 4:43 pm }

SO. JEALOUS. What a fabulous trip! I’ve loved Scotland ever since I bought “Nancy Drew & the Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes” with my own hard-saved allowance money when I was 7. 😉 I have added incentive to get there one of these days, as I have some ancestral roots there, including some distant cousins I’ve collaborated with on genealogy research. Thanks for sharing such great pics!

13 Jess { 07.26.18 at 9:50 pm }

What an amazing trip! I love that you basically made a Harry Potter tour.i love the train, and the coos, and of course you sitting at that table! Magical. Definitely a bucket list trip!

14 Jess { 07.26.18 at 9:52 pm }

AND I had no idea about the cemetery thing and the names! So cool. And the bathroom wall with the DA messages made me tear up. I can’t imagine what that was like to see in person!

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