Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The opinions I express here are entirely my own. (Unfortunately) I’m not getting paid to write any of this (yet).
I had been dying to go to the Highlands since my first visit to Scotland, back in 2012. Because I turned 25 while I was living in Anstruther, my parents, being as awesome as always, decided to treat me with a two-day tour to the north of Scotland!
Now, I had never been a fan of tours. I’ve always liked the experience of discovering a place on you own, your pace, your rhythm. No need to have someone screaming from a megaphone. However, I had been looking at numbers, and the cost of going alone to the north of Scotland was significantly higher than joining a company. So, at the end, I had to give in. Nevertheless, my mum, being the most amazing former travel agent ever, found this company that organises tours for very small groups and at a very reasonable price. Ergo, she booked me a spot with Rabbie’s Trail Burners.
The departure
The tour left from Edinburgh, near the Balmoral Hotel, so the location was pretty central. I had a cup of tea while the rest of the crowd gathered and I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that we were only 7 people in the group!
Our guide, Paul, was great. He was also starting a blog and his girlfriend was Mexican-American, so we shared our mutual disgust for Donald Trump.
Our first stop was in the River Tay, where we were able to have a walk along the shoreline and take some pictures of Dunkeld Cathedral. The weather was cold and crisp and the sky had a wonderful shade of grey. Some of the other tour members were complaining about it, but I thought that it really enriched that typical Scottish feeling.
The next destination was The Hermitage, which is a wooded glen next to the river Braan. And let me tell you, the scenery was breath-taking. Or at least that’s what I remember because my camera chose to stop working at that precise moment. Although I could still take pictures, the display refused to turn on so I was blindly snapping shots in (shivers) auto-mode. I got some photos with my mobile phone where I kind of managed not to look like I was crying inside. A new camera was definitely not on my budget and, at the same time, I felt like I was missing the experience of the place because I was so worried.
An Indian girl and her mother, whom I had befriended along the way, suggested me to do the best we technology illiterates can do in these kinds of situations: turn it off and wait for the best.
Pitlochry
Praise the lord for the girl and her mum’s wisdom. When we arrived to the next stop in the itinerary I decided to turn my camera on again and voilà.
With my reborn camera I was fully able to enjoy the beauty of Pitlochry, this tiny Victorian town filled with old charm.
I decided to walk along the main street, which was full of souvenirs shops and tea houses. I (again) resisted the urge to get me a woollen scarf and a stuffed bagpiper, but I decided to treat myself with some tea and a melt sandwich in Hettie’s Tearoom.
I absolutely loved the place. It was so quirky and colourful and they actually brought me a timer so I could know the exact moment when I could drink my tea. What can be more British than that?
Sláinte – The Whisky Distillery
While we were back on the van, Paul casually asked us if we would like to get out of schedule and stop for some whisky tasting… Sound of brakes going out and then cut to the eight of us seated around a table at Dalwhinnie Distillery.
Let me tell you something, if you want a tour group to bond, this is the best way of doing so. I mean, not all the people from the group decided to do the tasting (the Indian girls, a Japanese lady and Paul, our designated driver, opted to skip it), but we still sat together and had a chat while they served us, whisky enthusiasts, some samples.
The tasting was amazing! The whisky was paired with different kinds of chocolate, which is officially, my new best combination ever. We had to take a sip from one of these lovely glasses and then bite one of the chocolates. We also had some water if we wanted to dilute the whisky (believe me, it was necessary sometimes) and they gave us a five-pound discount in any bottle we bought at the shop.
Cairngorm National Park
The last stop before Inverness was Cairngorm National Park and it’s everything you could expect from any Highland forest. The trees were majestic and the view from lake towards the castle made you want to sing a Celtic song and dance around a bonfire. Sorry if I’m stereotyping here, but the feel of that place almost made me time travel.
We took a hike around the shoreline and explore the surrounding areas. Also, I found another advantage of travelling with a tour group: No more awkward selfies. One of the guys was kind enough to capture some shots of me in this magical background an I for once didn’t have to run like a maniac before the timer stopped.
Inverness
The final destination of the day was Inverness. We would spend the night there and then continue our way next morning before returning to Edinburgh.
The tour gave you the option to choose between a hotel, a B&B and a hostel. I went with the B&B because, secretly, I’m an old lady at heart. And also because I’d had enough of hostels after my fight with the manager in Anstruther. And I didn’t regret it at all.
Pine Guest House was absolutely adorable. Angela, the landlady was charming. She helped me carry my bag upstairs, lend me a phone charger (I forgot mine in Anstruther) and said she liked my name.
The house was this lovely Victorian construction full of china miniatures and antique carpets. After a month of sharing a room with two other people, having a double bed for my own and an en-suite bathroom felt like heaven.
I was very tired after travelling the whole day, but I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if I hadn’t gone for a walk to the town centre. It was kind of late when we arrived to Inverness, so most of the places were already closing. However, just the view was worth it.
I wondered around the paved streets and entered a few shops, but there wasn’t much more I could do. I decided to order some take out and headed back to the B&B. The city looked exquisite and it was a shame that I didn’t get to see it on daylight. But I’ll make sure to go back at some point.
Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle
Next day Paul picked us up and took us to one of the highlights of the trip: Loch Ness.
I wasn’t really expecting to have tea with Nessie, but I was quite curious about the place. How could I not, with all that publicity around it? Again, as most Scottish landscapes, this one did not disappoint. The loch was huge and that particular silver shade of the water keeps amazing me even now.
You could book a boat to cross it and get to Urquhart Castle. Nevertheless, I decided it was not worth my £20.00.
I got to Urquhart Castle by Van. Even though I had already been to other castle ruins in Scotland, I still find amazing exploring the vestiges of a place so full of history. Every time I go to a place like that I find it very easy to reconstruct how life must have been back then.
I wandered among the building, taking awkward selfies and got my mum an Outlander postcard in the gift shop, because she would have hated me if I hadn’t.
Glencoe
I loved every single moment of my Highlands’ trip, but Glencoe was the absolute best. Glencoe is one of Scotland’s most famous glens and to say that the scenery is mesmerizing is an understatement.
We stopped at the three sisters, which is a set of peaks that rises above the road. The ridges are full of water channels that slither down the crests like tears. Just the mere sight of them made me shiver. Once you are actually there you feel so insignificant. And, the same time, so alive that you actually felt like you could fly:
The tour also decided to have a look at the visitor’s centre and have some lunch. We had a chance to wander around and take some pictures. However, I truly believe that this spot alone deserves a trip all of its own. The place is full of local stories and myths and everywhere you look you can find a photo-worthy scenario.
We drove back to Edinburgh while Paul filled us with a bunch of very interesting facts about the area. Apparently, Gaelic, the Celtic native language of Scotland is still alive around the area. Also, he pointed some places where the filmed Outlander TV series (if you haven’t watched it, please do). He told us that, despite being a British show, they didn’t air it in the UK after its world release because they thought it’d affect the results of the Scottish referendum.
I arrived to the capital exhausted, sore after being stuck in a van for hours and in desperate need of a shower, but extremely happy. I thought Edinburgh was one of the most amazing places in Scotland, but The Highlands really honoured its reputation. It is not hard to imagine why they have inspired so many fairy tales and folklore.
I can’t thank my parents enough for the present. If I ever have a chance to go back and enjoy more days in the beautiful north of the country I would take the opportunity without thinking it twice.