After the Glenfiddich distillery tour we drove back west and then south along the western shore of Loch Ness for a look at Urquhart Castle . Cameras in hand, we were ready for Nessie, as the Loch Ness monster is known by her friends. Urquart Castle is close to the 1933 sighting of Nessie, but, alas, a boat was the closest thing to a monster we saw.
Lock Ness and Urquart Castle
Urquart Castle looks a little worse for wear after a 1000 years of fighting over its ramparts. It was near here that “Bonnie Prince Charlie” was defeated at the Battle of Culloden, outside Inverness on April 16th, 1746. To celebrate the British victory George Frideric Handel composed a three-act oratorio (an extended musical composition for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra) which when performed in Edinburgh in 2009, 263 years after the battle, outraged its Scottish audience, proving that the Scots do not forget or forgive.
(Who was Bonnie Prince Charlie you ask. If you insist, See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Edward_Stuart)
Ooops, a little flat tire misadventure on the narrow road back to Invergordon
KIRKWALL, SCOTLAND
Kirkwall and Skara Brae, Orkney Islands of Scotland
Kirkwall is the largest settlement and the capital of the Orkney Islands. Except for its cathedral, there is not much to see in the village. However, Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar and other important and impressive Neolithic archaeological sites lie a short drive from town and are not to be missed. We reserved Mercedes van and a guide for the day (good work Brenna!).
In the tender headed for the Kirkwall dock
David Hamilton of www.redsorkneytours.com. David is owner and guide.
Countyside outside Kirkwall Scotland Orkney Islands
Gives new meaning to “windswept.”
Ring of Brodgar — Neolithic stone circle
Skara Brae–ruins of a neolithic village dating to around 3100 BC.
Skara Brae village–artist reconstruction
Maeshowe– Built circa 3500 BC and considered to be the finest neolithic chambered tomb north of the Alps.
PORTREE, SCOTLAND
Our next port of call was scheduled to be Portree . The morning we arrived offshore of the port the weather was foul, moderate rain and rough seas, and conditions were not improving. We hung around for several hours hoping for calmer seas, but the Captain finally gave up and announced on the that it was unsafe to tender into Portree. We heard the rumble of the anchor chain coming up, and the boat turned away toward Oban, our next scheduled port of call. Ah, well . . ..
Waiting to tender into Portree, Angela and Brenna popped up on the ship TV
OBAN, SCOTLAND
Oban, Scotland
Oban is a little low-key place of about 10,000 residents . The village is arrayed along the waterfront and is mostly about two streets deep. Oban’s claim to fame is its position as the gateway to the Hebrides Islands. We were the only cruise ship in port and so would have Oban to ourselves.
Oban, Scotland
We rode the tender through moderate chop and rain into the Oban harbor. To escape the rain we headed straight for the Oban distillery (the scotch is named after the town), a brief walk from the dock and the largest building in the village. And . . .
Oban Distillery
. . .more tasting.
Next we found a taxi to the Highland Games in a park a mile or so above the town. The games are a home town affair, not a show put on for tourists. The stands were filled with locals who shouted their approval for a good toss of the stone or hammer. There were foot races for everyone from serious runner to kids. However, the highlight of the afternoon was the big boys throwing everything from heavy stones and long hammers to what looked the be telephone poles.
Tossing the stone ball for distance.
Paul and Pam watching the Highland Games
Paul in a pub back in Oban