Loch Ness, Scotland, United Kingdom
Friday, July 23, 2010
I went on a day tour today into the Highlands of Scotland. Leaving Edinburgh we stopped at Callander to visit Hamish the highland coo. As our bus pulled into the stop, it scrapped along a wall and two of the windows shattered. We were only meant to have a quick photo stop with the cows but unfortunately due to the damage we had to wait 1 ½ hours while another bus was sent from Edinburgh for us to use. These cows were just so cute. They are born and bred to deal with the extreme weather conditions of the Highlands of Scotland. They don’t have a layer of fat to keep them warm, just an extra weatherproof coat, and they have a long fringe that keeps the rain and wind out of their eyes. You were able to buy vegetables from the farm to feed the two cows that were in the paddock and they were just so gentle even with the crowds of people swarming around them. Once we got our new bus we headed towards Glencoe which was a gorgeous region in which we passed lochs (bodies of water), bens (mountains) and glens (valleys). Along the way we saw the area that was used as the setting for Hagrid’s Hut in Harry Potter. We made a stop at Fort William and Fort Augustus where we had a late lunch break and a Loch Ness Cruise. The hour long ride took us out into Loch Ness and we were able to see on the monitors below images of the Loch below the water. The depth of the water, temperature and sea-life were being monitored, along with an image of what it would look like if you were walking along on the bottom of the loch. It was really deep and cold, and the few divers that have been in have had to be attached to an anchor because within a few metres the water is pitch black and you become completely disorientated. Did I see Nessie? Well I’ll let you decide from the photos. I can say for certain that swans seem to be the only wildlife out there in abundance. After our cruise finished we hopped back on the bus, stopping for dinner in Pitlochry and enjoying the sunset as we made our way into Edinburgh at 10pm. I think the Highlands of Scotland are one of the most beautiful places, especially on such a warm and sunny day like it was today. Everything was so alive and green, yet so peaceful and deserted. It would be nice to spend more time exploring even further north towards the Isle of Skye and to have the chance to see a little more at a slower pace. That will have to be saved for my next trip.
