I am enjoying this trip so much. I apologize for not being able to keep up with the blogging. Most nights after sightseeing all day, I’m ready for bed, and then it takes so long for pictures to upload 😩.
Yesterday we visited Glamis Castle, which was the Queen Mother’s childhood home, and where Princess Margaret was born. The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghome still resides at the castle. My favorite part was the chapel, where paintings of the 12 apostles surrounded the small room. Afterwards, we traveled north to Dunnottar Castle ruins, set on a high cliff overlooking the sea, on the east coast of Scotland. By the time we reached Stonehaven, entry to the ruins was closed. However, we were able to enjoy the location and take lots of photos, including the sheep grazing nearby. (There are many, many sheep, everywhere we go!) Then it was on to our lodging for the evening in Banchory.
Today (Thursday, May 8) we went on an extraordinary Expedition Tour of Balmoral Estate. I wish I had recorded it all. Our guide was excellent, and entertaining as he shared about the lands surrounding the castle, and showed us homes where staff and the royals actually stay when they are at Balmoral . The castle is used for “official “ functions, so when the family desires more privacy, they retire to other homes. King Charles has a home on the estate, and spends about 5-6 months per year here. We learned about some history, a lot about the conservation efforts being practiced by the King, and some of the infamous tales, as well.
The Estate cooperates with many local entities, one of which is the zoological society. They are involved in growing specific plants and providing beneficial resourcesn to improve habitats for species that are scarce in number. Black grouse and capercaillie are two bird species that the estate is currently working to improve habitats for. We learned about specificity in harvesting of forests – see an example: .https://youtube.com/shorts/gGwDj36vspM?si=-BHtKFlhFwm5uD-N
We saw beautiful forests, open moors for hunting, heather covered hills, waterfalls and streams, all while riding in what was formerly Prince Edward’s Range Rover 🫨. We saw a herd of red deer – drove practically right up to them! We saw where former villages were located long before the establishment of the estate. The whole tour took 2 hours and we were all amazed by the stunning scenery, and all we learned.
Then it was on to our cottage overlooking the famous Loch Ness, where we are bunking this evening. Tomorrow we search for Nessie! If you don’t hear from me……….
For now, you’ll need to read here, and view photos on the Photo Gallery page. I’ve added a few carousels for the various portions of our trip. Hope you enjoy!
Today we visited: Edinburgh Castle, the statue of Greyfriar’s Bobby, did a Ghost tour which took us into the underground vaults, visited the house of John Knox, and topped off our touring day at The Chocolatorium, where we got to make our own chocolate bars. We learned a lot at every stop.
I’m still looking for an opportunity to post more photos for you, but they are not uploading quick enough….because some woman is tired and wants to go to sleep before they finish.
We will meet our driver in the morning, head to pick up our rental car, and start the trip north to the Highlands.
Here’s a photo of the dining room on the Royal Yacht Britannia (from yesterday)
After breakfast (which was very good), we began walking from our apartment downhill towards Holyrood Palace. You are only allowed to take photos outside, so you’ll need to wait for the souvenir book I bought for those photos.
There is a lot of history ensconced in the walls of this palace. We got to go up the winding stone staircase where Mary, Queen of Scot’s’ husband, Lord Darnley, and his accomplices climbed, burst in and murdered David Rizzio , a musician and close friend of the Queen. Seems Lord Darnley was a wee bit jealous of Rizzio’s influence over Mary 👀. This is the kind of thing that intrigues you about the history of the inhabitants of palaces and castles. After the interior tour, we walked through magnificent gardens and around the exterior of the Abbey ruins. The gardens were fabulous (more on this later).
Then we caught a bus to the Royal Botannical Gardens. Again, these were incredibly beautiful. The rhododendrons (in every color imaginable) were my favorite.
After the Gardens, we hopped back on the bus to tour the Royal Yacht Britannia. We were allowed to photograph everything on the yacht. Every level was an education, from how the royals lived on board, to the mechanics of the ship, the crew that kept it all running in tip-top shape, and the modes of other transport that were loaded on board, such as the Range Rover. The dining rooms were most impressive. Even though the ship is now retired, events are still held on board. The place settings and meticulous attention to detail – it takes 3 hours to set 56 place settings in order, measuring each fork and knife placement with a ruler – were a sight to behold. I also enjoyed the sailing exhibition and thought about how much Pete would have enjoyed it 💕.
Even with all the regal appointmentss of a palace and yacht, I was most captivated with God’s creation, in the gardens. They were glorious and the birds singing and the sun shinining – all a testimony to the True King and His sovereignty over all.
As mentioned, our apartment is situated on the iconic Royal Mile, directly across from St. Giles Cathedral. As we headed out last night, we stopped to take photos of the bustling city streets. Bagpipers. historic architecture, shopping…it’s all here. We meandered over to Calton Hill, where you can overlook the city. Getting up there was some true physical exercise for this old gal (huff, huff).
Calton Hill is also resident to some iconic Scottish monuments and buildings. Monuments include the National Monument, Dugald Stewart Monument, Nelson’s Monument, the Old Royal High School, Robert Burns Monument, Political Martyrs’ Monument and also the City Observatory and a view of Arthur’s Seat in the distance.
We then made our way to Bread Meats Bread for a great burger and shakes. I think Melissa’s chocolate torte was the favorite! But the burgers were excellent too!
FYI: I’m posting via email, so you will need to be patient for the accompanying photos. When I get a chance, I’ll set up a dedicated gallery, complete with descriptions, and put it on the photo gallery page.
Now we’re off to breakfast at Luckenbooth’s, followed by more sightseeing. Check back later!
Gonna just stop right here and give a shout out to our excellent chaffeur to the Austin airport yesterday! Thanks Alaina!
Once we arrived in Edinburgh, our driver was waiting for us. His name was Nick, and he had Tony sit up front with him and gave him driving tips for “driving on the wrong side of the road,” as Tony will be behind the wheel beginning Wednesday.
While Tony and I arranged our trip back to the airport with Nick on Wednesday, Melissa took these great shots right outside our apartment. We are staying in the heart of Old Town, right on the Royal Mile. Great apartment and staff. They’ve been so welcoming and gracious.
We’re heading out later for dinner and a stroll. Stay tuned!
