Tuesday 25 June 2013

Flat Susan Takes the High Road

Evening Everyone

I hope you've all had a really good day.

Life is getting back to normal here, well almost, and I did even find time to make a birthday card for someone special this afternoon ... can't show you it yet though, not until I know it's been received. Instead, I'm posting the next episode in Flat Susan's trip around the world.

'Oh, ye'll tak' the high road, and I'll tak' the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.'

Loch Lomond looking towards the North
We set of on Saturday, 15th June, and it was a dull day with some rainy spells so Loch Lomond, the largest inland stretch of water in Great Britain, our first stop wasn't looking it's best with a mist hanging over the hills and grey clouds hovering overhead.
Looking back towards the South
It's a bit brighter looking in the direction we came from. Flat Susan ventured out of her suitcase just long enough for a photo shoot. A quick look at the beautiful loch and she was then back snug and warm for the next leg of the journey.

The entrance to Glencoe
The approach to Glencoe is always something worth stopping for even when the top of the mountains can't be seen for mist.

Flat Susan was impressed with the Three Sisters, especially as the sun was peeking through by this time.


It's June and there are still patches of snow on the top of those mountains.
The view from the Glencoe Visitor Centre - the Pap of Glencoe. Glencoe is owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland and has a polite 'no litter bin, take your litter home' policy - it costs a great deal of money to clear up litter. And it works,  it is a vast area but we didn't see any litter anywhere in the glen!
Beaufort Castle
Following the directions we had been given, Flat Susan was delighted to find that the we were going to be spending the week in the grounds of a real Scottish castle,  Beaufort Castle, in Gaelic Caisteal Duuaidh, that was until recently the traditional seat of the chiefs of Clan Fraser. Near Beauly and just north of Kiltarlity, it was sold in 1994 to Stagecoach director Ann Gloag by the then Lord Lovat, to meet inheritance taxes.
The Larder
The Larder, our cottage home for the week, has an equally interesting history and is so named because it was once, before a complete refurbishment, the hut where the game was stored ... in the days when Lord Lovat and his guests would go out on shoots. Now the wild life, deer, hares, badgers, etc., are left to live happily undisturbed on the estate.

A final photo for this post - the view from the window of the cottage.
Absolute bliss!

So that was just the trip up into the Highlands of Scotland, a fascinating journey that took in fabulous lochs  and grand mountains to be sure, but that was just the start of a wonderful holiday. For even more lovely photos be sure to look out for the next instalment of Flat Susan's Scottish sojourn ... it was quite a trip, with a lot of sightseeing packed into just a few days.

In the meantime take care everyone and I wish you a very good night.

5 comments:

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

wow well done to all the scenes cant believe how much she is seeing!! good old flat Susan..
.. do so love Scotland but the weather is not bright such a shame but guess you are used to it. love Shaz.xx

Jackie said...

Beautiful photographs, Flat Susan seems to have enjoyed her holiday :o)
Jackie xx

Neet said...

Oh how exciting for you all to be staying in the grounds of a castle. What a shame about the weather but it looks as if it didn't deter you all (including FS here) from having a great time. What a fabulous sightseeing trip.
Hugs, Neet xx

Sandra H said...

Beautiful Photo's Elizabeth and another lovely memory for me and the husband we in our younger years stayed at loch lomond and climb the mountain behind it with a bit of a struggle as it was wet once at the top amongst the mist we then came across the foot path which took us down a lot easier than going up it was lots of fun though! hope flat Susan liked her journey too the place you stayed looks gorgeous xx

Marie-Louise said...

Beautiful photographs Elizabeth. How I love that part of the world although my ancestors hailed from Ghia.