Hello from Scotland

Anne and I have spent two days in the HIghlands, and we love it here. We will return someday, when we can spend more time and do more things.

I took about 5000000000000 pictures, but the Internet is slow and wonky where I am, so I can’t upload them at full resolution. Here’s a few of them, resized:

This castle is very old.
This castle is very old.

This is Urquhart Castle, which is on the shore of Loch Ness. That ruined tower has been ruined longer than my country has existed.

loch-ness

That’s Loch Ness, as seen through an ancient window in the castle.

Thery're very good castles, Brad.
They’re very good castles, Brad.

This is Eilean Donan, which is famous for being in many movies including Highlander. I’d list the others, but there can be only one.

We didn’t go into this one, but we did have tea in their little restaurant and it was awesome.

sheep-sheep sheep

There really are sheep everywhere in the Highlands, and no matter how much I try to befriend them, they aren’t having it. I’m kind of glad they always run away when I get about 30 feet from them, though, because there aren’t many things in the world as funny as watching sheep run, with their stupid little legs.

My incredibly small sample size of about a dozen people indicates that everyone here is incredibly kind, and they don’t make fun of my accent.

53 thoughts on “Hello from Scotland”

    1. I was just there on Saturday, beautiful place the Scottish Highlands. Except for the damn midges … I’m still itching

  2. I read that number as 5 bajillion… That’s how many pictures you took, right?

    PS-I’m jealous. I’ve made my husband promise to to take me there done time for an anniversary or something.

  4. Scotland is on my bucket list! But I’ll go to research my family ancestry as well as sight see. Glad you guys are having fun!!

  5. Glad you and Anne are enjoying your trip this side of the pond. Scotland is amazingly beautiful. If you’re thinking of a longer trip next time, you must come visit us in Ireland. No one will make fun of your accent here either. 🙂

    Looking forward to seeing you in Birmingham over the weekend. Will keep an eye out for your beautiful wife too. Hope you enjoy it. 🙂

  8. I have photos of me very pregnant taken on that ruined wall of Urquhart Castle. Happy days! We are generally a friendly lot and why would we make fun of your lovely accent? Especially since I’m sure you and Anne were your charming selves. Sheep are cute but thick – a herd of charging, intelligent Highland cows? Different matter entirely. #askmehowIknow Haste ye back!

  9. Last time I visited Urquhart Castle, they were filming a documentary. That’s my tangential story for the day… If anyone’s inspired by Wil and Anne’s trip, I recommend the boat trip around the Loch, which gives you some amazing views of the castle ruins.

    I hope you enjoyed your little taste of Scotland. You’re both more than welcome back! Safe journey home 🙂

  12. Thank you for sharing the awesome pics! Did you get to take the boat ride around Loch Ness? Any great jogging/ hiking trails?

  14. There really are sheep everywhere in the Highlands, and no matter how much I try to befriend them, they aren’t having it.

    POSSIBLY related to our species’ habit of shaving them naked and eating their eyes, stomachs, and balls.

    You know… first impressions and all that.

  15. Oh, so jealous! Can’t wait to go. Trying to get there soon. Glad you’re having a good time.

    Also, this: “I’d list the others, but there can be only one.” You win today, sir. You win today.

  16. If you enjoyed Urquhart you may be pleased to know that the shots in Star Wars Episode VII where the x-wings are flying over the water towards the stronghold were filmed at Loch Ness and Urquhart. I knew it as soon as i saw it.

  17. Love your photos!
    My dad said he was 100% Irish until a few years ago when he blurted “I had a Scottish grandmother.” When I blogged about it, my cousins asked their mom, (my aunt Eileen) and she agreed. They were shocked too!
    Her name was Mary Melville of all things, so I could be a shirttail relative of Herman of Moby Dick fame! Now I really want to go to Scotland.
    Have you watched Outlander?

  20. Nice, good choice to do before your “work” event! As a travel agent specializing in selling the UK, I’m impressed you appear to be driving yourselves. Not easy with the opposite side of the road, reverse roundabouts and probably manual shift on the wrong side of the car! Brave ones, ye. Your chosen sights are perfect and the weather you are getting is pretty spectacular. I’m not going to tell you where to go. There’s a never-ending list of amazing places in Scotland, and within an hour of Birmingham. You got this.

    1. An hour of Birmingham? with Warp drive maybe. I’ve met quite a few American families who have booked (or been advised to book) frankly impossible itinteries across the UK and end up seeing nothing more than the inside of a hire car – which is a real shame. Scotland (and England Wales and Ireland too) have some of the most amazing places on the planet – whether you are looking for true wilderness, ruined remains or a modern city break – BUT the country is way bigger than it looks on a world map! Come and visit and stay in one place for a couple of days.

      1. Maybe it would be clearer if I said it the way I meant it… there’s a never ending list of places to see in Scotland. Also, many places within an hour of Birmingham. I’m not suggesting anyone try to do them all…

  21. Off topic. Hope you are having a great time.

    Just wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying your updates on “A Childhood lost” I wanted you to call it Ocean as the working title, because it’s so similar to the birth of “An Ocean at the End of the Lane” and because the way you described it, I just pictured you diving in any morning. In either case I’m enjoying the experience vicariously. It’s enormously encouraging.

  22. I never comment on things, but I love Scotland. My wife and I got engaged at Eilean Donan Castle and I always love to see pictures that remind me of that.

  24. My wife and I toured the Highlands as part of our honeymoon. The ferry ride across Loch Ness was great and the people really are fantastic. Enjoy your time there!

    1. My son in law is from Scotland, lived there until he was 9 when his parents moved to Canada.
      They go back often to visit family that is still there. I’ll be tagging along on the next trip. hopefully. Beautiful country and people; so glad you enjoyed it.

  25. My wife and I toured England and Scotland as part of our honeymoon also. In fact I have a pair of very similar pictures of Urquhart in our album. After visiting Loch Ness we went over to Skye the following day… definitely a highlight of the trip.

  27. Isn’t it amazing to think that there are places in Scotland that people live in that have been around longer then our country! My Fiancee and I just got back from Scotland a couple of weeks ago and we plan to go back again soon. I actually proposed to her in front of a huge cannon on Edinburgh Castle overlooking Edinburgh.

    1. I hope it wasn’t at 1pm – that would be more heart attack inducing than the proposal! g

      (there’s a cannon fired at 1 o’clock every day at the castle!)

  29. No one is making fun of your accent. That’s pretty nice of them. What about you, any problems with theirs? (Robin Williams’ monologue on golf comes to mind!) Lol!! §:c) Have a safe and enjoyable sejourn!

  31. Scotland is one of my favourite places to visit, ever. I loved the Slow Lambs signs. And the Highland Coos. And the castles. And yes, folks were very kind. So glad you had a good time!

  32. Thank you for the pictures and please post more when you get back home. I would so love to go there and take my own pictures!

  34. I went to Scotland as a kid in the mid 70s. Urquhart Castle didn’t have the nice paths to get to it. We just walked through the field. It was sure fun to crawl around through it though! Enjoy yourselves!

    1. Im an Irish guy living in Paisley, a lot of good history here, also its only10 mins from the centre of Glasgow to the centre of Paisley on the train

  38. We visited Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness about 20 years ago. I remember trying to drive home in one go, got as far as Newcastle before I had to pull over and sleep!

  39. OK

    Pretend I made a comment making fun of your accent~~> (right here). I just wanted you to feel not uncomfortable for it is different in our country. [ friendlily making fun ] Be safe & have fun. Good wishes to you & yours Wil.

  40. Beautiful pictures man, absolutely wonderful. You’re giving me the travel bug for sure. Travel safely & be well.

    So the sheep won’t let you get close huh? Sounds like the joke about ‘ol McGregor who built the bar, who built the fence, and who built the bridge, but was not called McGregor the bar Builder, McGregor the fence Builder, or the McGregor the bridge builder…. 😉

  42. Hi Wil, Welcome to the (as yet still) United Kingdom. Wonderful to know that you are over here. Can happily say you have made our family laugh so many times as you cross swords with Sheldon. (My only Highlander allusion…)

    This morning on BBC Morning News we heard that you are here for this weekend’s Star Trek Convention in Birmingham and they said you hate flying, so being in the UK is very special. I agree with you: planes staying up in the air is just plain illogical. I just close my eyes – though on a 13 hour flight, that makes it difficult when I want to find the loo.

    It is a great time to be on holiday in Britain. Every morning you wake up to find that your dollar can buy twice as many coffees as the day before.

    Have a great time and enjoy the sceptred isle!

  43. The next time you’re in the UK you aught to try to get on an episode of QI, or Would I Lie To Your, or 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, or Big Fat Quiz…. Or maybe a guest appearance on Red Dwarf!

    You’d be awesome on those shows!

    Cheers, Wil!

  44. Aaah, my nearly brush with fame. My wife and I were visiting Urquhart and Loch Ness the same time you and Anne were there. It sounds like you had every bit as an amazing time as we had. I can’t wait to go back, too.

  45. Oh my gosh, I love this. Fiance and I are heading to Scotland for our honeymoon next June and we cannot wait. If anyone has any travel tips, hit me up on Twitter!! @AwkwardlyAlive

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