September Scotland Tour - Day 4 - Glen Nevis to Ballater

Today's route takes us from Glen Nevis Hostel, Fort William to Ballater in the Cairngorms. We'll be driving via Fort Augustus then along the east side of Loch Ness past Foyers. Further onto Dores then along the country roads past Torness and Tombreck onto the A9 to Carrbridge and Speybridge. From there we'll take the scenic, winding A939 through the Cairngorms to Ballater passing Tomintoul and Corgarff. No doubt there will be lots of stops for picture, weather permitting.

10:00 am. On the road. The rain has stopped all of a sudden and the sun is breaking through. Making a quick stop on the A82 half way between Fort William and Spean Bridge to take pictures.

Scenic Scottish Highland Landscape.

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September Scotland Tour - Day 3 - Edinburgh to Fort William

7:45 am. Enjoying a coffee on the courtyard terrace at Hotel Missoni, Edinburgh. Planning the day ahead. Cid and me will be touring Scotland for a few days. We'll be going through Glen Coe passing Stirling, Callander and Crianlarich. Finding a place to stay for the night in the Fort William area.

Hotel Missoni, Courtyard.

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September Scotland Tour - Day 2 - Edinburgh and Firth of Forth

10:30 am. Edinburgh Waverley Bridge.

I'm on the tour bus that takes me to South Queensferry. There I'm boarding the Forth Belle for a Forth Bridges Boat Tour, which also makes a stop at Inchcolm Island.

About the Forth Bridges Cruise Bus and Boat Tour:

Getting to South Queensferry from the centre of Edinburgh is easy on the Forth Bridges Cruise Bus!
Enjoy the grand sights of Edinburgh AND a sightseeing tour on the Forth Belle with its famous road and railway bridges!
Join us on a boat trip on the Forth Belle and enjoy unrivalled views of the Firth of Forth and its magnificent bridges and islands!
The tour bus leaves from Waverley Bridge and takes you direct to Hawes Pier at South Queensferry where you board the Forth Belle. Bus journey times are approximately 25 minutes each way.

More info here: www.forthtours.com/sightseeing

On the tour bus. Edinburgh Waverley Bridge.

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September Scotland Tour - Day 1 - Edinburgh

If I remember well, in my last Scotland post from April I said "Watch out Scotland, I'll be back soon". And here I am.

It's Sunday the 4th of September, 5:15pm and I've just arrived in Edinburgh. It was quite a journey again. Coach from Bournemouth to London Victoria, then tube and finally on the train from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh.

The plan for my 5 day Scotland tour is as follows:

2 Nights in Edinburgh. Tonight I'm going to watch the fireworks at the Castle, which is the grand finale of the Edinburgh International Festival. Tomorrow morning I'm off on a boat trip around the Firth of Forth and Inchcolm Island. In the afternoon I'm meeting my friend Cid, who flew in from Toronto, Canada. We'll be staying at Hotel Missoni. What a treat.

Tuesday we'll pick up a hire car and go an a 3 day tour through Scotland. Ticking off Glen Coe, Fort William, Ben Nevis, Loch Ness, several places in the Cairngorms National Park, a Scottish traditional live music event at Ballater before I'll be dropping off Cid in Glasgow on Thursday. I'm then going back to Edinburgh for a night before heading back to Bournemouth on Friday morning.

Along the way I've took lots of pictures. Impressions from the city, people on the street and fireworks of course. In my following posts there will be landscape shots of beautiful Scotland. 

I'm starting with posting photos I took on my wander around Edinburgh on the way to finding a good spot from where to take pictures of the fireworks. 

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Scotland Tour Day 8 - Loch Lomond to Edinburgh

9.45 am.  Just had a delicious full Scottish Breakfast. My first cooked breakfast on the whole tour. I will need it. It's going to be a long day and a late night. Going from Culag Lochside Guest House, Luss on Loch Lomond to Balloch, Stirling and from there to Edinburgh. In Edinburgh I'll visit the Beltane Fire Festival on Carlton Hill.

View of Loch Lomond and the seaplane from my room at Culag Guest House

Just when I wanted to go for breakfast, I've seen the Loch Lomond seaplane landing right outside the B&B.

Of course I grabbed my camera and rushed downstairs to take some pictures. They've refuelled and the engineer did a bit of posting for me too! We've started chatting. Dave, the pilot said "Come on, hop on, we're going down Cameron House, get someone to pick you up from there". Stupidly I didn't ask how far that was. I just declined, saying I'm not really into flying. Regretted it as soon as they took off. What an "adventure" that would have been... and the shots I could have taken. When I checked on the map I've seen that Cameron House Hotel is only a few miles down the lake. Couldn't have easily taken a taxi back to the B&B.

Loch Lomond Seaplane at Culag Guest House, Luss, Loch Lomond.

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Scotland Tour Day 7 - Loch Ness to Loch Lomond

View of Loch Ness from my room at Loch Ness Hostel, Glenmoriston.

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Scotland Tour Day 6 - Torridon to Loch Ness

Today's route takes me from Torridon to Invermorriston on Loch Ness via Applecross Peninsula, over the Bealach na Ba pass, Loch Carron and Eilean Donnan Castle.

Big day today. Applecross day! I've been looking forward to seeing Applecross (map) with it's stunning scenery and views across the outer Hebrides. The weather is perfect. For taking pictures at least. Grey moody sky and a slight drizzle.

View from my hostel in Torridon. Having coffee.

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Scotland Tour Day 5 - Inchnadamph to Torridon

Day 5 of my tour through the Scottish Highlands. Today I'm going from Inchnadamph to Torridon, via/stopping at Ardvreck Castle, Knockan Crag, Ullapool and Corrieshalloch Gorge.

7.30 am. Had a good night sleep at Inchnadamph Lodge and it feels great to step outside with a cup of coffee and seeing nothing else but beautiful landscape. And it's so quiet. Last night's heavy wind has settled and I'm now getting ready for a stroll through Inchnadamph.

Inchnadamph Lodge, Hostel and B&B.

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Scotland Tour Day 4 - Nethy Bridge to Inchnadamph

6.00 am. Lazy Duck Hostel, Nethy Bridge, Cairgorms, Highlands, Scotland

Tip toeing through the kitchen trying to find the kettle. Must not wake up the others who are still sound asleep... as kitchen, lounge and bedrooms aren't separated by proper walls... and sound travels through the whole lodge... I try and be as quiet as I can. And you know what that is like... it never works... the more you try to be quiet the more things you drop and bump into.
Can't find an electric kettle so I thought I try the microwave to boil water for my morning coffee. As soon I switched it on I realized that it was one of those fancy ones with millions of settings (not just a knob for setting the time). It reminded me that I had not selected what type of food I'm cooking and for how long and god knows what else by beeping loudly. When making my selection pushing allsorts of buttons it responded with beeps too every time you pressed one. So I gave up on that idea and reverted to my last resort, the good old fashioned water kettle on the gas hob. All went well, and quiet, until the water started to boil.

So dear cohabitants, walker's couple and Ben Howard band members, India and sisters and boyfriend: I am very sorry for waking you up at 6am on the only day you've had off in months. I sincerely apologize.

Left the hostel at 8.00 am.. by then I think almost everyone was up. I wonder why.

View from the Lazy Duck Hostel, Nethy Bridge, Cairngorms, Scotland.

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Scotland Tour Day 3 - Spittal of Glenshee to Nethy Bridge

Day 3 of my road trip through the Scottish Highlands... today is castle day. Braemar, Balmoral and Corgarff.

8.00 am. Had a great night sleep in the Eagle Room at Gulabin Lodge, Spittal of Glenshee (map). It's so quiet... and so cold.

The lodge is great. Rustic highland charm. Two very cosy lounges, great kitchen and dining room. Felt very much at home.
Had another nice conversation with Steve, whom I've met the night before. There he is... ready for a day biking and walking through the Cairngorms.

Steve at Gulabin Lodge

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Scotland Tour Day 2 - Edinburgh to Spittal of Glenshee

After not a good night sleep at the Budget Backpackers Hostel in Edinburgh, I got up to a sunny a day. 

View from my hostel. Having my morning coffee and cigarette outside on the street corner.

Edinburgh Castle seen from the corner of Cowgate and Candlemaker Row.

9:00 am. After breakfast and storing my luggage I have 5 hours to see more of Edinburgh before picking up my hire car and heading towards the Cairngorms.

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Scotland Tour Day 1 - Edinburgh

After weeks of planning this trip I've finally arrived in Edinburgh. Took the Coach from Bournemouth to London Victoria, the Tube from Victoria Station to Kings Cross and from there the train to Edinburgh.

It wasn't my first time in Edinburgh. I've been there in 2005 and fell in love with it... so I couldn't wait to see it again, even if it was just for a day.

4:30pm - Edinburgh greeted me with rain but I didn't mind so much as long as I could walk and stretch my legs after 5 hours on the train. Getting to the hostel wasn't as straight forward as I thought as I had to pull my 30 kg suitcase up steep Market Street and North Bank Street. (a day later I've noticed that the wheels on my suitcase were stuck and didn't turn anymore... that's why it felt like pulling 100 kg up the hill).

By time I got to the hostel (Budget Backpackers) the rain had stopped and the sun came out. After checking in I had to go explore and take some photos straight away.

The streets were full of people, bearing in mind it was a Saturday on a Easter Weekend. Here are some street scenes and people shots taken in the Old Town.

Girls on a night out. Edinburgh Victoria Street.



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