Mòran taing, Alba!

After enjoying the Highland Games, the next day we visited the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which stretches across a valley in 35m height for over 300m. It's an impressive piece of construction and only took 15 month to complete in 1897/98.

If it looks familiar to you, think of little wizards.  

The Hogwards Express

18.904 Pounds in 1897, whatever that would be today

We set ourselves up at the trailhead for Ben Nevis that night and by  6.30am my human was on the move. 

The mountain is the highest in the UK, 1345m, and a staggering average of 100.000 people climb it every summer on the normal route. It seemed like about 500 of those were out that day.

During her ascent she was pretty much by herself, though.

The bottom half of the trail consists of never ending rock steps until it turns into a boulder field. The path is well trodden and easy to follow, though.

It was a stunning day; very little wind, warm and sunny, great views. Until, and I feel I don't really have to mention this, she got to the summit. Which, naturally, was completely enveloped in dense fog. 

Still some snow up here

This is all she got on the summit, the old weather station

                                                 Carmelo thought it rather fresh up there

Better views a little lower down

Nothing else was expected, so she made her way back down, passing people in flip flops, summer dresses and straw hats. Besides other totally unsuitable outfits. 

No wonder the mountain rescue has to pick a few people off the mountain every year.

After the hike, we drove down to Loch Leven to have a look at Europe's largest indoor ice climbing wall and to swim in the beautiful loch. We spent the night there, enjoying the spectacular scenery. 

To get down South to Glasgow, we drove through the Glencoe. To me, this area boasts some of the most terrific scenery on the Scottish mainland. Waterfalls, mountains, green valleys, just stunning.

And then you get to Loch Lommond and it only gets better! Although some parts of the Loch are Scotland's answer to Disneyland, there are wonderfully secluded spots and bays, great for swimming. 

And because it was another very fine day, my human figured that another mountain won't hurt, so in the early afternoon she set off to hike up Ben Lommond, just under 1000 meters high. She started in shorts and a singlet, she even put on sunscreen!

About halfway up, the sky was getting darker and some thunder started to grumble. Picking up the sped, she made it to the summit just after heavy rain had set in. Once again, it was all misty and foggy and taking a photograph was no option.

About an hour after she got back, it was the most beautiful weather again. Thanks heaps!

To explore Glasgow, we parked in the small town of Stepps, just 15 minutes by train from the city. The Park&Ride there is small and quiet, so I was quite content there, while my human and Carmelo spent two days checking out the sights.

Glasgow doesn't really have the greatest reputation, but it is in fact a very modern, green and innovative city.

For those who are into art, design and architecture, Charles Rennie Mackintosh will be a well know fixture of the city, as are the Glasgow Boys, a group of young artists (some females as well), who present the beginnings of Modernism in Scotland.  

Both are represented well in the Kelvingrove Museum, a fast building holding more than 20 different exhibitions from mummies to stuffed animals and Van Gogh's.

The Kelvingrove Museum

Check out the Spitfire hanging from the ceiling

I just love highland cows!

Flower seller, Van Gogh

I find this one somehow unsettling

Man in armour, Rembrandt

The Druids, painted by two of the Glasgow Boys and at the time not very well received by the clergy

The river Clyde runs through the city and along it's banks you can find many hyper-modern buildings like the Science Center, the Clyde Auditorium (reminds me of the Opera House in Sydney), the Riverside Museum and also some fancy living quarters.

The Scotisch BBC headquarters and the Science museum

The Riverside Museum

The Riverside Museum is a transport museum and features all kinds of vehicles from the first bicycle to a crashed  NASCAR.

Outiside of it sits the beautiful Glenlee, one of the last floating sail-powered cargo ships in the world. 

The city center is full of sandstone and red brick buildings with little balconies, turrets and archways. 

The largest terracotta fountain in the world

The Watchtower by Mackintosh; way more interesting from the inside but currently closed to the public

The City Chambers sit on one end of the vast George Square with it's many statues (most heads are white from pigeon poop) and monuments. 

                Yes, he does have a traffic cone on his head!

They did a tour in the Chambers to see the marble staircase, the largest in Western Europe and therefore boasting more marble than the Vatican City!

They tried to visit the Cahtedral, but...

The Necropolis of Glasgow behind the church was open, though, and afforded a nice view

So instead they had High Tea at the Willow Tea Room, which was originally designed by Mackintosh. The scone was the best she had ever eaten. Besides, the people watching was really good!

England was playing Spain in the first quarter final of the 2022 Euros, so she watched that game in the oldest Irish Pub in the city, the Tolbooth. There was live music as well and the place was packed. She got talking with an Irishman who's name was, of course, Patrick!
A Glaswegian came over with a pint and a rose, handing her both saying "Welcome to Glasgow".  Not trying to hook up or anything, he was just plain nice. OK, and slightly drunk.

Outside the Tennent's Brewery, love this!

We could easily have stayed a couple more days in Glasgow, but we only have around 7 weeks left on our trip, so it's time to get a move on and head towards Ireland.

We made our way down to Cairnryan to take an early morning ferry from there to Belfast. We are all very curious about Ireland and what expects us there. One thing is for sure, we will catch up with a friend my human made five or six years ago while working on a boat and she is very much looking forward to meet him again!

So, Scotland, it's been a pleasure. Your weather needs improvement and we didn't get to do everything we had wanted because of it, but that was to be expected. Your people and nature are first rate and it's easy to see why tourist come back here time and again.