0 Scotland Trip; Highland Cattle!

One thing I was most excited about on our Scotland Trip was seeing all the Highland cattle.  We didn't see any for several days, then only seemed to spot them far away or at dusk when the lighting was poor.  Finally near Pluscarden Abbey I got some great shots from a very cooperative fold, and we then saw more as we drove around, especially in Argyll.  Things I learned:  they're really quite small and they're rather timid.  But they're SUPER EXTRA ULTRA ADORABLE!!!

Near Loch Ness.

Not Highland Cattle, but cute all the same!

 The fold near Pluscarden.

Behind Glenfiddich Distillery.

They come in black (the original color), white, tan, and shades of orange/red.   This fold is on the Isle of Skye.

The bull may be bigger than the rest, but he's still small!

Fold on Isle of Mull.  Soggy and wet.

Now I just have to plot how to adopt one... or five!!

0 Scotland Trip; Necropolis and Glasgow Cathedral, October 20-21

 Glasgow's Necropolis, while not entirely unique, is amazingly beautiful.

Designed in the mid-19th century, it provides the final home to about 50,000 bodies.  The hill sits next to the Cathedral and overlooks the city, making it an enviable plot of real estate.

Glasgow Cathedral, as seen from the Necropolis (next two images as well).

Glasgow Cathedral, like other cathedrals, is a fantastically ornate Gothic masterpiece.  It's greatest distinction in history is that it is the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to remain intact and roofed after the Reformation.   It is, in fact, still a working place of worship, although now it houses the Church of Scotland, so is not technically a working cathedral. 

 Stained glass windows from the nave, choir, and presbytery.

That's right, we're ending the Scotland trip with yet another crest of the unicorn and lion!  Sláinte!

0 Scotland Trip; Glasgow, October 19-22

 The dates are a little deceptive, we actually arrived in Glasgow after dark (5 PM...) on the 19th and left the morning of the 22nd.  The actual dates of Glasgow-exploration were the 20-21.   Glasgow has a poor reputation, being known for crime, poverty, and a history of widespread disease, but they've put a remarkable effort into changing that stereotype- and we noticed.  Both Paul and I really liked Glasgow, commenting repeatedly on how enjoyable we each found the city.   The newer reputation is one of the arts: music, visual arts, and architecture, and that's right up my alley, so I drank it all in!

Paul got rather annoyed with my constant stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, head craned upwards with my camera jammed to my eye, but here are some of the buildings that I enjoyed walking past.  (If buildings bore you, scroll down, there's a bit more text below.)

This is part of the panoramic view of the city skyline from The Lighthouse, the reclaimed former "Glasgow Herald" offices.   Glasgow's favored architectural son, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, was a part of the original design team in 1895.  The building now houses Scotland's Centre for Architecture, Design, and the City.  Each floor offers a different exhibition, from teen architecture study/design groups to a small history of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, but the real highlight is the "lighthouse", so called because of it's resemblance, not purpose.  There is a set of dizzying spiral stairs climbing up to the balcony, but, as with most city skylines, the view is worth it.    We also ate lunch at the Willow Tea Rooms, originally designed by Mackintosh in the early 20th century.  The original rooms were recreated on site in 1996, and while the design isn't my taste the food (and tea!) was great.

One highlight of the visit for both of us was the People's Palace.  Located on Glasgow Green, a nice park area along the riverside, it is a social history museum concentrating on Glasgow's history specifically.   Displays including actual items, recreated rooms, photographs, and audio readings of contemporary journals are gathered together to educate and enlighten the visitors.  It'd be worth the visit even if it wasn't free (it is)!

0 Scotland Trip; Inchmahome Priory, Lake of Monteith, October 19

After leaving Oban we drove through Glen Coe.  A beautiful natural area, it is best known for incredible hikes and one of the most horrendous massacres in Scotland's history.   I didn't realize I hadn't taken any pictures until I was loading my memory cards back at home, but I can assure you Paul and I spent the entire day enjoying the beautiful scenery.  The Glen Coe Visitor Center offers some background on both the human and natural histories of the area as well as some current conservation effort information.   We hope to go back (that list gets longer with every trip!!) one day when we can spend some time hiking in the area.  I will make a note of the fantastic spot we happened to stop for lunch- The Real Food Cafe.   We were both quite hungry, so just stopped at the next place we saw.  We happened to luck out, as this establishment not only offered DELICIOUS food (most of which is morally raised/grown, all of which is free trade) but also practices eco-friendly methods such as reusable and/or biodegradable food containers and recycling.  On top of this business practice that I loved they were also the only place I've found to serve crunchy fish with their fish and chips- and I strongly prefer that to battered.  So if you ever find yourself in Glen Coe, eat there!  (and no, they're not paying me)

 

On our way over to Glasgow we decided to make one more stop, at Inchmahome Priory.   Situated on a small island in the middle of the Lake of Menteith (the only lake in Scotland- due to a misreading!), it was beautiful.

Probably top of my list of pretend-places-to-live, Inchmahome Priory was founded in 1238 by the then-Earl of Menteith, whose chief seat was on the neighboring island.

The east end of the church, containing the choir and presbytery.

Yep, more of these!

The sedilia, used as seats by the priest and his assistants.

The two lower figures are Earl Walter Stewart and his countess, Mary.   They were buried under the choir in the priory, but the effigy was removed to the chapter house for protection against the elements.  They are reaching towards each other, with their dogs at their feet, making this double effigy popular to romantics.

The priory is surrounded by thick vegetation, through which there is a beautiful walking path.  There are a few trees with these massive, gnarled roots- witness to the high water table of the island.

One of three sweet chestnut trees planted on the island in the 16th century.  They don't grow well in the poor soil condition, but they do make for interesting scenery!

 Views of the lake from the ferry ride back.

The shore near the ferry docking.  If it's this beautiful in October I can't imagine it in summer!!