Scotland (Oct. 2015) Oban

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Salley Mavor

While traveling on the west coast of Scotland, we stayed in the port town of Oban for a few days. The weather was glorious, with incredible light in the early morning and at dusk. From here we took the ferry to the islands of Mull and then Iona, which I will show later.

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Scotland, Oct 2015 (Plockton)

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Salley Mavor

On the west coast of Scotland, not far from the bridge to the Isle of Skye is Plockton, the most charming, picturesque village I’ve ever seen.

The early morning light was the best, with the mist creating a magical scene in every direction!

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Scotland (Oct. 2015): Abbotsford

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Salley Mavor

In the Scottish lowlands, we visited Abbotsford, the home of 19th century author Sir Walter Scott, who’s historical novels were influential in popularizing and romanticizing Scotland’s past.

The building and gardens were impressive. Rosie got a good view from high up with the hollyhocks.

The interior rooms held an even more amazing collection of treasures, my favorites being the entryway full of armor and wooden sculpture and the sitting room, with its hand painted Chinese wallpaper.

Scotland, Oct. 2015 ~ Rosie & Polly

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Remember when Polly went missing and I had to come up with a replacement traveler? Well, Rosie was a great sport to fill in and she ended up having a great trip. But low and behold, who did she find in Scotland but Polly! After she got over the shock of seeing her bedraggled cousin in the heather, Rosie listened to Polly’s story. Polly told the harrowing tale of how she stowed away in a backpack, making it through airport security and the trans Atlantic flight. She barely survived being crammed inside a pocket with a pair of sun glasses and a bottle of aspirin. But, she was glad to not be left behind! From then on, Polly and Rosie were inseparable. They climbed stone walls at Urquhart Castle…

visited Melrose Abbey…

traipsed through moss at The Falls of Bruar…

petted Greenfriar’s Bobby and walked the street of Edinburgh.

They hiked through magical woods…

and visited the site of the Battle of Culloden. Polly and Rosie made it home safely and will rest a bit before their next adventure!

Scotland, Oct. 2015 ~ Rosie

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Rosie’s trip to Scotland began with a dramatic encounter with a local bear at a road side pub between Glasgow and Oban. With a combination of perseverance and ingenuity, she was able to excuse herself after lunch and continued on her journey.

She took a boat to the Island of Iona, where she said hello to some sweet cows and drank heather ale.

She loved visiting Sir Walter Scott’s magnificent home, Abbotsford…

and Eilean Donan castle.

She met a piper…

and posed with sets of armor and a stained glass window at Edinburgh castle. Stay tuned for future posts ~ Rosie’s travels will continue here, with an exciting discovery!

Scotland, Oct. 2015 (phone booths)

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Were back from Scotland, with many photos to share. This trip was another wonderful Celtic music learning tour with Boston’s public radio station WGBH. We’ve gone on two of their previous trips to Ireland (see archived posts here) and jumped at the chance to join their tour of Scotland.

I’ll begin by showing a series of iconic red UK phone booths we saw in different areas of the country. Somehow, it was reassuring to see the old fashioned booths wherever we went.The first two were spotted in the beautiful village of Plockton, on the west coast.

And on this charming street corner in Melrose…

And more on the streets of Edinburgh.

Scotland – June 2015: sculpture & more Polly

Posted on August 23, 2015 by Salley Mavor

While walking the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Polly came close to being stepped on by John Knox and saw musicians playing under the gaze of Adam Smith.

Polly atop a wee head of hair in a garden outside of Glasgow.

King James V looks down from Stirling Castle.

A unicorn pointing high from a street in Stirling.

Polly meets some friends and gets into the action in Edinburgh.

A majestic deer in Edinburgh.

Polly pets a lion at Edinburgh Castle.

And steadfast Robert the Bruce guards Stirling Castle. See all of the archived posts with Polly Doll here.

To keep up with new posts, subscribe to this blog (top right column on the home page). Your contact info will not be sold or shared. If you’d like to see more frequent photos tracking the projects in my studio, please follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram.

Scotland – June 2015: houses

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Coming from the land of cedar shingled cottages, it’s quite a contrast to see Scottish houses, which are all made of brick, stone and slate. I love their solid stance, with a touch of whimsy showing in the windows and roof lines. These photos were taken in the towns and villages along our hiking route in the Highlands.

Scotland – June 2015: Polly

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Polly doll came along on our trip to Scotland. She had a Highland dancer’s costume made for the occasion, complete with a Glen Garry bonnet. Yes, I know her kilt is not authentic in front, but she insisted on having it look more like a pleated skirt. I took her picture along the way, sometimes with my cell phone for Instagram, like the one at Urquhart Castle (above). The other photos were taken by Rob or me with a fancy Canon camera.

Wild mountain thyme was everywhere!

Polly learned the history of the Scottish Regiment in a museum display at Stirling Castle…

and admired the lush mossy ground.

She visited Edinburgh Castle…

stood amongst the flowers…

and peeked inside a cabinet at Argyll’s Lodging in Stirling.

Polly posed next to a primrose growing along the Great Glen Way…

and atop a bonny lass’s head in a garden near Glasgow.

Scotland – June 2015: landscapes

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Scotlandlandscape-1-8 We hiked the Great Glen Way through rain, fierce wind, fog and occasional sunshine. Every day, the scenery along the Caledonian Canal, from Fort William to Inverness was different and magnificent. Except for the iconic Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness (below), I have trouble remembering exactly where most of these photos were taken, but they are located somewhere along our route. I hope that you enjoy the tour!