Scotland (Oct. 2015) misc. & video

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Glencoe and window in St. Margaret’s Chapel in Edinburgh Castle.

Isle of Skye.

The Great Hall in Edinburgh Castle.

My husband Rob made the following video, which is a composite of our 2 trips to Scotland this year. In June, we hiked the Great Glen Way, along the Caledonian Canal in the Highlands. Then, in Sept./Oct. we traveled with a WGBH Learning Tour, which focused on Scottish music. The video soundtrack includes live music we recorded during the evening performances. The musicians are credited at the end of the video, including the teenage students at the National Centre of Excellence for Traditional Scottish Music in Plockton.

Scotland (Oct. 2015) doorways

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Can’t help taking pictures of doorways…

Scotland (Oct. 2015) street scenes

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Portree on the Isle of Skye and the streets of Edinburgh…

And rows of houses in the quaint village of Plockton. See more scenes of Plockton here.

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Scotland (Oct. 2015) signs

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Here’s a group of signs that caught my eye during our travels in Scotland.

Scotland (Oct. 2015) Iona

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Salley Mavor

One of the special places we visited in Scotland was the small Isle of Iona. The Irish Saint Columba founded a monastery there in the 6th century and it remained a center of Gaelic Monasticism for 4 centuries.

We couldn’t have wished for a more gorgeous, sparkling day to take a ferry ride and walk around the village.

The Iona Abbey is a short hike from the ferry dock.

The 8th Duke and Duchess of Argyle are buried inside.

We wanted to stay longer in this tranquil spot, but had to catch the ferry back.

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.

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!