Urquhart Castle, Divach Falls and Culloden

A Visit to Scotland is always worth a good look around and we crammed in a good   day visiting various places, with Urquhart Castle our first stop of.
It is not really known when the castle was built but it was inhabited in 1296 and destroyed in the 1500`s to prevent it from falling into Jacobite hands but it did used to be a true Scottish stronghold, though now sadly in ruins and over time its walls have been plundered and used for local buildings but it now belongs to the National Trust  Scotland.

 Situated on the banks of Loch Ness and 2 miles from Drumnadrochit it is one of the most photographed ruins of Scotland. 

 One of the oldest weapons still stand as a monument now, but was once a force to reckoned with.

 The old jail still has a prisoner!

 The lovely Scottish piper who proved extremely popular this day with photographs with all the visitors - including me!

 Even inside the castle House Martins nest wherever there is warmth.

 Modern day graffiti, the earliest seen is 1871 by J Dewar who also appears to have returned in 1888! 

The views as usual are always stunning, even through the old windows.
Our next stop of point was Divach Falls, which is also one of the most painted and photographed waterfalls, though with not much rain falling (yes it is Scotland and has not had much rain!) it is a gentle cascading river rather than a torrent.
To get there though you have a gentle woodland walk before seeing it....

 

The view of Loch Ness from the car park of Divach Falls.
We made our way from the Divach Falls to the Culloden Viaduct.

Built in the late 19th century, it represents the age of steam trains.
Not far from here are the old burial grounds, huge for the days they were built and would have whole families buried in them...

 


Even the old mushrooms enjoy this environment.......






Our final destination was the site of Battle Of Culloden.
One of the final sites of the battle between the Jacobite uprising against the English in 1746 and although one of the quickest it was sadly one of the bloodiest with around 1500 and 2000 Scots killed and not many government forces suffering losses. This was the last battle on The U.K Mainland......
Today, flags mark the fields of government and Jacobite troops and mass grave stones mark the clans that fell for the cause and the pavement lines the names of many that help support the visitor centre and keep the memories of those who fought and died here......

 

 The names on the ceiling of the visitor centre are those that help support the site and there are thousands of names...

 

Names that line the footpath to the visitor centre.
We had a great day and the visit was welcome and worth the money.
So Visit Scotland, it is a world where dreams, stories and Myths are made of Legends..............

A Date With An Old Friend! Now To Get There!

It was time to return to Inverness and Collect my old friend my bike!
This time though it would be a journey along the road.
The A1 North past Darlington, then the A68 and through my old Town and places along the A7 through some stunning countryside.
The A720 city bypass of Edinburgh Over the Forfar Bridge along the M90 and finally the A9 that would take us all the way to Inverness..........

 
The route began pleasantly enough with not much traffic, but as we got further north speed restrictions came in as roads were being widened, but a lorry thought that 50mph was to slow for him and with blaring horn and flashing lights we were eventually forced over by him as he accelerated passed doing well in excess of 60mph (I wonder if he altered his tachograph as I used to be a lorry driver and know all about tacho`s etc).
It`s 50mph for a reason, not so you can please yourself - idiot!
If you see this Lorry driver Vehicle reg can clearly be seen, be sure to afford him the same courtesy as he afforded us, or better still get a woman driver to show him how to drive properly with a load!

 

With fields of poppies joining us along the A68, the weather also changed to sunshine and a clearer journey, indeed as we passed the sign for Newcastle I gave JZ a wave! And soon we were upon the route that changed England into a very welcome Scotland and Alan Smith the Scottish Piper was there welcoming us in and his light hearted manner and cheerful tunes made for pleasant memories. 

 

 The view from the top of the Scottish Borders was outstanding and the welcome cup of tea would take us a little further as we would stop for a while in Jedburgh.

Jedburgh is a lovely old place to go and visit and is near a place called ColdStream - because of the Coldstream Guards.
It was first documented in 847 as Gedwearde and then in 1147 the Abbey was formed although being near the borders, constant battles between the English and Scottish and also the French (who helped Scotland hold the Abbey and other areas) meant that the Abbey was constantly being ruined then re-built and then ruined again.
Today it still stands proud, a testament to the Scottish builders who failed to bow down to English bullies and bureaucrats for centuries.

 The main front of the Abbey that awaits visitors.


This picture holds a different story.
As I took this and thought I saw something in the archway, on closer inspection, a figure can be seen.
My friend also took the same picture but on closer inspection, nothing could be seen on her picture.
Was this an apparition watching everyday life of an ever changing Jedburgh or is it just a trick of light and stone that makes it look as if someone is there, but the other 8 people who looked at the photograph can`t be wrong, can we?


You`ll have to decide.......

 

Many gravestones still line the Abbey and also inside and this was one of the oldest.


The main graveyard is just next door.


The ruins of the Abbey are well worth a visit and the £5.50 entrance fee we paid was very acceptable.














Whilst in Jedburgh we grabbed a couple more photographs before going to the Edinburgh Woollen Mill for a soup and a well deserved cup of tea!

 


Pleasantly full we continued north and turned off onto the A7 through Galashiels before joining the A720 and over the Forfar Bridge and then into the wilds of the Highlands and eventually Inverness.

 
Inverness by night is stunning and I`m finally re-united with my bike that had completed a long journey of over 200 miles, now to get it back home...........!!

Succulent Fruit and Fields of Poppies

 Before I start this post  I wanted to say thankyou to those who e-mailed and commented on the post "The good, the bad and the ugly of the train journey south" 
I would like to thank Mary Crook for getting in touch, it was a privilege to be on your Dad`s train.
To others who have asked, no, I have not got my bike back yet, but a short holiday to Inverness is on the cards next month.  






It is that time of season when the fruits are in abundance and it is time for them to be picked.
Strawberries and Raspberries in loads of rows hang tantalisingly from there plants and trees.
With 5:30 starts, our small team have plenty to pick to get ready for the local shops and public houses to be stocked, the punnets are bursting with fresh, succulent fruit, all of which make for fantastic summer puddings and compots, to fruit drinks and add ons to Pimms.
With ice cream to whipped cream or just dribbly cream to float over the top, you can eat as many as you like, though not too many!
So why not go and buy some already picked fruit or go and pick your own!

 The farm shops are stacked full of goodies, so pop along and try something different.
From the fruit farm, take a look around, is it full of fields and bright with colour or are there trees blocking the view?

 
 Go for a walk and enjoy what the countryside has to offer, nature is full of surprises and enjoyment and colour.
Poppies are now in full show, making green fields velvet red, there is plenty to be explored and many picnics to be had, hope you all have a good summer, whatever you do.
Me? In between strawberry picking and looking after people, I`m going on a couple of Jayz`s walks  and explore the Cumbrian area once more......

Update

A short while ago I did a post on a walk to Stamford and one of the places we went through was Easton on the Hill.


The small village at the time was battling against corporate big wigs wanting to transport Radioactive waste through the village.


Well sadly, the radioactive waste does look like it will be passing through this quiet village to be dumped at a landfill site "not too far away"


My belief is that the government has gotten involved with this debate as council officers believe it will "benefit the local community and enhance the local workforce"


Hmmmmmm, where?


Although debates are still on-going, the outcome which sould have been known by 26th may, will rage on for a little while longer whilst council officials, locals and governing bodies decide when the first vehicles will pass through and so the final outcome endeth.
Meanwhile Easton on the Hill still thrives regardless of this major dilemma facing them.

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of The Train Journey South!

I am writing this little ditty of my train journey south.
It should`ve been easy, with advance tickets booked.
But no one could have foretold the weather and Ash cloud and that everything would be turned on its head!
Still, it was a mini adventure, that could be said!


The Good:


On my return from Lairg I was due to catch the 18:30 to Inverness.
18:30 came and went and I began to get nervous, I confess.
I hadn`t thought that the trains might not be running,
With 90 mile an hour winds and driving rain, I didn`t think the train would be coming. 
Nervously I waited with my bike in tow
Would the signal lights change, I didn`t know.
At last I phoned, when the voice on the other end said:
Yes madam and it is the only train running north of Newcastle!
Oh my God, the journey was a battle!
Indeed the train did come, half an hour late but what a relief!
My Journey south began in earnest and belief.
The train was not full, and the ride pleasant.
We stopped and started with the wind and rain still buffeting the windows,
As darkness quickly fell and  the towns and lights in full glow
We ambled along stopping and starting, but finally reaching our destination,
We were all relieved then found out why we had managed to get to our destination.......
Our driver, from Scot Rail, at every point we stopped at, got out and changed the points himself and went above and beyond what was asked of him, to which we are truly grateful.


The Bad:

I`d had my tickets booked far in advance, to save myself stress and money and a good deal was enhanced!
But alas, it was to be to no avail, and my bike would not return, my annoyance was brief, this was an adventure one I could not curtail! 
The 07:55 I was due to catch, was cancelled, could I get on the next one with my bike?
Yes, was the reply, the 10:58 via Aberdeen, what a hike!
5 minutes later, that got cancelled!
What was I to do now? There was not a hope in hell of me and my bike heading home, but I had to be back, drastic action would be called for.........
The lady at the B&B I had stayed would look after my bike until a later date, a good excuse to return, but a poor state of affairs, not enough room on the train to take my bike!
And so it came to pass, I would return home without my trusted bike and have to use the cumbersum, heavy clod I was hoping never to use again!


The Ugly:


At 10:47 we boarded, bounded for Edinburgh, York and finally Peterborough. 
With only four carriages, we all clambered aboard, suitcases and people squashed and packed, this was no way for a journey to begin.
With all the buses commandeered for the airports as the Volcanic Ash from Iceland spread to Scotland and the North of England, the trains that did not run yesterday were now full to capicity, bulging a health and safety risk! 

And so, packed like sardines we hurried along, thankful of just being able to get home, but there were other people who were travelling abroad who, for them, they could not get home via airports, they were cancelled, I hope they would be able to get home ok.
We changed at Edinburgh, after the train driver called ahead to arrange for the train to be delayed by a few minutes so passengers could board - thankyou!

The Forfar bridge that yesterday was closed and dogged by cloud, driving rain and buffeted by heavy winds.

The ugliness of a journey fraught by delays, cancellations and busy ways, were slowly getting back to normal and people could once more travel with confidence, but the power of nature shows us how vulnerable we truly are and the things we take for granted are just that, taken for granted.
We expect to get somewhere and on time, and when things don`t we see how the ugly side of human nature and fraught tensions, not necessary, just enjoy it, laugh and treat, as I did, as a mini adventure, you`ll get there in the end!
Now to get my bike back....................