We couldn't get out of the Highland Hotel quickly enough so we made instant oatmeal and set out around 7. I turned the key in to a drop slot at a dark desk and we left through the fire exit as the front doors were locked, with the staff and the bus tourists all sleeping in.
We headed to Cow Hill for a quick walk and to hopefully see some highland cows, but no luck there. Beautiful views though, and dry (ish).
Before getting on our way, we stopped by Neptune's Staircase, a canal of eight locks, the longest in Britain, and it takes a boat about 90 minutes to pass. It was built between 1803 and 1822 and was originally hand-powered. Scots don't get up early, so there were no boats passing through, but they were opening up the top lock while we were there.
Roadside stops do not disappoint, even in the misty weather.
Fort William is at the base of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland, with hikes on and around. In hindsight we maybe should have considered one of those, but we headed to the Trossachs National Forest to a "trail" called Auchtertyre Farm Circuit.
The reviews said the trail wasn't super well-marked, but we had good GPS, which kept us close to the trail to start. We went a short way through the forest and then climbed over a fence into a sheep pasture. I was trying to keep along the trail but Steve decided it was too wet and headed up the side. I eventually lost the trail too but luckily found Steve. We scrambled through swampy areas and up steep hillsides. It was beautiful though treacherous. Steve was pretty cranky about the descent, but we eventually got through a hole in the fence and reconnected to the trail, the second half of which was on a tractor road. Sheep were everywhere!
On a tight timeline to get the car returned, we ate peanut butter and bread at the end of the hike and started the final leg of the road trip toward Glasgow, with a couple quick stops for a few more coo views.
We got an A+ upon car return. Not a scratch in 700 bumpy, winding miles. it's still a wonder. Give Steve credit for driving, but I did alert him to a few near-misses. It was awesome to get out in the less-explored spots, but we were glad to hand over the keys!
We waited 25 minutes for an Uber that never came before hoofing it over to the airport terminals to grab a taxi. We had the nicest driver who gave us a quick run-down of Glasgow and some tips on the way to our hotel. He was really excited to show us the street where a scene from the newly released Indiana Jones movie was filmed. Apparently Glasgow is used for many American film settings--in fact we are staying in Gotham City!
Our final two nights are at the voco Grand Central Hotel, such a relief after our previous stay. It is connected to the Grand Central Train station and it is grand, indeed. The chandelier in the central staircase is 94 feet long! The hotel was built by the Calendonian Railroad in 1883 and was quite glamorous in its day, hosting many celebrities and politicians.
After a cocktail in the hotel bar overlooking the train station, we wandered nearby our hotel to find some dinner.
One more day to explore Glasgow...
Add comment
Comments
I would have to say you really got to the essence of Scotland. Good job even if you could have been lost forever in the hills of the countryside. Safe travels home and can’t wait until September to review the whole trip with us. Love you and thanks for the blog!