Photo Monday – The Last of Scotland

After we left the isles, we had one day before getting back to Edinburgh. We hesitated between Glencoe (M’s choice) and Glen Affric (my preference).  In the end, Glen Affric just wasn’t on the way back so we headed to Glencoe.

On the way from the Isle of Skye, I spotted this castle by the side of the road.  Eilean Donan Castle. It looked so pretty that I insisted we stop and visit.

After some hotel drama and a good night’s sleep, we hit a few hiking trails. We did the shorter ones because of the girls but we did do some fairly steep and long climbing.

(They rocked it. Did you spot E bounding up?)

The forrest looks a lot like the ones I’m used to back home but with slight differences.  Like the moss all over the trees that make the forrest so green it looks unreal, like some sort of fairyland.

Next, I chose a very steep trail that would take us to see a waterfall (Inchree Falls).  I figured the girls would enjoy that more than the eternal mountains hidden in the clouds (still no sun).

On the way back, we stopped at a wall.  Behind it, there were squirrel feeders on trees.  The wall had holes at different heights so that we might spot a red squirrel.  We’d looked before the hike and there weren’t any but when we got back, there was one having lunch! I think I was even more excited than the girls. During the whole trip, I’d tried to see some wildlife.  I only saw birds and even then, the girls always scared them away before I could get a picture.

We had to stop hiking then to get to our hotel but I made M stop one last time when we reached Rannoch Moor.  The landscape was so different from what I’d seen before! The relatively flat land with mountains in the distance and water everywhere.  And a bit of sun peaking through far away…

And then we got to our hotel in Killin, the Courrie Inn.  If you’re ever there, I highly recommend that hotel.  We got the MacDonald suite and it was gorgeous!  Bunk bed for the girls, and a huge bathroom with a BIG tub in the center (I had a good long soak). M forgot his sunglasses and travel paperwork at the hotel and V forgot her scottie bag (it’s plush scottie dog with a zippered compartment on its bag).  They very kindly sent it to us in London.  I would go back there in a heartbeat!

About deuxsouriceaux

Creative mommy at home to two wonderful little girls, trying to juggle family, sewing, exercise, family, knitting, photography, and did I mention family?