I knew the Highlands were magical, I knew people raved about them, I knew I wanted to have my own magical experience, but I did not expect what magic I got. The Highlands gave me peace, a whole lot of adventure, and a little piece of myself that I think I have missed for the last month or maybe even longer.
Before I get into the break down of all the amazing little moments I want to tell you about Heartland Travel, the company that took me and 15 other international students on this weekend of bliss.
Nori, the tour man of all tour men, is the sweetest, most genuine, funny and passionate person I have ever met.
He isn't a closed off history book that is just there to drive you around and spout facts. He is a magnificent storyteller and honest to goodness Scot that just wants to share his home with you, and he truly knows the absolute best spots to show you. It is the perfect mix of tourist and local explorer and I have never felt so comfortable on a tour in my entire life. Plus he makes you Haggis, Neeps and Tatties for dinner one night and it is the best Haggis you will have hands down.
If you are coming to Scotland and you want to go to the Highlands for more than just one day, I highly recommend that you do this tour and only this tour. (There is a Heartland Tours which is the wrong company - you want Heartland Travel).
Day One:
The tour started with the beautiful Doune Castle which has been used in TV shows like Game of Thrones and Outlander, and is nestled back into some forest just of the main road. I have not seen either of these TV programs so the celebrity effect was lost on me, but I had been awake for only three hours prior and now I was at a castle!
After our short photograph stop at Doune Castle we headed off to Callander where we got the most delectable sandwiches and pastries for lunch later. Then as quickly as we arrived we left for a hike in the Glencoe Mountains. This hike set the tone for the whole of the trip. It was a gorgeous hike up the hills to the lookout with waterfalls and just enough mud to keep it fun (a reoccurring theme).
Since this was the first hike and major viewpoint of the weekend, we didn't have any ideas of what we would see when we reached the top and finally cleared the forest, and boy was it a view. This was the moment I knew that this weekend was going to be special. The beauty of the Highland's, in my opinion is the sheer vastness and depth that fully encompasses the tininess that is your being.
Here is where we ate lunch, heard about clans, and took pictures. None of my pictures in this post will fully capture the beauty or immensity of these locations.
Then we stopped and fed some highland cows and oh my goodness, I swear people aren't exaggerating when they talk about them. They really are that great. I mean come on, One looked right into my camera and took a selfie with me!
Then as we drove further north we stopped at lookouts along the road. Lookouts of sweeping fields and massive mountains that seemingly come up from nothing. We stopped at a couple massive Monroes, one of which was the Three Sisters of Glencoe.
One of the amazing things about the Highlands is no spot looks the same. These stops were 20 minutes apart and yet these mountains are vastly different looking.
I for the life of me cannot remember what this Monroe is called and I have spent an hour looking on the internet to see if I could find it to no avail. It was one of the most stunning ranges I saw. I was enamored with the way it just emerged from the earth, so stark against the field below it.
I was increasingly finding myself more in tune with the current moments and the lack of importance of worries I had, things that were stressing me out back at University melted away. I was truly present and thinking about only the world and how I was existing in it.
At Fort Williams we stopped and got the makings for our dinners for the next two nights, which involved 17 people running around grabbing obscene amounts of food. We had decided on Tacos for our first dinner, and Haggis from our lovely Nori would be dinner number two. After buying our groceries we hurried off to Glenfinnan Viaduct, which most people would know better as the Harry Potter bridge used in the Prisoner of Azkaban for the Flying Car scene.
Our pleasant little stop to see the bridge was really overshadowed by the view across from it, Loch Shiel. It was beautiful lighting as the sun was settling down peacefully behind the surrounding hills.
Then we were quickly whisked away to our accommodation in Stromeferry with one final stop before reaching our beds for the night.
This little stop was probably the most stunning castle I have ever seen, settled right on the meeting point of three Lochs and surrounded by hills. Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most photographed Castles in Scotland, and it is clear why.
While we were stopped to take pictures there was a wedding happening, which immediately put contemplation of my own wedding being in a Castle on a Loch into my head. I mean, come on.
Then we drove two hours to Stromeferry Railway Station, and I promptly took a nap as I cannot avoid slumber when in a moving vehicle. It is my greatest weakness. Upon arrival, we claimed rooms and started making dinner. I volunteered to cook the meat filling of shredded chicken and dare I say it was some of my best work. I was rather proud and oh my god was I hungry.
The house was so cozy despite being massive. The decor was homey and well curated and had everything we needed and more.
Stromeferry is a town of around 8 people which really creates a quiet environment out in the middle of nowhere. This combined with the view, really gives you a sense of peacefulness. Being situated on the Ocean via a fjord, a view like this really stunned.
Bedtime was welcomed with tired legs and a full belly that mingled with excitement for the days to come. And as quickly as I fell asleep, it was time to wake up again.
Day Two:
A piece of toast and we were off!
You know the sort of sleep where it isn't that great but your body seemingly finds the power to muster though because your brain is too busy shooting off chemicals of excitement and curiosity? That was the kind of sleep I got, not terrible, definitely enough to still be a functioning member of society, but not enough to turn down a nap.
Day Two was entirely devoted to the Isle of Skye which is a massive chunk of land with plenty to offer in adventure, yummy food and beautiful views. The most famous, or shall we say well known part of Skye is the Fairy Pools and that is exactly where we started our day.
It is about a twenty minute hike up to and along the pools - well worth it to go all the way up - and is situated in a valley. Which if you can't already picture it, mountains and fields surround the pools making a beautiful backdrop for these pretty little waterfalls.
If you are unaware of the Fairy Pools, it is a section of the River Brittle where the rock underneath has metal content in it which makes the water appear more turquoise than normal and it is more fragmented leaving a portion of the river with multiple waterfalls.
It was so windy, granted it is a valley, and I loved it. It was finally cold and windy and lightly sprinkling, this was the weather I had been craving. It was also remarkably beautiful.
There were all these little pockets where the water would get trapped for a little before falling into another pocket and a musically inclined person, the sound was marvelous. Water sounds have always been a favorite of mine, but bubbling and babbling rivers and waterfalls are some of the best. I took a video of it trying to capture the sound, the wind makes it less clear than I would like, but you can still get an idea of the sound.
Of course in a place so beautiful you must have a photoshoot.
Before I get to the next location I want to take a moment to recognize and describe the emotional change I had on the Isle of Skye. There are lots of examples of people having a 'The Universe is massive and I am insignificant' moment in the face of grand parts of the world, especially ones as isolated as the Isle of Skye. I guess the internal experience I had is somewhat connected to that idea, but instead of feeling lost or unimportant, I found myself feeling more connected to the world I exist on, even feeling more powerful because of the hikes, the views and the reflection time I was giving myself.
I was allowing myself to be fully in the moment, yes, but more than that I was giving myself an experience that I knew I would never get the same way again. Giving myself that focus on myself, not my work. Giving myself a quiet mind. Allowing myself to feel because I am too good at letting a 'lack of time' be my excuse for not truly acknowledging myself. Here, I had all the time in the world.
This next location was the place where I felt most connected to myself possibly ever.
I was living my Keira Knightly Pride and Prejudice dreams up here on this mass of land. The hike was tough, I was very warm and my legs were feeling all the hiking we did the day before, but oh my goodness was this view worth it. We spent around an hour up at the peak and for the first twenty minutes I didn't talk to anyone, I just wandered along the top of the peak. Then I sat down in the grass, despite it being wet, and looked out.
There I was on the edge of land and sea, up in the sky, sitting on green grass. My body was that weird mix of internally boiling but externally cold. I have always liked that feeling, it is a physical representation of relief. Relief from the heat, but more importantly the immense amount of work your body has done. My mind had relief too, there wasn't a secondary source or controversial historical opinion in my brain - my history assignments might as well not have existed.
Additionally, I was feeling so powerful. I had just climbed to the top of a cliff and sat on top of the world, everything else didn't matter. And you know I was really feeling good because then I went and did this, against any rational fear of death.
The ridge I am on is probably only 4 feet wide and on a downhill slant. Giving me about a foot of space to balance on. It felt so good to do something brave. Not only because it makes for a dope picture, but because it just confirmed all my previous thoughts. I was capable and powerful and when I stayed grounded I could do it all.
Once I was done being all up in my feelings we had a photoshoot.
If you are ever wanting to go have a perhaps less dramatic experience of this view, the location is called The Quaraing, and it is worth every moment of the hike.
Next we went to the Faerie Glen, which also was a filming location for the movie Stardust, but before that it was regarded by our ancestors as an entrance to the Fairy realm. Primarily because of the mystical landscape that looks completely different then any other part of the Isle, but also because of a cave that was deemed to be a portal.
My dumb brain couldn't stop thinking I was on the set of Teletubbies though and was running around saying quotes from the show like a crazy person. Can you honestly tell me it doesn't look like the Teletubbie hills though?
It was very pretty.
After the magical excursion to Isle of Skye we hopped back into the van and started the journey back to Stromeferry. I promptly took a nap, only occasionally waking up to Nori telling me a story.
When we got back to the house I showered and changed into some comfy clothes while Nori cooked us our dinner. Dinner was absolutely fantastic. I already knew I liked haggis, but handmade haggis, neeps and tatties was the best of all varieties I have tried. This was also the best thing ever for a study abroad kid to get a home-cooked meal. Man do I miss it. I ate multiple helpings and then it was time for a quiz!
Jeanna, my Cisabroad mentor aka Scottish Mother, had a quiz on Scottish slang and phrases prepared for us. It was a tight race with us having to have three tie breakers, but my team got second place which I am pretty proud of. After that we had a jam session and played pool and just hung out as a group in the living area.
Sleep however beckoned my name.
Day Three:
This day was very important for my friendship with Antonia (my best friend). Loch Ness day.
If you do not know Antonia, then you are unaware of her fierce love for Nessie. If I did not whole heatedly participate in the Nessie experience, I would be severely punished for my lack of involvement. Perhaps three months of missing me would provide mercy, but I didn't want to risk it.
All that considered, I also love Nessie and wouldn't dare miss out on the shenanigans. Our Loch Ness experience started out with a bang. Well, a very cold swim.
A good start I would say. Before you ask, no I did not see her down there, but I think I was to close to the shore for her to notice me. Then again she could have nibbled my toes and I wouldn't have felt it because my legs were so numb.
After feeling very proud of myself, I awkwardly changed out of my wet swimsuit into my dry clothes in a sixteen person van with the other nine loch dunkers. The juxtaposition of the two events must have been hysterical. Never-the-less, I was feeling more awake and more adventurous after my morning swim.
We then ventured into Fort Augustus which is situated at Loch Ness and had a yummy fish and Chips lunch. Closely followed by some exploring and shopping in the town for Nessie Merch.
Loch Ness is beautiful and our good luck in the face of weather continued without any rain while we were out and about.
We went and got pictures next to the Loch Ness sign and then ventured into town where we looked at all the little shops and cafes.
While I didn't find Nessie, I did find a lot of merch and a had a lovely time exploring the little town that gets thousands of people on the search for Nessie. Searchers who, admittedly, probably do much more thorough searching then I did.
We then settled into the van for the longest stint in the van, the ride home.
Along the way we stopped at toilets and cafe's, as well as a church and a Graveyard. I didn't manage to capture any pictures of the toilets, unfortunately, but here are the pictures I did take on our stops.
I also had a lovely cake and got even more Christmas presents while stopped. Promptly followed by another motor vehicle nap.
On arrival home I was sad to leave as I could have traveled the highlands forever, but more importantly I felt grateful that I had gotten such a wonderful experience. I was renewed, happy and very sleepy.
Everything you have heard about visiting the Highlands is true.
It is magic, it is adventure and it is glorious. If you ever have the chance to go explore them, take it. Please. Everyone deserves the experience, but when you go, make it count, make it about reflection and don't hold back.