Isle of Skye Weekend

Disclaimer: This will most likely be a pretty long post. Sorry!

This weekend was jam-packed full of fun. It was extremely exhausting and I'm still sore but I got to see tons of beautiful places so it was worth it. The International Society associated with Glasgow University holds trips every weekend. Becca and I usually opt out of these in favor of the trips with Gary and Student Tours Scotland since they aren't as expensive. This trip, however, we just couldn't pass up. Gary doesn't do overnight tours and we really wanted to go to the Isle of Skye so we chalked up the 60 pounds and got tickets to go. The price was pretty steep all up front but considering everything we did it was extremely reasonable. A round trip bus ticket to Skye is about 40 pounds so our trip was a steal.

We started off the weekend bright and early on Saturday morning. We had to be on the bus by 7:45 to leave at 8. Skye is about a 6 hour drive if you don't stop but the first day of the trip had several stops planned so we needed to get going. We got on the bus and headed north towards our first stop, Luss. Becca and I had already been to Luss and it was only a 20 or so minute break so we went down to the beach to look at some ducks for a while then wandered to a little shop for about 10 minutes. There was the cutest little old man there and I just wanted to hug him, but I refrained.

Loch Tulla

We then boarded the bus again and headed off to Loch Tulla. This is just a little viewpoint to stop at and take some pictures. The area around the Loch was absolutely gorgeous but it was really cold and windy so we only stayed to take pictures for a little while. Then we were back on the road again to make our way to Glencoe. Glencoe is famous for the MacDonald massacre of 1692. There has been a rivalry between the MacDonalds and Campbells for a very long time and this was one unfortunate incident to have arisen from that. Our bus driver was a Campbell so the story he told is slightly different from the common story, which we learned about in this song. Our group leader and bus driver were a little obsessed with a certain CD of 25 famous Scottish Songs so we listened to Massacre of Glencoe and The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond a few dozen times. Anyway, we stopped in Glencoe for about a half an hour to take pictures and take in one of the most iconic landscapes in Scotland. It was absolutely breathtaking.

Glencoe

Our next stop was Fort William for lunch and exploring. We were given an hour and a half to eat and walk around. Becca and I grouped up with a girl we had met at the beginning of the semester named Megan and decided to go to McDonald's. There weren't that many choices for food so we decided it was probably our best choice for time and price wise. I had packed a sandwich so I got some fries and a drink. The ketchup over here is a little weird. Its a lot runnier than American ketchup so that was strange but manageable. After we finished lunch the tree of us walked towards the water and stumbled on the remnants of the fort that the town was named for. We explored a little, walking down to the sand, took some pictures, then headed back to the bus.

The next stop was another view point above a loch. This loch, however is really special for having an uncanny resemblance to a map of Scotland. Its called Loch Garry and it is set in some very pretty mountains. This was a short stop and we were back on the bus again. From the strangely shaped loch we were off to the most photographed castle in all of Scotland: Eilean Donan Castle. You've probably seen it either on postcards or calendars and it lives up to its reputation. It was spectacular. Unfortunately the gift shop and restrooms were closed and we couldn't go into the castle but I got some great pictures from just walking around it. Then we were off again to actually cross the bridge into Skye. We safely made it to the island and headed to our hostel in Broadford. Since we were such a big group and Skye is not very heavily populated we were split into two hostels by bus, the other bus was in Portree. We chose our rooming situation, got to the hostel, set up our beds then headed into the town to look around and get some snacks for the bus the next day (and later that night). Everything in the town was pretty much closed so we just got our snacks and headed back. The three of us wandered down to the kitchen to see if our group leader needed help cooking dinner since she was preparing it for 50 people. She obviously did and we did the most we could. Dinner was delicious. After dinner Becca, Megan, and I teamed up with another girl named Marie to play some pictionary. We played for a while then headed back to our room. We were absolutely exhausted and the three of us fell asleep buy 10:30, I know it sounds pathetic. But we had to be up pretty early the next day.

We got up around 7:30, got some breakfast, collected our things, turned in our bedding, and boarded the bus for another long day. Sunday was all about exploring the Isle of Skye and we had 6 stops planned and had to leave the last one no later than 1:45 in order to make it back to Glasgow on time so we were on a tight schedule. The first stop was a couple of bridges, the older one was no longer in use but was beautifully crafted. The mountainous landscape was not bad either. We then headed to Old Man Storr and the Trotternish Peninsula. Old Man Storr is a very famous rock formation in Skye and it looks like its balancing precariously at the top of the mountain. This stop required some hiking up a pretty substantial hill and the ground conditions were less than ideal. It was either ice or mud the whole way up so it made the journey pretty interesting. After making it a good way up the hill we stopped to take pictures of the sea and of the huge rocky mountain. We didn't have time or the right footwear to make it all the way up to Old Man Storr but we got some great views as we were driving through the area. Getting back down the mountain was even more interesting. I did fall once, and it was painful but I recovered with poise and managed to not get too much mud on me. This stop took longer than anticipated because of the ground conditions so the next two stops were a little rushed.

Mealt Falls and Kilt Rock

The next two stops both involved waterfalls and gorgeous ocean views. The first is called Mealt Falls, also known as Wedding Veil Falls because of the way the mist is carried out to sea. It is also pretty uncommon because of the fact that it falls directly into the sea and not into a river or loch. At this stop there is also a rock called Kilt Rock because the way the basalt formed resembles the pleats of a kilt. The second stop is the location of Lealt Falls. Here we met a nice Scottish gentleman who has taken to sitting in the same spot every Sunday simply because they don't do anything else on Sundays. He generously sat for probably 30 pictures as people posed with him. We then got back on the bus and headed off to our last stop before the drive back.






Our last stop was in Portree, the largest town on Skye. This isn't really saying much since the entire town was about 5 streets big. It is also the location of the only secondary school (Portree High School) on the entire island. Unfortunately, since it was a Sunday almost everything was closed but we did enjoy walking around and looking at the shops, wishing a couple of them were open. We grabbed an easy lunch and ate while walking around before getting back on the bus at 1:45 sharp in order to leave on time. We had a 6 hour ride ahead of us and it was essential to be back on time because of the bus' contract. On the drive back to Glasgow we enjoyed listening to the Scottish CD, especially the Loch Lomond song. It became a sort of anthem for the bus and we all sang it together at least three times. We did take a 45 minute break in Fort William on the drive back but that's because the law requires bus drivers to have a break during long journeys. It was a great opportunity to go to the bathroom and stretch after being cramped for so long.

Overall the weekend was great. I wish we could have spent some extra time in a couple of places but we did get to see tons of things so it was a compromise. I would advise going on this trip to anyone else thinking of coming to the university but personally I would stick with Gary and STS for any other weekend day trips just because they're smaller and more personal but the ISOC trips are great for packing in a lot of stuff in a short period of time if that's more your style.

Dunoon and Argyll Forest

This past Sunday I woke up super early after not getting much sleep to make the trek down to city center. There we met up with Gary (Student Tours Scotland), boarded the coach and headed off on our day trip to Dunoon and Argyll Forest. We were on the bus for about an hour before taking a bathroom break at a spot on Loch Lomond. We got off the bus and Becca proceeded to lay down immediately on a bench (she was suffering from motion sickess) and the good friend that I am caught the moment....Anyway during the stop we had some great opportunities to take pictures since the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. The sun was out and it was a relatively warm day. All I needed was a sweatshirt and I was comfortable.

It was so bright!!!

After boarding the coach again we headed off to Argyll Forest. It was about an hour drive through some gorgeous scenery on a very windy road. We passed one area deemed Rest and Be Thankful because it used to be a popular stopping point for those attempting to get through the "Scottish Alps". When we got to Argyll Forest we parked at the Botanical Garden Center and proceeded to start a 3 hour walk up a hill then down through Puck's Glenn. Along the way we hit a lookout point, heard some amazing faerie stories, and descended through the natural splendor that is Puck's Glen. The glen is well known for its association with faeries so the stories were abundant. Becca and I were even incorporated into one as best friends. Each of us had a son (played by boys on the trip) and of course mine was the one that turned out to be the weirdo. Thanks Gary....At the lookout point we got some absolutely stunning views of the surrounding mountains and then we descended into Puck's Glen. The actual walk was a bit precarious at times (p cubed for anyone that would get that reference). However the scenery was beyond anything I've seen. Everything was so green and there were waterfalls about every 20 feet or so and water was dripping off the huge rocks towering on either side of the path. It really did feel like we were transported into some faerie world. After emerging from the magical glen we meandered back to the bus and got some snacks from the visitor center before heading to the next stop.

My favorite waterfall from the walk

The next stop was Dunoon which unfortunately was pretty quiet since it was a Sunday but we got some unforgettable sights in. Since Becca and I brought our lunch and had already eaten we joined Gary for what was supposed to be a walk through the woods but unfortunately we ran out of time to do the whole thing. We did get to see some interesting parts of the town though and we probably annoyed some locals with our boisterous renditions of 90s music. We then met up with the rest of the group and headed to the ruins of Dunoon Castle which is situated on a big hill. The castle is now just some rocks on a hill but I enjoyed sitting and looking out at the water. Dunoon is situated right on the Atlantic so needless to say it is a gorgeous little town. We then boarded the bus again and took a 20 minute ferry ride back to the mainland (we were on a peninsula) and embarked on the hour long journey back to Glasgow.

 

On the trek back to our flats I managed to get a searing pain in what is supposed to be my good knee but I'm hitting the Advil to help that. Other than that slight hiccup it was a wonderful day. Long, but absolutely worth it.

Gary Walks

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I just haven't been doing anything exciting except for going to class and doing homework. But last Friday and yesterday I did go on walks with Gary and Student Tours Scotland. They were both to parks within Glasgow. Glasgow has a bunch of parks and green spaces in it. I think its upwards of like 300 or so. Anyway last Friday we ventured to Linn Park and yesterday we went to Pollok Country Park, the biggest park in Glasgow.

Both of the walks started off pretty much the same. We met at the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art and gave Gary our pound for the tour. We then headed over to Glasgow Central Station to catch the train to the parks. The train fare wasn't too bad, £2,30 for a return off-peak ticket for each of the trips. We then boarded the train and we were off. Gary has a tendency to worry when we take public transportation around the city because he doesn't want to lose anyone. So we're not allowed to mess with him until everyone is off at the right stop. 

For the first tour we got off at Cathcart and walked to the park. Linn park is a pretty big park and has a golf course and a beautiful waterfall in it. We ventured through the paths and were told a couple of stories and fun facts along the way. The park was beautiful but extremely muddy. Most of the tour had to get a bit creative when getting through the mud. I, on the other hand thoroughly enjoyed traipsing through the mud. We found the really big waterfall and I climbed into some hazardous areas in order to take better pictures and just for fun. Gary's golden rule is "Just Don't Die" so he sometimes has some issues when we get too adventurous. We finished our walk through the park then crossed the street to a lookout point which was supposedly where Queen Mary sat to watch the last battle of some war (I can't remember which at the moment). Of course this seems pretty unlikely to us since Battlefield Park (where the battle took place) is pretty far away from that spot and very difficult to see. We then ventured back to the train station and headed back into Glasgow's city center. Becca and I made the long trek back to our flats then proceeded to watch the episode of Glee from the night before. 

This last walking tour was to Pollok Country Park, the biggest park in Glasgow. It was given to the city by the family under the condition that it wouldn't be touched. In the park there is a golf course, a playground, a museum, a lot of trails, the Pollok House, and HIGHLAND COWS!!!! Yes there are about 100 Highland Cows in Glasgow and they all reside in this park, well for most of the year. This is not a well known fact so a lot of tourist's venture into obscure parts of the highlands just to see one of the cows when they could take a short train ride to this park. So the main intention of the entire walk was to spot a cow and we got several. The other parts of the tour took us up to the Pollok House as well as some paths trough the woods to a cursed tree. We also saw what looked to be a sort of industrial town. The weather held out for the most part during our walk which was very nice of it and it was not neatly as muddy as the previous week but I still managed to find some to squish in. After the walk we again made the long trek back to the student apartments and again watched the episode of Glee from the previous night. This seems like its becoming a pattern. Tomorrow I'm off to Dunoon and Argyll Forest with Gary which he promised is beautiful so hopefully I'll have another post after that.

The supposedly cursed tree

Highland Cow!!!!

The Hunterian and Loch Lomond

This past week I didn't really do much besides classes. We did, however do our first dark room/developing session in my photography class. That was super neat and since the developer machine is broken we got to do it the old fashioned way which I was even more excited about. Anyway, by the time Saturday rolled around I was sick of being cooped up in my room. I get into the habit of watching TV on my computer or reading for long periods of time and I forget to go out and do things and since the museums here have free entrance I decided to take advantage of it. By the time I actually got up and ready for the day it was about 2. I dropped of books for class with Becca (we're sharing since she found a set in her kitchen and we didn't want to waste money) and headed over to the Hunterian Museum. The main part of the museum is located in the main building on campus (the Gothic one) and there is a corresponding art gallery that is right next to our library. I had heard great things about the museum and was really excited to go. The Hunterian is named after a man named William Hunter who was a renowned medical man and collector in London. He had attended the University of Glasgow and after his death, when his nephew couldn't take care of the museum he had erected in London, his collection was sent to the University. The museum holds many things from Hunter's personal collection as well as some additional things. The bugs, coins, and medical oddities I saw all came from Hunter himself, but there was also an exhibit on the Antonine Wall. The Antonine was basically like Hadrian's wall but farther north, running just north of Glasgow. It was not in use for an incredibly long time and when the Roman's retreated back to Hadrian's wall they buried most of the evidence. There are 13 recovered distance markers and The Hunterian has 9 of them. I spent over 2 hours in The Hunterian and I only managed to make it through 2 rooms. This is perfectly acceptable pace for me and thus I am definitely going to be going back. After wandering through the museum and around campus a little bit I headed back to my room to rest up for the next day.

Uterus with a 5 month fetus

I woke up bright and early on Sunday because I was off to Loch Lomond with Gary and Student Tours Scotland. Loch Lomond is the largest loch in Scotland and is only about an hour north of Glasgow on the Highland boundary. It is a very popular vacation destination and is even featured in a song. There were three stops included in the trip, the first of which was Balmaha. We took a wee hike up the Millennium Path which was absolutely gorgeous! Gary shared some stories about the faeries on the way up in order to warn us of the dangers of dealing with them. Once we reached about half way up we were free to either continue the climb or make our way down. Becca and I chose the leisurely stroll down since the wind was crazy and we were afraid of being blown away. Plus this gave us a chance to take tons of beautiful pictures of the forest and the view from the hill.

sheep proof gate

Yeah, we climbed lots of stairs

The next stop on the itinerary was Balloch Town. This was a relatively short stop intended to give people a chance to get lunch if they didn't bring any (which we of course did). Becca, our friend Corinna and I headed on a path through the woods which took us up close and personal with a side of the lake. We also passed some modern art installments and thus had a discussion about whether they should count as art. After this we walked through the little mall located on the pier for a bathroom break and to get out of the rain. Then it was back on the bus for our final stop.

it was cold, and windy

Our last stop was the Village of Luss. Luss is a teeny tiny little town right on the shore of Loch Lomond. Gary took us on a path around the village called the Quary Path. Rightfully named because most of the slate shingles were once mined in this area. Along the path we stopped by a beautiful river and waterfall. It was pretty muddy/slippery and a long way down so we basically risked our lives to take some pictures (even though STS's golden rule is "Just don't die." Sorry Gary!). We lagged behind a bit in the area, which we were allowed to do, then finished the path and took another one that lead us to a quaint little church and graveyard. Past that we found a beach area on the Loch. The perfect spot for some jumping pictures. We then headed out onto the pier for some landscape-type pictures of the Loch. After that we wandered back through the village to the bus, stopping in a shop for a postcard along the way. It was a long day but it sure was gorgeous. I did slip and fall once but I was only with Becca and she missed it so I was safe from ridicule. It was quite graceful if I do say so myself. We finally made it back to Glasgow, managed the chilly walk back to our apartments then I put on pjs, made some tea, and cuddled in bed. All in all I would say a very successful day indeed.

Got it on the first try