Adventures in a Waking World

I'm Amy & I like to travel about Scotland in my grey Fiat Bravo. I'm currently embarking on a history adventure across Scotland.

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

Walking up to North Sutor, Nigg #walking #oilrig #oilrefinery #scotland #highlands #nigg #cromartyfirth #sea #coast #hillwalking #bluesky #winter #outdoors #greatoutdoors #scenery #scenic #beautiful #landscape (at Nigg, Highland, United Kingdom)

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

'Walking. After all this time? Always.'

I’ve decided to put Tumblr’s mobile app through its paces by attempting to write this blog in the car, whilst travelling to Norfolk for a small break! So far, the app seems to be proving its worth (it can stay another day). EDIT: It seems you cannot include photos when writing a post on the app so I’m not that impressed.

Last week, the walking group and I faced the sub-zero temperatures and travelled to a cold but beautiful Evanton. Whilst the temperatures didn’t get above freezing all day, the weather was just glorious. I really can’t get enough of these crisp winter days, with the conditions perfect for walking. I really will miss them when an inevitable damp Spring eventually arrives.

Our route this week took us through Evanton Community Wood on the outskirts of the village, to Black Rock Gorge, a rather spectacular geological box canyon that stretches for hundreds of metres, measuring 40m deep in some places. The gorge features heavily in local folklore, including a Gaelic tale involving a noblewoman, the Lady of Balconie being lured deep into the mysterious depths of the gorge by a strange man, probably the devil. More recently, the gorge featured in the dragon chase scene in ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’. Whilst we had organised this walk weeks in advance, we all felt it was even more appropriate with the passing of actor and absolute hero, Alan Rickman.

With the paths outwith the forest fairly icy, we took it slowly at first, taking the time to absorb the magical surroundings around us. With the sun streaming through the trees and a stillness in the air, the forest had an almost dream-like quality to it. As we moved deeper into the forest, the paths got better, crossing a few streams here and there. However, we were all thankful for the ice when the path became a large, boggy puddle. As it was completely frozen over, it was a lot easier to walk on crunchy mud rather than having to wade through it.

After taking a slight wrong turn, we headed back in the right direction down towards the gorge, seeing a sign for the bridges along the way. After descending more down a steep hill, we finally arrived at the gorge.

The gorge itself is surprisingly dramatic, a real geological feast for the eyes. Pictures simply don’t do it justice - it’s massive. The drop is quite dizzying (especially when there’s seven ladies standing on a rather aged-looking wooden bridge) and there were a few of us who felt quite rightly queasy looking down into the abyss. It was so deep in some spots that you couldn’t see the bottom and only the sound of rushing water gave any clue that there was any bottom at all.

We walked to the next bridge, where we finally discovered how the gorge had received its name, the rock face stained black. This next bridge was not as robust as the first and great care had to be taken around this area.

Retracing our steps, we returned, the path becoming flatter and more sturdy before we eventually arrived back into Evanton and stopped at The Storehouse in Cromarty on the way home for some much needed warmth, rest, soup and cake.

An easy walk with only a few steep bits here and there, the trail was 6.5km all in and took about 2 and a half hours (although that was at a fairly leisurely pace). Whether you prefer to absorb the spooky atmosphere or revel in the magic of Black Rock Gorge, there’s no doubt it’s a place of sheer wonder.

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

Black Rock Gorge - There was only a 60m drop from the bridge 🙈🍃🕳 Scenes from 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' were filmed in this stunning location ⚡️🏆🔥 #blackrock #blackrockgorge #evanton #scotland #highlands #movielocation #harrypotter #harrypotterforever #travel #travelling #walking #gorge #geology #geography #natural #rock #wow #trees #forest #magic (at Black Rock Gorge)

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

“I don't know what my path is yet. I'm just walking on it.”

After a truly wonderful festive period including copious amounts of alcohol, partying until all hours of the morning and overdosing daily on cheese, it’s safe to say that when January arrived, the traditional ‘new year detox’ began almost straightaway (again).

This year, my friends and I have taken to walking every weekend and each week, we choose somewhere different to venture.

We started on Sunday 3rd January with a nice, easy path to start: Caledonian Canal.

Caledonian Canal is the stretch of water that runs through Inverness and flows into Loch Ness. Along both sides of its banks lies a path which provides a nice, flat walk - perfect for beginners. My only advice would be not to do it alone and certainly, I would not recommend it in the dark.

We followed the canal from Bught Park in Inverness to the Lock at Dochgarroch.

The weather was dull but dry, good conditions for walking. However, the walk itself is pretty uneventful. The landscape barely changes, blurring into a never-ending row of trees and flow of water, save for a few interesting houses and boats along the way.

All in, it took us an hour and a half to reach the lock at Dochgarroch. A pretty little village, nestled along the canal before it reaches Loch Ness, I grabbed a few photos before we headed back.

The walk to Dochgarroch was around 3.5 miles which meant it was 3.5 miles back. I was definitely regretting all that Christmas overconsumption by the end of the walk. 7 miles and 3 hours and 30 minutes: a good, long walk to start the year!

However, today’s walk was far more scenic. We picked Monadh Mor, a Forestry Commission trail located on the Black Isle.

Today’s weather was freezing at about 0-1 degrees. I finally took the plunge and invested in a pair of proper walking shoes (which fit like a glove and are incredibly comfortable) in a bid to make a serious effort with this walking group. I feel a wee shoutout is in order to the helpful shop assistant at Tiso in Inverness this morning, who within fifteen minutes, found me a great pair of shoes.

New shoes on, with my feet covered in plasters on every common blister site, we arrived at Monadh Mor and began walking just after 11am. Though cold, the skies were glorious, clear with very little cloud and a beautiful winter sun. A relatively flat trail with a few gentle climbs, the paths were relatively good at first until we started to ascend, when they became increasingly icy and extra care had to be taken.

Once we had reached the top, the view across the Moray firth was quite stunning, especially on such a clear day.

Soon after, we entered the forest, which harbours within its borders rare bog woodland. Where it wasn’t icy, there were some severely muddy areas that took some logistical planning to get across in one piece. I can truly say my new walking boots were well-christened by the end!

We eventually reached a large expanse of water in the bog, completely frozen over. With the pale blue sky overhead and the trees surrounding the clearing, it had an almost ‘fairytale’ quality to it. Beautiful to both look at and photograph.

We then began to descend via another path through more woodland which allowed us to make a loop back to the main path. This part of the walk was a lot easier albeit still pretty icy as even the midday sun didn’t manage to defrost the paths. We ventured deeper into more woodland before coming along the home straight back to the car park.

All in, today’s walk was 4 Miles in under 2 hours.

Next week, we’re going to Evanton to walk the Black Rock Gorge trail, which featured in ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet or Fire’. Seeing as some of the girls and I are Harry Potter aficionados, this should be great fun! 

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

Hello, 2016!

Firstly, Happy New Year to all of my readers!

So, I guess I have some explaining to do...

The reason I’ve been so silent over the last few months can be summed up in one picture...

Car Troubles, eh?

Yes. That’s a picture of my beloved red punto ‘Alfie’, before he ended up in the big scrapyard in the sky. Needless to say, without a car, visiting places proved to be quite difficult and then, with the festive period settling in, my wanderings and travels went on the back burner.

But it’s a new year. It’s a new start and I’ve now got a new car.

Welcome to the adventure, Smokey!

Watch this space for a catch-up blog or two before I really kick off 2016!

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

Monagh Mor 🌲💧 #walking #exploring #highlands #inverness #monaghmor #scotland #hiking #exercise #cold #winter #bog #bluesky #trees #nature (at Monadh Mor)

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

First walk of the year along the Caledonian Canal from Inverness to Dochgarroch! I reckon 7 miles there and back 🐾💃🏻 #walk #Caledoniancanal #canal #inverness #dochgarroch #highlands #exploring #walking (at Dochgarroch)

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

“The Wilderness Growing Free... Mountains of Black and Gold”

Skye is the only Scottish island I’ve ever visited but I can categorically state it’s my absolute favourite. ‘A strong Statement’ you may think, considering I haven’t had the opportunity to see the beauty of Scotland’s other islands (they’re on the bucket list, trust me). However, you just can’t deny childhood sentiment towards a place and the beautiful thing about Skye is that it remains in a time warp: never-changing and untouched.

With the family up to visit for the October week, we decided we were going to do our famous ‘Tour of the Highlands’, a personal childhood favourite of mine (until we discovered Orlando). Our specific type of Highland tour always includes a day trip to Skye.

As always, we stayed at my Auntie and Uncle’s farm near Drumnadrochit. Our own slice of heaven, it’s my favourite place in the entire world. The feeling of sanctuary and peace at the top of their hill is unparalleled. And this year, I was lucky enough to spend three months living there as I settled into my new job in Inverness. Arriving in March as lambing began, I practically have a degree in Sheep Midwifery now. Seeing the beautiful scenery come alive during spring and summer was also a sight to behold. However, it’s now October, the weather is turning colder and the cute lambs have grown into ‘not-so-cute lambs’ which can only mean one thing. Market. I can’t talk about it anymore.

I digress. In all my years of visiting Skye, I can honestly say I’ve never spent a day on the island without a jacket. The nature of the beast, I suppose. However, by a quirk of fate, this entire week was so sunny and mild and for once, Skye was also supposed to be dry. Excited about the prospect of leaving our jackets behind, we set off for Skye at around 8am. Driving from Drumnadrochit to the Kyle of Lochalsh, you witness some of the most unspoilt, dramatic scenery Scotland has to offer. Sometimes, it’s hard to believe how much of Scotland has been untouched (and all the better for it). Before you reach the Kyle of Lochalsh, you pass through a village called Dornie. Dornie is home to the iconic Eilean Donan Castle, one of the most recognisable images of Scotland. Especially on a clear day, Eilean Donan is a feast for the eyes and always makes for a great photo opportunity. Additionally, as a secret fan of the classic film that is ‘Highlander’, my inner geek rejoiced.

Eilean Donan: No Caption Needed

From the Kyle of Lochalsh, the gateway to Skye, you cross the bridge over to the island, a near vertigo-inducing arch that was built in such a way to allow the Royal Yacht Britannia to pass underneath. Driving across Skye, the long road winds up steep vertical climbs, offering staggering views of the coast below before eventually tailing downwards towards the pretty harbour town of Portree. Portree, which is the unofficial capital of Skye is a nice pit-stop and worth stopping for. In the town square, you’ll find lots of nice places to eat, including ‘The Granary’ which offers light bites and tasty local treats, including fresh seafood and game. And if you’re looking for a place to rest for the night, the recently - refurbished Portree Hotel has not long re-opened its iconic doors.

Portree Harbour: Who needs Balamory?

After stretching our legs, we got back into the car and headed for the Quiraing, one of Skye’s most astonishing and dramatic summits. Whilst most people enjoy the pleasure of hiking up the Quiraing, I enjoyed the pleasure of ascending it in a car (shameless, I know). Needless to say, however you choose to ascend, the views from the top of the Quiraing are nothing short of breath taking and again, being blessed with a rather clear day, we were able to fully absorb the majesty of Skye unfolding below us (although looking down for too long may have an adverse effect).

My Father Looking Out from the Quiraing... Eat your heart out Rocky!

Descending the Quiraing, we began a drive around the west coast of the island, stopping for a quick photo call at Uig, bending right round the top of the island towards Flodigarry before arriving at Kilt Rock, arguably Skye’s most recognisable feature. Found on the East Coast of the island, Kilt Rock is an interesting geological formation which resembles, you guessed it, a kilt. With ample parking and a nice observation area, Kilt Rock is a must see sight on a trip to Skye and another great photo opportunity.

Not sure what kind of Tartan Kilt Rock is...

Whilst it might not take long to travel the length and breadth of Skye, to truly see everything on this spectacular island, an overnight stay is recommended, especially if you want to explore the wonders that lay south of the island, including Dunvegan Castle and of course, the enchanting Fairy Pools at Glen Brittle.

Skye is a magical place that will capture your heart and breathe new life into your soul. Pure and Simple. And if it’s not on your bucket list, it should be. Remember to take a jacket though.

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

Standing on the Edge of the World 🎶 Blog on my trip to #Skye is coming soon! ☺️🚣 #kiltrock #nature #rock #stone #formation #geology #geography #wow #impressive #amazing #love #blog #blogger #scotland #island #scottishisland #lochaberandskye #highlands #photo #photography #travelgram #travelling #travel #sea #ocean #oceanview #blue #waterfall #scenic #Sightseeing #instagood (at Kilt Rock)

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

That sunset though... 🌚🌛 #sunset #Scotland #scottish #highlands #heaven #sky #orange #redsky #love #pretty #scenic #beautiful #nature #moon #lochness #hills #travel #travelgram #travelling #photo #photography #vscocam (at Drumnadrochit)

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

A day trip to Skye 🚗🏰 #Skye #daytrip #holiday #holidays #tourist #Sightseeing #travel #travelgram #travelling #kyleoflochalsh #scotland #eileandonancastle #eileandonan #castle #history #scottish #iconic #historic #highlander #vscocam #photography #photo #amyhistoryadventure #dornie #blackandwhite (at Eilean Donan Castle)

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

“All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!”

Living in the Highlands, you're often spoiled for choice when it comes to sightseeing. With so much scenic beauty and history, it’s not hard finding things to occupy your time. However, by this point in time, I have pretty much exhausted every single tourist destination within a 5-mile radius of Inverness.

If you remember, I had my friend Debby come to visit a few weeks ago. Obviously, I was more than ready to revisit a few old haunts as she had never been up here before. However, when she proceeded to ask if we could visit Cawdor Castle, I was ecstatic. A new place? "This is why we're friends" I thought.

We spent the morning enjoying what Inverness had to offer during the Doors Open Day weekend; Highland Council Emergency Centre (read here) and Inverness Castle (read here) before venturing out in the afternoon towards Cawdor.

A quick drive from Inverness, Cawdor Castle is relatively easy to find although you'll have a hard time spotting the castle from the road. The site of the castle is completely obscured by dense woodland, making it nigh on impossible to catch even a glimpse of it. I guess that kept the anticipation going though...

Conscious that summer was disappearing before our very eyes, I had made a picnic to take with us and we found a nice area in the grounds to enjoy an 'expertly-prepared' packed lunch (I even brought sausage rolls, make no mistake, it was as professional as picnics go).

After we finished the last of Mr Kipling's exceedingly good Cherry Bakewell Slices, we made our way down a path through the woodland towards the visitor complex. Of course, we still hadn't even seen the castle. I was beginning to think it was perhaps of the inflatable variety...

Once we had bought our tickets and passed through the gatehouse, we followed the path around even more woodland, lending itself a very atmospheric and anticipatory environment. Eventually, after reaching a clearing in the trees, the 'very real' Cawdor Castle finally began to materialise in front of us.

With an incredibly romantic façade, Cawdor Castle encapsulates everything a castle should look like. As opposed to perhaps the more 'rough and ready' castles I've seen recently, Cawdor Castle looked straight out of a fairytale and I instantly fell in love with it.

History Lesson

Cawdor Castle dates back to the medieval period, with major expansion works continuing until the 17th century. Originally belonging to the Calder’s, ownership of the castle eventually passed to the Campbell’s and it is still Campbell-owned today. Perhaps the most interesting piece of history surrounding the property is its connection to Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’. In the play, Macbeth is told by the three witches that he will be made ‘Thane of Cawdor’ and shortly afterwards, King. However, as is always important to note with William Shakespeare, he often took numerous liberties with history (much in the vein of ‘Braveheart’) and so the connection is still often heavily disputed.

One of Us, One of Us

Crossing the bridge and emerging in the courtyard of the castle, Debby and I made our way to the entrance. By twist of fate, we ended up behind an incredibly large tour group of elderly tourists. Whilst the pace of these lovely people was decidedly a lot slower than normal, it meant that we actually soaked up more of what the interior of the castle had to offer, which was equally as impressive as the exterior. Some of the most exquisitely decorated rooms I've ever seen reside in Cawdor Castle, all of which are in immaculate condition. By the end of our tour, we were bona fide members of the elderly tour group and as we all exited the castle, we parted ways the best of friends, promising each other that we would ‘take care’.

Now, despite the obvious draw of the castle, the most enjoyable aspect of the castle were actually the stunning gardens that surround the site. Normally, I'm not as appreciative of gardens as I ought to be but on this particular day, with the sun beating down, the gardens looked stunning and made for some fantastic photo opportunities.  

The site also features a number of modern art installations, dotted around the gardens and within the grounds, which added another dimension to the castle, melding the old and new in a seamless offering to visitors.

Finally, Debby and I decided to embark on one of the woodland walks that surrounds the site. Away from the hustle and bustle of the castle, we enjoyed a really pleasant walk in the forest and with the option of choosing various distances, it’s perfect for any visitor and well worth checking out, even if to catch a quiet moment of serenity.

We spent a good two hours at Cawdor Castle and it was a great day out. The castle itself is a stunning piece of architecture and yet, the grounds offer so much more and is definitely worth making time for. Even just enjoying the fresh air in the beautiful gardens was a lovely way to while away an autumn afternoon.

Cawdor Castle is located 10 miles outside of Inverness and is a privately-owned property. Seasonal opening applies. More information can be found here.

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

Clava Cairns Photogram

The Clava Cairns are a Bronze-Age burial ground located near Culloden, Inverness. The site is owned and maintained by Historic Scotland. More information can be found here.

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

Brodie Castle Photogram

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

“When visitors express disappointment at our having no ghost, I say that's because it has always been a happy house” - Ninian Brodie

This feels like the longest day of my entire life. For about four weeks now, I have been steadily blogging about the same day. I’m having a real ‘groundhog’ day experience at the moment. But that’s okay. Life is a marathon, not a sprint!

The final stop on this particular adventure was Brodie Castle, located between Nairn and Forres. After my sharp detour at the Sueno’s Stone (read here), I made it to Brodie Castle at the respectable time of 3:30pm.

History Lesson

It is widely believed that the Brodie clan have called this stretch of land their home since the 1100’s, when it was bestowed upon them by King Malcolm IV. The building itself has gone through many changes over the years and much of the original 16th century section remains. However, the most significant addition was built in 1824 by William Burn, which melded the older part of the castle with a Victorian manor-style extension. Brodie Castle has seen many lairds and the last to live there, Ninian Brodie was himself an actor. With the maintenance of the castle weighing heavy and wishing to preserve it, he sold the property to the National Trust for Scotland in 1978 and lived within his own quarters in the castle until his death in 2003.

Out of the Woods

As you arrive, the car park is located in the middle of a woodland area, keeping the castle out of sight. As you exit the clearing, you're met by an unobstructed view of the castle in all its glory. It's an impressive building and looked particularly stunning in the late afternoon sun. 

After soaking up the vista, I entered the reception and was greeted by an extremely lovely lady, who took great care in welcoming me to the castle (yet again, I never picked up her name, I promise to get better at this). She told me of the last tour of the day, which was starting soon but I had only one question on my mind. “IS THERE A CAFÉ?!” (I may have actually blurted this out loud). Please note, that I hadn't eaten since breakfast and I was kind of, really hungry. She seemed to have read my mind because she gladly showed me to the tearoom and I sat down, literally (but not really literally, I guess) salivating. Whilst I had missed the lunch service, I still enjoyed a rather large flapjack and a 'posh' lemonade. 

See what I mean by ‘Posh’?

At five to four, I arrived promptly for the tour and when only two other people arrived, we set upon our merry way. Our tour guide is probably someone I will never forget. Thoroughly knowledgeable, you could tell she lived and breathed the history of this castle. She was also very… matronly (I was actually scared to touch the bannisters of the stairs). In her capable hands, my two compadres and I were escorted throughout the castle. We started in the beautiful library, filled to the brim with books both old and new, before making our way to the opulent dining room, complete with exquisite fine china set laid out, until we finally ended up in a room full of artifacts the Brodie family had collected over the years. After concluding the tour, I realised that there was so much more depth to the castle than I initially thought. The Brodie family history in particular, is very interesting and what becomes abundantly clear is that the castle was never intended to be a symbol of power, it wasa family home. 

At the end of the tour, we were ushered out of the castle itself and I bid 'Goodbye' to my two compadres as the castle doors closed. I walked around the grounds for a while and walked down the pond walk, which looked like something straight out of 'Pride and Prejudice. I'm not ashamed to admit that as I walked down the path, I felt like I was truly ‘Lost in Austen’ (Mr Darcy was unfortunately, unavailable).

Where is a romantic hero when you need him?

Brodie Castle is unique in the way that despite its grand surroundings and rich family history, it feels more like a home rather than a seat of power. And I think that's why I found it so endearing. With plenty to see both inside and out, Brodie Castle is definitely worthy of your time.

Brodie Castle is located off the A96 between Nairn and Forres and is owned by the National Trust for Scotland. More information can be found here.

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

Brodie Castle: Blog coming soon! 😊🏰🌿🌾 #brodiecastle #brodie #castle #history #historic #nationaltrust #nationaltrustforscotland #nts #love #pretty #scenic #beautiful #summer #bluesky #pedrohistoryadventure #amyhistoryadventure #stunning #scotland #sightseeing #wow #travelgram #travelling #travel #landmark #moray #forres #architecture (at Brodie Castle)

[adventuresinawakingworld-blog]

That time I went to #Toronto! #traveltuesday #throwback #redcanoe #canoelanding #travelthrowback #travel #travelgram #love #red #canada #travelling #summer #city (at Canoe Landing Park)