Inverness
Highlights to Look For
Glencoe Mountains
Whiskey at the Ski Lodge
Nessy
Oak and Whisky - the perfect pair
Inverness Itinerary
Day 6: Glencoe, Nevis Mountain Resort, Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness
Day 7: Speyside Cooperage, Walking tour of Inverness
We left Oban heading toward the Highlands of Scotland. Today's drive was one of the most scenic of our trip, the green mountains of Glencoe and the fog covered tops creating some of the most gorgeous countryside. We stopped at the Glencoe Visitor Centre, home to a recontructed17th century turf house. The visitors centre also had a display on hiking and climbing in the 'Glencoe Munros' and I know I'm already planning a trip back to hike in these beautiful hills.
After leaving Glencoe, we continued our drive north, through the famous Fort Williams, which any Outlander fan will recognize for its jail, and any Harry Potter fan will recognize as the depot for the Hogwarts Express - or the Jacobite Steam Train as muggles call it.
Further along, we caught site of Ben Nevis - the tallest peak in the UK at 4,411 ft. Being so close to the Nevis Mountain Range, it only made sense to take a gondola ride to the top of the Nevis Range Resort, home to skiing, mountain biking, and the UK's only mountain gondola. We had a bite to eat in the cafe, and a wee dram of Cu Bocan - a Highland single malt whisky - toasting with a hearty Slainte!
We then found ourselves exploring the ruins of Urquhart Castle, along the shores of the infamous Loch Ness. And what trip to Inverness would be complete without a boat ride to search for Nessy? Our ride took us across and down the Loch, where we continued into Inverness for dinner at the Mustard Seed.
Day 7 started with a tour of the Speyside Cooperage in Craigellachie. Here we were treated to a wonderful exhibition of coopering at its finest. The tour takes you above the shop floor allowing you watch the process real time. Whisky casks can be reused for years and years, thanks to the coopers careful restoration and repair of these casks.
Did you know oak is the only wood that can be used for whisky casks?
Following our cooperage education, we were let loose on the streets of Inverness. My aunt and I decided on a self guided tour of the city, which included St. Andrews Cathedral, a walk along the river, and Leakey's Bookshop. Leakey's Bookshop was the most charming second-hand bookshop filled with color, history, staircases, and row upon row of books. And I found my hiking guide for my return trip to the Glencoe Munros!
A few of our literary loving (or more likely James Fraser loving) group members took a trip to the Clava Cairns outside Inverness in hopes of being sucked back in time by the stone circle. As they all returned to the hotel that night, mystical time travel must not have been in their cards.
At this point, I'm sad to report that my aunt and sister were unable to Carry on to Cairngorm with the rest of the tour. My sister tested positive for COVID and Rick Steves rules prohibited anyone with a positive COVID result from continuing along the tour. Its a risk we all signed up for when we booked the tour, but hoped wouldn't happen. Unfortunately, my aunt and sister were neither the first nor the last that we lost due to COVID.
I tested negative and because I had been in my own room, was allowed to depart with the tour the next morning. My aunt and sister continued on to Edinburgh by themselves and stayed in Scotland until my sister was well enough to fly home. Miraculously, my aunt never tested positive, and made the best of her days (safely) exploring Edinburgh, and following the 'Tail Trail', a secret gem I'll share later.
Background: Scottish coast outside Oban