Steps: 11442
Today we broke our steps record. My feet are sore and tired, but my heart and my belly are full.
I was looking forward to today as one of the most interesting I thought we'd have. I was sure it would be one of my favorite days. And so far...it is. There are 8 more to go, so there's a chance another day will out shine this one.
We started bright and early (we always do on these trips) and headed off to the Clava Cairns. These are an ancient burial sight (they think) and it's most recent claim to fame is, you guessed it, Outlander. Though the Outlander series too some serious artistic liberties in that the area doesn't really look anything like what we saw today. Still I find places like these very interesting. The scientest are still not sure what this place was used for or what it existed. I often wonder if ancient people put stuff like this together thinking, "Ah hah...we'll confuse the future generations."
We had a highland cow sighting today too. They were too far away to get good photos...and we were on the bus, but I promise you...I'm going to get a photo of one.
After Clava Cairns we went to the Culloden Battlefield and visitor center. Having watched Outlander and then did some history reading before the trip, I was very interested in this stop. I wanted to learn more and understand about this battle that really ended the highlander way of life. The highlanders were out numbered and out gunned. The lost. Tragically, they really lost. Not only was there confusion among the highlanders, but the charge from one side of the field to the red coats was in a marsh boggy type field. Difficult to get through. The red coats had muskets and knives on the end and canons etc. There was really no hope for the 700 clans men. Still they fought bravely.
Finishing there, we headed to Brodie Castle. Nothing super special about the Brodie family other than they were wealthy and owned this castle. Which, technically, wasn't a castle, but in Scotland, why not call a big house a castle? The house is huge and we got to see so many of the rooms. ALL the furnishing in the castle is from Brodie family members throughout the years. There are some rare finds here too. There's a table gifted to them from someone in ... um...Greece maybe, and the wood used in this table is from a tree that extinct. Fascinating to me.
After that it was back to Inverness for a bite of lunch and drink. We found a nice little pub and had some decent food. I had a sausage and BBQ pizza. I thought it was odd to begin with, then when I got it it was polish sausage, BBQ sauce and mozzarella. Bizarre.
This afternoon it was Loch Ness. Probably the most famous Loch in Scotland, to be sure. It was WINDY ...many it was breezy. We didn't see Nessie as she was off in the Caribbean on holiday.
Along Loch Ness is Urquart Castle. It has a history dating quite a ways back. Last inhabitant I think was in like the 16th century. They castle kept getting sacked and "taken" by waring tribes that the last owners just burnt it down to avoid all the violence.
Tomorrow we leave Inverness and head to Thurso.
We're all exhausted and mentally drained, but having a blast.
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