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Deep in Scotland’s highlands, there is a place where the Glen Kinglas meets the Glen Croe.  This mountain pass is known as the “Rest and be Thankful’, which was etched into a stone laid where the commemorative sign now stands.   As I stood there shivering in the mountain air, I contemplated all of the things I am grateful for:  my family, my friends and the ability to visit all of the wonderful places in our beautiful world.

Stirling Castle

The home of Mary, Queen of Scots and formerly Queen of France. I loved that there was no religious persecution under her rule – unlike during the reign of her cousin Mary (Bloody Mary) Tudor.

Mary Stuart was crowned Queen of Scotland before her 1^st birthday, and her life was not destined to be peaceful or happy.  To avoid an arranged marriage to the son of King Henry VIII, her politically savvy mother whisked Mary away to France, where Mary later married Francis the Dauphin in a lavish ceremony at Notre Dame in Paris.

After becoming widowed at an early age, reclaiming the Scottish throne and giving birth to an heir, Mary suffered a miscarriage and was accused of murder and treason. 

She was imprisoned by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I of England in various castles for nearly 20 years before her execution in 1587.  Her son was anointed King James VI of Scotland at Stirling Castle after Mary was forced to abdicate in 1567.  After Elizabeth I’s death in 1603, he was also crowned King James I of England and Ireland.  During his reign, he had Mary’s body moved to Westminster Abbey, where he had her interred in a chapel opposite Elizabeth’s resting place.

William Wallace

Stirling is also the home to the National Wallace Monument, a hilltop tower commemorating the Scottish hero, Sir William Wallace.

Doune Castle

One of the most famous filming locations in Scotland.  Outlander, Game of Thrones and Monty Python and the Holy Grail were filmed here.  The audio tour is narrated by Monty Python alumnus Terry Jones, who, with his animated narration and sound effects, brings the medieval into the present.

Inveraray Castle

The home of the Duke of Argyll, and the head of the Clan Campbell on the shores of Loch Fyne.  The Campbells were the wealthiest and most powerful of all of the Scottish clans.  Over 90 family names are associated with this clan.

Fans of Downton Abbey will recognize Inveraray from scenes in the PBS show.

In the little restaurant at Inveraray, we had soup and sandwiches and these interesting little morsels – although I doubt the locals eat these.  Tasted like smeared liver on potato chips.  Not a fan.  But you have to try new things in new places, right?

https://www.inveraray-castle.com/

Here are some of the other new things we tried while in Scotland:

Quiches and deep fried Haggis balls. If you have a weak stomach, skip to the next paragraph. Haggis is made from sheep or calf’s entrails and organs, mixed with suet, oatmeal and seasonings. The whole concoction is then boiled in sheep’s stomach or bladder.

A tray bake dessert at Inveraray Castle’s tearoom.  It is a sponge cake with a creamy butterscotch layer topped with chocolate.

Ross’ fudge is very popular in Scotland.  It is basically a big slab of sugar held together with sweetened condensed milk and butter.  It’s so sweet it sucks the saliva out of your mouth.  Maybe they should add some whiskey to the recipe?

Nougat

This is actually ice cream with the flavor profile of honey and almond nougat, served between a chocolate covered marshmallow and a sugar wafer.  I remember this being delicious, but I only had one bite.  I was taking a picture of the Star hotel, the skinniest hotel in Scotland, when I stumbled and fell, sending my nougat face down into the mud.   Thank God my camera has a wrist strap that I always use.  But I got the shot.

All over the Scotland, our guides pointed out famous TV or Movie locations.  Braveheart , the 007 movie Skyfall, the Harry Potter movies and Game of Thrones.  This is Kilchurn Castle and Loch Awe, where scenes from the cable series “Outlander” were filmed.

This is Hamish and Hazel, Highland Cattle friends we met along the way into the highlands.  Highland Cattle are distinguished by their long wooly coats and are prized for their meat (if you like that sort of thing).  Their meat is almost 40% lower in fat and is lower in cholesterol as well.  Queen Elizabeth II has a fold of Highland Cattle and our guide told us it is the only beef she will eat.

The peace and tranquility of the Highlands soaked into me. All of the noise, both outside and inside my head, just . . . stopped.

Loch Lomand

You’ll take the high road and I’ll take the low road,
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye.
Where me and my true love will never meet again,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

A Little Backstory

Scottish folklore has it that if a native of Scotland dies outside of his country, his spirit is transported back to Scotland by the faerie people via “the low road”.
The song dates back to the return of Jacobite army in 1746. Two Jacobites were captured at Carlisle in the north of England and sentenced to death. One of the prisoners escaped and made his way back to Scotland alive but without his friend who was executed.
The surviving prisoner therefore took “the high road” back to Scotland while the executed prisoner was transported back by the faerie people via “the low road” thereby reaching Scotland “afore” (before) his friend.

I am fortunate, I know.  When I was a little girl, travel was completely out of the question financially.  Instead, I read books and I looked at pictures in magazines, and I traveled to places in my imagination.

But my imagination could not compare to this magical playground, steeped in turbulent history.  I completely understand why wars were fought over this land.