Moving on to Edinburgh

We have left St. Andrews, much to Dave's great sadness. We went along the scenic coastal road to Edinburgh, through lots of lovely villages overlooking the sea and passed many golf courses as well. Dave has decided it would be a great idea for me to teach in a village school and he can become a caddie! I decided I like Scotland so much I will have to change my name to McLoughlin now. Going into Edinburgh we passed over the Forth bridge. Bit of usless information for you - did you know that the Germans tried to bomb it during the war and the Luftwaffe pilots that got shot down and captured where kept as prisoners in the castle.

Dave playing on the Old Course

Big moment today. Dave has finally got to play on the Old Course - this is the first golf course ever made so lots of history- and guess what.. the planets decided to align against Jupiter and Mars ..... and it was a lovely day for golf! Partly sunny, no wind at all, very mild temps. (got up to 20 degrees by mid day) so he couldn' t ask for better. He left early so I got up and had breakfast by myself (got super-duper service cause they felt sorry for me I think!) and looked down on the guys playing. I was supposed to see Dave as he came past the second hole, but was still in bed and he was long gone. Anyway, thanked the gods for putting on a lovely day, packed and waited till about mid-day and caught up with Dave as they were teeing off the 17th, and walked with him till the end. He was playing with 3 guys from Florida, who came over to play lots of golf at the different courses and they had caddies. The caddies were helping Dave with the layout of the course as well, so that was nice. He shot at 75 which was only 3 over par for the course, so he was extremely pleased with himself! I think the caddies advice helped the score as well (they called Dave boy-o when they spoke to him - cute eh?) Here are the photos of the course, the hotel and the round. You can see how close the hotel is to the course. These are some more photos of St Andrews town itself. It is bigger than it looks , with old buildings and castle etc. The university where Prince Willie went is spread out, but app. it is the oldest University in Scotland. Maybe thats why he went there? The beach runs alongside the course as well.

St. Andrews and ....... Golf!

loved scotland as I said, we are still in scotland - at St Andrews. Dave is the one who is quivering with excitement and anticipation- (like a lab. on duck shooting morning! stop talking about dogs Brenda). We decided to blow the budget and stay at the Old course Hotel - right on the golf course - 5 star plus - for two nights. We arrived yest. from Port William took 3 hours going from the west of the top of scotland down to the border on the east! but through some lovely countryside (I thought Braveheart scenery, and Dave said Gentle Annie! so put the two together!) lots of castles perched along lochs in the wop wops and streams etc. We then got on the A9 - main highway from Inverness to Endinburgh - which was quite cool. think Highway 1 at home with deer crossing signs on the road! not much show for car or deer I say! This place is on the coast - gorgeous old buildings all along side the courses which go along the sea edge. It was gale force winds and pouring rain, 9 degrees when we arrived (sound similar to home at the moment?) and i could see Daves face drop. A piper (with bagpipes) piped us into the hotel - we thought it was for us but found out later it was for wedding guests coming for a wedding in the hotel just as we arrived! at reception you get a glass of champagne handed to you and chocolates while you check in. Its all beautiful and old inside - the first thing Dave did was go and see the pro golf people to see about getting into the ballot to play on Monday (discovered the old course is closed on Sundays!) its very hard to get a tee time, but this guy talked to the old course pro guy and got Daves name into the ballot. then he had to find his handicap rating online (you have to be a good golfer to play the old course because its so hard) and then get them to print it out etc. so lots of drama just getting your name down. All this before we even got into our room! I was busy sipping wine and pretending to be a big wig with lots of money - so I was OK. the receptionist took us on a guided tour up to our room (cant fault the individual service of this place) - and its lovely. overlooks the course and even has a balcony to step out on! any way by 4.30pm last night Dave finds out he has a tee time at 7.40am on Monday - so the joy started! all happy and nervous and excited at the same time. He said he cant believe hes actually managed to get a time thats popular (mornings are sort after) so then it was off to the Pro shop sorting out hire clubs (really good ones app.) and balls etc. I am so happy for him - this is all he wanted to do in the 3 months so we are making a big thing of it. I actually told him to play today Sunday - at one of the other courses here as well (hey - we've been under budget so far so thought this should be memorable for Dave) so he is now playing the New course as I type. Forgot to say - we went out to the local pub for tea - and when we came back the bed was turned down, but - get this - there were mats with good night on them put at each side of the bed with slippers on each mat! I just loved it! also they room service the room twice a day as well! you get these huge thick towels with old course emblem (tempted to steal!) and gorgeous thick bath robes with same emblem. they even have instructions on how to work the bath/shower because it has 3 shower heads and very high tech! cant just turn on the taps for the bath! Breakfast is included in the price but breakfast was amazing - better than on the boat cruise I think. Buffet - the hot part includes black pudding, haggis, tattie scones and other Heeland (their joke here) food. I got eggs benedict and then waffles with cream and rasberries! (are you drooling yet!?) forgot to mention the dining room is up on the top floor and we got a table by the window looking out over the course and the sea while we ate. Talk about being in heaven! While we were eating they did our room - so it was all nice by the time we got back. (I think they phone room service and they come and do it while you are eating so not to disturb you). anyway as I said I convinced Dave to play today - no wind, cloudy and a little drizzle so not too bad. Dave had to borrow an umbrella from the pro! On the way you could see dogs and owners all over the old course going for walks! yes - you read this right! the beautifully kept course allows the locals and tourists to swarm all over it on a sunday. and that includeds dogs! I just loved it! Dave was horrified of course. Then we saw all these green keepers and locals walking in a line across the course (its very narrow) filling up all the divets with sand. this was the day they fix up the course as no one is playing on it. Then - guess what?! I asked one of the green keepers about a local Havelock boy who we know who is a greenkeeper here over the summer, and he puts me in his cart and takes me over to this guy who was sorting out a green. Dave was busy practising his putting at this stage waiting for his tee time on the New course, so I talked to this boy for ages (he went to school with Jamie). he is over here for the summer?? what summer? he said he hasnt had more than two consecutive days of fine weather since he's arrived! anyway it was good to catch up - he offered Dave his clubs for tomorrow so we will see. I carried on walking down the beach and then Ben (this guy from Havelock) picked me up in his cart and took me back over to the hotel! so feel very priviledged having all these rides! Am now parked up in a lovely chair with footstool, facing out the window and overlooking the course to see when Dave might be back. Quite happy to have time to my self and blob. will read my Kindle soon, (yes I have been using it you'll be pleased to know!). This afternoon we are going for a walk down the old course back along the beach (for more ozone) and then across into the township to check out the golf shops etc. This is also where Prince William went to Uni so have to find that too! Its not that big a place so interesting why he chose here.

Fort William and the choo -choo train!

We travelled to Fort William today from Inverness which is at the other end of Loch Ness, and a bit more. Took us about 1 half hours to get there. It is towards the west coast of the Heelands (its the favourite saying over here) and its claim to fame is it has the tallest mountain in the UK - Ben Nevis right behind it, along with other mountains in the Nevis mountain range. this is it covered in mist! Its a lovely place, right on anothe loch and has a port for boats and yachts. it is also where the Calodonian canal comes through to after joining up with Loch Ness. We came to it - no, not to climb Ben Nevis!) but to go on a steam train ride through the highlands to a seaport further west. this ride was constantly told to us as a must -do up here , so we did to see what the excitement was all about. Luckily we booked seats from Inverness because all seats were taken! the main excitement on the trip, apart from the spectacular scenery was .... this was the train, and carriages that were used in Harry Potter movies (think Hogwarts express) and the ride goes over the viaduct you also see in the movies! They slow down on the viaduct and let you take photos, and there were also people down below on the road taking photos (would've been a great sight) and also up above on the hills taking photos. Felt like celebrities! When we arrived at Mallaig (sea side town) after 2 hours you had time to look around before the return journey. it was blowing a gale, freezing but I made Dave go down to the seaside port and watch the last ferry across to the outer islands (you can see them in the photos) come in, and go again. Was quite impressed that anyone would actually want to live in this far away place, let alone be based on islands that are at the mercy of the weather! then another two hours back to Port William. Was very tired at the end of it, after so much travelling but worth the effort I think. here is some of the scenery of the highlands.

Search to find Nessie!

Today was find the monster Nessie day! Loch Ness is only about half and hour away from Inverness so off we went! This loch is long and huge - the second biggest loch after Loch Lomond. it is also very deep as well. It reminds me of some of the fiords around Milford, with high cliffs on each side, but perhaps not as dramatic as it widens out. then it looks more like a small Lake Te Anau! the road is windy and goes down one side of it, so scenic view most of the way. We stopped first at the visitors centre, which is a lovely old buidling but inside it is all interactive videos etc to tell you the story of how the loch came into being (the top of scotland joined onto the top of the rest of the island and this is marked by lochs all the way along the join - like a long fault line. then glaciers carved out the lochs (they are actually lakes) and then as they melted they blocked up entrances so they turned from sea water to fresh water and into lakes. easy eh?? anyway that is why these ones are so deep and narrow. the centre also showed the history of the legend of nessie, with all the sightings etc, and then proceeded to explain most of them (hoaxes and sightings of logs etc). in the 60's and 70's there were scientifc searches resulting in the conclusion that there is no monster, (they had sonar equipped boats in a line across going down the lake from one end to the other)and even if there was there is not enough food to support such a monster! After this I spent up large in the Nessie shop! so cute - and then we went off to a cruise of the loch to go searching. It was freezing cold wind, but quite sunny. the water was a bit choppy and I loved it - Dave wasn't so keen tho. We stopped opp. Urqurhart Castle which is ruins of a castle on the loch, and you can walk all over them if you want to. It used to protect the loch during Clan warfare! On the way back we stopped at the Calodonian Canal which was made in the early 1900 so boats could go all the way from Inverness in the east to the west. it joins up the lochs so a boat doesnt need to stop. Quite amazing engineering in the day. Now you can sail across or even kayak! silly people! anyway here are our photos of Nessie hunting!

Culloden Battlefield

It is great having a car to drive around. we are much more mobile, and not worrying about how to get back to places. The roads are well sign posted as well. We went to Culloden this afternoon. Its actually only 5 min out of Inverness on a flatish bit of land. There is a new fantastic visitors centre with lots of interactive bits which make you feel the battle taking place. We were lucky because we managed to join a guided tour straight away, the guide was very knowledgable and theatric as well, so he made you imagine all that was taking place. They have flagpoles up where the English troops line were , and then way over flags where the Highlander (Jacobites) lines were (with Bonny Prince Charlie behind them). There are pathways across the moor (or huge field) with small monuments and signs telling you what happened on this spot. app. 3 days after the battle the locals were told to come and bury the Scottish dead (1500) so they made mass pits and then put up stones saying Clan MacDuff etc but they really had no idea who was in the graves cause they were all mixed up by the end. by the way they say only 50 English died, with 350 wounded (but probably died in the days after due to the wounds). they have a small spot for their dead. I thought it was scottish against the English, but in reality the Jacobites were more Catholic highlanders, some catholic english and irish and french as well. the English actually had some Protestant scottish and highlanders as well, so in some cases it was members of a family fighting each other. all in all very spooky - the Jacobites lost for a number of reasons - the main onebeing the Culloden field chosen by dear old Bonnie Charlie was a swamp and bog - so 2/3 of the scottish side had to run through mud up to their knees and could hardly move! (the clan chiefs told him this was not a good place but he didnt listen!)

Oh flower of Scotland!

Now on our way to Inverness by train. We got taken to a small station at Warick, changed at York, saw the cathedral in the distance and have just passed in to Scotland. Saw the sign! It is a lovely scenic trip, going close by the coast and we can see gorgeous little towns by the sea. The country has turned from fields into hills with pinetrees on, remind you of anywhere? also the mountains loom in the background. Quite lovely. We get off at Edinburgh and change to Inverness train and then pick up a rental car. Interestingly, rental cars are very cheap and the trains are very expensive! Dave is quite happy to drive now we drive on the proper side of the road. The drive out to where we are staying is 15 min from Inverness, over the bridge and into the country, down little country one lane roads. Very gorpeous, lots of broom in yellow flowers (thought it was gorse). Mary has a house overlooking a loch (Loch Ussie) in the country - she has a telescope set up in the lounge with a wide window. You can see some endangered/protected ospreys nesting through the telescope. Must say I got hooked on watching the bird life there. Became very motherly towards them all! Highland cattle and sheep with black faces around us. Very very cold - but no rain. must be expected I suppose - this is Scotland highlands! In the morning we went into this little town and met up with some of Marys friends. They have high streets over here, which is a little main street that is closed off to traffic and you can walk up them, and peer in little shop windows.