Our time in Ireland came to a close when we crossed the border into Northern Ireland. Even though we were still on the Emerald Isle, we were politically back in the UK.
Our stop for Sunday and Monday nights was a converted barge floating in the Belfast Harbor Marina.
This was our second time here in this unique lodging. You can see the barge below tied up along side the dock.
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| Belfast Harbor Marina |
It's a great location. Sitting between the Titanic Belfast visitor center and SSE Arena, The Marina is within walking distance to many of the city's best restaurants and pubs.
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| Belfast Harbor Marina |
Kate enjoys the warm sun on the back deck.
The barge has a bright open sitting area on the top deck.
We had an early morning ferry on Tuesday, so we were out of the barge and at the ferry que by 0615.
I always book the premium tickets which gives us the better lounge and priority loading and unloading.
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| The Stena Plus Lounge on the Stena Superfast III |
The crossing from Ireland is a quick 2.5 hrs.
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| Approaching Scotland |
Off the ferry - we were now on a beeline to Glasgow Airport to pick up the girls.
Its a pretty ride along the coast for the first 45 minutes or so. We had about a 90 minute drive from the ferry to the airport.
We had lunch in the place below.
I arrived at the pre-arranged meeting point about the same time as the plane landed.
Next... squeezing more stuff in our peanut of a car. Every space was utilized 100%. The girls luggage, the the groceries we picked up enroute, and the dogs, were on their lap. We just bought enough groceries for our first dinner and breakfast. We'd get the rest tomorrow once the car was unloaded.
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| Room for more dogs?? |
To get to and from our house, we have to cross a ferry that takes about 5 minutes or so to cross Loch Linnhe.
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| Boarding the ferry. |
We arrived at our home for the next 7 nights. A really nice place in a remote location up a single track road.
It has a nice open plan with kitchen, living and dining area all connected. There is also a large sitting area and formal dining room on the other side of the house that we don't even use.
One day we took a nice trip around our peninsula along the coast and up to the small fishing village of Mallaig. Mallaig is also where several of the ferries from the outer island arrive.
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| View along the coast |
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| Mallaig Harbor |
We had lunch in the place below.
Along the way however, we stopped to enjoy the view of the Loch nam Uamh Viaduct in a scenic spot. This viaduct carries the train from Ft William to Mallaig.
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| The Loch nan Uamh Viaduct |
Finally we arrived at the Glenfinnan visitor center. We parked and took the walk along the river to catch a better view. The photo below is lifted off of the internet and shows the classic view with the train crossing. Harry Potter fans should recognize this view. In the movie it is the train line that runs to Hogwarts. In episode 2 the car is flying above it, chasing the train.
The Jacobite Steam Train runs from Ft William each day, and if you arrive at the right time you can catch that iconic view of an old steam train crossing the viaduct.
We were too late to see any trains but it still is an impressive structure and a lovely location.
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| Glenfinnan Viaduct from below. |
Another trip was taken up to Fort Augustus to see the boat locks as well as Loch Ness.
Rather than going around the country, boats can travel thru the Great Glen which runs diagonally across Scotland from the Northeast near Inverness to the southwest near Fort William. They do so by taking the Caledonian Canal, which connects Lochs Ness, Oich, and Lochy via the canal and a series of Locks.
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| The first Lock with Loch Ness in the background |
Both sides of the locks are lined with shops, resturants, and pubs which make the Fort Augustus Locks a favorite amoung the passing boats. The catamaran in the photos was transiting thru, enroute to Spain.
A timelapse below shows the locks in action.
We stopped at one of the outdoor cafes along the canal for lunch.
While we enjoyed our lunch, the boat traffic had slowed and the locks started to fill with water from lack of use.
Soon the water overflowed one lock and started to fill the next. Then the next filled, and so on down the line.
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| Lock spilling over to the next one downstream. |
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| Loch Ness |
When I see water I need to go in it.
From the Arctic Ocean to the Mediterranean... my toes have tried to taste them all. I've even gone swimming in the middle of the Atlantic over a thousand miles from shore. I'm a desert rat who just loves the water. (time to que the "Jaws Music")
Unfortunately, this morning I had pulled a new pair of shorts out of my suitcase and jumped into the shower. When I got out I realized that they were actually long pants and I was too lazy to go downstairs to get a new pair.... so I would up with long pants and could not go in very deep.
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| Nessie emerges from the Loch - the mystery is finally solved! |
Another day we decided on searching out castles. Unfortunately, some of the very best were over a 2 hr drive but Scotland is loaded with castles and you are never very far from some decent specimens.
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| The single-lane Connel Bridge over Loch Etive |
Our first stop was Dunstaffnage Castle. Dating back to the 13th century, it is one of Scotlands oldest stone castles. It was built by the MacDougall Clan and taken over by the Campbell Clan in the 15th century remaining in their possession since.
A member of the clan occupies the title of Captain of Dunstaffnage to this date, and one of the requirements of the position is to spend 3 nights per year in the castle.
Some of the castle is in ruins and some is preserved, including some interior spaces.
Also on the grounds, and dating back to the 13th century is the family chapel. It had a section for the family to worship in the front, and the rest of us in the rear.
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| Dunstaffnage Castle |
Some of the castle is in ruins and some is preserved, including some interior spaces.
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| Dunstaffnage Castle Courtyard |
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| View from up on the walls |
Outside the castle it was time to release the hounds!
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| Clan Doodle - lords of the castle. |
Also on the grounds, and dating back to the 13th century is the family chapel. It had a section for the family to worship in the front, and the rest of us in the rear.
Next on our list was Kilchurn Castle. Kate and I had been here in 2018 and were looking forward to sharing it with the girls. First we stopped at the viewpoint on the other side of the river, where we were greeted by a couple of Highland Cows.
Kilchurn Castle was built in the 15th century by Clan Campbell. In 1760 a violent thunderstorm toppled one of the turrets into the inner courtyard and the castle was abandoned. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland.
Unfortunately we had the double whammy. First the rain started just as we arrived and its a bit of a walk to the castle, not to mention there is no roof... And second, since our prior visit, Historic Scotland has closed the interior of the castle for evaluation and restoration due to concerns about falling stones.
So we had to content ourselves with taking photos from the distance.
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| Kilchurn Castle View |
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| Kilchurn Castle View |
Driving back home the rain increased in intensity and by the time we got to Glencoe it was coming down in buckets. This area was used a lot as backdrops in the Harry Potter Movie Series. I wanted to get to walk around here a bit but no love, so here are a few photos of this beautiful area as we drove back home on A82
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| Beautiful Glencoe |
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| Beautiful Glencoe |
And a photo that we took on our last visit during some better weather.
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| Beautiful Glencoe in 2018 |
After crossing the ferry we head south along the west shore of Loch Linnhe
And eventually, we descend the other side of the pass to Loch Sunart.
Our home is down in the valley just a stone's throw from Loch Sunart
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| Ft William |
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| Ft William |
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| Ft William |
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| Isabella & Francesa with the hounds |
Our week with the girls went incredibly fast. The extraordinarily fast passage of time seems to be a common theme these days...
All of a sudden we were jam-packed back into the peanut...
And after a 3 hr drive to Glasgow Airport, the girls were back on the flight to Switzerland, and we continued onward south, 3 more hours, to our next stop near Ulverston, England in the Lake District.
Back up a one-lane road..
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| The road to our new home |
And soon, we are home for the next 10 nights. Our second time here - we previously stayed in 2018.
It's a very scenic location just outside of town in farm country. We've stayed in touch with the owner over the years.
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| The view from the living room deck |
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| Our neighborhood |
They were going to be away for the first week of our visit and asked if I would tend to the chickens in their absence. Nothing more than letting them out in the morning and closing the doggie (chicken) door at night. Plus make sure the feed and water containers stay full. Oh... and collect the eggs!
Our first mornings haul....
So here we are. I'm wrangling chickens and catching my breath.
See you next time!
