We visited Scotland with John and Sarah Vickery 15-24 May 2006.  A standard shift car had been rented at Manchester England airport and thankfully driven by John on the "wrong" side of the street for over 900 miles.  We had a few anxious moments, as did the locals, but there were no dents or police reports!!  By the way gas was $8.00 a gallon. The exchange rate was about two dollars per pound - no bargain. We stayed at B&Bs sometimes in town and at other times on a working farm.  All of the pictures are thumbnails so just click on a picture to get the full size. Use the browser Back Button to return.  Also provided are links to the places we visited so that you can get the proper history and additional pictures.

We visited numerous castles and abbeys. The map found here allows you to grasp the distances between the castles Hermitage, Tantallon, Edinburgh, St. Andrews, Balmoral and Stirling that we visited in this order. You can click on the castle image to bring it up.

Day 1 Monday,15th - Travel from Boston to Manchester on a 6 hour overnight flight that got us there in the morning of day 2.

Day 2, Tuesday 16th - We loaded up and moved out to visit Fountains Abbey at Skelldale, England.  This was our first introduction to these magnificent structures with several others to follow. We stayed at the Washton Springs B&B in Richmond, England and had a fine meal at a The Bay Horse Inn.

Day 3, Wednesday 17th -  On to Richmond, England where we decided not to visit Richmond Castle after walking around the town center.  A photo op was taken at the town flower garden and a picture of a vibrant yellow rape seed oil field along the way to Hadrian's Wall at Housteads Roman Fort. The countryside was spectacular with the expanses of yellow fields.

Backroads of various widths took us into Scotland through some beautiful country before we stopped at Hermitage Castle.

On to Melrose where we stayed in town at The Dunfermline House B&B, adjacent to Melrose Abbey, and had a meal at the bistro in Burt's Hotel .

Day 4, Thursday 18th - Melrose Abbey ( and here) greeted us with a fine cool drizzle at around 9:30 am.  It cleared up for Scott's view. 

The roads then took us to Dryburgh Abbey (and here) in St. Boswells. St. Abys along the eastern seacoast did not turn up an Iron Age Fort from the Roman period as expected. We then headed for Tantallon Castle.

 Edinburgh here we come.  We stayed at the Lauderville B&B for two nights that was about a ten minute bus ride to Edinburgh Castle.  We took in a college bistro, the Bierex, the first evening and The New Bell Restaurant on our second night.

Day 5, Friday 19th -  A full day was spent at Edinburgh Castle and a walk through parts of the city.

Day 6, Saturday 20th - This a.m. it was very wet and windy as we left the city and headed for The Royal and Ancient Golf Club for a photo op and a look around St. Andrew's Castle (and here) and St. Andrew's Cathedral.
 

Balmoral Castle (and here), one of the residences for the royal family, beckoned and off we went for a long drive through Cairngorms National Park which had some desolate country that had its own beauty. We spotted some late May snow in the higher elevations.

Loch Tay was our next destination and here we stayed at a country B&B the Coshieville House and dined at the Court Yard restaurant.

Day 7, Sunday 21st - The Crannog Center  greeted us this morning on Loch Tay followed by a tour of the Dewars Distillery in Aberfeldy.
In the afternoon we visited Drummond Castle Gardens.

The Inverdarroch Mains Farmhouse B&B welcomed us as did the local pub in the Woodside Hotel.

Day 8, Monday 22nd - On to Stirling Castle, Argyll's Lodging, Bannockburn Battle Site, (The Battle) and the Falkirk Wheel.

The Cressington B&B in Stirling was our lodging and we had a nice time at The Birds and Bees Pub.

Day 9,Tuesday 23rd - A long day of travel back to Manchester and we stopped at Coalburn, Scotland, my buddy Andy's (he and Ann live outside London) hometown and Moffatt, Scotland where we puzzled over the secret of the ram.  A working farm provided an overnight at the Tratford Farm B&B and supper at the Church Inn where John and I met the grandson of England's last hangman and some local veterans.

Day 10, Wednesday 24th - Off at 7:15am to Manchester Airport for our 6.5 hour flight home.

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