Trip to England and Scotland

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A summary of our 12 day road trip

• 17 / 9: I fligh into Heathrow on Air Lufthanse and am reunited with Ally after over 4 months. I have my first experience of the "Tube" Ally lives with 3 Irish girls in North Acton, London.

• 18 + 19: We rent a car and an excellent guide book "AA Touring Britain and Ireland" We drive to Bubbenhall, near Coventry, where we stay with Ally's Aunt's husband and children. Visit Warwick Castle - my first "major sight" as an overseas tourist. Kennilworth castle - a beautiful castle ruin - is our next visit.

• 20 - 22 / 9: Ally and I are in the Lake District after a traffic-ridden journey past Birmingham. By day, we explore a myriad of lakes and little villages - with names like Windermere, Grasmere and Ambleside. By night we rest in quaint B&Bs. We take a country walk through the hills to the tiny village of Grasmere, home to the poet Wordsworth. We take a boat from Windermere to Lakeside and catch a steam train to Haverthwaite, one of the sleepiest villages in the district. We buy food from the local supermarket - then feast on the bed in our B&B. We sample the local delicasies - Kendal Mint Cake and Grasmere Gingerbread

• 23 / 9: We spend the day driving and sightseeing: A ring of ancient stones on a hill near Keswick, Saint Lawrence's Church in Appleby - home to an historic organ. Ally reads Beatrix Potter stories out loud as we drive. We visit Richmond to see Richmond Castle and Richmondshire Museum. Finally, we pass through the Thyne Tunnel to spend the night in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.

• 24 / 9: We find our car has been broken into. We drive to Newcastle, then north to Edinburgh, to get a replacement car - £150 exess to pay for the damaged window and stolen radio. Despite the hiccup, it's wonderful to be in Scotland. Finally we drive across the Forth Bridge to Perth.

• 25 / 9: We drive to Inverness, then along the Loch Ness to the little village of Drumnadrochit. We visit the Urquhart Castle. We drive along the loch to visit the Augustus Abbey.

• 26 / 9: We visit Glen Affric, a natural pine forest near Inverness . Then, a drive and short walk to the impressive waterfall at Tomich. We drive a series of narrow and twisting roads through a stunning array of hills and lochs to the rugged and rainy western coast. Across the Skye Bridge to the Isle of Skye; we spend the night at Broadford.

• 27 / 9: We visit a visit a wool factory shop on the Isle of Sky. Then, a tour of the Dunvegan Castle, held by the MacLeods since the 13th cenury. After circling the Isle of Sky, we drive south down the Scotland coast, visiting the Eilean Donan Castle on the way. I'm getting a passionate "feel" for Scottish history. We gobble up Scottish short bread but don't have the courage to try Haggis. A car hits us from behind - enfuriating. We spend the night at Fort William - meeting two other SA's.

• 28 / 9: A day of pouring rain. We drive to Inverary - where we tour the Inveraray prison and castle. Then a long drive through Glasgow to Brampton, near Carlisle.

• 29 / 9: It is my birthday - though I hardly think about it. We visit a Roman fort along Hadrian's wall. We drive all the way to Bubbenhall - +/- 7 hours of driving in the pouring rain - where we spend the night at Gus.

• 30 / 9: An early morning drive back to North Acton. We return the car and do some chores. Then a quick sleep recovery - ready for our trip to continental Europe.

England

 

Scotland