A whistle-stop tour of Scotland: My top 3 spots
- The Travelling Ladybug
- Jul 5, 2017
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 13
It's been a little while since my last blog post! So much has happened since, including an impromptu trip back to Venice for work. My Venice blog will soon be updated with some extra info on good restaurants and a hidden gem which is worth every visit!! In the meantime though....
I can safely say that I have fallen in love with Scotland. The beauty of the wilderness, the open spaces, the nature and landscapes and the friendly people. I will definitely be returning to explore more of this beautiful country, but for now here is my list of three top spots that were explored (this time round!) and that I would certainly be going back to. I look forward to discovering more in the coming years.
1. Staffa
Maybe it says something about me that one of my favourite spots is an island whose inhabitants are no more than 20 cm tall! No humans other than those brought on from the tour and instead a colony of beautiful little puffins.
As we approached the island and saw the unmistakable columnar jointing of Staffa, my excitement grew and the geologist part of me was mentally jumping up and down! A number of sea caves are visible from the boat, the most prominent, impressive and well-known of those being Fingal's Cave: named after the Irish giant who is also responsible for the Irish Giant's Causeway. There is a roped-out walking route to the cave which uses the hexagonal columns almost as stepping stones. It is impressive to walk into the cave and simply look up. Dense columns of basaltic rock that resemble the pipes of a church organ seemingly flow down to greet you, while the acoustics of the cavernous place reminded me of a holy cathedral.
When you go on the tour to Staffa you are given a short amount of time to explore. If it is your first time there, then I would recommend that you go and see Fingal's Cave first before going to the puffin colony. This is because the cute little puffins are mesmerising and you will find that time disappears while you sit near them and take pictures. Next time I go, I will probably go straight to the puffins so that I can spend some more time simply admiring the view and the heart-warming behaviour of these cute little birds.
2. Cairngorm
Mountains. When I say that word I would typically think of snow-capped peaks in the Alps or Canada. I will be the first to admit that I never expected the measly 1400 metre so-called 'mountains' in Scotland to be anywhere near as majestic as my beautiful mountains in Italy. I was wrong! Yes they are not as tall, nor as rugged, but they are majestic! For me, mountains should be soul-recharging and these ones certainly are! From Aviemore, we drove up and parked in the main ski resort car park. There is a cable car that can take you up and save you the walk, but once up you can't simply wander around, and are restricted to a viewing platform area. I would recommend that you put on those walking boots and make your way up on foot. Our walk up to the top and back was a good 3h30 round-trip, but oh so worth it!
We stayed up there in the car park and watched the sunset. There was a man who parked up near us, opened up the boot of his estate and sat there eating his cooked dinner while watching the sunset and the stunning view. Just thinking about it again, makes me smile. I would like to do and can see myself doing that too at some point in the future ... drive my car up, park, go for a walk and then eat while watching the sunset. Yep, talk about freedom!
3. Isle of Mull
The Isle of Mull is definitely worthy of a visit. To make the most of the island, I would recommend staying on for at least a couple of days, so that you can explore the mountainous interior as well as the various towns and natural reserves. Not far from Fishnish is a little nature reserve which is beautifully thought out and constructed. A little animal watching den has windows looking out onto the sea where you can sit peacefully and watch the otters, various birds, and if you are lucky orcas. I could have stayed there for hours just watching the oil-smooth water.
Honourable mentions
While these are my top three spots, there were so many great locations in Scotland that were visited in the 10 days up there that a few more deserve a special mention.
Iona
Iona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides and a short distance from the Isle of Mull. A little ferry takes you over to the island from Fionnphort - you can only cross on foot as no vehicles (apart from locals) are allowed on the island. From there there is a short walk to the Abbey, one of the oldest buildings on the island. The Abbey was first visited by St Columba in 600 AD and was the first point of Catholicism and Christianity in the British Isles. Unfortunately I did not have a vast amount of time to explore so walked through the abbey quite quickly, not dedicating the proper amount of time that it was due.
The Abbey is a beautiful, holy and peaceful place. The stone carvings inside the main chapel area were stunningly carved and Celtic in origin. It was odd but I almost felt a sense of familiarity while walking around the courtyard and definite peacefulness. One of the stone carvings which stuck with me ... "those that visit Iona will visit the shore three times"... I will definitely be planning another visit to the little island.
It is possible to visit Iona on the same day as Staffa, and whilst this is what I did on this trip, I think that it would be good to spend a little longer exploring Iona itself. Perhaps with a bicycle to get around and cover more ground.
Helmsdale
That's it for now. What do you recommend that I also visit on my next trip to Scotland?
Check out my upcoming blog on the wilderness of Scotland.
You may also be interested in:
Exploring the tranquil character of Scotland
A photographic journey through the wilds of Alba.
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