My adventures usually begin before the sun rises and this time was no different, I was up at the crack of dawn making my way to the bus station and all in the name of saving a few pounds a 10 hour bus journey awaited. I was headed for what I like to call the ‘other’ homeland, Scotland had been calling my name for years and I was finally off to walk the grounds where many of my ancestors spent their days (including my great grandfather).
Having only just over a week off from work I decided the best way to see a good chunk of the country would be to spend some time exploring Edinburgh on my own and then taking a tour to see what I could of the rest of the country. After a lot of research and seeking out advice it was decided that MacBackpackers were the tour group for me! They offered a 3 day tour taking me from Edinburgh up through the Highlands and the Isle of Skye, before coming back to Edinburgh to celebrate Hogmanay (the New Year). I had high expectations for this trip to Scotland, little did I know that my expectations were going to be blown out of the water!
I spent much of the last few hours of my bus ride trying to pick out the exact moment we passed into Scotland, this New Zealander still gets overly excited at the idea of being able to drive across countries! Unfortunately by this stage of the journey I had become unable to stop myself from dozing off every 15 minutes, and the fact that it was pitch black outside didn’t help either. It may have been nighttime but from the minute I exited the bus station it was obvious Edinburgh was something special. I was thankful for my ability to pack lightly as I took my time to wander up Princes Street, passing the magnificent Christmas market and up the hill to find my hostel, Castle Rock, located directly under Edinburgh Castle!
I didn’t expect to fall completely in love with Edinburgh but after only one day in this city it already had me contemplating leaving my beloved London and setting up home there. Wandering the twisting, old cobbled streets filled me such joy – you can feel and see the history everywhere you turn. It’s not often a city can compete with London as somewhere I would want to call home but Edinburgh still has me longing for it! After my first beautiful day it was time to discover what else Scotland had to offer, but don’t worry I made sure to have time for Edinburgh when I got back.
Once again it was time to rise before the sun, my new tour friends and I loaded onto a very comfy bus and it was time to roll! After hearing so many great recommendations for this tour I wasn’t sure what to expect but knew we were all in for a treat, and that we were! I was lucky enough to have a wonderful tour leader (Richard) who not only kept us informed with his fantastic stories about Scotland but also regularly had us all in fits of laughter. Being that the tour was only 3 days I was a bit worried it would be full of bus time, tights schedules and quick pitstops that didn’t allow us time to really take it all in. Turns out it was nothing like that, Richard allowed us plenty of input into where we went, nothing was set in stone and we had the perfect amount of bus / non-bus time! It felt more like just taking a road-trip with friends rather than a tour.
We saw so much in three days yet somehow it never felt rushed. Every corner we turned took my breath away, I kept thinking this must be the most beautiful thing I’ve seen, only to come around the next bend and have the same exact thought! From towering mountains tops to frozen lakes to shaggy Highland Cows, everything about the Highlands captured me. I stomped about in snow, dunked my face in a freezing river (you know, just for eternal beauty), walked the very land of my ancestral Clan Macleod, and made a whole bus load of new friends. It’s amazing just how quickly you can bond with a group of people when you are travelling together, after only a day I felt like I had known these people forever.
In some ways the landscape of Scotland reminded me of New Zealand, I had been warned by fellow Kiwis that Scotland may make me a bit homesick due to the similarities to home. Other than the great big castles dotted about everywhere (certainly don’t have those back home) I could absolutely see why people would say that, maybe that’s why I felt so comfortable in Scotland. Unlike New Zealand though, Scotland is known for it’s rainy, miserable days but we were lucky enough to have beautiful sunshine every single day – sure it was freezing but the sun made everything look that much better.
It’s impossible to explain just how breathtaking the Highlands are, I expected Scotland to be stunning but it far exceeded what I was imagining and has now become one of my favourite places on earth! The Isle of Skye in particular has to be one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been – there is just something magical in air. I’m really hoping to get back there in the spring or summer as I want to experience it during a warmer time of year as well, I can imagine how beautiful it must be (spoiler – I ended up living on the Isle of Skye two and a half years later). I also truly couldn’t recommend Macbackpackers enough. They made my trip to Scotland brilliant, I wouldn’t have seen nearly as much had it not been for the amazing tour. Having a local guide show you around really gives you a behind the scenes look and insight into their country!
Anonymous says
Can't wait to see this beautiful country. Your photos are amazing.
Kasia says
I’m totally in love with the Highlands and You have captured their beauty so well in Your photos! I especially adore the one with the Coos 🙂 And also the first one – is it Glen Sligachan? And I’m not sure if the castle on one of them is Duntulm? 🙂