Scotland, a World Tour 2020

In 2020, COVID-19 forced us to postpone our planned European tour because of the difficulties traversing eight countries to get to Rhodes. We decided to do a World Tour of Scotland instead, not the places we have already visited, more the places people tend to miss, with the exception of the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel which happened to be on my bucket list.

(Please click on a thumbnail to enlarge the image)

Our Route

The Peak District to Lindisfarne – our journey to Lindisfarne took us past the twisted spire of Chesterfield parish church for an overnight pubstop at Ladybower Lake and a leisurely walk before a splendid meal, the cost of which included our overnight stay in their car park with views over the lake. The second hop took us to Bamburgh Castle which, unfortunately, we could not visit due to COVID restrictions, so instead we took a bracing walk along the beach to Seahouses watchful for the elusive seals. Lindisfarne was also restricted access only, but the tide being out did mean that we could drive across the causeway at least.

The crooked Spire at Chesterfield

Ladybower pub stop

Ladybower

Ladybower, the plughole

Ladybower

Bamburgh Castle

Bamburgh Beach

The mystical White Stag at Bamburgh, origins unknown

Bamburgh Beach

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne

The Farne Islands

Bamburgh Beach

Bamburgh

St. Aidan’s Church, Bamburgh

St. Aidan’s crypt

Grace Darling’s tomb

The causeway to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne

The Kelpies to the Mull of Galloway – the Kelpies and Falkirk Wheel were on my bucket list, so we had to call in to have a look especially as we could overnight there. Both are incredible pieces of engineering, the one honouring the mythical water horses said to inhabit Scottish lochs and rivers, the other, a rotary barge lift as a modern equivalent to lock gates. We were hoping to go kayaking again on Loch Lomond, but the weather was more suited to walking, and we had fun exploring Conic Hill and the surrounding area. We had heard great things of Galloway, and as, like most people, we tend to usually drive past on our way to the highlands, we thought that we would spend some time getting to know it. It did not disappoint.

The Kelpies

Lock gates at the Kelpies

Canal life at the Kelpies

The Kelpies

The Falkirk Wheel

Falkirk rough castle

Overnight at Drymen Woods, Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond

Conic Hill, Loch Lomond

Conic Hill walk

Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond from Conic Hill

Conic Hill walk

Loch Lomond

Tom Weir statue at Loch Lomond

The Trossachs

Dunure Castle

Dunure

Dunure 18th century dovecote (pigeon larder)

Dunure labyrinth

Dunure harbour

Maybole Beach, Aisla Craig in the distance

Maybole Beach

Overnight at Maybole Beach

Maybole Beach

Culzean Castle

Culzean Castle walk

Culzean Castle

Little man stabbing a big fish with an arrow at Culzean Castle

The swan lake at Culzean Castle

Culzean Castle

A cave on the Dolphin walk at Culzean

On the Dolphin Walk, Culzean

Culzean Castle

Culzean Castle, Gas House

Aisla Craig from Girvan

Girvan

Girvan harbour

Overnight at Glen Trool

Morning cobwebs

Loads of these little toads appeared one night

Loch Trool walk

Ben Trool

Bruce’s Stone, Loch Trool

Loch Trool walk

Water of Trool

Loch Trool walk

Foraging a late seasonal treat

Martyr’s Tomb, Lake Trool

Water of Trool

Black Stones stepping stones, Water of Trool

Water of Trool

Water of Trool bridge

Water of Trool

Nick of the Balloch

Barr

Girvan coast road

Wig Bay, Loch Ryan

Corsewall Lighthouse

Corsewall cove

Aisla Craig from Corsewall point

Corsewall

Port Patrick

Port Logan

Port Logan Fish Pool

The bathing hut, Port Logan

The bathing hut pool, Port Logan

Port Logan’s fish pool, an 18th century fish larder

Port Logan. They built the causeway with a road on top expecting people to move out of the single story houses, instead they stayed and added a second storey to get the views of the sea

Port Logan

Gallie Craig, Mull of Galloway, the most southern point of Scotland

Mull of Galloway lighthouse

Mull of Galloway fog horn

Mull of Galloway

The Nine Tides race at Mull of Galloway

Mull of Galloway

The Scaur Rocks, home to 2,500 pairs of gannets every summer

Kirkmadrine Cross

Kirkmadrine church

Kirkmadrine Stones

Kirkmadrine

Stranraer

Grey Mares Tail Nature Reserve

Kirroughtree Forest

Bruntis Loch, Kirroughtree Forest

Wigtown estuary

Carsluith Castle

The old saw mills, Carsluith

Carsluith bridge

Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn, Carsluith

The Isle of Man from Carsluith Cairns

Sandgreen

Lake Coniston – another attempt to get the kayak on the water on the final leg home, thwarted by blustery weather which resulted in a fun trip in a hire boat.