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.
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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
Ladybower, the plughole
Ladybower
Ladybower
Ladybower
Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Castle
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 Beach
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 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
The Kelpies
The Kelpies
Lock gates at the Kelpies
Canal life at the Kelpies
The Kelpies
The Kelpies
The Kelpies
The Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel
Falkirk rough castle
Falkirk rough castle
Overnight at Drymen Woods, Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Conic Hill, Loch Lomond
Conic Hill walk
Conic Hill walk
Conic Hill walk
Conic Hill walk
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond from Conic Hill
Conic Hill walk
Conic Hill walk
Loch Lomond
Tom Weir statue at Loch Lomond
The Trossachs
Dunure Castle
Dunure Castle
Dunure
Dunure
Dunure 18th century dovecote (pigeon larder)
Dunure labyrinth
Dunure harbour
Maybole Beach, Aisla Craig in the distance
Maybole Beach
Maybole Beach
Maybole Beach
Overnight at Maybole Beach
Maybole Beach
Maybole Beach
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle walk
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Little man stabbing a big fish with an arrow at Culzean Castle
The swan lake at Culzean Castle
The swan lake at Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
A cave on the Dolphin walk at Culzean
On the Dolphin Walk, Culzean
On the Dolphin Walk, Culzean
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle, Gas House
Aisla Craig from Girvan
Girvan
Girvan harbour
Girvan harbour
Overnight at Glen Trool
Overnight at Glen Trool
Overnight at Glen Trool
Morning cobwebs
Loads of these little toads appeared one night
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Ben Trool
Bruce’s Stone, Loch Trool
Bruce’s Stone, Loch Trool
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Water of Trool
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Loch Trool walk
Foraging a late seasonal treat
Martyr’s Tomb, Lake Trool
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
Nick of the Balloch
Nick of the Balloch
Barr
Barr
Girvan coast road
Girvan coast road
Wig Bay, Loch Ryan
Wig Bay, Loch Ryan
Wig Bay, Loch Ryan
Wig Bay, Loch Ryan
Wig Bay, Loch Ryan
Wig Bay, Loch Ryan
Wig Bay, Loch Ryan
Wig Bay, Loch Ryan
Corsewall Lighthouse
Corsewall Lighthouse
Corsewall cove
Aisla Craig from Corsewall point
Corsewall
Port Patrick
Port Patrick
Port Logan
Port Logan Fish Pool
Port Logan Fish Pool
The bathing hut, Port Logan
The bathing hut, Port Logan
The bathing hut pool, Port Logan
Port Logan’s fish pool, an 18th century fish larder
Port Logan’s fish pool, an 18th century fish larder
Port Logan’s fish pool, an 18th century fish larder
Port Logan’s fish pool, an 18th century fish larder
Port Logan’s fish pool, an 18th century fish larder
Port Logan’s fish pool, an 18th century fish larder
Port Logan’s fish pool, an 18th century fish larder
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
Port Logan
Port Logan
Port Logan
Port Logan
Port Logan
Port Logan
Gallie Craig, Mull of Galloway, the most southern point of Scotland
Gallie Craig, Mull of Galloway, the most southern point of Scotland
Gallie Craig, Mull of Galloway, the most southern point of Scotland
Mull of Galloway lighthouse
Mull of Galloway fog horn
Mull of Galloway fog horn
Mull of Galloway
Mull of Galloway
The Nine Tides race at 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
Stranraer
Grey Mares Tail Nature Reserve
Grey Mares Tail Nature Reserve
Grey Mares Tail Nature Reserve
Grey Mares Tail Nature Reserve
Grey Mares Tail Nature Reserve
Grey Mares Tail Nature Reserve
Grey Mares Tail Nature Reserve
Kirroughtree Forest
Kirroughtree Forest
Kirroughtree Forest
Kirroughtree Forest
Kirroughtree Forest
Kirroughtree Forest
Bruntis Loch, Kirroughtree Forest
Bruntis Loch, Kirroughtree Forest
Bruntis Loch, Kirroughtree Forest
Wigtown estuary
Carsluith Castle
Carsluith Castle
Carsluith Castle
The old saw mills, Carsluith
Carsluith bridge
Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn, Carsluith
Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn, Carsluith
Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn, Carsluith
Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn, Carsluith
Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn, Carsluith
Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn, Carsluith
The Isle of Man from Carsluith Cairns
Sandgreen
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.
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston Pier Cottage
Overnight at Coniston Pier Cottage
Overnight at Coniston Pier Cottage
Overnight at Coniston Pier Cottage
Coniston
Coniston Hall
Coniston Hall
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston electric hire boat
Coniston electric hire boat
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston
Coniston
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