Today I am posting highlight photos from our travels in Scotland and Iceland, which I plan to describe in more detail someday…
SCOTLAND –
After spending a couple of days in Glasgow to adjust to the eight hour time shift, we rented a car and drove north into the Highlands, eventually reaching the north coast at Durness. The days got longer, until we barely saw night at all, and sometimes hiked in the evening if that was the best weather window. We mostly stayed in self catering places, and continued Covid protocols, so did not connect with very many people. But we saw beautiful landscapes, took many hikes with interesting geological and historical significance, and enjoyed being out in the world.
Glasgow –
Loch Lomond and Glencoe-
We continued northeast along Loch Ness to the Black Isle, then west again to Loch Carron.
We followed the NC500 over the Applecross,
on to Port Henderson,
then Ullapool,
and eventually to the north coast at Durness.
Ardvreck Castle ruins
John Lennon Memorial in the Durness Village Hall garden
Headlands near Smoo Cave – our northernmost point.
We spent one last evening walking on Oldshoremore Beach near Kinlochbervie before driving all the way back to Glasgow in one day, ready to fly to Iceland.
Oldshoremore Beach
Lewisian Gneiss
Rainbow across the water
All the flags at Glasgow Airport
ICELAND
In Iceland the days were even longer, it was bright outside whenever I looked out the window! We stayed one night in Reyjkavik, explored the Golden Circle, then travelled into the westfjords to see volcanoes, waterfalls, and puffins.
Reyjkavik-
The Golden Circle-
Snaefellsnes to Stykkisholmur-
Latrajbarg Cliffs and Puffins-
Westfjords to Holmavik-
Arnarfjordur
Dynjandi Waterfall
Isafjordur
Our northernmost viewpoint – looking across Isafjardardjup to the northern Westfjords.
South to Reyjkavik-
Everywhere we went, in both Scotland and Iceland, people were welcoming. While not many local people wore masks, nobody minded that we did. The only place that was completely crazy was the Reyjkavik Airport, which does not have many of the more modern electronic check in procedures that we are accustomed to. If you are going, go early and prepare for long lines – that seems to be the common experience there. The travel home day was 22 hours long, and took me about two weeks to recover. That said, we are already planning to return. In Iceland, we would still love to drive the Ring Road, which we did not have time for on this trip. I would always like to back to Scotland, but not sure I can talk my husband into spending more time on the potholed and narrow single track roads in the Highlands – even the local people complain about those roads. He has his sights set on New Zealand and Italy. It was wonderful to be out in the world again, and I am grateful we could go!
Margaret Quilts 