Urquhart Castle, Glen Affric, and a Hike

 Yesterday we set off for Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness. At a rest stop along the way we saw these fine looking fellows:



“Once one of Scotland’s largest castles, Urquhart saw great conflict during its 500 years as a medieval fortress. Control of the castle passed back and forth between the Scots and English during the Wars of Independence. The power struggles continued, as the Lords of the Isles regularly raided both castle and glen up until the 1500s.

The last of the government troops garrisoned here during the Jacobite Risings blew up the castle when they left. Urquhart’s iconic ruins remain, offering glimpses into medieval times and the lives of its noble residents”


We got there around 11:00. I heard rumors later that there were tourists in Scotland who were NOT there at the same time we were, but I don’t believe it. (Seriously, the bus parking lot had 20 tour buses parked and we got the last empty bay). 


Our instructor Barbara. Here we’re at the visitor center a couple hundred yards from the castle. Our group set off for the ruins but I realized I needed food first so Victoria and I went back to the cafe and had lunch.(Aside: the UK does food at places like this better than anywhere I’ve been in the U.S.)

Miraculously, by the time we had finished eating the crowds had thinned out a LOT (everyone else wanted lunch I guess) and Victoria and I got to tour the castle comparatively alone.






Next stop, Glen  Affric: 

 “Glen Affric is one of the most beautiful places in Scotland. The woodland is one of the best examples of the Caledonian Forest that once covered much of Scotland.”

We had a short (one-hour) hike along the Affric river. It was indeed quite beautiful.



We are leaving Strathpeffer today so after dinner last night we finally walked to Strathpeffer’s Pictish remnant, the Eagle Stone.





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