In August 2023, I visited Scotland, my ancestral homeland, for the first time. I traveled from Edinburgh to Inverness, then from Inverness, I traveled about halfway around the NC 500, ending in Ullapool. From Ullapool, I took the ferry to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, then drove south to the Isle of Harris, and stayed two nights at the world famous Luskentyre Beach. From Tarbert on the Isle of Harris, I took the ferry to the Isle of Skye and stayed two nights before continuing back to the mainland. I continued heading east, and stayed in Glencoe Valley two nights. From Glencoe Valley I drove south to Ayr and stayed one night, before heading back north, staying one night in the beautiful, historic Dalhousie Castle. From Dalhousie Castle, I drove to the Edinburghairport to turn in the rental car, then taxied to the AirBnB in Edinburgh for the last three days of the trip.
Now, THAT was a lot of ground to cover in just two weeks! We saw so many beautiful, unforgettable places in what has become my all-time favorite travel destination, for several reasons.
1 - as part of the preparation for the 2023 trip, I did some ancestral research; during that process, I learned that both my maternal and paternal lines had originated in the lowlands of Scotland, both were even from the same geographical region of Ayrshire! So when I say that my time spent in Scotland was extremely personal, it really was. I could not be prouder of my Scottish ancestry, and I am continuing my lineage journey to learn more about my ties to this amazing country.
2 - even in the relatively limited regions we visited, the respective landscapes in each were vastly different. Scotland truly is a landscape photographer's paradise......for me, it is the ultimate playground and the only place I've ever visited where I felt completely at peace. Any given day with just my camera, a few lenses, spare batteries and a tripod, was the ultimate experience, and one I'm looking forward to repeating over and over again, starting in early October of this year.
3 - All that said - as much as I enjoyed seeing the beauty of Scotland in each and every stop - there wasn't an opportunity to really experience Scotland like I'd hoped for. Rookie mistake - never ever trust the drive time given on Google Maps! Also, midges were a huge issue and ruined many of the shoots I had planned.....IYKYK.
In this upcoming visit, the geographical footprint has been substantially reduced, and the majority of our time will be spent in the central Highlands, with the last three days taking in the beautiful and historic city of Edinburgh, Scotland's capital. Less driving and FAR more time for photo shoots and just generally soaking up the beauty that is Scotland. It's no accident that I'll be visiting at the time of the year when Scotland's autumnal colors transform the Highlands into one of the most jaw-dropping, stunningly beautiful natural works of art around. I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to begin this next adventure in my ancestral homeland.
I'll be arriving in Edinburgh on Friday, October 9th, and will be staying for two full weeks. I plan on blogging regularly while there this time, and I hope you'll join me virtually on my upcoming adventures. I do have a special project planned for this trip, that I will share more about in the coming weeks. Thank you for your support, and stay tuned for more details!
With gratitude,
Tammy