More snapshots from Scotland

 
 
Now is the time to write about our trip to Loch Ness, Scotland. It takes 13 hours approx. to drive from Norfolk to Dramnadrochit (a little village by Loch Ness where we were to stay), so it was no way we could make it in one go. We planned our journey carefully to make sure we had a break once every few hours.
We left Norfolk early in the morning (not even eight o'clock yet) and drove north passed Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire.
I really loved the journey and to see the scenaries changed from the flatland green pasture of the East Anglia turned more hilly as we drove towards to north of the country.

We had our first stop in Yorkshire at Fairburn Ings RSPB nature reserve where we had our packed lunch, freshen up and walked around. The park was very interesting, we saw lovely birds and dragonflies. We'd love to spend more time there but we had a lone journey ahead of us so we pressed on.

 We planned to reach Northumberland before 4 o'clock and luckily we did. We stayed at a B&B "Brandy Bank" in West Woodburn.

 

We spent a night there, very comfortable. We had time to snoop around the area a little bit. We went to visit Hadrian wall

 

This is a part of Hadrian wall

We walked around it and it went for miles and miles

Then we found that the wall went up this hill. The path was very steep and unsafe so we decided not to follow the wall up there. Personally, I don't see why anyone should build a wall up a big mound like that?

We were more interested in this lake and tried to walk there.

It was a long way which we had to mind sheep droppings all the way.

Unfortunately, we met some unfriendly rams who thought we were disturbing their peace!
So we turned around and didn't get to the lake but we were hot and bothered we couldn't care less.

We were quite happy to have a cold drink at the Twice brewed inn for a compensation.

Northumberland was very quiet and scenic. I've heard that it is a great place for star gazing. I wish we could spend more time over there. Maybe we will go back next time.
We left Northumberland nice and early after we had some hearty breakfast.

It didn't take long before we left England and entered Scotland.

Somehow I could feel that we were no longer in England. The sceneries around us were wild. It was thrilling.

The main road to Edinburgh was closed (just our luck!) and we had to use the detour which was also party closed due to roadwork. There was a long queue of traffic which we were stuck in. This guy on a bicycle went pass -- way ahead of us! Who would predict this...we didn't get caught in the traffic jam once we were in England yet we spent almost 2 hours in the car looking out to Scottish countryside!

We lost so much time in the traffic jam we had to skip Edinburgh and drove on to Inverness.

The view got more and more spectacular as we drove further north.

This winding white line on the mountain was our road, it went on and on we thought we would never get there.

I was very excited to see some mountains.

We saw a few of these mountains that looked like it had a white hole in them. I really have no idea what it was.
 Could it be a patch of snow?

Scotland is so wild and beautiful.
 I really loved the journey but it was so long, eventually I wished we were there.

Drumnadrochit was our destination. It was a little village by Loch Ness where Nessie was supposed to live.
 Our reward for the long journey was this, the serene, beautiful Loch Ness at sunset!
 We had a lovely dinner at the Dores Inn by Loch Ness. I had a big bowel of Moules mariniere -- it was yummy!
 We walked along the loch as the moon had risen.
 We didn't see Nessie but we saw these ducks!...

.... and a Big foot and a Gollum (David and Finn)

This is Inverness.

the High Street.. we only drove through. These big cities in Scotland are extremely busy in the summer when tourists pouring in hence traffic jam!!!

Inverness by night.