27 July to 31 July Scotland to Ireland

Birthday Thursday, thanks to those that remembered it was good to get the SMS and emails. We decided to do a tour of Skye and West Coast with a mini bus tour (Highland Mini bus). Fourteen of us family group from Canada, couples from Scotland, New Zealand and South Africa and ourselves. We headed off to Achnasheen via Inverness where we stopped at a quaint hotel for morning coffee. Ont to Loch Carron which is a beautiful sea loch, the stillness of which was incredible, then on to Eilean Donan Castle which has been used for many films notably Highlander I and III and Harry Potter. A Belgian Pipe Band which is also touring Scotland stopped and performed marching across the old bridge to the castle, really amazing atmosphere. From there we headed to Skye through the Sleat region, undescribable scenery and made a change for John not to have to drive the single track roads through moors and mountains but get to sit back and enjoy the views. We then caught the community Kylerhea Ferry back to Glenelg on the mainland and returned to the resort via Loch Ness. All in all we covered around 300 miles in the 12 hours but it was truly enjoyable.

On Friday we relaxed at the resort, doing a quick load of washing once again before we hit the road. It was raining most of the morning and when it cleared we headed to Carrbridge where the remains (only the arch) of a bridge built in 1717 make a picture postcard photo. We took a woodland walk then headed back to the resort.

Saturday was a bit of a disaster as we headed to Greenoch to try and locate some family history in the local cemetary. Don't know what it is about the place but as for John's brother and his wife the heavens opened just outside Greenoch and kept going till next morning. After an unsuccessful search we decided to head down the coast and stopped at Kilwinning Hotel in Ayreshire. Unfortunately the Hotel had a night club which started at 11pm and finished in the wee hours of the morning so next day tired and grumpy we headed off once again into Robbie Burns country stopping at his Birthplace cottage and a monument in his honour. By afternoon we were feeling a little better and headed to Culzean Castle where the many tracks around the grounds kept us busy for a couple of hours. Once again we discovered that if you climb down numerous steps and slopes to the pebble beach and caves it is a long way back up.... after which we walked to the lake and back through the woodland to where the car was parked. Headed off to find a B&B for hopefully a better nights sleep ending up at Thistle Tea House B&B which was decorated really nicely. Not noticing the skylight at 5pm we decided we would stay. Did notice the skylight at 4am when the light woke me thinking it was time to start off again.

Anyhow today we relaxed on the Ferry from Stranraer to Belfast, read a book most of the trip and currently in a guest house where the housekeeper is playing the piano in another room, she is quite good actually so I will leave this now sit back and listen to the music and hopefully get some sleep before our discovery of Belfast tomorrow.