While Mom and Dad were in town last week, we had the opportunity to take a day and drive around some notable parts of West-Central Scotland. Our road trip took us west from Glasgow to Greenock...across the Firth of Clyde on the auto ferry to Dunoon...north to Inveraray...northwest to Oban...north to Glencoe...and back to Glasgow - passing through Rannoch Moor and along the west side of Loch Lomond (in the dark!) on the return trip.
McCaig's Tower - A model replica of the Colosseum built atop a hill in Oban at the turn-of-the-century to provide work for unemployed stonemasons. Apparently the structure was left unfinished after benefactor McCaig's death, but it formed a complete ring and seemed good enough for me.
Overlooking southwest Oban from the edge of the Tower.
Oban Harbor, as seen through what I guess would have been a window in McCaig's Tower had it been completed.
Sunbeams over Oban Bay. Kerrera Island in the foreground - Isle of Mull in the background.
After lunch in Inveraray, we stopped off at the Duke of Argyll's pad to see if they had socks on sale. Inveraray Castle was constructed in the mid-to-late 1700's as a "fancy house" for the clan chief of the Campbells, and not as a defensive fortification. I confirmed there was no portcullis or murder holes for defenders to pour boiling oil onto charging invaders.
A portion of the mountains surrounding Glencoe. This shot from the Clachaig Inn is of the side of Buachaille Etive Mor (I think), or "The Great Shepherd of Etive." The infamous massacre of members of the MacDonald Clan by government forces took place in this area in February 1692. Can you find the Toyota Celica in the picture?
The Pap of Glencoe at sunset, as seen from the village.
McCaig's Tower - A model replica of the Colosseum built atop a hill in Oban at the turn-of-the-century to provide work for unemployed stonemasons. Apparently the structure was left unfinished after benefactor McCaig's death, but it formed a complete ring and seemed good enough for me.
Overlooking southwest Oban from the edge of the Tower.
Oban Harbor, as seen through what I guess would have been a window in McCaig's Tower had it been completed.
Sunbeams over Oban Bay. Kerrera Island in the foreground - Isle of Mull in the background.
After lunch in Inveraray, we stopped off at the Duke of Argyll's pad to see if they had socks on sale. Inveraray Castle was constructed in the mid-to-late 1700's as a "fancy house" for the clan chief of the Campbells, and not as a defensive fortification. I confirmed there was no portcullis or murder holes for defenders to pour boiling oil onto charging invaders.
A portion of the mountains surrounding Glencoe. This shot from the Clachaig Inn is of the side of Buachaille Etive Mor (I think), or "The Great Shepherd of Etive." The infamous massacre of members of the MacDonald Clan by government forces took place in this area in February 1692. Can you find the Toyota Celica in the picture?
The Pap of Glencoe at sunset, as seen from the village.
2 comments:
I love reading your narrative since it is so helpful in identifying my own pictures. We did so much in a short time that I was losing track of some names. Too bad the Duke of Argyle wasn't selling socks the day we called on him. Did you mention the weather was much nicer in Scotland than in Italy? Thanks for the wonderful tour and hospitality. Mentioning "driving in the dark" hardly describes the narrow, rock-hugging, confusing round-abouts, sometimes one-way track you were negotiating while driving on the wrong side of the road. Your driving was truly impressive!
Trevor, PaPaDeDe and I just got thru looking at all your pictures and I read all the written copy that you had written. Your Mother and Dad were just here Sat and we all went thru all their pictures of Italy. It sounds like everyone had a good time and just too bad the weather there hadn't been little better. Sounds like you are covering most of the land over on that island and little beyond. Suppose one of these days we will hear of you visiting the queen....Gramps
Post a Comment