The Baalands

Plockton: Jewel of the Highlands

Plockton is a quaint village in the Highlands. We spent two nights there. I stayed in an adorable B&B. Plockton is small. There are only two restaurants: the Plockton Inn and the Plockton Hotel. I ate in both. On the second night, I had dinner with Anne Zajac and her husband Gareth. They retired to Skye right after Covid. Both were veterinarians at the vet school at Virginia Tech. Anne was a member of the parasite consortium.

Inlet

Perfect place for a wedding photo

Waterfront

Palm trees

Red telephone box

More palm trees

My B&B

So many flowers

Pink and red

View near my B&B

Inveraray Castle and Gardens

We stopped in Inveraray for lunch and a quick visit. Inveraray Castle was a moderate walk from town. I didn't have time to tour the castle, but I paid the admittance fee so I could walk around the gardens.

Inveraray Castle, c. 1741

Inveraray Castle was built in 1741 and is one of the earliest examples of Gothic Revival architecture. It replaced an earlier 15th century castle. The castle has been the seat of the Dukes of Argyll, chiefs of Clan Campbell, since the 18th century. The castle gained a modern audience when it appeared in a 2012 episode of Downton Abbey.

Welcome to Inveraray Castle and Gardens

Black-eyed Susans

A bouquet of color

Gothic

Geranium

Beautifully landscaped

Welcome to the castle

Stroll through the gardens

Castle gardens

Old Man's Beard

The path to the castle

White blooms

Site of the 15th century castle

Award winning

Mound of Orkney

Maeshowe is a Neolithic chambered cairn and passage tomb on the mainland of Orkney. It was built around 5000 years ago. Maeshowe forms part of a wider Neolithic ceremonial landscape in central Orkney that also includes the nearby stone circles of the Ring of Brodgar and Stenness. The Neolithic village of Skara Brae is also part of the World Heritage site.

Welcome to Maeshowe

From the outside Maeshowe looks like a grassy mound. Beneath the mound lies a carefully constructed stone monument composed of a passage and central chamber built from large slabs of local flagstone. The monument is aligned so that sunlight enters the passage at the winter solstice and reaches the rear wall of the central chamber. Four standing stones were built into the corners, for reasons unknown.

Grassy mound

Welcome to Maeshowe

"Mound of Orkney"

Entrance to cairn

We took a guided tour of the cairn. You weren't allowed to take pictures inside the chamber, so I borrowed a few pictures from the internet. The central chamber is nearly square, about 15 feet on each side. The current height is 12.5 feet. The entrance passage is 30 feet long and low (about 30 inches), so you had to squat (or crawl) as you made your way through.

Passageway

Inside chamber

Maeshowe was abandoned 800 years after its construction. It laid sealed and forgotten for around 3000 years, until a group of Vikings stumbled upon it and broke inside. They left behind the largest collection of runic inscriptions outside of Scandinavia.

Norse runes

Portree: Colorful Capital of Skye

Portree is the largest town and capital of the Isle of Skye. It is known for its sheltered bay and colorful harbor. We stopped there for lunch and a look-around. I had some donuts with the girls, then headed off to explore Portree on my own. It was a great place to get some photos.

Iconic view of the harbor

In a row

Boats in the bay

Beached boats

Lobster traps

Pink Guest House

White buildings

Less colorful

The whole area

Inverness: Capital of the Highlands

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands in the North of Scotland. It is long regarded as the de facto capital of the Highlands, with a population of about 48,000. It was the mid-way point of my 9-day Rabbies tour of the Highlands. It was here that we got a new van and driver/guide and welcomed new travel mates. We also had time to explore the city. I did a lot of walking. Fortunately, my B&B was conveniently located to the downtown and touristy area.

River Ness

River Walk

Colorful buildings

The Market Brae Steps are a historic stone stairway that links the lower town to the upper residential area known as The Crown. In the early 19th century, the winding brae and path served as a vital route where crofters and farmers drove cattle, sheep, and other livestock up to the newly established Barnhill Cattle Market. The cattle market eventually moved to other quarters and the route transitioned from a commercial livestock path into a neighborhood pedestrian thoroughfare.

Market Brae Steps

Oldest Pub

Scottish food

The Victorian Market is a historic covered shopping arcade situated in the city center. It was opened in 1870 and originally called New Market. In 1889 the arcade completely burned down. A new arcade was built and opened on September 8, 1891. There's a story about a dog that ran back to the shop of his owner during the fire to keep watch. Therefore dogs are always welcome in the arcade.

The Victorian Market

Indoor "Mall"

Krispy Kreme

Highland House of Fraser

Highland Tartan

Inverness Castle

The Faith, Hope, and Charity statues in Inverness are three 19th-century stone monuments that stand along the banks of the River Ness. They refer to the three virtues of the Catholic religion. The statues are located down the hill from the castle.

Faith, Hope and Charity statue, c. ~1869