After 90 days in the Schengen Region, it was time to head to the UK (click here for information about the restrictions in the Schengen Region). We landed in London to start our tour of the United Kingdom (UK). We had a short stay in London and then made our way to Scotland before going south to Northern Ireland. There is so much history in the UK and we scratched just the surface in our time there.
London
London is a huge city with so much character. You can easily land in London many times and have very different experiences each time just based on where you stay or explore. Our experience here was short so the following is what we were able to do in the time we were there.
Portobello
We stayed in a neighborhood in London called Portobello. It has such a quaint, artsy feel. It lies northwest of the city center and has a “Tube” stop connecting it (the “Tube” is what locals call the metro system in London). There are lots of little shops and there was even a street market while we were there. There are tons of options for food; they have traditional British pubs, Thai restaurants, Chinese fare, pizza joints, and Italian ristorantes. There are a bunch of little murals around the city streets.
Hyde Park Area
We were lucky enough to land in London in the evening which ended the hottest day in the history of the UK. It was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Our Airbnb host saved our lives (probably) by bringing us a fan so we could sleep. But, we just got the end of the heat wave so it was bearable. The parks in the area had already been weathering the ultra-hot summer in London. Hyde Park was no exception.
Outside of the unusually dry conditions of this park and others in London, we had a lovely time walking through the park and taking in the sights to and from. We passed Kensington Palace just inside the park.
The park is quite large and has some water features along the way drawing in an alarming number of geese and other waterfowl. This made for the only unenjoyable part of the walk. The amount of “goose pies” makes it hard to relax while walking. Not to mention, the birds themselves really take up quite a bit of space. It turns out that Britta is mildly afraid of geese.
Buckingham Palace & Big Ben
A trip to London wouldn’t be complete without getting a glimpse of Big Ben and/or Buckingham Palace. We just missed the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace when we walked by. But it was still cool to see the area. We took the long walk further past Buckingham Palace to make our way along the River Thames. It is a cool sight but mostly just checks off a box for me.
Fish & Chips
I can’t talk about the UK without mentioning fish & chips. For those that are not familiar, fish & chips are a very popular pub fare that you see all over this area of Europe. It most commonly includes a deep-fried white fish of some sort along with french fries. Traditionally, in Britain, it is served with a side of cooked peas and a tartar sauce for dipping. Sometimes it comes with a curry gravy as well. We got a chance to try lots of these in London and they are just great! Not all tartar sauces are made equal, but the fish is consistently pretty good in the traditional pubs. We were even lucky enough to find some gluten-free fish & chips. That isn’t as common, but becoming more available as more people are realizing they need to be gluten-free.
Scotland
After a few days in London, we headed north. Scotland has such folklore to it. The stories of the plight of the Scottish over time can be really depressing to learn about. We took a tour at one point while in Scotland where the tour guide stepped us through a crash course of Scottish history. The existence of clans of people fills the history pages of Scotland. The fighting between these clans and the Vikings and British next door makes for a history of suffering. But, aside from that history, or maybe because of that history, the culture is rich and proud. We got to see a lot of this country and it was well worth it.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. The center of the city is focused on the iconic Edinburgh Castle. The city sprawls quite a distance in all directions from the castle. The northern edge ends its sprawl at the banks of the North Sea. So much of the city is walkable with small smushed buildings of all colors. Coffee shops are seemingly every couple of feet as you get close to Edinburgh Castle. The streets are mostly made up of tourists this time of year as bagpipes are played by lone pipers along the streets. It makes for a really cool soundtrack as you dodge raindrops through the city.
Johnnie Walker Distillery
The main street across the river from Edinburgh Castle is called Princes Street. The internationally famous Johnnie Walker distillery headquarters is on this street. Even though they no longer distill at this location, it is a fantastic celebration of the brand they have built globally. We decided to go on their Journey of Flavour Tour. Because they are known for blended whiskies, the tour was focused on teaching us how the whisky is made and how our individual flavor profiles help us decide which whiskies and cocktail ingredients give us the most joy.
We learned the whole story about how Johnnie Walker became the behemoth it is today. They have been mixing whiskey barrels for centuries and it all started with a general store owner named Johnnie Walker who started doing that mixing. It passed down generations as they perfected their whiskies and expanded to different kinds and catered to different tastes of people around the world. Johnnie Walker uses millions of barrels of whiskies distilled all over Scotland to make their blends.
We capped off our time at the Johnnie Walker property by having dinner and a cocktail on the top floor of the old distillery. It gave us fantastic views of the Edinburgh skyline just as the sun was coming down.
Glasgow
As we talked with locals in cities throughout Scotland, it became very clear that there is a healthy amount of smack talk between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Each city has a very different vibe from the other. I am really glad we got to see both. Glasgow seems to have more of an art scene. The music scene is really fun. I’ll explain what I mean.
The Clutha
Britta and I had heard the live music scene was fun in Glasgow. We did a little research and eventually landed on trying out the live music at The Clutha. The outside wall is covered with this really cool mural. The inside centers around a tree growing in the middle of the dance floor. It gives off a dive bar feel with a limited selection of drinks. We embraced it. We grew up in the land of dive bars: Wisconsin.
The band playing that night was the Shiverin Sheiks and they ROCKED! The place was filled with people just jiving with the music, dancing, and singing along. One thing I was hoping to get from this trip was the opportunity to meet people. We have met a lot of great people during our time in Europe so far. But, the group of guys we met here made for a fun-filled night! We ended up sitting in pretty much the only place that was open and one of these three guys was sitting next to us. All these three gentlemen have been married for over 30 years apiece and come to this same bar every Friday night. A couple of them ride motorcycles and camp around in their free time. They ended up teaching Britta and me some words in Galic (the original language of Scotland). They also ended up buying us drinks and making sure we were drinking the “good whisky” and not what I uninformedly got. It was a highlight of our time in Glasgow and we wish them well!
The Highlands
Many of you probably think of the Highlands when you think of Scotland; I know that I do. The area is actually a really large portion of Scotland. It covers most of the northwest corner of the country. There are lots of different landscapes with loads of history. Many clans lived in and around the area. Probably the most iconic is the Isle of Skye which is literally a large island off of the Scottish mainland.
Isle of Skye
The Isle of Skye has been inhabited for thousands of years. Many clans farmed the lands and weathered the strong winds of this area. Sheep roam everywhere in Scotland. When the English conquered the Scottish clans they pushed the local farmers to raise sheep instead of the crop farming (crofting) they were doing. When they refused, many times English landlords would burn down their homesteads in retaliation. The idea was that sheep would bring in more money thus making it easier for the farmers to pay the landlords. As a result, the sheep were brought to Scotland. The sheering of sheep once or twice a year along with other meat and dairy products make it a big export of Scotland.
We haven’t been anywhere else that compares to how many sheep were on the Isle of Skye. We drove almost completely around the island on the coastline stopping along the way. We also drove inland to climb the rolling green hills of the Quiraing for a short jaunt. On that adventure, we were met by tons and tons of sheep grazing along the mostly one-lane road. The top of the hill was spectacular.
Thankfully, we had decided to get a car for this portion of our trip. It is worth mentioning that as an American, driving in Scotland is different in that you drive on the left side of the road and the vehicles have the steering wheel on the right. Now, this may seem intimidating and it definitely was for me at first. But, we heard from a tour guide that really it is the first 20 minutes that are the scariest. You start to process that you are just a mirror of what you are used to then you start to do it naturally. This is important to mention because on the Isle of Skye (and many places in Scotland) it is common to come across a one-lane road with turnouts. Most of the northern coast of Isle of Skye has these. The speed limit may be 60 MPH (yes, they use miles per hour in Scotland), but you risk having to stop quickly because of oncoming traffic. You just need to pull over in the turnout on the LEFT side because that is the side you drive on normally. Again, this sounds intimidating, but it is something you get used to pretty easily.
Pro Tip: Cars can be very expensive in Norway, Scotland, and Ireland from our experience. Some of that is exacerbated by the rising fuel prices, low car inventory, and the post-Covid travel itch. We found that renting a car for only the days you really need it to get to more remote areas you want to visit is the way to go and booking between 6-10 days before you travel got us the best deals. There are plenty of bus tours that can take you to some of these places and whether you like that or not can help you determine if it is worth the money to get a car. Scotland is a good example of a country that can be traveled pretty well for the bigger cities but requires other transportation options for the most beautiful parts.
Putting the driving aside, the northern part of Isle of Skye was very remote. The color is green, very green. With the constant winds and abundance of moisture, the plants flourish. The sheep have a seemingly endless supply of food and they are everywhere. The cliffs are majestic and the wildflowers pop up everywhere.
Glencoe, Oban, & Loch Lomond
In the list shown in the title of this part of the post, only the valley of Glencoe is technically within the Highland Council. Oban & Loch Lomond are actually just south but we took a GetYourGuide tour with all of them together and I’m so glad that the other two were part of the tour. Not to mention, it was the best tour we had during our Europe trip so far.
Glencoe Valley
When you picture Scotland, you probably picture lots of green and “bald” mountains. The rivers flow with a steady stream and the waterfalls never stop falling. You are most likely picturing the Glencoe Valley. We were blown away by the valley and how the color just popped. There are very few homes and loads of sheep.
Loch Lomond
We learned lots of things during this tour. One of the most basic things we learned which ended up explaining a lot was the terms used in the naming of things throughout Scotland. For instance, here is a short list of words and their common English words:
- Loch = Lake
- Glen = Valley
- Burn = River
- Ben = Mountain
- Inver = Mouth of a River
So, Loch Lomond means “Lake Lomond”. It is a beautiful area with a little town called Luss that belonged to just one clan for ages. The homes are still thatched and the pier has gorgeous views of the lake and beyond.
Oban
One of the first Scotch whiskies I bought myself was an Oban Distillery Scotch. At the time I didn’t appreciate it and didn’t know anything about Scotch in general. I definitely appreciate it more now and enjoy it. Little did I know that I would end up visiting the town where my first Scotch is distilled.
But, really, that wasn’t the highlight of this little fishing town. The town is lined with small little shops and restaurants. Ferries dock to take passengers to little islands in the near distance. The shore belongs to the Atlantic Ocean so the tide changes the landscape in town daily. We enjoyed a great fish-based lunch and a great walk along the ocean’s shore streets.
Inverness
Which city in Europe do you think is growing the fastest in 2022? I’ll keep you from taking the time to google it; it’s Inverness, Scotland (UK). Sitting in the northern center of Scotland, it is the mouth of the Ness River (reminder: Inver = Mouth of a River).
Many of you are probably familiar with Loch Ness, the lake in Scotland that has been the center of mysterious sightings of “Nessie” the Loch Ness monster. It is a dinosaur-looking water creature which was photographed in the 1930s and has since been the focus of tourism in the area. Movies and stories have been born out of this mysterious Bigfoot-like following. Inverness is the mouth of the Ness River that flows into Loch Ness not far away. We kept our eyes open for Nessie but didn’t spot her on this trip – she might have been on holiday, too.
The city of Inverness itself is picturesque. The town has a ton of little B&B’s (or Guesthouses) that are perfectly manicured. The buildings along the river make for a beautiful picture.
John o’Groats
When visiting Scotland, it can be tempting to stay around the Inverness, Isle of Skye, and Highlands. It is hard to blame them because there is just so much to see in the Highlands area. Loch Ness draws a crowd and the Isle of Skye to the west is a couple of days worth of activity and driving. But, we decided to travel to the northernmost point of the Scottish mainland: John o’Groats.
It probably goes without saying that the town was named after a guy named John. The town really consists mostly of the pier area where ferry boats take visitors out to the open North Sea. We drove from Inverness up to John o’Groats and we thought the journey was almost as cool as the destination. The rolling hills brush against the North Sea shores and crop farmland can be seen far in the distance inland. The occasional castle pops above the green and golden ground cover of crops.
Wildlife Cruise
The pier at John o’Groats houses a medium-sized fishing-like boat cruise that takes patrons out to the North Sea and the islands of Scotland north of the mainland. A majority of the islands north are part of the Orkney Islands. However, this cruise slowly takes you through the Pentland Firth and around Stroma which is currently uninhabited and not part of the Orkney Islands. The island is now home to a bunch of sheep. The shores around Stroma are well known for their wildlife, including puffins. This was very exciting because we have always heard about puffins but had never seen them in the wild. They spend the majority of their time out to sea.
The other common wildlife in this area is the seals. We saw a bunch of them. Even without the wildlife, the island had some really cool cliffs. The buildings of inhabitants of the past along with the stone walls separating land sit inland. It feels like a historically frozen piece of land. It was such a cool cruise and well worth the time and effort to get up there.
Northern Ireland
Let’s just clear this up right now: Northern Ireland is not part of Ireland. Many people don’t know this and it can get you in trouble. Northern Ireland is part of the UK and has been for many, many years. The main reason for this has to do with how the people in the region see their allegiance and their identity. It is a complicated history so it might be worth reading about it here. The division in the country can be as clear as which flags fly in the towns throughout. Some communities fly the British flag and others fly an Irish flag. The country is currently at peace, but its history is full of fighting and lots of blood lost. I tell you this to give you an idea of how this country is what it is today.
Belfast
The largest city, by far, in Northern Ireland, is Belfast. It is a very vibrant city with lots of visual similarities to Boston, Massachusetts in the US. With the large community of Irishmen & Irishwomen settled in Boston, it might make sense.
The port city is most famously known for being the place where the Titanic was built. The area is still a big port city that is starting to do more ship-related work and currently has tourism to fuel its rebound after the latest round of fighting in the late 1990s.
Giants Causeway
The main attraction in Northern Ireland is not within a set of city walls. A geological marvel sits on the shores on the west end of the country along the Atlantic: Giants Causeway. It is a truly remarkable spectacle. The formations shown below were formed by ancient lava flows that cooled along the salty shores of the ocean. The formation of these stones were eerily shaped in what looks to be almost manmade.
However, the story goes that this set of stones was not created by nature or man, but by giants. The giant Finn McCool is said to have built a land bridge (a causeway) to fight another giant, Benandonner, who lived on the neighboring island of Scotland. After building for a while and crossing over, Finn McCool saw that Beneadonner was twice his size! Finn ran back home and jumped into a baby’s crib and pretended to be a sleeping baby. Benandonner came looking for Finn but found Finn’s baby sleeping in the crib. After Benadonnersaw this “baby”, he decided to leave without fighting his smaller foe. Having believed that the “baby” was actually the baby of his foe, he said, “if that is the size of the baby of the giant I am to fight, then this giant must be huge! I won’t stand a chance!”. On his way back to Scotland, Benandonner tore up the Causeway so Finn couldn’t follow him home. Such a fun story for such a beautiful place and a seemingly impossible geological phenomenon.
Recap
Miles Walked
- 83 miles over 18 days
Next Up!
- Ireland
Read About Where Else We’ve Been
- New Zealand: A Little Bit of Everything
- Vietnam: North to South
- Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia: New Year’s 2023
- Thailand: Temples, Food, and So Much More
- Australia: The East Coast of Natural Wonders