The Written Word
for September 10, 2000

There is part of the United Kingdom that is almost free of tourists and is utterly bloody marvelous. I’m speaking of the Scottish Highlands and beyond. In talking about them today, I’m only going to touch what is really a very small part because leaving out the Hebrides, which I will do, is to leave out a very substantial part indeed. The temptation is to take a trip to Britain, allow for a couple of days in Edinburgh, and say you’ve done it. Well, Edinburgh is a lovely city but it’s a long way from being Scotland.

Take your plane to Glasgow and spend a night near the airport just so you don’t drive while over tired. Then find the first sign for the Erskine Bridge and head north where, within half an hour you’ll be alongside Loch Lomond of song and fame. Don’t rush – there’s no point. This road is for the most part two lane and does get tourists, buses and lorries. Take your time with stops along the way. This part of the trip takes, without stops, about an hour when, with a remarkable suddenness you find yourself in the true Scottish Highlands. Fort William is a great spot for lunch but about half an hour before that you’ll pass through the haunting Glencoe where the massacre of Macdonalds by Campbells took place back in 1692, an event whose impact very much remains today in Scottish politics.

Fort William, at the western end of the great glen, is a very nice little town with very good shopping. Then take the road to Inverness, the capital of the highlands, through the great glen and the waters of Loch Linnhe, Loch Lochy and Loch Ness, connected by canal. This a super drive but don’t look too hard for the monster – keep your eyes on the road. Now let me pause here. There are other ways to go. You can go down to the coast and Glenfinnan where Bonny Prince Charlie raised his standard in 1744 … or to Mallaig … or Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye. The scenery, especially after the beginning of August when the heather is in bloom, is spectacular and like nothing else you’ve ever seen. At Inverness turn left back to the west coast and Ullapool thence north to the Rhiconich Hotel and the hospitality of Ramon and Helen Fish. And bring your flyrods and walking sticks and check out the myriad of lochs and lochans all full of brown trout. Take the time to drive to Inver and see unbelievable scenery … or to Kinlochbervie where there is a spectacular beach ( Northern Scotland has a lot of them and yes, you can swim) or up to Dorness and the wonderful crafts village.

Then allow yourself two hours to drive to Scrabster, via Tongue and the wonderful northern coast where you’ll catch the ferry to Orkney (never the Orkneys!!) and two hours later you’re in a different world altogether. Like Shetland (never the Shetlands) this is as much Norse as Scots. Magnificent scenery and wonderful history. There are sacred stones and stone circles and stone age villages captures in their originality. The two main cities, Stromness and Kirkwall, especially the latter are full of bargains and St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall is not to be missed. There is loads of free flyfishing and lots of walks within utterly enchanting scenery. Take a tour – there are a couple of operators with small vans that will take you not only all over the Mainland, as Orkney is called, but the outer islands as well. And look at magnificent Scapa Flow where the German Navy scuttled itself in 1919 and where Lieut. Gunther Prien brought U-40 in 1939 and sank the British battleship Royal Oak.

Return to Glasgow down the east coast and stay in Banff or thereabouts and take some day trips through the Grampians … take a bit of time to see Inverness and visit the battlefield of Culloden where Bonny Prince Charlie was finally beaten. Then pop down to St Andrews where, in addition to all the golf courses, the second oldest university in Britain is located. The golf, at the old course, is prohibitively priced but it is open public territory so after about 5:00PM you can visit "Hell Bunker" or the Road Hole and the bunker that did in David Duval in this year’s Open.

You’re two hours from Glasgow Airport and home.

This has been only one couple’s adventure – there are dozens of others. But to see Scotland – the real Scotland – you need a sense of adventure. But, believe me, it’s well worth it.