As London is central to a lot of other countries in the UK and Europe, it’s easy to take off for a weekend and explore a new place. This past weekend, I did exactly that. Personally, a big part of my heritage comes from Scotland. Before I came to London, it was a place I would commonly hear reference to from family members. I knew I had to get over there if this was the one place my grandma told me to go to. Grandma… if you’re reading this, I did it! And the highland cows were nothing short of what you made them out to be!
Meet Honey. Honey was my first encounter with the famous Scottish highland cows. Known for their long horns and golden locks, they were my first true taste of the highlands!
Novel Experiences
The adventure over to the Scottish land was quite hectic. From sprinting across King’s Cross to dealing with a cancelled train, I quickly learned this all comes with the beauty of travelling. We embraced it 🙂 Some friends and I arrived in Scotland late at night where we were greeted by the damp chilly air and hearty pubs that lined the streets. This trip also marked my first hostel experience! Hostels are an affordable option for people to stay for a short time while seeing a new place. Not only does it stretch you outside of your comfort zone where it forces you to adapt to sharing a communal space with strangers, but depending on your luck, you can meet some cool people travelling from all over the world!
Highlands
While taking the time to reflect on this trip, I thoroughly enjoyed my time hiking and exploring the beautiful Highlands. We spent two full days in Edinburgh and one day dedicated to the Highlands. Edinburgh brought us a summit view from Arthur’s seat, a historic castle, the lovely sound of bagpipes, a bundle of cashmere, wool, and tweed shops, and an atmosphere of camaraderie. It was a refreshing change of pace from the city life in London. The Highlands were a place like no other. Rolling hills with the backdrop of mountains as far as the eye could see, lochs around every corner, highland cows grazing the lands. It’s hard to find the words to describe the beauty of the country! As we drove through areas where famous cinematic productions were filmed such as Skyfall, Harry Potter, Braveheart, and Outlander; I couldn’t help but have some “pinch me” moments.
Some may call it fake, but this site was one of my favorite places we stopped that day. Located in the heart of Glencoe, this has been one of the most peaceful places I have been while abroad. Serenity at its finest! Least to say, it was hard to get me back on the bus.
Pictured : a very cold Julia on a Loch Ness tour looking for Nessie! As the well known Loch Ness is home to alleged sightings of the monster itself (Nessie), it’s also home to Urquhart Castle. I tried my first Highland hot chocolate on this boat tour as well. 10/10!
To put it simply, Scotland left me in wonder!