Favorite Places

My favorite places in Scotland all seem to be incredibly rural and out-of-the way.  For example:

This is a picture of the beach and the sea from the Isle of Iona on the northwest coast of Scotland.  I first visited Iona in 1997.  It's a bit difficult to get here.  You have to take a ferry from the mainland port of Iona across to the Isle of Mull, then you board a coach for an hour-long drive across the island, then you board another ferry to be taken to Iona.  Iona was used by St. Columba and his followers and is home to a beautiful Abbey with a churchyard of early carved Christian stones ranging in age from AD 600-1600.

The Abbey as seen from the ferry.

Another of my favorite places is Glenfinnan.

Glenfinnan sits at the northern end of Loch Shiel.  The monument is to Bonnie Prince Charlie and is near the spot where he raised his standard to begin the Jacobite uprising of 1745.  This disastrous uprising marked the beginning of the end of the Highland clan system and eventually led to the bloody battlefield of Culloden on Culloden Moor and the end of the Highland way.  I am proud to call myself a Jacobite (or supporter of Bonnie Prince Charlie's claim to the throne of Scotland!)

And finally, Eilean Donan Castle:

Eilean Donan is famous mostly for its use in the Christopher Lambert movie Highlander.  It's famous for me, because I watch the location from the 9-1-4 Outdoor Shop's webcam:

9-1-4 Webcam

I was finally able to see Castle and Shop in person during my last trip to Scotland in 2010.  The photo shows Trey, Marsha, me, and Bo in the carpark before our visit.