Scotland & Northern England Highlights Day 8

Wednesday, March 26th, 2025

Our first stop today was in Roslin, Scotland. This village was known for the Roslin Institute which created, Dolly, the world’s first cloned sheep in 1997 and the late Gothic and mysterious Rosslyn Chapel.

Rosslyn Chapel was founded in 1446 and took forty years to build.

“Legend has it that underneath the chapel, buried behind a stone wall and set back from the detailed wall carvings, is a spartan stone crypt. Buried even deeper is said to be the treasure of the Knights Templar. There is no solid evidence that suggests the Holy Grail is or ever was present at Rosslyn Chapel.” (https://www.rosslynchapel.com/) It certainly added to the mystery of the Chapel.

The Chapel was abandoned due to the Reformation and it fell into disrepair from 1592-1736. In 1736 General James St. Clair ordered repairs. Then in 1837 when James Alexander St. Clair-Erskine became 3rd Earl of Rosslyn more repairs happened. The process used for its repairs caused damage. In March, 1997 a free-standing steel structure was erected to cover the Chapel to allow it to “dry out”!

So in May, 2012, the restored organ accompanied the inaugural performance of the Rosslyn Psalm by Howard Goodall to celebrate the completion of the Rosslyn Chapel Conservation program.

Notice all of the ornate carvings on the outside of the Chapel. One could find carvings of plants, animals and human figures.

Across from the main entrance to the Chapel was a memorial to Frances Robert St. Clair-Erskine, the 4th Earl of Rosslyn (1833-1890). It stood 20 feet tall and was erected in 1899.

The symbolism in the ornate stonework in the Chapel added to its mystery. No photos were permitted but I have included a few photos from the book, Rosslyn Chapel by The Earl of Rosslyn.

**The Choir** (photo credit: **Rosslyn Chapel** by The Earl of Rosslyn)

The pillar carved by the Master Mason was less elaborate than his apprentice’s pillar! The story was that the Master Mason went out of town to get ideas before he carved the other pillar. While he was gone his young apprentice had a dream that he finished the pillar and so he did. When the Master Mason returned and saw the beautifully finished pillar he was so upset he struck his young apprentice with his mallet. He killed the apprentice instantly and was hung for his crime.

**The Mason’s Pillar** (photo credit: **Rosslyn Chapel** by The Earl of Rosslyn)

Looking back toward the choir loft you could see the carvings of those involved in the Apprentice Pillar. In the left corner was the apprentice with a scar on his forehead and near him was his grieving mother. In the opposite corner was the master mason and he forever had to look at the Apprentice’s Pillar.

**The apprentice, his mother and the master mason** (photo credit: **Rosslyn Chapel** by The Earl of Rosslyn)

The inside and outside of the Rosslyn Chapel had close to 100 green men carvings. These were faces with foliage coming from their mouths.

**Green man** (photo credit: **Rosslyn Chapel** by The Earl of Rosslyn)

Below were a few more examples of the symbols and carvings in the Chapel. We would highly recommend visiting this curious chapel.

**Roof showing stars with sun, moon, dove** (photo credit: **Rosslyn Chapel** by The Earl of Rosslyn)

The Sacristy (crypt) was reached by going down a steep set of steps. It was believed that this crypt was older than the chapel. It was used as a workshop during the years the Chapel was being built. It rose to fame because of The Da Vinci Code.

**Sacristy** (photo credit: **Rosslyn Chapel** by The Earl of Rosslyn)

We first read about Rosslyn Chapel in Dan Brown’s book, The Da Vinci Code, in 2003. We also saw the movie in 2006. The book and the movie combined to make Rosslyn Chapel known worldwide. Visitor numbers grew substantially thanks to The Da Vinci Code.

Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott, a 19th century novelist was our next stop. It was located on the banks of the River Tweed.

Sir Walter Scott wrote his most acclaimed works Ivanhoe, Rob Roy and The Lady of the Lake here at Abbotsford. He was in significant debt because of the 1825 banking crisis in the U.K. In today’s market his debt was in the millions. He didn’t want to lose Abbotsford so he put his home and income in a trust belonging to his creditors. His plan was to write himself out of debt. When he died he still owed money but his books kept selling and it wasn’t long before his estate was debt free. His home was opened to the public in 1833 by his family.

Sir Walter Scott was an obsessive collector of books, artifacts, and weaponry. His library was filled with his collection of books as the last two photos show.

The photos below show part of his weapon collection.

Click through the slideshow below to see more of Scott’s beautiful home.

The chapel was added in 1855 by Sir Walter Scott’s granddaughter, Charlotte and her husband James Robert Hope. Much of the chapel was covered in plastic sheets because a bird kept getting in and the staff wanted to figure out how it was able to access this historic space.

The robes below were gifted to Mary Monica, the daughter of James and Charlotte by Cardinal Newman who was a close friend.

Witch Corner was located on our way to visit Abbotsford. It had stories and sculptures that were inspired from the writings and research of Sir Walter Scott. The name Witch Corner came from Scott’s nickname for his favorite section of his enormous library. This section was on witchcraft, magic, folklore, superstition and consisted of 250 rare books.

This evening some of our group would be flying home tomorrow. We had a group dinner at MacKays on the Mile restaurant.

The main course was traditional Scottish food: Haggis, turnips, and mashed potatoes!

Haggis on top, creamed turnips in the middle, and mashed potatoes on the bottom.

Another great day for us! Tomorrow we leave Edinburgh for England.

Scotland & Northern England Highlights Day 7

Tuesday, March 25th, 2025

Today we were traveling to St. Andrews, Scotland. It was sunny but quite windy. We made a stop at The Forth Bridges. There were three famous bridges that we saw. The bridges crossed the River Forth which was a major river in central Scotland. The river drained into the North Sea.

The oldest bridge was The Forth Bridge which became an UNESCO World Heritage site in July of 2015. It opened in 1890 and was only open to trains. It was the world’s first major steel structure. It under went a complete restoration that was completed in 2012. It was constructed of 53,000 tons of steel, 6.5 million rivets and 73 lives were lost during its construction.

Memorial to those workers who lost their lives during the construction of The Forth Bridge.

The Queensferry Crossing (the bridge in the back in the photo below) opened in 2017. It was the longest 3-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world. It spanned 1.7 miles. Its bridge towers were the highest in the United Kingdom.

**Queensferry Bridge in the back and the Forth Road Bridge was in the front.**

The Forth Road Bridge (the bridge in the front in the photo below) was a long span suspension bridge. It was the 4th longest bridge in the world and the largest outside the United States when it opened in 1964. It was 1 1/2 miles in length and was built using 39,000 tons of steel!

When we arrived at the historic town of St. Andrews we had a self-guided tour of the R&A Golf Museum. It was located opposite The Royal and Ancient Clubhouse.

The museum explored the past, present and future of golf. There was a large collection of golf memorabilia from around the world. We were able to explore over 400 years of golf history in the museum.

When we finished the museum, we walked beside the 18th hole of the Old Course. It was created in 1754 and the Royal and Ancient Club headquarters of golf ever since. Our purpose was to take pictures on the famous Swilcan Bridge. It was located on the 18th hole and the bridge was originally built 700 years ago. The Swilcan Bridge was 8 feet wide and 30 feet long and spans the Swilcan Burn (stream). It was one of the most photographed bridges in the world.

We waited until the foursome on the 18th hole passed and we walked out quickly for our pictures.

More shots from around the course are below. Please click through. It was such a gorgeous day.

The clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Course
Be aware!
The course was by the North Sea
Statue of Old Tom Morris by sculptor David Annand.
Martyrs’ Monument- commemorates protestants that were executed.
The Old Course filled with golfers
It was a great day if you were a golfer.
The 18th hole was behind us!

The 2027 British Open will be played at the Old Course at St. Andrews. What a beautiful setting for the tournament. The beach and the bay by the course!

What a great way to forecast the weather at St. Andrews. Make sure you read the sign below.

Along the sidewalk across from the course were plaques of the British Open. Jack Nicklaus who was from our area won in 1970 and 1978!

Besides St. Andrews being known as the birthplace of golf, it had a university which was the oldest in Scotland. The University of St. Andrews was founded in 1412. Prince William was the most recent and famous alumnus. We could also see the ruins of the St. Andrews castle. When we visited here in 2003 we visited the castle and walked through the university. Today we had time to eat lunch and then meet our group. We asked a couple of University students where would be a good place to eat and they gave a few suggestions. We found a pub, Central Bar, that had been around for over 100 years! Many of us had their Grilled Cheese Toastie which was a grilled cheese sandwich.

As we headed back toward Edinburgh, we followed along the scenic coastline of Fife. We had a quick stop at Cellardyke, a village in Scotland. The Cellardyke Harbour had stunning views of the fishing village. Our next stop was the coastal town of Anstruther. It was another fishing village.

Along the road we saw farmland and we all commented on how fertile the soil looked. The soil didn’t have clay like our gardens at home.

This evening we were tired and went to dinner a block from our hotel. We had dinner at the No1 High Street on the Royal Mile. They were able to accomodate our group and our food was tasty. Another great day!

Scotland & Northern England Highlights Day 6

Monday, March 24th, 2025

Our day began with a drive through the “New Town” of Edinburgh and by new town, it was constructed between 1767 and 1890! It had stylish boutiques, classical Georgian architecture, many excellent restaurants, and large green spaces.

As we rode along, we looked back at the “Old Town” of Edinburgh and Castle Rock with the castle.

We passed Charlotte Square which had a statue of Prince Albert (consort of Queen Victoria). It was a private garden that was only for the owners of the surrounding properties.

West Register House- National Records of Scotland along Charlotte Square. It was constructed from 1811-1814 as St. George’s Church and was converted to the Register House in 1964-1970.

We passed the historic local pub, Greyfriar’s Bobby Pub. It had been around for at least 150 years and occupied the ground floor of a row of Georgian houses. In front of the pub was the statue of Bobby, a Skye Terrier. He was a famous dog in Scotland. Legend said that in the 19th century Bobby spent fourteen years guarding the grave of his owner until the dog died in 1872. Many stop and rub the dog’s nose on the statue for good luck.

Greyfriar’s Bobby Pub and statue of Bobby

Queen Elizabeth II’s yacht, the Britannia, was our next stop.

It was her Royal Yacht from 1954 to 1997. The ship was built in Scotland and it was appropriate for it to become a tourist attraction near Edinburgh, the capital. It opened as a visitor attraction in 1998. As of 2016 Britannia had over five million visitors. We had an audio self-guided tour as we toured the ship. We toured at our own pace.

The HMY (Her majesty’s yacht), Britannia traveled more than one million nautical miles. It had 250 crew members and it also served as Queen Elizabeth II’s Royal residence. She held state visits, official receptions, Royal honeymoons, and had relaxing family holidays on board the ship.

The double bed was added to this bedroom for Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s Honeymoon.

The Sun Lounge was the Queen’s favorite room.

The Drawing Room was a place where the Royal family would relax or sometimes it was a reception room and could hold up to 250 guests.

The State Dining room was the largest room on the yacht. The Queen entertained some very important Heads of State in this dining room.

We took a break during our tour and visited the Royal Deck Tea Room. This deck was previously used by the Royal Family for deck games. They also enjoyed drinks or buffets. One can only visit the Tea Room if you were touring the Britannia. We enjoyed our tea and scones.

All the clocks on board the Britannia stopped at 15:01 or 3:01 PM. This was the time that Queen Elizabeth II went ashore for the last time!

The officers and sailors on board also had their own places to relax. One of the places was a bar where you could pretend to enjoy a cold brew!

One could also be the “Admiral” during your tour!

The engine room was so shiny and pristine!

We visited five decks and saw so much! We just highlighted some of the rooms of the yacht. If you are in Edinburgh and have the time, we would recommend taking the tour.

When we left Britannia, our next stop was lunch before meeting at the entrance to the Edinburgh Castle. We walked up the Royal Mile to find a place for a quick bite. The Amber Restaurant and Whisky Bar was able to seat 11 of us and serve us quickly. The restaurant and bar first opened up in 1988. Its main focus was the scotch whisky experience but the restaurant was very good.

The rest of our afternoon was visiting the Edinburgh Castle. It was built from the 11th century to the 21st century. The castle was a military fortress, royal residence, and a military prison. It sat on an extinct volcanic plug. It currently served as an active military base. The highlight was the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo that happened every August on the castle esplanade.

Our Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Group in front of the Edinburgh Castle

Everyday at 1:00 PM a gun is fired! They had signs warning of the loud noise! Mons Meg was a giant, late-medieval cannon.

St. Margaret’s Chapel was the oldest building in Edinburgh. It still hosted weddings and christenings.

Another building within the castle was the Scottish National War Memorial. It had a “Roll of Honour” where visitors with help could look up fallen soldiers from WWI to the present. It was run by a small charitable trust.

In the Royal Palace we saw one of the fireplaces that had the Royal Arms of James VI, King of Scots.

We walked all around the Half Moon Battery that was located on the eastern side of the castle grounds. The cannons were 18 pounds and built in 1810 for the Napoleonic Wars.

The sun was shining but it was very windy as we walked.

The panoramic views of Edinburgh from the caste were amazing. One could see for miles!

We could also see the Soldiers’ Dog Cemetery which dated back to 1837. Visitors can’t enter the cemetery but it can be viewed from above.

When we left the Edinburgh Castle we stopped at another traditional Scottish pub along the Royal Mile called the World’s End Bar. It was located in a 16th century building and its exterior wall formed part of Edinburgh’s ancient wall.

Some of us had a beverage while part of our group was shopping on the Royal Mile.

This evening we had reservations at a speakeasy in the New Town of Edinburgh. Some of our group took a cab to the location because it was about a mile walk and we had already walked over four miles and a lot of stairs.

**We left our hotel to walk to the speakeasy.**

Panda and Sons was the name of the speakeasy. It opened in 2013 by Panda and his family. It was located in a vintage style barbershop.

It was a classic style Prohibition speakeasy. The bar entrance was hidden behind a bookcase.

We enjoyed a drink in Panda & Sons and then we were in search of a restaurant for dinner. One of the waitresses suggested a restaurant and even called for us to see if they could seat the nine of us. She made a reservation for us at Old Pal and we walked there. It was almost a mile away. Our group decided as we walked to the restaurant that we would take a cab back to our hotel. We were all tired. As we walked we passed by Charlotte’s Square and saw West Register House illuminated.

Old Pal was a new restaurant that opened in 2024. The restaurant wasn’t busy but our food was delicious!

A block away from the restaurant there was a taxi stand! We took a taxi back to our hotel. Another busy day completed.

Scotland & Northern England Highlights Day 5

Sunday, March 23rd, 2025

This morning we boarded our bus to head toward Edinburgh. We had several stops along the way. Our first stop was at the Glengoyne Distillery. They opened at 10:00 AM and we were ready for our tour. By 11:00 AM we were tasting their single malt Scotch whisky!

The Glengoyne Distillery was located on the HIghland Line which was a division between the Highlands and the Lowlands of Scotland. It had been described as Scotland’s most beautiful distillery located at the foot of the Campsie Hills and next to a waterfall.

Glengoyne Distillery had legally been making whisky since 1833! Their stills were the slowest in Scotland. The casks take six years to prepare and they were known for their barley which was only dried by air. Our tour took us through all of the stages of the process.

Most of our group in the Glengoyne Distillery

After our tour was over we met in the tasting room to try 3 different aged whiskies. The first was aged 10 years, the second 12 years, and the third was aged 15 years. I was able to taste test because the distillation process ensured all gluten in the barley was removed. Our tour director was able to taste with us because she wasn’t driving. Scotland had a zero-tolerance to drinking and driving. If you were a driver you could only nose the whisky, but not taste. That would not be fun at all.

Our second stop was The Falkirk Wheel and lunch. The Falkirk Wheel was the world’s only rotating boat lift. It linked the Forth & Clyde canal to the Union Canal which was 114 feet above and in a half-turn that took five minutes. It opened in 2002 and replaced a flight of 11 staircased locks. It was a busy tourist site. We arrived as The Falkirk Wheel began its turn.

Below was a short video that showed the wheel moving.

The Kelpies Horse sculptures were also a must see! We stopped and had time to walk up close and around these two horse-head sculptures at the Helix Ecopark.

Each head was 98 feet high and they were designed by sculptor Andy Scott. The Kelpies were part of Scottish folklore. They depicted a beautiful horse that lured victims to their deaths in rivers or lochs.

Duke and Baron were named after two real Clydesdale horses. They stood 100 feet tall and weigh more than 300 tons each. They were the largest equine structures in the world.

Edinburgh was our final stop. As we approached our hotel we could see the Edinburgh Castle on Castle Rock.

We checked into our hotel which was located a block from the Royal Mile. Our hotel room looked out over the train station.

We left our luggage and went walking up the Royal Mile toward the Edinburgh Castle. As we were walking we passed by “Oor Tom” which was created by the Edinburgh artist, Chris Rutterford to honor the war veteran Tom Gilzean. For over 20 years Tom collected over one million pounds for the Edinburgh Childrens’ Hospital Charity and he was always dressed in his tartan trews. He was 99 years old when he died. What a wonderful way to continue his charitable legacy. We donated when we returned home.

Tom Gilzean sculpture established to continue his legacy.

The Royal Mile was located in Old Town of Edinburgh. Its origins date back to the medieval period. In 1995 it was designated an UNESCO World Heritage site and it also included Princes Street in New Town. The Royal Mile went from Edinburgh Castle (west end) to the Palace of Holyroodhouse (east end). Some sights as we walked up to the castle.

On our way back to our hotel we stopped for a drink at the No1 High Street pub. It was the original meeting place for the famous Edinburgh Cape Society that was founded in the 1700s. Some famous members were Robert Burns (famous Scottish poet) and Deacon William Brodie (he was Robert Louis Stephenson’s inspiration for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). The back of the bar had prints that depicted the Cape Society. The Cape Society still exists!

After our walk along the Royal Mile, we had a group dinner at Tolbooth Tavern. It was a traditional Scottish pub that was established in 1820.

The group had an appetizer of Haggis, a national dish of Scotland. It was a type of pudding made with minced sheep’s lungs, heart, and liver. It was then mixed with beef or suet, oatmeal, and then seasoned with onion, cayenne pepper and other spices. I had tomato soup because the haggis was not gluten free. I was happy with that.

After dinner we walked back to our hotel. The view from our room looking the other direction.

Scotland & Northern England Highlights Day 4

Saturday, March 22nd, 2025

This morning we visited Loch Lomond which was located in the Trossochs National Park. Our stop was in the quaint village of Luss (in Gaelic it meant herb) which was located on the western shore of Loch Lemond. Much of the village was from the 18th and 19th centuries but the area dated back to medieval times. We saw rows of cute cottages. Luss also was the village used for the Scottish TV soap opera, “High Road”. On the show Glendarroch a fake village was filmed in Luss. The population was about 450 residents.

Loch Lemond was the largest fresh water lake, by surface area, in Britain. The Loch floor was formed by glacial excavation. There were many islands throughout and the Loch and it was 23 miles long. The largest island was called Inchmurrin. Due to the foggy conditions when we visited it was difficult to see the islands. Inchmurrin was located across the Highland Boundary Fault that separated the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands.

Luss Parish Church was built in 1875 but the cemetery was much older. Luss Parish Church succeeded a church of worship in 1771 and was built on the site of a pre Reformation Chapel.

In the cemetery there was an 11th century Viking hogback memorial stone. It dated back to around 1260 when Vikings raided the area!

The Hogback Memorial Stone is in the foreground.

The Queen’s tree was planted in Luss to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II becoming the longest reigning monarch in British history on September 9th, 2015.

After exploring Luss and Loch Lemond we continued through the Trossochs on our way to the town of Stirling.

Stirling was located in central Scotland. It tied the Highlands and the Lowlands together. It was surrounded by a landscape adorned with rolling green hills. In 2024, the town celebrated its 900th anniversary.

We walked around Stirling which was busy and had lunch at the Wee Wolf Bistro. The restaurant got its name from wolves that helped protect the city. The food was delicious. They served “jacket potatoes” or baked potatoes with various toppings which I thought was yummy. And those that had burgers said they were the best! It was amazing what they served with only a tiny kitchen.

Stirling Castle was located on a volcanic crag. It was a beautiful stone castle with a rich history.

Around the Inner Close, or square, there were 4 main buildings. The King’s Old Building was built for James IV in 1496. The Great Hall was added by James IV around 1503. It was the largest medieval banquet hall ever built in Scotland.

The exterior walls of this building was painted Royal Gold harling. This was the color it would have been in the 1500s.

Outside the Great Hall repainted with the original Royal Gold Harling!

The Royal Palace was built for James V around 1540. It was the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots.

The Chapel Royal was commissioned by James VI in 1594 and took 7 months to build. He wanted it finished for the baptism of his son and heir Prince Henry. (1593-1594).

The Stirling Heads were large oak portrait medallions that were carved in the mid 1500s to decorate the ceiling of a room in the castle. They were carved with images of kings, queens, nobles, Roman emperors, characters from the Bible and classical mythology.

We looked out at the King’s Knot and the Royal Park that was once part of the royal properties.

The royal properties and to the left was the city of Stirling.

The castle was getting ready to close when we left. The large doors were already closed so we ducked through the small doors.

From the castle grounds we saw the National Wallace monument that stood 220 feet. It stood where William Wallace led his troops to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Inside you could climb 246 steps on a spiral staircase that had exhibition centers inside.

When we returned to Glasgow, we freshened up and left for our dinner reservations at The Corinthian Club. It was located in Merchant City not far from our hotel. We ate in the Teller’s Bar and Brasserie. This location was first an 18th century mansion for City Merchant George Buchanan. This building was demolished and the Glasgow Ship Bank was constructed and then it was the Union Bank of Scotland. Then in 1920 it was converted into judiciary courts. Then in 1999 it was restored as The Corinthian. It had a 26 foot glass-dome that was gorgeous. It was refurbished and reopened in 2010. It was a great evening and meal.

After dinner we wanted to visit a local pub for an after dinner drink. The waiter suggested a traditional Scottish pub and we headed there. We ended a very busy day at the Piper Bar.

Tomorrow we leave for Edinburgh!

Scotland & Northern England Highlights Day 3

March 21st, 2025

This morning started with a bus tour of Glasgow. Our first stop was at the Glasgow Green. Here was saw the Doulton Fountain. It was a five-tier fountain in a French Renaissance style. It was built for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. It was restored in 2003-2005 and stood 46 feet high and 70 feet across the base and it was thought to be the largest fountain in the world.

We did our O-H-I-O in front of the fountain!

The fountain was located in front of the People’s Palace. It was built from 1893-1898. It housed the city’s social history collection.

We passed the Hydro. It was an indoor arena that had a capacity of 14,500 including the standing room and opened in 2013. It holds various events.

The bus also took us past the Clyde Auditorium which resembled the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The Clyde Auditorium also known as the Armadillo and opened in 1997. It hosts big entertainment names and performers and has a capacity of 3,000.

As we walked up to the Glasgow Cathedral we saw one of the former blue police boxes that were used from the 1920s and have been sold and converted into businesses. If you were a Dr. Who fan these former police boxes were used as his tardis (time machine) to travel from place to place.

We had an hour to tour the Glasgow Cathedral on our own. It was dedicated to St. Kentigern, also known as St. Mungo. He was a Christian missionary from the 6th century AD.

The cathedral was built in the 1100s and it took 350 years to finish. It was a medieval cathedral.

We walked through the crypt that housed the tomb of St. Mungo.

The set of stained glass windows were made in the 1860s by the Munich glass and were installed in the Cathedral between 1859 and 1864. The windows deteriorated and had to be replaced and the three pictured below were restored by Historic Scotland.

Behind the Cathedral was the Glasgow Necropolis. It was a Victorian cemetery and the first garden cemetery in Scotland. It opened in 1833 on a hilly site and the top was dominated by the 12 foot statue of John Knox. He was known most for the Scottish Reformation.

Near the Glasgow Cathedral was a statue of David Livingstone by John Mossman. He was a Scottish born doctor, missionary, and explorer. When we traveled to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe in 2018 we saw a statue to Livingstone who discovered the falls in 1855 and named them after Queen Victoria.

Across the street from the Glasgow Cathedral was the oldest building in Glasgow, Provands Lordship. It dated from 1471 and was used by the clergy when they visited the cathedral.

Located behind Provands Lordship was St. Nicholas Garden. It was established in 1995 and contained herbs and plants used in the 15th century. In the center was a carved granite fountain. At the back were cloisters which contained Tontine Heads that were removed from the old Tontine Building which was once used as an exchange for sugar dealers. Below are a few of the Tontine Heads.

Before lunch we visited the Riverside Museum. It was filled with transportation and technology collections. The building opened in 2011 and took four years to complete. Dame Zaha Hadid was the world renowed architect that did the design.

The Riverside Museum was located at the junction of the Clyde River and the Kelvin River.

Displays from Star Wars could be found throughout the museum! Below were a few of the Star Wars collections.

This afternoon we have a tour of the National Piping Centre. It was located in a building from 1872 that was extensively renovated and the Piping Centre opened in 1996. We learned all about the history of Bagpipes. It was founded to promote the study of the music and history of the Highland Bagpipe. The Centre housed a museum of piping which we were given a tour. After our tour, we all had the opportunity to play “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on a chanter. It was fun to try it. A couple of people from our group then tried playing the bagpipe!

Our group really wanted to see the Highland Cows and when we finished at the Piping Centre we quickly left for the train station to go to Pollok Country Park. Of course we went to the wrong train station first! We made it to the correct train station, bought our tickets and had to rush for the train! At the second train stop we hopped off and walked to the park which wasn’t far away.

Little did we know that this park was Glasgow’s largest green space! It was gifted to the city in 1966 and the Maxwell family owned this estate before it became a park. The Maxwell’s established the famous Pollok Highland Cattle fold nearly 200 years ago. They were brought down from the Scottish Highlands to graze the grounds within the estate. There were about 50 cattle. These Highland cows spend all year outside due to their double coat of hair. We walked quite a distance in the park before we spotted some coos (or cows)!

Mama and Baby

As we walked back we found coos close to the entrance which weren’t there earlier. The park was huge! You could spend a full day here and not see all of it!

We had round trip train tickets that took us back to the city center.

The train station for the Pollok Country Park.

We were ready for dinner after a busy day! Near Merchant City where our hotel was located we passed a restaurant that could seat eleven of us! We ordered drinks and food and enjoyed both.

As we walked back to our hotel we passed by the Gallery of Modern Art which was located in an early 19th century neoclassical building in the city center. In front of the Gallery was a statue of the Duke of Wellington who had a traffic cone on his head! The placing of the traffic cone on his head and sometimes on his horse began by late night revellers in the 1980s. It demonstrated a sense of humor and that tradition has continued!

After walking almost six miles today we were tired and ready for bed! Tomorrow would be another exciting day in Scotland!

Scotland & Northern England Highlights Day 1 & 2

Wednesday, March 19th, 2025

This was our first international trip of 2025. We traveled with the Hilliard Chamber of Commerce. We have traveled on other trips with them and have found their itineraries to be well planned and the price better than if we put this trip together on our own.

On Wednesday we left Columbus for Atlanta on time. We were all in our zone lines for our second leg, KLM flight to Amsterdam, when the flight was delayed 10 minutes, then 50 minutes and then three hours. We were finally in the air four hours later than scheduled. That meant we would miss our connecting flight to Glasgow. Due to the late departure we were served one dinner, no breakfast because the flight attendants needed a regulatory rest. Also, because the flight was delayed so long our plane was not completely full. We sat in a row of three and had an empty seat between us. Even though we had an empty seat it was difficult to get any sleep. The plane was warm and the seats weren’t comfortable.

The early morning sky out the plane window.

When we landed in Amsterdam, our tour company had rebooked our group on a noon flight to Glasgow so we only lost half a day. Unfortunately all of our checked luggage did not follow us onto the plane. Thank goodness we always pack 2 days of clothing in our carryon!

Thursday, March 20th, 2025

When we arrived in Glasgow we were met by our tour guide, Laura. She introduced herself as we traveled from the Glasgow airport to our hotel. We checked in, freshened up and some of us went walking around the area.

We stopped in for a drink at a great bar for Happy Hour. It was really busy.

The Counting House- we sat in a back room.

This evening we had a group dinner at a restaurant close to our hotel called The Spiritualist. It was a great dinner of fish & chips.

After dinner we walked back to our hotel, Ibis Styles Glasgow George Square, and went to sleep pretty quickly!

Iconic Iceland, Greenland & Canada Day 17 & 18

Friday, August 30th, 2024

Our ship was sailing toward Boston where we would be disembarking tomorrow! It was another nice day on board the Viking Mars. We were able to read out on deck because the weather was sunny and warm.

This afternoon the Hotel officers hosted a “Live Margarita Bar”. We participated in enjoying a drink.

Late afternoon we attended Rear Admiral John Lippiett’s lecture, “That ‘Tea Party’ in 1773- A Look into the Tea Trade”. He explained how drinking tea became fashionable and spread to the colonies.

This evening we went to hear one of the Viking vocalists perform a solo show. It was called “An Evening with Adam”. He sang a variety of his favorite songs.

Our last sunset of the cruise was beautiful!

Saturday, August 31st, 2024

This morning we woke up in Boston, Massachusetts.

Our flight home wasn’t until late afternoon. We thought we’d be sitting in the airport all day but Viking booked hospitality rooms where we could relax until 2:00 PM when they would then transport us to the Boston Logan International airport. We left the hotel and walked around Boston. The weather was sunny and warm. Viking also arranged for lunch to be served. We were quite impressed with these unexpected provisions.

It was the Ohio State Buckeyes first game of the season against an in-state team, Akron. The game was in the afternoon and we figured we’d miss the entire game. We were surprised to see it televised an airport restaurant by our gate. So we saw a lot of the first half before we boarded our flight. We looked out over Boston and the surrounding area as our plane lifted off for Columbus!

This adventure had ended but we look forward to the next one!

Iconic Iceland, Greenland & Canada Day 15 & Day 16

Wednesday, August 28th, 2024

Today was another day at sea! We were sailing toward Nova Scotia, Canada. Sea days weren’t fun for us. We would rather be off the ship exploring new areas! We talked to many on the ship who enjoyed the break. Today was spent walking on the ship’s outside track and reading.

In the evening we did attend the Cruise Director’s show. He had an excellent singing voice and put on a great performance.

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

This morning we arrived at Pier 20 in Halifax! The weather was windy but sunny! It was a great day for touring the city and visiting Peggy’s Cove.

As we approached the pier we passed Mc Nabs Island. It was the largest island at the entrance to the Halifax harbor. It consisted of 1000 acres and had military fortifications built on it to protect the city. Those military installations began in the 1800’s and consisted of Sherbrooke Tower (1928), Fort Ives (1870), Fort McNab (1892), Hugonin Battery (1899) and the Strawberry Battery (1940). These fortifications became known as the Halifax Defence Complex. Fort McNab’s remains were a national historic site in Canada and the island was designated as parkland.

McNabs Island

The two pictures below were taken just past McNabs Island and looking at Halifax, Canada.

Once the ship was cleared to disembark, we were one of the first to leave. This morning we had a pass for the “Hop On, Hop Off” bus. We thought this would be the best way to see the highlights of the city with our limited time. Well, it didn’t work out how we planned. There was some major construction that slowed traffic considerably. There also was a train strike going on and the shipping containers were being moved by semi-trucks. It was slow getting to our first stop which was the Citadel. The Halifax Citadel’s official name was Fort George, named after Britain’s King George II.

The Halifax Citadel was a national historic site that sat on a large hill overlooking the harbor. The current fort was completed in 1856 and was the fourth fort to sit atop the hill. It no longer was used as a military fortification but was a historic site with exhibits and a museum.

We spent a lot of time walking all around the Citadel which was in a star shape.

The guards were dressed in uniforms that their regiments wore in the mid-1800’s.

The pictures below were taken from the inside of the courtyard.

From the Citadel we could see the back side of the Halifax Town clock from the early 1800’s. It was a three tier octagonal tower that sat on a Palladian style building. This historic clock tower was a gift from Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. Prince Edward was commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America. He was stationed in Halifax for a year.

After we explored the fortress we went out to the bus stop to see more of the city. Unfortunately, the bus didn’t come for 45 minutes due to the traffic snarl. We were told they run every 10-15 minutes! Because of this significant delay we had to stay on the “Hop On Hop Off” for the rest of the stops. We didn’t have time to visit any of the other stops because we had to get back to the pier for our afternoon tour! It was disappointing to experience so little of this beautiful city. We decided we need to return at some point on our own!

We took a few pictures as we rode on the bus. The Bluenose Restaurant had been a landmark since 1964 and was named after Nova Scotia’s famous schooner. The Bluenose was Canada’s fishing and racing vessel and its image was on the Canadian dime.

We also passed by the Four Sisters homes. At the turn of the century a ship’s captain built the homes for his four daughters. The homes were painted red, yellow, blue, and purple.

This afternoon we took a chartered bus to visit Peggy’s Cove. It was an hour drive from Halifax to Peggy’s Cove. It took us a little over an hour due to the heavy traffic in Halifax.

The Halifax Shipyard was founded in 1989. It now was a subsidiary of Irving Shipbuilding Inc. Its building was huge! They built and repaired ships.

On our way we saw some beautiful scenery and boulders scattered around from the last glacier that receded.

Boulders left from a glacier about 20,000 years ago.

Peggy’s Cove was a picturesque fishing village with about 30 permanent residents. There were several legends as to how Peggy’s Cove was named. One was that she was a shipwreck survivor named Margaret and then shortened her name to Peggy. A second thought was that because the area was called St. Margaret’s Bay after Samuel de Champlain’s mother. Then when the British took over the locals began calling it Peggy’s Cove. A third thought was that it was named after William Rodgers’ wife. They were early settlers to the area from Ireland.

Nova Scotia had 160 historic lighthouses and Peggy’s Cove lighthouse was the most well-known of them. The lighthouse was built in 1915.

The ocean water around the lighthouse could be very dangerous. Rogue waves could happen at anytime. We were told when we visited to only walk on the dry granite rocks.

William deGarthe was an artist who lived and painted in Peggy’s Cove. He emigrated in 1926 from Finland to Nova Scotia. After his death his home was turned into a museum. The museum displayed 65 of his paintings.

William deGarthe’s Home , now an art gallery & museum

In his backyard he had a large wall of granite rock. He carved a monument to the Nova Scotia fishermen. Unfortunately he died before he finished his carving. He was about 80% completed. His ashes were interred inside the Fishermen’s monument.

**Lasting monument to Nova Scotian fishermen by William deGarthe**

This picture gives you perspective of the monument’s location in Peggy’s Cove.

The monument depicted 32 fishermen, their families, Peggy of the Cove and St. Elmo (patron Saint of Sailors).

These chairs would have been a great way to relax and enjoy Peggy’s Cove. Unfortunately we didn’t have time. We felt very rushed. Peggy’s Cove would be another place to make a return visit!

Andirondack Chairs could be found around Peggy’s Cove.

An hour was planned to get our group back to the ship. All passengers were to be back on board by 4:00 PM. Due to the extremely heavy traffic and street light problems, we returned at 5:30 PM and there were other tours that returned later than us! Any other passenger that we talked to was also frustrated by the wait for the “Hop On Hop Off” and how the other excursions in Halifax were negatively impacted by the construction, the rail strike, and the street lights in areas not working. Put those issues together and you had a huge mess! It was just one of those things that wasn’t anyone’s fault but it made it frustrating to be a visitor.

When we sailed away from Halifax we saw sailboats out on the water and another island with a lighthouse.

We would recommend visiting Halifax when you have more than a day! We’ll be back Nova Scotia!

Iconic Iceland, Greenland & Canada Day 13 & Day 14

Monday, August 26th, 2024

Today was a day at sea as we traveled from Greenland to Newfoundland, Canada across the Labrador Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. We left the fog and today was sunny.

Besides walking outside and reading, our highlight of the day was the Premium Wine tasting. It was fun learning about these 5 unfamiliar wines and tasting all of them. Three from France, one from Spain and one from Italy. We also had a variety of cheeses, nuts, grapes, and craisons that were paired with particular wines.

This evening we enjoyed the Viking vocalists show, “The Sound of the Seventies”!

Tuesday, August 27th, 2024

This morning we arrived at L’Anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada. It was located at the tip of the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland.

We were anchored around 8:00 AM and used tender boats to visit.

One of the tenders that transported us to L’Anse Aux Meadows

L’Anse Aux Meadows was the site of the first Norse settlement in the Americas. It was a national historic site and UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) named it a World Heritage site in 1978.

By the statue of Leif Eriksson was this quote on a memorial plaque: “Son of Iceland, grandson of Norway, Ancestor of all who emigrated from the Nordic lands”

The area was discovered in 1960 when a Norwegian explorer and writer, Helge Ingstad, came upon L’Anse Aux Meadows. A local, George Decker, took him to an overgrown area that had bumps and ridges. Ingstad and his archaeologist wife, Anne Stine Ingstad, spent the next eight years here. They had an international team of archaeologists from Norway, Iceland, Sweden, and the United States.

We visited the Visitor’s Center that had displays and artifacts that were found here.

Model of the Viking Basecamp that was discovered at L’Anse Aux Meadows.

The path from the Visitor Center to the archaeology site.

They found the remains of an 11th century Viking basecamp and the remains of 8 buildings that were either dwellings or workshops. These buildings were built of timber as the frame and sod over it.

The area was still an active archeological site. We watched a group working in an area that was fenced off. It was interesting to watch their precision and small steps and digs that they made as they worked.

Another area we walked to was the Norstead Village.

It was a replica of a Viking port of trade and depicted what life would have been like about the same time as the discovered UNESCO site 1.2 miles away.

The village consisted of Snorri, a full scale replica of a Viking ship built in Maine. The name Snorri was the name the Vikings gave the first child born in the New World. It was transported to Greenland and then a crew sailed it to L’Anse Aux Meadows with just powered by a square sail and oars! This sailing was to simulate Lief Eriksson’s voyage here. The boat was 54 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 8 feet deep. It was stored in the boat shed at the village.

“Snorri” a Viking ship replica

There was a chieftain’s hall, a church, and a blacksmith’s shop. We saw locals portraying different Viking roles and many tools and items from that period. You could spend a lot of time here. It was an interesting open air museum and the locals made the experience authentic. They had a axe throwing, weaving and games that you could participate in doing.