From Glasgow, we drove north to Oban (pronounced ooh-ban), a port town that has been inhabited since Mesolithic times. Oban grew in the 1800s around the distillery and fishing businesses, aided by the opening of the rail station. It served as an important Atlantic base during World War II, and was the site where the first Transatlantic Telephone Cable came ashore. We enjoyed the town’s beautiful horseshoe harbor and cool, northern feel; the sun set just after 10pm. We took a boat tour to the islands of Mull, Staffa and Iona. The Isle of Mull, sparsely populated, boasts dramatic hills and mountains, lush with greenery and grazing animals. Lachlan Macquarie, the “Father of Australia,” was born near Mull and was part of the family Clan MacQuarrie, which owned some of these islands for over 1000 years. We rode out to Staffa, also once owned by Clan MacQuarrie, where we saw the dramatic basalt columns reminiscent of the famous Giant’s Causeway in Ireland. The island is also a nesting site for puffins, an adorable bird species. We continued to Iona, where we ate lunch and saw the Iona Abbey, which was originally founded in 563 and was attacked by the Vikings in the 800s. The close communities, deep history, and beauty of these islands made for an excellent day trip. We drove north to Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands and northernmost city in the United Kingdom, to take in more scenery and long, sunny days. Alexa and I spent the afternoon walking through the city and its parks along the River Ness. The next day, we visited the famed Loch Ness. Alexa’s dad, Rick, and I tried haggis, the Scottish national dish: “a savoury pudding containing sheep's pluck (heart, liver, and lungs); minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, traditionally encased in the animal's stomach” (Wikipedia). It was delicious and went down smoother than expected with whisky cream sauce drizzled over it. We relished the chance to try sheep’s lung, as it is banned in the United States. We hiked through the stunning Glen Affric nature reserve to recover. The Highlands’ pristine scenery is a relaxing and invigorating break from the cities.
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September 2018
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