Oh, The Days in York

Our last day in England was spent in York.  We hopped a train from Durham and spent another rainy day touring.  Of course, our first stop was the famous York Minster.  

The first church on this site was built around 627.  Since then, it has been destroyed and rebuilt and restored more than a few times.  Nevertheless, you can't help but be entranced by the beauty and history here.  

York Minster is the 2nd largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe and contains the largest example of medieval stained glass in the world.  You can see it below.  It's the window above the entry doors and was created by John Thorton in the 15th century.  

The cathedral was filled with stunning examples of stained glass. 

The octagonal Chapter House as seen below was my favorite space in the cathedral.  The windows surrounding the room let in light and the stained glass provided colors that danced along the floors.  Along the canopies of the buttressed walls were thousands of individual carved heads.  No two were the same, but all portrayed mystery and thoughtfulness. 

After touring the actual cathedral, we decided to climb the central tower to get phenomenal views of York and the surrounding lands.  We climbed over 275 stairs, through tight spiral staircases, up past the gargoyles, rooftops, and stained glass windows.  Here I am below about halfway up the tower.  

The land surrounding York was beautiful farmland.  It was exactly what I imagined England would look like...cottages, farm animals, and pastures.  

This is more of the expansive views from the top, but it is more of the city.  

After climbing back down the staircase and eating lunch in a cute little tea house, we headed to The Shambles.  This street dates back to the 14th century and was an open air butcher shop and market.  There used to be over 25 butcher shops along here, but now there are none.  Back then, the scraps of fat, blood, and even body parts were thrown in the middle of the street in the gullies to be washed away by rain.  Ewww!

York was founded in 71 by Romans.  They created these walls to completely encase the city and protect it from invasion.  You can still walk along the ancient walls as I did below.  

This ends our tour of England.  Although, we almost got stuck here.  We had pre-purchased our train tickets and after a long day of touring and fighting the rain, we were tired.  We decided to head to the nearest theater for a movie.  After leaving the theater, we thought we'd play the dumb tourist card and hop on the next train back north to Durham.  Little did we know that while we were watching the movie, a huge storm had rolled through.  It had flooded the train tracks and stations, produced damaging lightening, and pretty much halted all transportation north.  After waiting and wondering for what seemed like hours in the station, we finally hopped a train back to Durham.  Luckily, we hired a cab for the ride to the airport the next morning and were happy to be on our way to Spain.  

Graduation Day in Durham

After our tour of the Isle of Skye, Mark and I headed to Durham, England aboard a first class train.  Our European vacation was actually planned around Mark's graduation from Durham University, so he was happy to get here and go through the ceremony.  We took the last train from Edinburgh, so we arrived pretty late that night.  Thankfully, a resident of the dorms where we were staying heard us pounding on the door and let us in since we were after hours.  After a good night's rest, we took the next day to just relax.  Mark had some business at the University to attend to, and I laid around reading for most of the day.  I felt guilty for not making the most of my free day for a short while, but got over that pretty quickly.  

This is the Durham Cathedral, also known as the Shrine of Saint Cuthbert.  It is well known throughout Europe as a masterpiece of Norman architecture.  Construction was started in 1093 and nearly finished in just 40 years.  It's importance is not just religious.  Due to its proximity to the Northern English border, it has also served an important purpose for the military.  In fact, in the 1600's it was closed and used to house over 3,000 Scottish military prisoners.  In 1832, Durham University was founded here, so restoration and preservation of the cathedral has become much more important.  This is especially true since the graduation ceremonies take place in the nave.  

I was up awful early, but with a cup of coffee, I was all smiles on graduation day.  

While Mark was ushered to the Great Hall across the courtyard to wait for the graduation procession, I waited in the rain to be ushered into the cathedral.  After the ceremony, an eager photographer took Mark's camera and snapped away.  Mark and I couldn't help but feel as if this "master" photographer was taking engagement photos.  Not so much, but they did turn out fabulously.  

Here's another with the famous Japanese peace sign. 

After our photo session, we headed out for some glamour shots of our own.  First, we headed to the College of Education.  The short walk was filled with picturesque scenes that were stereotypically European.  Since I was in charge of the camera, I went a bit overboard.  But, as you can see, I got some marvelous pictures. 

This one reminds me more of Italy than England, but it was beautiful nonetheless. 

The River Wear provided some nice scenes, including this cottage on the riverfront.  

One of our best photo shoots with the cathedral and castle in the background.  

Here's a view from afar.  

While I didn't do a lot of sightseeing here, I did get some much needed relaxation.  And, after chatting with some of his professors at the College of Education, I have seriously been considering getting back in the groove of school.  

The city was beautiful and filled with history.  I think Mark was much more relaxed since he didn't have graduation to worry about anymore.  I felt rejuvenated too, as I left and was ready to explore more of Europe.  

Highland Fling

After touring Edinburgh, Mark and I decided to take a quick tour of the Highlands.  It was a great idea since he had never been to the Isle of Skye.  It was one of the best tours I have ever taken.  First, our guide made up some ground rules.  We couldn't listen to headphones or talk over him.  He talked about all kinds of history, from the geological makeup of the land to the political turmoil between England and Scotland.  In between the fun facts, he played all sorts of music with roots in Scotland.  In fact, I still can't get "Crooked Jack" out of my mind.  

Our first stop outside of town was the engineering wonder Bridge of Forth which connects Edinburgh to Fife.  It was the first structure in Britain to be made of steel and was constructed in the late 1800's.  It has become a famous Scottish Landmark.  

After a brief cruise, we stopped in Dunkeld at The Hermitage.  It was there that we saw Ossian's Hall of Mirrors which was dedicated to the blind poet, Ossian.  The hall's doors could be opened and the reflection of the Black Linn Falls below was said to be spectacular.  So much, in fact, that Wordsworth wrote a poem about the wonder of it.  

Strolling through the woods was a welcome change to the hustle of the city.  I could easily see how one would gain inspiration from this scenery.  

After a few more hours of winding roads, we found ourselves here at the Clava Cairns.  These burial mounds are about 4,000 years old.  The site was filled with circular mounds of stones with pathways to the middle of each, as well as many free standing stone monuments.  

The entrances were built to coincide with the rising and setting sun through each season.  It was a tranquil initially, but with the added steady rainfall, it became even more so.  

Our tour continued with music, facts, and fun as we reached the battleground of Culloden Moor.  The battle here was between the Jacobites who were supported by the French and led by Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Hanoverians supported by the British.  The Jacobites loss here, was pretty much the demise of the clan system in Scotland.  Basically, the Jacobites wanted the Stuarts (the former Kings of Scotland) to be given back the throne.  

By the time the Jacobites arrived to this bog to mount a surprise attack on the British, they had starved for two days and were tired and sick.  This led to their defeat, the defeat of the clan system, and victory for the British.  Now, there is a memorial here with the red flags representing the British troops' position and the blue flags representing the Scottish troops.  

Next stop on the rainy day express was Loch Ness.  This trailer is home to Steve Feltham, the monster hunter.  He has lived on the banks of the loch since 1991 and unfortunately was not home on the one day that I was there.  I was deeply disappointed.  

Loch Ness was cold and dreary.  It was surrounded by hillsides of green with low lying clouds that were hugging the tops.  It was definitely not a place that I'd want to vacation let alone live for extended periods of time. 

Oh look, a sighting...too bad the monster hunter missed it!

The tradition is to strip down and swim in the waters of Loch Ness with the hopes of luring the monster in to the shore.  With the temperature being so cold, I think that only those who are drunk even think about it.  So, Mark and I decided to take a couple swigs...even that was not enough to jump in those waters.  We thought the name of the scotch was ironic to say the least.

To get the full feel of Scotland, one has to try scotch.  I have learned much about it since that trip to Scotland.  We stopped at Tomatin Distillery, which was established in 1897.  This distillery has a unique flavor because of the water that runs clear over the mountains of peat, heather, and hard granite. This distillery is one of the highest in Scotland, which may contribute to its interesting and crisp flavor.  I have to admit that I have never been a fan of scotch or whisky, but I thoroughly enjoyed sipping this whisky. I think it's because it was a single malt, which means that it has a more consistent flavor since it's not mixed with other blends.   I definitely tried to get some home, but the trip from Scotland to Illinois and back to Japan proved to be too much to handle.  

Our stop for the night was Inverness.  It was a lonely city on the banks of the River Ness.  Even though it was quiet and peaceful there, we found out that it is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe.  It is even ranked the 5th best city in Britain for quality of life.  

Despite our exhaustion from all of our trips that day, we had a fun night exploring and listening to some local music at Hootananny. 

This is Inverness Castle, which sits on the hill overlooking the River Ness.  The grounds were made up beautifully for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.  

Another stop on our highland tour was Clootie Well.  It's an ancient tradition where people would stop at holy wells to leave offerings in the hopes of having ailments cured or problems relieved.  

This tradition dates back to pre-Christian times when pilgrims would leave offerings to local spirits or gods.  As the clothes would rot away, so would the ailment.  A common practice was to take the clothes from a sick person to rot at the well and as they rotted, the person would heal.  These woods were so packed with clothing and other items that it was hard to see the actual plant life.  Years ago when offerings of clothing were made, they disintegrated much more quickly because they were made from natural materials.  Now, with so many synthetics, it takes years for decomposition, if ever.  Since it is said that if one takes down the clothing before it rots, that person would then take on the illness, no one ever removes the items.  

I thought this was a clever way to ask for problems to be taken away.  I can only imagine what kind of problems this person had or where they found a huge comforter to spray paint.  

Next stop...Loch Carron.  This is sea loch in the highlands where the River Carron meets the North Atlantic Ocean.  The area around this loch is known for its stunning scenery and hairpin turns which were magnified while traveling its shores in our bus.  

Here is our travel group.  It was a really fun mix of folks from all over the world.  It didn't take us long to bond, but we really wish we would have had more time for fun...three days in the highlands just wasn't enough.  

A bit later, we stopped at this beautiful valley complete with a stone bridge over a quaint little river.  According to our guide, legend has it that if you hold your face under for 7 full seconds then you will have eternal beauty.  Of course, every person on the tour had to do it after hearing that.  

So, I joined the club.  The freezing water was actually quite refreshing, plus, now I have eternal beauty.  What's not to love?!  

After waking myself up with a dunk under the water, I went to check out the hairy "coos" as they are called here.  They are pretty cute and can be seen everywhere in the highlands.  

I couldn't get enough of the scenery.  I just wanted to stay here forever. 

Here's a bigger view of that notorious river with gorgeous highland hills in the background.  

Onward to Faerie Glen where we had to abide by the rules of the fae.  There are three rules, of which I can only remember two...we couldn't curse or have our hands in our pockets.   It's many shaped hills provided us with an aura of mystery and calm.  Our first adventure was a hike to the very top of this hill to get a view of the surrounding hills.  

As you can see, it was stunning.  The only thing interrupting the calm was the bleating of the local sheep.  

Here I am at the top.  I was surprised that I didn't freak out with the height of it.

Let's just say, despite my lack of fear, I still didn't have the courage to make leaps like this one. 

I did take a risk and a venture out onto the peak.  It would have been such a fabulous place to come alone or with a boyfriend, just for the romance of the scene. 

After climbing back down, I made my way to the spiral where locals claim that if you walk backward and the faeries like you, you will be transported into the world of the fae.  Clearly, since I am writing this now, I was not well liked by them.  

Just some of the offerings to the faeries that were left in the center of the spiral.  

Next stop was Cuith Rang, a series of towers and hills on the coast caused by land slips over millions of years.  In fact, the roads here still need repairs yearly because the earth is still moving so much.  

The scenery here was spectacular.  Next time, I am hoping to spend some days in Skye so I can hike and explore without a bus load of people waiting for me to finish taking pictures. 

I'm sure the pictures from here are quite monotonous for those of you who haven't been to Scotland, but when you're there and in the moment, you won't be able to get enough.  It was the most beautiful and peaceful place that I'd ever laid foot on.  Although, it's tumultuous history claims otherwise.  

Up the coastline was this famous rock, called Kilt Rock.  It is called that because the pleats in the rock resemble that of a kilt.  

More gorgeous coastline.   A stop after this attempted to catch our group a view of the Old Man of Storr, but the clouds only cooperated for a bit.  We got a glimpse of it, another landslip, and hit the road again.  

Here we stopped at Bride's Veil Waterfall.  Another legend relayed from our guide made us begin to think that he was just making up weird things for us to do, which would actually be quite clever.  And, if I were a guide, I would probably want to liven things up with some trickery as well.  

The legend says that if one drinks straight from the waterfall, then he/she will have the best, mind blowing sex of his/her life for the next 7 years.  Clearly, we all thought that it would come true...check out that line.

That night, while staying on the Isle of Skye, we finally had a chance to relax after our many adventures along the way.  We bonded over dinner and then headed across the street for drinks and football (European style).  It was interesting that the locals were rooting for the Italians to beat the English.  Needless to say, the Scottish folks don't really have any warm and fuzzy feelings for the Brits.  In fact, after the Italians won, they played some famous Italian opera and we all sang along adding to the ambiance of the evening.  After leaving the pub for the evening, we all played our own version of tackle football on the field leading to the next bar.  After that, much debauchery ensued including the invasion of a pirate ship, a midnight castle raid, the violation of the back of the bus, and much more.  

The next morning we got up and headed back to Edinburgh.  After many unecessary spins around a round-a-bout, our first stop was Eilean Donan castle.  It's iconic image has appeared in many modern day movies and media.  

It was a shame that there were so many clouds on the drive home, as they obstructed our views of the legendary mountains of the highlands.  Near here were the 5 Sisters of Kintail.  Legend says that there was a man with 7 daughters.  Two Irish brothers came and married two of the sisters and then went back to Ireland with the promise to return with brothers for the remaining sisters.  They kept waiting, but they never returned, so they were turned to mountains in order to maintain their beauty while continuing to wait.  

Despite the strength of the previous night's festivities, we continued on...next stop, Inverlochy Castle.  It dates back to the 13th century and played an important role in the civil wars here.  It was a key strategic location because of it's placement next to the River Lochy and the entrance to the Great Glen, which was a key through to the highlands.  

The view up from the largest tower, Comyn Tower.  It was a gorgeous day, filled with sun instead of the usual rain.  

I thoroughly enjoyed eating a picnic lunch here and just relaxing.  With the river to my back and the ruins surrounding me, I could transport myself to a place where time stood still.  It was surreal.  

Onward we headed to Glencoe where we learned of the great tragedy that took place among these stunning hillsides.  The MacDonald clan offered their hospitality to the lowland clan of the Campbells.  Little did they know that they were being targeted for their late pledge of allegiance to William, who offered a pardon to those who pledged to him for their role in the Jacobite uprisings.  The elder MacDonald didn't receive word until past the deadline, but still pledged his allegiance.  

The Campbells stayed with the MacDonalds without leaking their intentions of harm.  In February of 1692, the elder man of the clan was murdered upon rising from bed.  His sons, along with his wife and 40 others managed to cross the river to the glen and escape, but 38 others were not so lucky.  Because of the cold and harsh conditions of the season, the others soon died as well.  This massacre has become a popular piece of propaganda for Jacobite sympathizers ever since.  

Again, I could have spent all day here hiking, reading, picnicking, etc.  It was truly a peaceful place that was filled with beauty.  I know that I continue to say this all through the highland blog, but really, this is one of the best places I've had the pleasure to visit.  

Whew, a long stretch of road left us with the need to stretch our legs.  Of course, we couldn't just stop at a normal rest area.  We stopped to hang out with Hamish.  He's the famous Hairy Coo in the area.  He even has his own Facebook page if you'd like to check it out.  

Last stop of the trip was the William Wallace Monument in Stirling.  It commemorates Sir William Wallace, a Scottish hero from the 13th century.  It stands on the Abby Craig, a volcanic crag on the hill above Cambuskenneth Abbey, from which he was said to watch the English army gather before the Battle of Stirling Bridge.  

It was quite a climb to the top of the crag, but it did provide spectacular views and a bit of reflection before we headed back to the city.  Inside there was a display of his famous sword, a 5.5 foot claymore.  This monument brought a close to our fantastic 3 day tour of the highlands and the Isle of Skye.  I would definitely love to return to Scotland to spend even more time exploring.