Scotland Part 1 – Glasgow

Three weeks after returning from a Danube River cruise trip this summer, we set off for Scotland. It is unheard of for us to go on two big trips back to back. We did not intend for this to happen, but sometimes you have to say Yes.

The river cruise trip had already been planned and paid for when Wayne was offered four tickets to the final round of the British Open golf tournament in Troon, Scotland. Wayne is a big golfer, so this was a bucket list opportunity not to be turned down. The way to get tickets is to put your name in a lottery for years on end and hope you eventually get selected. This year Wayne knew we were going on the other trip so he did not really want to get the tickets, but he felt that he needed to apply in order to keep his name active in the system. He thought that asking for four tickets to the final round would assure that he did not get them, and he almost missed the email informing him that he was being offered the tickets.

Wayne went to the Master’s golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia, a couple of years ago. I am not a golfer and did not go on that trip. In this case I was very excited about going along on a trip to Scotland. Our son James is also a big golfer and had gone with Wayne on the other golf trip, so it was natural to invite him and his wife Kelsey on this trip to use two of the tickets. They came and brought their one year old daughter, Blair. Wayne’s work/golf/fishing friend Keith also met us in Scotland to use the forth ticket.

It was a different trip with a one year old than it would have been otherwise. The logistics were more complicated, they had to be flexible and sometimes make last minute changes to plans.

When James was a baby we had a Swedish au pair for about six months. Ingrid was a neighbor of my relatives there. She had just finished high school so it was a good opportunity for her and a big help for us. We had not seen Ingrid since then but had been keeping in touch all this time. Ingrid also met us in Scotland. We joked that she was the Granny Nanny, since she would be able to help care for Blair while on the trip. The next photo is Ingrid holding James in the summer of 1990.

Preparing for the trip was easy as I used the detailed packing list I had made for the Danube River cruise trip, with some clothes swapped out for the cooler, wetter weather in Scotland.

Packing included picking out a knitting project for the trip. I have to have something to keep my hands busy in the airport, on the plane, and during down times. I decided to make another Sophie Scarf, using Baby Alpaca/Merino Wool/ Silk yarn I bought in Juneau, Alaska, years ago.

Blair ate snacks and was dressed for comfort at MSP airport while we waited for our flight to Glasgow, that included a connection in Amsterdam.

There was a lot of time for knitting on the long overseas flight.

We took the train from the Glasgow airport to the city center, and then walked for 20 minutes to our hotel. Kelsey had booked rooms at a conveniently located hotel using reward points, but at the last minute the hotel rebooked us to a different one that was farther away from where we wanted to be. It also had a weird young people party vibe. We realized that hotel rooms were scarce and expensive due to the golf tournament, so despite the location and strange atmosphere, we were grateful that Kelsey was generous with her stash of rewards points from work travel. Following is a photo of James and Kelsey walking through the streets of Glasgow on the way from the train station to the hotel.

The first evening there Ingrid met up with us at our hotel, our first time seeing her in 34 years. It did not seem like any time had passed at all, except that James was a little taller haha.

It was quite a ways from our hotel to Buchanan Street, the main tourist street in Glasgow, which was near the train and bus station and other touristy sights.

After we were all settled in our hotels and taken a rest, Wayne wanted to check out some pubs with Keith while the rest of us found a child friendly restaurant for dinner. We found one that had a high chair, but did not allow children after eight o’clock. That seemed odd but worked for us as we were all pretty tired.

The next day Keith, Ingrid, Wayne and I went on a Rabbie’s Outlander Tour that we had booked ahead of time. There will be a separate blog post about the amazing day we had touring filming sites for the Outlander TV series. James and Kelsey spent the day on their own in Glasgow with Blair.

For our second full day in Glasgow, the entire group went on an outing to some Highland Games at Lochearnhead, and to Loch Lomond National Park. This involved rental cars which was an adventure in itself. Renting two rental cars were not more expensive than one bigger vehicle, but gave us more flexibility and a smaller car was easier to drive on narrow roads. James, Wayne and I took an uber to the airport rental car location. James rented a car with a car seat and drove back to the hotel to get Kelsey and Blair. Wayne and I waited at the rental car place for Keith and Ingrid to arrive by train, each from their respective hotels (which were a lot closer to the train station). Keith drove the second rental car with Ingrid, Wayne, and I. Due to starting out from different locations and times, we agreed to meet in Callander, a town on the way to the Highland Games. While waiting for James and Kelsey there we had time to check out a shop with Scottish products, including a size 12 months kilt. It would have looked adorable on Blair, but No, I did not buy it.

We found a cute cafe with a big assortment of pastries and savory sandwiches and pies.

I ordered a traditional Scottish “steak pie”. It was good and tasted like pot roast in a crust.

James, Kelsey, and Blair found us at the cafe and also ordered some breakfast. I would have enjoyed spending more time in Callander, but after finishing our food we left for the Highland Games event.

Driving in Scotland was pretty wild. They drive on the “wrong” side of the road (assuming you live in most any other place). James drove a manual transmission rental car, so he also had to manage the “stick” with his left hand. The roads in the countryside were one narrow lane in each direction with no shoulder. The roundabouts were going the wrong way. So confusing! Keith and James both did a great job driving and Keith later said it he thought it was fun. We saw many fields with big flocks of sheep while driving in the countryside.

The highlands part of northern Scotland is separated from the lowlands area by a fault line. Callander and Lochearnhead are at the southern edge of the highlands, about an hour and a half from Glasgow. The country is not very big compared to what we are used to in America. The vast majority of the population is in the central area including Glasgow and Edinburgh, which are only about 45 miles apart. It is about 300 miles from Glasgow to the Orkney Islands on the far north side. I would have loved driving to the far north, but alas there was not enough time to do everything.

We were lucky that there was a Highland Games event that was not too far away and on one of the days we could attend. This fair like set up with athletic competitions, dancing, food, and music was a great way to experience Scottish culture.

Wayne pretended to dead lift this giant rock. We actually saw someone get it off the ground.

There was a field and lake off to the side with a beautiful view of the mountains.

Earlier in the summer in Munich we saw hoards of Scottish people in their kilts. Now here at the Highland Games we saw a vendor selling German food.

There was a parade with people representing their clans marching around the field.

Scottish dancers ranging in age from about 5 to teenagers were getting ready to compete. I saw a little girl who looked adorable practicing her routine. She gave me permission when I asked if I could take her photo. She put the rest of her costume on and then posed for me.

James and Kelsey bought a blanket so they could sit down with Blair and watch the festivities.

Wayne would have liked to stay longer at the Highland Games, but Blair was starting to get fussy and we also wanted to see Loch Lomond National Park that was a short drive from where we were.

We had planned on hiking at the national park. Unfortunately it started raining. Between the rain and Blair needing a nap it turned out to be a short hike, but it made for a memorable experience. Following is a map at the park showing all the hiking trails.

After the short hike James and Kelsey wanted to get back to their lodging. The rest of us stopped for dinner at Lock Lomond Arms, a classic looking Inn near Lock Lomond, a big lake. Ingrid and I both ordered salmon. It was probably the best meal we had on the entire trip.

Wayne ordered Haggis, the very Scottish meatloaf type of recipe that you do not want to know what is in it. He thought it was quite good.

Scotland is one of few places where Coke is not the most popular soft drink. Instead the locals prefer something called Irn Bru that I am told has a very unique hard to describe flavor with hints of cream soda, bubble gum, ginger and rhubarb. I am not much of a soda drinker, but Wayne and James were buying cans of it. It does not sound appealing to me, but I regret not even tasting it.

While Wayne, James, Kelsey, and Keith were at the golf tournament for most of the third full day, Ingrid and I took care of Blair. That consisted of walking around Glasgow with Blair in the stroller, meals, and naps at the hotel. There was a coffee shop in a big city park that also had a playground.

The University of Glasgow had some beautiful architecture.

Wayne, James, Kelsey, and Keith had a great experience in Troon watching the final round of the British Open golf tournament.

On our last day in Glasgow, Wayne and James played a round of golf, using a rental car to get there.

While Wayne and James went golfing, Kelsey, Blair and I had breakfast in a cute coffee shop, while Ingrid rested at her hotel .

Wayne and James had taken most of our luggage with them in the rental car when they went golfing. After they were done, they drove the rental car to Edinburgh, dropped off the bags, and returned the rental car there. Ingrid, Kelsey, Blair and I took the train from Glasgow to Edinburgh after Blair’s morning nap.

Watch for my next blog post about our day touring Outlander filming sites. After that there will be posts about our time in Edinburgh, and wrapping up the trip with a day and a half in London.