Inverness to Edinburgh

We awoke to the news that the airspace over the whole of the UK was closed because of a volcanic eruption in Iceland and that all airports were closed and all flights cancelled. Hope the wind changes direction before next week or we may not get home.

After an early breakfast, 8:00 is early in terms of our stays at B&B’s, it was off to Edinburgh via Loch Tay. The reason for the detour was to visit the Scottish Crannog Centre, we were really interested in seeing the reconstruction of the Iron Age dwelling out over the Loch and it didn’t look like too far out of our way. I mean 38 miles shouldn’t take too long should it? Well yes, but the drive over narrow undulating roads was interesting and took us to places that not many normal tourists get to. We passed through villages like Kinguisse and Tummel Bridge before reaching Kenmore on the shores of Loch Tay. These places the normal haunts of fishermen, hunters and walkers had a charm, stillness and clear beauty that we were privileged and lucky to see. How did we get to see these things? Well Deidre just entered Kenmore into Jeeves as our destination and he did the rest.

The Crannog was fascinating, Loch Tay was beautiful and the town of Kenmore charming, it was well with the detour.

The route from Inverness to Edinburgh (with the exception of our detour) was on the A90 and the M9 so done at comfortable cruising speeds of 60 to 70 mph. Our little car handled the motorway running as well as it handled the narrow windy roads of the Highlands. If and when we change cars we will look at a Peugeot and definitely consider a diesel.

Driving in Edinburgh even with Jeeves was a challenge and the atmosphere in the car and for a little while later was a strained to say the least (entirely my fault but don’t tell Deidre I admitted that). By the time we had found a parking building it was getting late so we took a taxi to the Visitor Information Centre. We booked tickets on the circuit buses (a Grand Tour package gets you a 24 hr ticket on 4 of the buses for 15 pounds) and because we had time we took a familiarization tour. We will go back tomorrow and do the things we want to do; Edinburgh Castle (even though I said we were “Castled Out”), Holyrood Palace, the Royal Botanic Garden, Leith Bank, Old Town and particularly the Dungeons. I wouldn’t have minded doing one of the night “Ghost Tours”.

After we got off the bus we had dinner at a pub on the Royal Mile. The food was good, the Guinness passable and the coffee rubbish. I have yet to have a decent cappuccino or flat white!

On our walk back to the carpark we passed Greyfrairs Church and took the opportunity to wander around the churchyard. To wander amongst the graves on a sunny spring evening may seem somewhat morbid but it was interesting and enlightening. The gravestones give a brief glimpse into times past, some sad, some touching and others inspiring. Some truly great people are buried here alongside "socially elite" and "very ordinary" people. The two best tended and cared for graves are not surprisingly those of John Gray and his dog Bobby (Greyfriars Bobby).

Our B&B is Highfield House in the village of Kirknewton some ten miles (14.7 kms) to the west of Edinburgh we are here for two nights. It is a very old Georgian styled farmhouse full of antiques and it has a very special ambiance.

It has been a long day and we are surprisingly weary. Tomorrow we are going to Park N Ride so as to avoid driving and more importantly not having to pay the exorbitant parking fees.