Back in Time - Invergordon, July 3, 2009

Before going on this British Isles cruise I read some books to learn about the places I was going. They were realistic fiction, the kind I enjoy learning history from. I began the "Outlander" series by Diana Gabaldon. It is a 'back in time' novel series which became interesting to me when I saw that in Inverness, Scotland, there was a Diana Gabaldon Outlander tour. The heroine, Claire, walks into a stone circle in the Scottish highlands and is taken back 200 years in time to the revolution of Culloden. So I read 3 of the series before leaving. I didn't take the tour, it was only offered at certain times or certain days, but I signed up for tours that would show me the area. When the ship arrived in Inverness I was thrilled to be in that part of Scotland. Both because it was the setting for the first 2 of the series, and because I was going to see Loch Ness!

I wasn't able to be on the tour I'd requested that visited Culloden, but I saw incredible sights! When you are on the tours, ship's or otherwise, you never know what kind of tour guide you will get. This day I had the two extremes. The morning started with the outstanding guide, he appeared in full highland dress and was fascinating to look at! I talked to his friend who was another tour guide, also dressed in tradional costume and he told me he had taken Diana Gabaldon around Scotland to see the places where her novel was set and he was sure that the handsome, brave Jamie Fraser was based on him! Ahh, but the hair color was different! Everything is so exciting to me when I travel and I thought this was a great coincidence, meeting the man who spent time with the author. Well Ian, who has also been in local films made of the great battles of Scotland and has been the model for greeting cards, was an outstanding guide! We learned so much about that area and although I missed getting to see the great battlefield at Culloden he made everything so interesting. We arrived at Uraquat. not spelled correctly, and I was a bit alarmed at the long walk downhill to see the castle ruins. This castle was very important in the Scottish history, it began as a stone age fort and was turned into a castle sometime in the following centuries. Many different families in history lived there and it was finally burned out to keep it from enemy hands. It sits on a beautiful cliff overlooking the ocean. I did make it down to the castle and back up again, thankfully! It was a bit of a climb for me, actually much more than a 'bit', and I felt proud that they didn't have to send the motorized wheel chair down to get me, which was the solution Ian had when I asked what would happen if I couldn't make it back up. It wasn't like the Giant's Causeway that had a shuttle up and down. The castle overlooked the large Loch Ness and it is said in legend that Nessie, the Loch Ness monster lives far beneath the castle. I didn't have the chance to see her, I guess you don't get everything. It was interesting that a scientist from America is now living there and owns the little museum and store, which we didn't get to go into, and his equipment has determined that there is an area of a different energy, perhaps the real Nessie. I would have liked more information about that.

Ian told us about the Rowan tree, which had also been discussed on the previous tour. The Rowan tree is planted in each yard because it keeps the witches away. This is a very strong superstitious belief in Scotland. He said he knows his mother in law isn't a witch because she passes it every time she visits, but his wife is starting to enter the house from the back so he is wondering about her, a cute story I thought. I was sad to see this tour end, it was so informative and entertaining as Ian is an entertainer too. He gave me his website so I could be in touch with him if I have any more questions.

The afternoon was a tour to a different part of the highlands. I went southeast on the first tour into the highlands and the afternoon one was to the northwest. Such beautiful countryside! It reminded me of Antarctica which is said to have a million different shades of blue, because Scotland had a million different shades of green. I would have to say the highlight of the tour was seeing the highland cattle. They have long shaggy fur and are beautiful! One guide said they aren't as popular as the other cattle, they are for meat and take a long time to grow, so they become more like pets. A later tour guide said that wasn't true, they are raised for the meat and the taste is surpassed by no other animal. I don't plan to ever taste one to decide for myself! The beautiful cow stopped eating and looked at us and I hope that my picture does turn out well, but if not I bought a postcard or two. We went to Shin Falls, a beautiful waterfall where the salmon were jumping out of the water on their uphill swim. I was looking forward to this view and when the tour guide told us it was 50 steps down to see the falls, I thought it would be impossible to make it the 50 steps back up, especially after the long trek I'd had that morning. But the part of me that still surprises me, was determined not to miss a sight and I knew I had to make it down to see that, which meant I had to make it back up. So off I headed down the 50 steps. What the guide did not tell us was that between each 10 or so steps was a long downhill path! What a walk! I was so thankful that the path led through the trees and there was a cool breeze, not sure I would have made it back up in the oppressive heat that met us at each port. British Isles, cool and cloudy? I didn't see that at all! I believe it must be a lie to keep outsiders from moving to the beautiful countries! So down I went and unfortunately the people were in mass at the rail and I just got a quick peek and didn't see any salmon at all, a sad fact, but I did see the falls and did make it back up, so it was a good trip. Unfortunately we had a tour guide who was on her first tour, with us and the bus driver knew and shared more than she did. Quite a disappointment after the wonderful morning guide. Thank goodness the bus driver was such a delight though, I enjoyed him and his stories. The people in Ireland and Scotland are so friendly! He explained that the Atlantic salmon are different than the Pacific, much, much larger and they don't die after their first spawning. I liked that news, I was so sad seeing the dead salmon along the river banks in Alaska.

On the tours we drove through Inverness which looked like a lovely city, and this became one of the ports that I would like to return to, although I would love to return to all the ports, this trip was amazing. And as we walked to the ship when we arrived back in Invergordon, a bagpipe band was performing for the ship, and it appeared to be a high school band! They were incredible and such a joy to hear as we boarded the ship to sail away from Scotland. I was happy that it was not our last stop in Scotland, we had Edinburgh to look forward to!