This time in London, we spent loads of time walking and just seeing where our feet would take us. At the last minute, we decided to visit Westminster Abbey in Westminster (fun to search for famous tombs and effigies), Saint Paul’s Cathedral on Ludgate Hill (what an absolutely stunning building!), and walked across the Millennium Bridge to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on the South Bank on Thursday. On Friday, we took on the Victoria and Albert Museum and Harrods before our show. We stayed at the Lost Property Saint Paul’s Curio by Hilton (on points!) and had a lovely time being within walking distance of so many things to do. We even walked to our show on Friday night. We were also able to meet up with Jason’s cousin on the DeBode side for dinner at The Ned one night before she moved back to the US. Lots of things checked off our list this time!

By Saturday morning, we were ready to get out of the city. It’s a good thing we had a 6 am train out of Euston Station to do just that – time to head to Scotland! On our way North, we had to take the Avanti West service up the west coast of England due to maintenance on the east coast lines. This meant the journey took 6.5 hours rather than our usual 4.5 hours, but it was a good opportunity to catch up on some sleep.

Once we reached Waverley Station in Edinburgh, we hit the ground running. We checked in at the Hilton Carlton (which is finishing up a stunning renovation) and met up with the rest of the group that was there that day. Once we had a plan, they headed off to a comedy whisky tasting and we headed off to find some local friends (it’s so cool to have ‘local’ friends around the world). We spent the evening with our friends and their kids at the Christmas Market – what a busy place! It reminded me of the Iowa State Fair with the mounds of people, rides, foods, and things for purchase. We had a great time checking out all the stalls and watching the kids do some of the rides. Afterwards, we headed to The Dome on George Street for drinks and a gander at the Christmas decorations – they were phenomenal. 

Later we found ourselves at the Inn on the Mile for dinner (always a top choice for us) and then we met up with the rest of our group at Whistle Binkies next door for live music and a pint. That was a great time! It’s always great to rub elbows with locals and learn about each other.

On Sunday we all did our own things all day. The Palace of Holyrood, shopping, ghost tours, etc. Jason scored TWO great coats while we were shopping – he’ll be very stylish this winter. I may have found one for myself as well. We all met up for dinner at Howies (always a favorite) and then went to the rooftop lounge at the W Hotel for drinks before bed. What a great view of the Christmas Market and all of Edinburgh!

Monday morning, we had a train to catch to Stirling, so we walked the group down to the train station with our luggage and headed there for one quick night. After checking into King Street Aparthotel (which was amazing), we had the BEST tour of a castle we’ve ever encountered. Our tour guide, Joanie, was phenomenal and knew darn near everything about Stirling Castle. It’s always such a bonus when someone can make some dry history exciting – that’s the entire reason I studied history in college, I had great teachers. We all agreed that, if only we’d had history teachers more like Joanie, we’d probably like history more now. After we poked our heads into all the grand spaces preserved and original, and inquired about the price to rent the great hall for a wedding (haha), we had a bit of a surprise on our way out of the castle. Cousin Ashley’s boyfriend got down on one knee in front of the castle, and she said yes! How absolutely magical! I guess there was a reason he was asking about the price to rent the great hall (starts at £10,000 by the way)!

After a very exciting lunch at No. 2 Baker Street, we split up for a bit before dinner. Some went for naps, but J & I went with the excited couple to Church of the Holy Rude only to find it closed for the season. Bummer. So instead, we wandered the surrounding graveyard and got some fun photos of it and the castle beyond. I love a good cemetery wander – I’m so weird. We decided to tour the Old Town Jail and learned quite a lot about the penal system in Scotland and its advances throughout the years. Let’s just say I wouldn’t have wanted to be in trouble before the prison reform came through!

A quick dram with most of the group at Nicky-Tams followed by dinner at Maharaja Indian Restaurant rounded out our evening – we were so tired. But the rest of the group went back to Nicky-Tams for the live folk music and had a great time. We crashed in our King Street Aparthotel (which was fantastic) to prepare for the next day. We were catching another train in the morning for Inverness.

If you’ve never taken the train through Scotland from Glasgow or Edinburgh to Inverness, I highly suggest you do. The views are stunning as you go through the Cairngorms National Park. So many snowcapped munros (mountains), streams, sheep, and quaint villages keep you staring out the window the entire time. I often find myself saying I’m just getting off at the next station and staying. Scotland is just so dreamy.

We arrived in Inverness early in the afternoon and got moved into our apartments at Mansley Highland Apartments – right on the River Ness. We had fantastic views of Inverness up and down the river. After we threw a few things into the washing machine quickly, we headed to a late lunch with the group at Johnny Foxes. We had just a couple of hours to spare before dinner, so we wandered through some shops, and I got lost in Leakey’s Bookshop for a few hours while Jason went to get some cough drops and ibuprofen. Uh oh.

Dinner was at Hou Hou Mei across the river and it was excellent, even if Jason didn’t touch his dinner [Jason says: not because it wasn’t good…keep reading for the details]. I knew then we were in trouble. As we were trying to leave, he started shaking uncontrollably with cold and I had to drag him back to the apartment and put him to bed [Jason says: except remember we stopped halfway AT THE RIVER to take a family picture. Never miss a good photo opp!], where he remained for the next 2 days. Usually when he’s sick, he can rally, but this knocked him out flat, as it did for me 3 weeks prior. Nasty thing. The group went in search of live music and found some fantastic musicians. I was glad they sent me some videos. How fun!

While Jason was catching some serious zzs on Wednesday, I went to catch a train to Huntly with the rest of the group for a daytrip. This was the day the entire trip was built for! Jason’s Huntley family (his mom’s family) hails from the area of Scotland in Aberdeenshire called Huntly. There is a very cute village also called Huntly where there is a castle ruin that is always great fun to visit.

Do we know if they have any connection to those who once resided in the castle? Mmmm…not 100% sure [Jason says: pfft, lies! It’s ours.]. Lots of people have spent more time researching the connection than I have (I have piles of Huntley research books from them), but we at least know they’re from the area and I know when they came to the United States, they were coopers (barrel makers) in Lyme, Connecticut. The Huntley last name most likely came from the area where they lived since it wasn’t common to have a last name in those times. I have more research to do. Surely all this DNA work can help me out in a big way one of these days.

We had lunch in Huntly at The Bank Cafe and it was great! There aren’t a ton of options in that small town, but that one is definitely at the top. After lunch, we walked to Huntly Castle for a self-guided tour and poked around the castle grounds for over an hour. Once we were thoroughly chilled, we headed back into the village to warm up with a pint at the Crown Bar. But first, I stopped at Orb’s Book Shop to find a book to help me with that further Huntley research –  The History of Strathbogie, The Story of the Lords of Strathbogie, Their Castle and the Town of Huntly Which Grew Up in its Shadow by Patrick W. Scott (who may be an ancestor of mine – wild!). I’ve been waiting to grab the new edition for 2 years. Nerd.

Six of us headed back to Inverness and the other two stayed behind to meet a cousin from Aberdeen for dinner. Jason was no better when I got back (worse, actually), so I headed to dinner with the group to River House Restaurant – the best food we had on the entire trip! It was a tiny restaurant, but they had the freshest seafood, the best staff, and we got a table right next to the kitchen so it was fun to watch them prepare everything…including the half pound of butter that went into each steak and shrimp dish! Wowsa.

The next morning we had to move to a hotel due to a scheduling snafoo. I packed everything up and hauled it and Jason a couple of blocks down the road to the River Ness Radisson Hotel. I tucked him in bed and set off to locate a cake for an engagement party and some buns to feed Jason with medication. Tour and wife duties.

Once I had those things found and dropped off back at the hotel I decided I was going on a long walk.  Everyone else was off on adventures to Ullapool and Culloden Battlefield and had a fabulous time. So jealous. So instead, I set off down the river towards the Ness Islands for a bit of nature in the city. It was very windy, but so nice to walk amongst the trees for awhile. I was back just in time for everyone else to start reappearing and get ready for dinner.

By now it was Thursday and Thanksgiving Day! We had Thanksgiving dinner in an old church called The Mustard Seed. It was such a fun building, complete with a wood burning fire, a vaulted ceiling-height bar and Christmas trees. Very festive. We surprised the newly engaged couple with a Victorian Sponge cake with a firecracker candle on top – so fun! I pulled the sick husband card after dinner and went to check on him while the rest of the group went looking for live music again for their last night in Inverness.

Friday morning we packed up and headed back to the train station for our journey back South to Edinburgh. Our trip back was a little more eventful than it otherwise would have been as we’d all coordinated before to bring Adidas track suits. Each couple chose a different color, and of course we were the only ones on the train in track suits [Jason says: they were all jealous!]. The ScotRail staff member found it as entertaining as we did, and seemed to make repeated stops to our car. Our photo opp at the station in Stirling brought equal confusion and laughter from the other travelers. We’ll call this a win, and one heck of a good fashion statement! We stayed at the Norton House Hotel & Spa just a few minutes from the airport. This gave everyone a chance to relax before their trips home or on to Ireland. I booked myself a massage and facial, which I never do on trips. It was nice to have a moment to try to clear my mind. Some others had massages, spent time in the pool, or went back into Edinburgh city center to find some more adventures.

We met in the hotel Brasserie for our final dinner (Jason included this time!), group photos, and lots of hugs and goodbyes. In the morning we parted ways for Glasgow, Dublin, and London. It turns out there is a whopper of a snowstorm blowing across the northern United States, so it could be a interested trip home for most of us. I’m just hoping we make it state-side. I can figure it out easier from there.

So here we are, on a train to back to London to catch our plane home tomorrow morning. The plan for tonight is to repack more intelligently so we can check a bag or two and hopefully call it an early night. Jason has been a trooper with moving around the past couple of days, but he still feels pretty poorly and has a wicked cough. I’m hoping that the snowstorm doesn’t hold us up too much and we can sleep in our bed Sunday night (spoiler: we didn’t make it until late Monday night).

There you have it, a wee glance inside what a group trip to Scotland with us looks like (ok, maybe a long one). We like to have a good mix of group activities we schedule to do together, and also leave you lots of time to explore on your own to make sure you see all the things you want to on your trip. I also hope many of the activities, hotels, and restaurants I mentioned could be options to add to your own trip – either with us or on your own.

We don’t currently have any further group trips scheduled for sign-up, but we are taking inquiries about private trips (gather your people), and I will be working on setting up preplanned itineraries this winter that you can book yourself. We want to help you find the courage and support to get out there!

The post The Huntleys Take on Scotland – A Look into a Group Trip first appeared on The DeBode Way.

Panic

As I stepped backward into thin air, my only thought was “Scotlaaaaaand!” Sigh. As someone very independent and used to doing most things myself, suddenly needing disabled travel advice was a whole new ballgame.

Don’t Panic, Research

Today, I’m looking on the bright side: I now know how to get around the UK with a busted leg. Fortunately, a previous student trip left us with a severely sprained ankle in the group on day one, so we knew where many of the lifts are located in Edinburgh and Oban, how to avoid some of the stairs and cobbles, and where to get ice. Disabled travel is not for the faint of heart, but it can be done and is 100% worth the trouble.

Once the orthopedist told me I could fly (or rather didn’t say I couldn’t fly, a major sigh of relief), I immediately went into research mode to figure out how to get around. At home, I had painful crutches (they were too tall) and a knee scooter borrowed from a friend. Neither were great options for the cobbles and stairs I knew I would encounter, so I went hunting.

Equip Yourself

After an extensive search of medical supply stores in Springfield came up short in the disabled travel category (it’s like they want you to stay home or something), I headed to Amazon as time was running out. There I encountered the iWalk and a set of folding crutches made for travel – brilliant! I ordered both, but later decided the iWalk was probably not the safest option for all the cobbles of Edinburgh (it has since become my farm chores tool, along with a good walking stick – Jason calls me Gandolf). So the iWalk stayed home.

Initially, I planned only to take my crutches, but didn’t feel good about that choice given the potential for slick cobbles and sore armpits. Then I stumbled upon someone asking about a mobility scooter for disabled travelers in a Facebook Group for Scotland Travel. What!? Genius! A quick search gave me a list of power scooters for rent in Edinburgh – who knew? The company I went with delivered and picked up the scooter from the hotel. Such an amazing service! In the end, we brought my knee scooter too, knowing the power scooter would be quite large, and many places in Scotland are small and involve at least a step or two to enter buildings. Surely I could get around on a knee scooter much easier?

So there I was, armed with my folding crutches, knee scooter, and the promise of a power scooter meeting me in Edinburgh. I also tried to find a power scooter in Oban but had no luck. This solidified my decision to bring the knee scooter, and I’m SO glad I did. Off we went! You can’t keep this girl down!

Getting to Europe: Planes

I was immediately discouraged at the Springfield Airport. I hadn’t considered they would make me remove my boot to go through security – ouch. However, they were very kind and pulled me aside to sit down and go through a personal screening with a female agent. That took maybe 20 minutes and with our TSA Precheck, we didn’t have to remove anything from our bags. Jason gathered my bags (the first of many, many times) while I got my royal pat down and then we were off to wait on our (delayed) flight to Chicago.

I requested assistance getting on and off the plane through our airline’s app but never saw anyone to help. Since I had my scooter, I didn’t push the issue because it’s such a small airport. Instead, I assumed I could easily roll to the gate and down the ramp to the door, and then awkwardly crutch my way onto the plane while they stowed my scooter below. I just needed a little extra time to do it. In theory, this shouldn’t be a problem if they let us board first, and let us get settled.

They did let us board first, but we were quickly followed by everyone else, because of the flight delay and hurry to get going. Plus they made me leave my scooter at the top of the ramp, so I had to use my crutches down the incline. As I hadn’t practiced with the crutches yet, this was terrifying and less-than-graceful. To get to my seat, I tossed my crutches ahead of me and used the ramp rails and seat arms to swing across the bridge and down the narrow aisles. I collapsed into my seat while the flight attendant watched. Nice. I was unimpressed and immediately nervous about the rest of the trip.

No one met us in Chicago with the wheelchair either – what the heck? Luckily my scooter appeared outside the plane’s door, so I folded my crutches, hung them on the handlebars, and took off up the ramp…and across the entirety of O’Hare, all on my scooter. This was a long, painful journey, but we made it to our gate as our flight to London started boarding. It took a little convincing, but since it was a larger plane, the flight attendants let me keep my scooter so I could get to the bathroom on our 8-hour flight. They stored it in a closet near the galley for me, so I only had to push my call button or send Jason to grab it when I needed to get up.

In London, I was met by a buggy! So apparently my online assistance request did work, just not in the States for some reason. The porter loaded my crutches, bags, AND scooter and whisked me to Border Control; I handed over my passport and sailed right through. Meanwhile, Jason walked the entire length of Heathrow because he’d been sitting for 8 hours and wanted to walk (they offered him a ride too). Unfortunately, my chariot ride ended at baggage claim, so once reassembled, we continued to the train into London.

Getting Around Europe: Trains

I hadn’t thought much about getting on and off the trains. It turns out, I should have requested assistance for that as well – mind the gap and all! We got lucky with the Underground, as all the stations we used had a lift or a ramp down to the trains. From there it was easy to roll onto the train. Once we made it to King’s Cross and had to get on the overland train there was much tsk-tsking from the station staff as I tossed my scooter up the step into the train, grabbed the handrails, and hopped one-legged up to the train. Was it safe? No. Did they like it? Also no, as they take Health & Safety very seriously in the UK. But I made it, so bonus points, right?

When we arrived at York station, I tossed my scooter off the train and hopped back down the same way. More tsk-tsking (also, some gentle applause and “Well done, you!” from others waiting to board that train). Once at our hotel, which was mercifully across the street, I requested assistance for the rest of our journey on the LNER train app. It worked! They had the ramp ready for me the next day and even moved our reserved seats into the disabled area so I had a place to store my scooter and put my leg up. It was glorious – and easy. As we arrived at Waverley Station in Edinburgh, they put the ramp down and I rolled off the train – easy peasy.

We arrived in Edinburgh a day ahead of our group so we could make the last few arrangements. Even though it was nearby, because of all the roadwork and sidewalk closures, we took a taxi to our hotel. The man at the taxi stand was so delightful; having never seen a knee scooter (nor had much of the UK as it turned out), he asked all manner of questions.

Getting Around Europe: Automobiles?

Lo and behold! My power scooter awaited us at the hotel! Amazing! I could have had it delivered to the station, but you had to arrange a specific time, pay an extra fee, and you never know if the trains will be on time (they usually are). Instead, they delivered it to the hotel, which seemed a better option. We didn’t immediately take it out since we had errands to run in tiny shops.

The next day, I used the power scooter to fetch folks from the train station and take them to breakfast while Jason met folks at the airport. I also took it on several “walks” throughout our stay and anywhere I knew we would have the space to accommodate it. Overall, it was bulky and a bit of a burden, so I learned to use my knee scooter on the cobbles for most of our expeditions. The key is to lean back, not forward on the knee scooter, so you don’t fly over the handlebars. I’m still glad I had the power scooter for some of our longer outings and recommend our rental company (listed below).

While in Edinburgh, we ventured to the countryside one day for professional photos, where I quickly learned my scooter does not do rocks or grass. I had to use it like a walker to get down the path to our shooting location where I spent two hours teetering on one leg or crutches in the tall grass on the side of a mountain. It must have been a sight; we have some funny photos of me trying to get around. But! I did it and the rest of the pictures are fabulous. We’re thankful our photographer was such a good sport.

By the time we boarded the train for Oban, I was a pro. I didn’t bother booking assistance with ScotRail because I had figured out how to get on and off myself. Our hotel in Oban was again right across from the train station (whoever planned this was brilliant – pats on the back!), so we didn’t have far to go with our group and bags. By now Jason’s arms were threatening to come off from trying to manhandle our bags all over Scotland. I felt bad about it, so I booked him an appointment with my massage wizard back home. He had to wait a few more days, but she fixed him up nicely.

Jason had work to do while in Oban and our friends were out of town, so I spent time exploring on my own. I took my scooter down the walkway of the bay to take photos and enjoy the view. Then I went shopping for most of the day and visited with the locals. That was fun and they were very kind. Fortunately, many of the shops in Oban are at ground level or just one tiny step up, so I had no problem getting around on my own. I stumbled upon the Jetty Gallery, full of works by local artists, and found a gorgeous etching that I decided should come home with me. Thankfully, Jason agreed and we returned to get it about 5 minutes before they closed on our last day in Oban. Whew!

We also rented a car while in Oban. This allowed us to scout for upcoming trips and visit friends in the country. We originally planned to take the car to the Isle of Mull for some hiking, but because of my broken leg, we decided to hold off for now.

After Oban, we took the train back to Edinburgh and spent our final night at a countryside estate hotel (which was amazing!). The staff met me as I stepped out of the taxi, putting a ramp down to get inside the hotel. While they did have a lift, it didn’t access all the rooms, so I used my crutches quite a bit to get up and down stairs. Also, our hotel had a bathtub! It was glorious to sit on the side of the tub to shower with the handheld instead of standing precariously on one foot in the shower. Incidentally, showering was the biggest frustration the entire time in the UK: the bathrooms are SO small I could barely get in with my scooter or crutches, and there was always a step up into the shower. If I had known I would need an accessible bathroom when I was booking rooms, it would have been much easier, as they are available in some hotels.

More Trains

We decided to take the train back to London, thinking it would be easier than flying. Unfortunately, the train journey turned into quite the event, as there was a fire on the tracks just outside London, so they made us get off the train in York. Another couple from our group was on the train ahead of us and they were given the options to wait it out, walk back to York Station, or get an Uber to London. They chose the latter.

Since we were at York Station, we were given two route options: take the train to Sheffield or Manchester. We opted for Manchester hoping it would be less crowded. We had to wait for the second train, as the first was packed. Once in Manchester, we ran (scooted furiously!) to catch the next train to Euston Station in London. Naturally, this was all during rush hour on a Wednesday afternoon. Madness! Finally, we made it to London, though 7 hours later than planned, and after the show we planned to see at the Vaudeville Theatre. Feeling rather bummed, we headed for Euston Underground Station to call it a day and head for the airport hotel. Except, it turns out Euston has no lifts, so we had to take a taxi to our hotel instead – that was a frightening expense! In hindsight, we could have taken a taxi to Paddington Station and caught the train to the airport, but you live and learn and sometimes don’t make the best decisions when you’re tired. It almost makes one wonder if the flight would have been easier.

The Way Home

The flight out of London the next morning was as easy as the one to London. They let me keep my scooter in a closet onboard again. As soon as we landed in Houston I was immediately reminded that the US is not very kind to anyone with a mobility issue. There was no wheelchair, again, after I requested it and double-checked that I had, so I scooted across the airport to Customs and Border Control. After that, you have to go through security again. In London, security was much the same as it was in Springfield: they pulled me aside, removed my boot, I got a pat down, and they swabbed my scooter while asking me to tell my best version of how I broke my leg. Very easy and cordial. In Houston, they literally screamed at me when I asked where to go with my scooter because it obviously would set off a metal detector. I stood, stunned, at the side of the line waiting for some direction since Jason had already gone through and was frantically trying to repack our bags. About 10 minutes later someone pulled me aside, took my boot and scooter to be swabbed, and told me to walk through the metal detector. Excuse me? I have a broken leg, I will not be walking anywhere! So there I stood, on one leg, for at least another 10 minutes while they swabbed my scooter, eventually brought it back to me, and finally pulled me to the side for a pat down. I was flabbergasted, frustrated, and fighting tears; I’ve never been treated so poorly.

The flight from Houston to Springfield was just as stellar as the one leaving Springfield two weeks earlier. Sigh. We had to board our plane outside, so I had to leave my scooter behind, again, and crutch my way up the ramp and onto the tiny plane, tossing my crutches ahead of me as I swung down the aisle on the armrests. But, as a bonus, we saw the northern lights above Springfield as we landed that night. I was exhausted, happy to be home, and even happier to sleep in my bed. It was a wonderful trip and I learned so much, but holy moly was I tired from all that extra work!

Lessons Learned

Overall, the UK is relatively accommodating to folks with mobility issues. It may take a little planning on your end, but it’s entirely possible to navigate the disabled travel options and folks are super helpful. As a plus, we’re confident we can accommodate someone with mobility challenges on our trips! There’s nothing like a crash course or on-the-ground training to boost your confidence, right? Right. Sometimes it can be a hidden bonus to be an anxiety-ridden overthinker searching for all the available options on a tight deadline. Skills!

I hope my story gives you the confidence to travel even if you have trouble getting around. There are so many assistance options and SO much world to see! Obviously, do what your doctor says and always opt for travel insurance in case you have further issues while on your journey.

*fist bump* You’ve got this. See you out there!

Resources

• Scooter Rental in Edinburgh
• TFL Journey Planner for London Public Transit
• LNER Passenger Assist Request for the London North East Railway
• ScotRail Accessible Travel Request for the train in Scotland
• Euan’s Guide for excellent reviews on accessibility in venues across the UK
• List of public toilets in Edinburgh with accessibility toilets.

Notes

• Lifts (elevators). Many old buildings in the UK cannot be retrofitted with lifts. Be sure to research ahead of time so you know what is available and reach out to ask questions as needed. Sometimes stairs are the only option.
• Accessible Toilets. Places serving food must have accessible toilets or point you somewhere that does. If you don’t see them, ask. Public toilets can also be found in bus stations, train stations, shopping centers, and department stores. You can apply for and purchase a radar key for accessible toilets if you have mobility or bowel/bladder conditions.
• Email Hotels. Stay in contact with your hotel about any help you may need. Many have disabled rooms, access to lifts, and additional assistance if you need it. Private rentals and Air B&Bs do not have this requirement, so contact your host to ask questions before booking.

Helpful Travel Accessories

• Folding Crutches
• Crutch Pads
• iWalk
• Knee Scooter
• Sleeping Boot
• Water Resistant Walking Boot Covers
• Waterproof Shower Boot
• Reusable Waterproof Bags for Ice

The post Suddenly Figuring out Disabled Travel for Beginners first appeared on The DeBode Way.

After breakfast the next morning, we were off again for one of the longer drives of the trip. We were on a mission from Skye to Speyside – a 3.5 hour drive according to Google Maps. But first, Doug and I took a wander down to the beach in front of the hotel. It was so peaceful and beautiful. Next time we need to spend more time here. It felt very rushed. More hiking, less driving.

They finally got us into the car, back over the bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh, and through the mountains to take a peep at Loch Ness. Nessy didn’t feel like making an appearance as we drove nearly the entire length of the loch to pass through Inverness. We stopped briefly for a break and coffee at Drumnadrochit before we got to Inverness. Then it was full speed ahead to make it to Huntly for our 1:30 PM tour of Huntly Castle – the supposed stomping grounds of the Huntley Clan of the Quad Cities, Illinois.

I’ve never been able to prove that Jason’s ancestors had anything to do with the castle in Huntly (by the same token, we also can’t prove they didn’t). I’ve been in contact with those much deeper in the research than I have been able to do and have mounds of books written by them, but they can’t prove anything either. The records that far back are too spotty. So…it’s a good story. I do however know that the first Huntleys in America were coopers (barrel makers) in Connecticut, so…it’s entirely possible they came from the Huntly region and maybe hauled some barrels into the castle. It is one of the heaviest whisky-producing regions in Scotland after all. (Jason says: that’s all fine and well, but our family name is still on a castle, so…) (Tasha says: only because it’s in the village of Huntly, which is probably the last name your family adopted when they came to America because they didn’t have one, so…)

After a good look around the castle and various Gordon Tartan (the ruling family of the Huntly area – Huntly Tartan) paraphernalia purchased in the gift shop, we headed for our next hotel – Dowans Hotel in Arberlour, Scotland. This turned out to be my favorite on the entire trip. The rooms AND bathrooms were huge, we had a gorgeous tub in a turret (a turret!), the bed was so comfy, the food was amazing, the owners and staff were so personable, and…it SNOWED! It was magic.

Oh gosh, I forgot the best part (for Jason, I was enjoying the snow). They had an ENTIRE room full of whisky. No joke; there were something like 400+ bottles in their collection. When I couldn’t find Jason, I knew he would be here, up on the ladder, admiring the selection, talking with the staff, and trying to pick something to try – an impossible feat. We had the best time. I need to figure out how to put this hotel back in a future itinerary.

Jason had to work that first evening, so I enjoyed the tub in the turret before we headed back down to the bar to wait for dinner. They had us order ahead and then brought us into the restaurant when our food was ready to come out. Nice. Like I said, dinner here was amazing. We all, except Jason, had a turkey dinner the first night. It was so good that Doug and Sandy had it the second night as well. After that long day of driving it was time to hit the sheets before our final day of sight-seeing.

After a huge breakfast, we wandered down the road to Speyside Cooperage to learn about making barrels. I thought this would be fun because it is a huge (HUGE) part of how whisky is created AND remember I said the Huntley ancestors were coopers? Just your friendly little tour guide connecting the dots. This turned out to be a really informative tour. Who’d have thought that making barrels was so interesting? Since the coopers are actively working, very hard, and are paid by the barrel, the visitors to the cooperage observe from a gallery above while your guide tells you what they are doing. I believe she said they have 21 coopers currently in their operation with a handful of apprentices in training and they were all hustling. They make very few new barrels and instead focus on refurbishing barrels for their next life. It was fascinating, super hard work.

Much to our surprise and delight, the tour ended with a tasting of the Cooperage’s whisky. No, they don’t distill their own whisky on top of cranking out barrels, but they purchase from one of the zillions of local distilleries and remove the label, so we don’t know what we had! Sneaky. They do this so as not to show any favoritism among their customers, and it changes all the time. The staff doesn’t even know which whisky they are servings so as not to have favorites.

After the cooperage, we decided to take a little trip to Elgin, about 20 minutes away, towards the north coast. The hotel owner told us the local cashmere maker – Johnston’s of Elgin – was having their annual tent sale. So we set out to find a deal on cashmere, and oh did we find it! I think we came home we 3 cardigans, 3 scarves, 2 pairs of gloves, and a sweater for a tiny fraction of their original price. What a great find! Somehow we managed to shove that all in our already full suitcases. I really need to pack less so we have room for such treasures! We got tea and cakes at the store’s café before we headed back to the hotel.

We took up residency for hours in the Still Room (the one full of whisky) at the hotel once we got back. Just chatting and tasting. I had a whisky – Glenfiddich‘s Orchard Experiment – it tasted like a green Jolly Rancher. The most bizarre thing! It was aged in a Somerset Pomona Spirit Cask, which is right up my alley. I love how distillers are experimenting with cask finishes these days! They’re coming up with some really unique things in Scotland.

We had dinner a little early that night as we had to pack up again. We decided to crack open the orange wine we got from the Wee Wine Shop in Oban, so we all shared that before turning in for the night. Have you ever had an orange wine? To clarify, we don’t mean wine made from oranges, it’s still grapes. It’s so unique. It tastes not quite red, and not quite white, but also not blush. Try it sometime and let me know what you think. Ours was from Georgia (the country).

Our last day was our longest driving day. On the map, it looked like it should take us about 3 hours to get to the Dalhamoy Country Club near Edinburgh Airport. It ended up taking us about 5.5 hours, but we did stop a couple of times. Once at a super sketchy truck stop that was like turning back the time to somewhere in my childhood – a smoke filled room that smelled like woodsmoke and bacon with cooks working a griddle behind the counter. Twice trying to get gas (petrol) when the first stop wouldn’t take a foreign credit card, or cash (bizarre). And finally at Scone Palace to visit the café and gift shop. Also, I like to visit the resident peacocks. We were stopped in traffic for almost an hour, so we missed the tour window, but were able to hunt down a wooly coo ornament and various other things. Also, more coffee.

Jason and Doug dropped Sandy and I off at the Dalmahoy to check in and pick a place for dinner while they returned the car to the airport – one less thing to worry about in the morning. We ended up having to wait for our rooms because they were running behind, but they took our bags and treated us to complimentary drinks while we waited. Not mad about that at all. We chose the Pentland restaurant for dinner. It was quite good, but it took forever to eat, it seemed because they were short-staffed. I think we were there for over 3 hours and I was majorly head-bobbing by the time the desserts came out. I passed on dessert and headed for the room. I needed sleep, but do you think I could sleep then? Not on that super-hard mattress! Brutal. We won’t be back to that one. The hospitality was top notch, but it was very tired and in need of renovation.

We caught our cab the next morning at 6 and headed for the airport. We were plenty early, so we got breakfast at Wetherspoon’s before going our separate ways and getting on the planes back home. We were flying home through Toronto (where you do US Customs – interesting) and Chicago. Thankfully we had long layovers because all our flights were delayed and we sat on the tarmac in Chicago for over 30 minutes before they let us off the plane. Jason was upgraded to 1^st class on our last flight into Springfield, but I had an entire row, all the way across the plane, to myself. So who really won that one? Our amazing neighbor picked us up and we collapsed in bed (after showers because airplanes are gross) for the best night of sleep in nearly two weeks after 22 hours of flights.

And the best part…no one got sick on this trip – I can say that now weeks later. Woohoo!!

So ends another whirlwind adventure through Scotland. Who is ready to go with us next time? We’re hoping to have itineraries available soon and group trips available possibly later next year!

You can read about our time in Edinburgh here, Oban here, and Skye here.

The post A Return to Scotland – Part 4, Speyside first appeared on The DeBode Way.

After breakfast and loading the car, we hit the road, and headed for the Glencoe Visitor Centre in, you guessed it: Glencoe. We love to stop by here because it’s not only a great way to break up a driving trip, but it’s also a really interesting museum, they have a great video, a huge shop and café, and a recent re-creation of a turf house along the trails surrounding the buildings. The scenery is gorgeous. It has free entry and only £4 to park your car. If you don’t have time to drive through Glencoe (which we highly recommend you do), this is a great stop with sweeping views of the entrance to the glen where you can learn some history of the local area. It has a brutal history in a stunning setting.

Back in the car and finally headed for the Isle of Skye. Originally, we had considered taking the ferry from Mallaig to Skye, but it would have been dark by the time we made the ferry, so it wouldn’t have been very exciting. So instead, we drove up around and over the Skye Bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh. Stunning scenery everywhere you look. On the way to the bridge we passed by Eilean Donan Castle, one of the most photographed castles in Scotland. I got a quick photo as the sun was setting. It was gorgeous and still, the water like glass.

Our destination for today was Duisdale House Hotel just a few miles into Skye from the bridge (which Christine told us the day before had won tons of awards, I had no idea). This also was a new hotel and we were blown away when we finally pulled in, after dark. The house and entire lawn was lit up like the Griswold House. Holy smokes! We were not expecting that level of American Christmas in Scotland. It brought out our funny side and someone (ahem…Doug) suggested the lighted stag on the lawn should be ridden at some point. Somehow we managed to refrain.

Duisdale House was gorgeous and I felt like we were waited on hand and foot. It had the most comfortable bed of the entire trip (and we managed to find some good ones), plus the room was just plain huge. We took advantage and decided to use the huge, heated towel rail and tons of space to get some laundry done. We only packed for 5 days, so at some point we were going to have to wash a few things. This was the perfect opportunity. As small as the bathroom was at the Perle, this one was big! We had a view of the bay from our windows at the front of the house (and all the Christmas lights!), AND prosecco on ice waiting for us when we opened the door. What a glorious ending to a long day of driving. We drank our bubbly, did the laundry, and made it down for dinner at 7 PM.

Dinner was again, phenomenal. We had two dinner courses included in our stay, and they did not disappoint. They were smaller portions, but filling. I was never hungry on this trip and we really only ate twice a day. Scottish food is just so, so, so good. We got a nightcap by the roaring fire in the bar and gazed across the lawn to the water. What a great location. Unfortunately, we didn’t take advantage of the swim spa they had just installed the previous month. We’ll have to do that another time.

After breakfast the next morning, we set out on a mission. We had to drive to the other side of the island for a distillery tour at Talisker Distillery. This is the only tour we did on the entire trip (really, once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all as there are only 3 legally allowed ingredients in Scotch whisky. This makes the tours fairly similar, though the tastings…that’s a different story), and it was a great one! We nearly had the guide entirely to ourselves – the joys of the off-season. As usual, it culminates in a tasting and Jason had to take his to-go (they anticipate this and have the cutest little bottles to take with you), because Scotland has a zero-tolerance law. No drinking and driving. If you’re planning a distillery hopping tour, have a designated driver. One of these days I’ll get brave enough to drive so Jason can have the full distillery experience.

After the tour, we just took a drive up the northeast coast of the island. This means you pass through some of the tallest mountains on the island plummeting into the sea at Cuillin Hills. I’m blown away by this every time we see it. We stopped quickly at the cliffs at Lealt Falls and The Old Man of Storr in the Trotternish Ridge to put the drone up as the sun was starting to set. Then we had to hustle back to the hotel because we had a tasting tea at 4. Turns out, it was a gin-tasting tea, which I didn’t realize, so the guys enjoyed gin-tasting while the gals had tea. I’m not a huge fan of gin. It’s so…soapy. This is unfortunate because gin is a burgeoning industry in Scotland. Afraid I’m just sticking to whisky.

We headed to our rooms to start the packing process again while we waited for dinner. I, however, apparently face-planted on the bed and took a nap while Jason got some work done. Apparently playing tour guide is exhausting. I’m pretty sure I ordered the same thing for dinner the second night, not because there was a lack of options, but because it was that good! Mmmm venison. We missed out on the swim spa again because it closed at 9:30 (tough to have dinner and a swim), so we definitely need to plan better the next time.

Next week were headed to Speyside! Stay tuned!

You can read about our time in Edinburgh, Scotland here, and our time in Oban, Scotland here.

The post A Return to Scotland – Part 3, Skye first appeared on The DeBode Way.

We cabbed back to the Edinburgh airport the next morning after grabbing coffee takeaway style. We had rented a car with Sixt (after our great experiences with them in France and Washington), but when we got there, the car they had planned to give us had tire damage from the last user, and they didn’t have any others. Luckily, all the car companies are right next to each other and the gal from Sixt had run around to the others to see if they had anything available. Had we rented in the city center, this wouldn’t have been an option, so we were very thankful we rented (hired) from the airport this time. She got us a less expensive rate, with a similar car, and had their full coverage included. Talk about service that goes above and beyond! Refunded from Sixt, we ended up with a Volvo XC-60 from EuropCar. It was a great car, AND about half the price. Score! After some serious Tetris to get all our bags in the back, we were off into the heart of Scotland on our Highland adventure!

First up, a stop only about 30 minutes down the road at Doune Castle (Monty Python’s French soldiers scene & Outlander’s Castle Leoch scenes). We got there just as it was opening for the day and it was a frosty, still morning. Everything was glittering from the frost that hadn’t finished melting yet – stunning. This is a quick tour, but I’m always impressed with the size of the rooms in this smaller castle. And the kitchen hearth – it’s enormous! I like to stand there and imagine how many things they could cook in it at once. Such a cool place. If you come, make sure to bring your phone and earbuds so you can listen to the likes of John Cleese or Sam Heughan narrating your tour. I found a book here (one of my two souvenirs) called “How to Read Castles” to go along with my “How to Read Cathedrals” book that I got in France this summer. Now if only I had a moment to delve into both.

Back on the road for a crispy white drive through the Trossachs National Park on our way to Oban to really kick off our Scottish adventure. We stopped about an hour and a half down the road at one of our friend’s hotels – Brander Lodge. It was just David and their daughter Seona there for the day cleaning rooms, so we popped by for some tea, a couple of drams of something they’d been saving for us, and a chat. Seona kept us very entertained with all sorts of stories, reenactments, and a vocabulary that no three-year-old I know has! She’s growing up so fast.

Back in the car again – only 30 minutes to go to get to Oban. Winter Festival in Oban had been going on for well over a week already by the time we arrived. It was wrapping up that weekend and our friend Christine was working a stall at one of the markets selling sweets. After much run-around trying to park the car, we surprised Christine and their daughter Eilidh at the market, Jason stocked up on Eilidh’s baked goodies, and we made plans to catch up with everyone for dinner the following night. It was time for us to check in to our hotel in Oban (The Perle Oban) and get settled so we could explore the shops.

The Perle Oban is a new hotel for us. We don’t typically stay IN Oban, but thought with the Winter Festival going on, it would be a fun time to do so to eliminate some driving. Plus, we’re always scouting new hotels for future trips. This one is a winner! Excellent tea, breakfast, snacks, and bar. Plus the beds were super comfortable and we had great views of the bay. The staff are top-notch as well; really good folks. My only complaint was the super tiny bathroom that you could barely turn around in. I kept banging my elbows on the walls. Ow.

Off to the shops! We were on a mission to find Sandy a warmer coat (Scotland was a bit chillier than we were expecting this time), a wool blanket for us (souvenir #2), and some fun odds and ends. We were patiently waiting for 7 PM when the Oban Pipe band was to lead a parade into the square with Santa and his real reindeer behind for the lighting of the Christmas lights. We watched from our hotel windows as it was quite chilly and didn’t want to be in the way of all the locals enjoying their Christmas tradition. It was great. Such a small-town feel, with excitement over the little things. I miss that from my childhood. Now I want to come back next year.

We had dinner just a few steps away from our hotel at The Waterfront Fish House Restaurant, one of Christine’s recommendations. It was phenomenal! To that point, it was the best meal we had on the trip (we had SO many good meals). Again, they did really well with our dietary needs and I was able to dive into a bowl of mussels, which is usually a challenge because of the creamy sauce they always seem to be swimming in. Delish! I think we all collapsed that night super tired and full.

We had a later start the following morning, but still early enough to catch breakfast before we wandered off again. More shops, tea, acquired orange wine from the Wee Wine Shop, and…the Haggis & Whisky Festival at the Oban Distillery! After watching the Oban High School pipe band (yes, a band of high schoolers playing the bag pipes) lead in the previous year’s winning haggis, we popped our heads in to taste this year’s contenders and sample the whisky. Our picks didn’t win (I swear there was one with sour kraut in it and I loved it! – way more Germany than Scotland), but it was fun to try all the different recipes. I also tried a new whisky that had been aged in a Rum cask – it had fire. Woosa.

We met David and Christine’s crew (they had acquired more children – haha) for an earlier dinner that night at Cuan Mor. Great food as always. I feel like we usually end up there on most of our trips to Oban. I think almost all of us had some form of a burger and chips (fries). Yum! Back to the hotel for us to pack up and try to get some sleep. We were really off into the highlands in the morning!

More of our adventure through Scotland next week!

You can read about our time in Edinburgh here.

The post A Return to Scotland – Part 2, Oban first appeared on The DeBode Way.

We found ourselves back in Scotland in November, arriving early Thanksgiving morning. Except this time, we were meeting Jason’s parents at the airport for a 10 day trip around the country much in the same fashion we did the very first time we explored it in 2017. There was one big difference this time: no one night stopovers – that’s crazy. Don’t do that.

We spent Thursday and Friday in Edinburgh exploring the Royal Mile. As always, that first day is brutal if you don’t sleep on the plane (we never do). So, I packed the itinerary full that day to keep us vertical and moving. First up, airport coffee while we waited for his parent’s plane to get in. Next, a cab into the city to drop our bags off at Fraser Suites and then, breakfast. We walked down the Mile to Loudon’s for breakfast. I figured this was a good bet since they usually have a little bit of everything… gluten-free, dairy-free, American breakfast, Scottish breakfast. Everyone was happy. The next time you’re in the area be sure to stop in, you won’t be disappointed.

After breakfast, we wandered to the bottom of the Mile for a tour of Holyrood Palace. They had just decorated the palace for Christmas, so it was a very festive affair. It was a windy, brisk day, so we were thankful for the indoor tour, but the quick walk through the garden was also beautiful in a bleak, colorless way (truly). Then time for more tea (I think this was my third) while we waited for our next tour at the Chocolatorium about halfway back up the hill.

The Chocolatorium tour was highly recommended to us by our students in May, so we thought we should check it out. We had a great, high-energy guide who taught us about chocolate making throughout the world, let us taste what seemed like an infinite amount of chocolate, and helped us create our own unique chocolate bars. I am happy to report that they can accommodate a dairy-free diet for all the tastings (aka dark chocolate). Unfortunately, while chocolate alone does not have gluten, they could not guarantee the processing plants did not have cross-contamination, so Sandy decided to sit the tastings out.

By the end of the chocolate tour, it was dark, at 4 PM (very short days in November). So, after depositing our cocoa winnings for the day back at the hotel after checking in, we headed out for an early dinner at Byron’s Proper Burgers – always a staple on our visits because they, too, accommodate a variety of diets. They also have a good craft brew menu with both beers and ciders, if you’re thirsty. Bellies full, we wandered back up the hill to our beds to call it an early night. I think we were all in bed by 8 PM, had our Sleepsana shots, and were out like lights to prepare for the next day (even if the beds here were really hard).

The next morning, we found a cute breakfast spot on the way to our Edinburgh Castle tour – Deacon’s Café. They, too, were able to accommodate all our allergies (see, it’s not that hard to eat in Scotland!) and we had a lovely fortifying breakfast. This was a good thing because as we walked up the hill to the castle, the wind blew harder and harder, and it got colder and colder! We spent most of the time dodging in and out of buildings and museums and missed a lot of the view from the castle. The wind was just plain icy on top of that ancient volcano! We did manage to catch the 1 PM gun on this trip. For as big as the gun is, and as loud as it is standing there, we’ve never heard it before on all our trips to the city (also, Jason didn’t hear it in the cafe that was about 20 yards away). Unfortunately, the Honors of Scotland were removed for refurbishment the week we were there, so we didn’t get to see them again.

There’s always much shopping to be done in Edinburgh. We do our best to find authentic shops and stay out of the plethora of shops toting cheap Scottish paraphernalia made elsewhere. This is also true of the nicer clothing, so if you’re looking for Harris Tweed or Scottish cashmere, make sure you’re buying the real thing. We rounded out this time in the city with shopping, wandering the city streets, and admiring the Christmas Market lights from afar. We didn’t venture down to the markets because of the brutal wind that day. That was a bit of a bummer. Instead, we found a great Mexican street food tapas place for dinner – yes, Mexican in Scotland. We were so curious, we had to try it – El Cartel. Phenomenal. We ordered a little bit of everything on the menu and ate more tacos than I ever have in my life. #wheninscotland…? We rolled ourselves out of the restaurant and back to the hotel to pack up and get some sleep. In the morning we were headed back to the airport to pick up our rental car and head out into the highlands – my favorite!

Next week!

The post A Return to Scotland – Part 1, Edinburgh first appeared on The DeBode Way.

I haven’t had a chance to wrap my head around the whole experience or had the time to tell you what we did (beyond scribbles in my journal), so how about some real quick points, updates, and photos to hold you over to next week…hopefully. It’s a busy week. sigh

First: we took our trip during Thanksgiving break. Yep, that’s right, the busiest time of year to travel. We landed in Edinburgh on Thanksgiving morning and quickly found things to do to stay awake, of which there were plenty. Rule #1 for curing jet lag – stay awake until your proper local bedtime the day of arrival, even – and this is key – if you didn’t sleep on the plane. We never sleep on planes so yes, we know how painful this can be.

November is an absolutely beautiful time to visit Scotland. The Christmas markets are gearing up, the days are brisk (and short…very short), and the tourist level is low, at least until the Christmas markets are in full swing. Our biggest tip – pack LOTS of layers. If the wind is blowing, it will chill you to the bone. Otherwise, it was quite pleasant and the scenery, as always, was breathtaking. It snowed! So magical!

We took this trip with Jason’s parents to test out some new hotels, plan a new driving route, see some friends, and test the feasibility of us leading some small, self-driving, adult trips in the future. It was a bonus to have his parents along to give us feedback and so his mom could visit her ancestral stomping grounds in Huntly in Speyside. We figured out what is and isn’t open during the off-season and visited some places we hadn’t been to since before the pandemic. It was a productive trip.

Have we mentioned here before that we’re thinking about leading small group trips in the future? The entire goal of this blog (beyond helping our friends and family keep track of us) is to teach folks how to confidently travel on their own. Besides answering tons of questions on the blog, in messages, and in person, we’ve decided that it’s time to put it into practice. We are currently in the process of closing our boutique business at the end of the year (thus the chaos in our life in the next few weeks). After that, I am hoping to have time to create itineraries for purchase AND create self-driving itineraries for group trips, which we will lead, for those who want a little more guidance. We’re hoping to do maybe two of these a year, starting in Scotland for now and most likely traveling in May and October.

We would love your feedback on both the itineraries and small-group trip ideas. I am hoping Jason has time to create a survey for us soon with more specific questions. Meanwhile, let us know what you would be interested in seeing, how we can help you feel more comfortable traveling, what you need the most help with, and what your thoughts are on driving yourself in Scotland. We could rely on the train and bus system to get around the country, but you’ll miss so much outside of the cities. We can’t personally drive you without special licensing and expensive bus/van rentals, and quite frankly, I hate bus trips. We’re not going to be a bus trip. The transportation is something we are still working out, so we would like your thoughts on driving yourself. We’re all here to learn after all!

That’s all for now! Leave us some comments on the blog or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram to answer those initial broad questions. I’ll let you know what we got up to in Scotland next week…hopefully.

The post Running Away to Scotland and Some Quick Life Updates first appeared on The DeBode Way.

FAQ 7: What do I need to pack for my trip?

This is hard to answer because it depends on when you’re going, where you’re going, what you plan to do, whether you’re packing in carry-ons or checked bags, and your personal preference. That said, we have a few rules we stick to when packing for Scotland. First, layers are your friend. Like I said above, it’s entirely possible for a brief rain shower while you’re out exploring. The same is true for temperatures: it can start off very chilly in the morning, warm up throughout the day, and then cool off again in the evenings. Because of this, it’s really helpful to have lighter-weight layers you can add/remove as you go about your day. It’s also very helpful if your outermost layer is waterproof.

Few pieces of clothing are as iconic as the thick, heavy, knit wool sweaters you see people wearing in the movies. It’s true that folks living in the UK really do wear those sweaters, too. We’ve brought a few back and absolutely love them. Do we take them back when we travel? Absolutely not. Why? Because they’re designed to hold in your body heat, and they’re very good at what they do. Unfortunately, if that’s all you’re wearing (with a t-shirt underneath), and the day starts to warm up, you’ll likely be sweating before long with no layers to remove. That can make things uncomfortable, and no one wants that. Also, one of those sweaters can easily take up half of your carry-on bag, which is a non-starter for us.

So, take thinner layers (big fans of Merino wool) and a windproof/waterproof jacket and shoes. We usually dress pretty casually during the day, but that’s because we’re usually out hiking or exploring. If we stayed in the city, we’d likely stick closer to something like smart casual, or thereabouts. For dinner, we pack something a little nicer: a dress and flats for Tasha, and chinos with a button-down shirt for Jason. Also keep in mind that because the climate is a bit cooler, unless you’re doing some really intense hiking, it’s likely that you won’t sweat much (again, everyone is different, but in general), so you can re-wear some of your clothes before needing to wash them. Except for your socks and underwear; those will always need to be washed before you wear them again. Otherwise…gross.

Since we are carry-on only packers most of the time, we like to try to pack for 4 days with plans to do laundry either at a facility or in our bathroom sink/tub whenever we’re in a location for a couple days so it has time to dry.

FAQ 8: What’s with all the castles?

Who doesn’t like a good castle? Jason raises his hand. Okay fine, yes there are lots of castles in Scotland and the UK. Some are ruins, some are in various stages of (dis)repair, and others are fully working homes (with huge maintenance bills) that allow visitors in for a fee. Some are large, some are small. Some are situated in easily defended positions, while others seem to be sitting in the middle of a field.

Why are there so many? In fairness, they’ve been building them for a long time. A really long time. By some accounts, they’ve been building stone castles in Scotland since the 11th century (wood before that), the majority of which were built for those who governed the lands. Not to be outdone, the nobles also built castles, though these were mostly referred to as tower houses rather than castles. Then, of course, came the palaces of the kings and queens of Scotland and the various nations that ruled it throughout the centuries. These are more pleasure homes for peace times than defensive structures, but very impressive as well. And of course, when a new ruler took the throne, why would they want to live in someone else’s house? Much better to build their own, and build it better/bigger. Obviously. And so, Scotland, and many other European countries are peppered with castles of all shapes, sizes, and ages.

FAQ 9: What’s the bathroom situation?

We’ll put this one to rest: yes, they have bathrooms in Scotland. However, you might get a funny look asking for the bathroom – they generally just call it what you’re after, the toilet.

Seriously though, most of the time we get this question in reference to being out and about, driving around, away from civilization. In the US, when you go on a road trip there is almost always a fast food restaurant, gas station, rest stop, or a combination of the three at the next exit. So, when nature calls, you’re rarely that far from the facilities. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case in Scotland. It’s totally common to drive for hours without seeing a single sign for a restroom. And, if you get daring and take the next exit despite there being no sign, it could be a while before you actually get to a town, and even then, there might not be a gas station with a toilet or public toilets and the pub might be closed until the next meal service.

This isn’t to suggest rest stops don’t exist in Scotland because they absolutely do. However, this is one of those situations where it’s better to take a look at your route in advance and know where you can stop. This also applies to gas stations (usually called petrol stations throughout the UK), which are nowhere near as omnipresent as they are in the US. There are also apps (Where is Public Toilet app) you can download that’ll help guide you in the right direction. Also, be advised that some public toilets aren’t free. Some require a coin to get in, while others will take a credit card, but only one that has the tap functionality. And you might want to keep a roll of TP or some tissues with you just in case – they aren’t usually overly stocked.

Basically, if you find one, take advantage! If not well…find a bush, dig a hole, and practice your best farmer’s squat…more on that here.

FAQ 10: How do you take all those great pictures? Is trespassing not a thing over there?

Yes, trespassing is absolutely a thing in Scotland. At the same time, they have what’s known as the Right to Roam as well. Let’s explain.

In 2003, Scotland passed the Land Reform Act. Section 1 of this Act says that people in Scotland have the right to be on land for recreational and educational purposes and to cross land for the same reasons. What that means is you’re literally able to roam through almost all of Scotland and it’s perfectly legal and normal.

Before we go any further, there are a few really important things to keep in mind about this. First, the Act doesn’t give everyone access to all lands. In general, if it’s private land and is close to a house, farm building, school, or something along these lines, it’s best to keep your distance. In other words, you can walk through a field, but not the yard right next to someone’s house (because…that would be weird). Second, the Act clarifies this is for the ‘responsible’ recreational use of the land. In other words, there might be sheep, cows, or other animals hanging around and it’s best to leave them alone (seriously, do you know how big a Highland Coo is?). Also, don’t leave your trash after you go. In general, a good rule to go by is ‘leave no trace’. In other words, after walking through someone’s land, they shouldn’t be able to tell you were there.

With that all said, yes, you can roam around as much as you like! When we’ve been wandering around fields, there are actually stone stairs built into the stone walls that separate one field from another. These steps are used by the folks out roaming around (and farmers moving between fields) and they help make it easier to gain access to different places. It also means you aren’t climbing on someone’s wall, and therefore helps keep things in good working order. There are also gates that help keep the animals in, but they give you access to different areas. You’re welcome to walk through them, just make sure you close the gate behind you. We’ve gotten some of our best pictures like this, but be advised: there are unlikely to be parking lots anywhere near these fields. Most often, we park a good bit away, and then start hiking in no particular direction.

FAQ 11: Tell me more about the food.

It’s amazing.

One thing we were unprepared for was that what we call fast food in the US isn’t super common in Scotland. To clarify, there are plenty of McDonald’s, Burger Kings, and Subways in the major cities, but as soon as you leave them, don’t expect to find fast food very often. And why would you even look for it? There are loads of places to eat that have fresh, hand-made food that was very likely prepared by someone’s grandmother earlier that day. Seriously, even when you go to a tourist attraction, the food at the cafe is often made from scratch, or at least it always is when we’re there. And yes, vegetables exist.

So, the food really is awesome, but just make sure you’re not expecting to find the US in every little town you visit.

FAQ 12: Is it whiskey? Whisky? Scotch? Bourbon? What’s the deal?

This is a very important cultural question, and it pays to not get it wrong as it’s kind of an insult. This is also best answered in its own post, which I’ll do later, but for now, here are the very high-level details.

Whiskey/Whisky is a more general term for a liquor made from a fermented grain mash. Very broadly speaking, there are different grains that can be used, and the spirit is typically aged in wooden casks for a certain period of time. As for the spelling, whiskey is most often used in Ireland and the US; whisky is the preferred spelling everywhere else.

Bourbon is a whiskey that, by law, must be distilled in the US, must use a grain mixture that is mostly corn, is aged in new charred oak barrels, and is bottled at 80 proof or higher. Common lore insists that bourbon must be distilled in Kentucky, but as far as we can tell, so long as it’s distilled in the US, it can legally be called bourbon.

Scotch is a whisky that, by law, must be distilled in Scotland, is at least 80 proof, includes only water, malted barley, and yeast, and is aged for a minimum of three years in oak barrels. A few things to clarify: Scotch can include other cereal grains but the malted barley still has to be there. The law only states that the spirit is aged in oak barrels, but unlike bourbon, they need not be new barrels. Interestingly, this has led to a secondary market for US bourbon barrels. After they are used in the US, they’re often shipped to Scotland, taken apart, adjusted, reformed, and charred for use in aging Scotch. Broadly, Scotch tends to come in two forms: single malt or blended. Single malt Scotch is from a single batch from a single distillery and must use only water, malted barley (no other grains can be added), and yeast. Blended Scotch, on the other hand, is, as the name suggests, a blend of different types of Scotch (i.e., malt and grain whisky); the spirits are blended to create a more consistent product.

These are painfully broad details because there are all kinds of nuances within each category. My two cents: I only drink Scotch and bourbon. I’ve tried Irish and Japanese whiskeys, and with all respect to the distilleries, they just aren’t my preference. Want something that’ll burn (in all the best ways) while you drink it? Go for bourbon. Want something smoother that’ll be pretty much the same anywhere and whenever you get it? Blended Scotch would be my recommendation. Want something a little more subtle, sometimes smokey, sometimes sweet, sometimes both? Something with more character, but one that might change from year to year? Single malt all the way. Want more specific recommendations? Great, let’s talk.

FAQ 13: How does it work with your drone?

Good question. Yes, we have a drone. Yes, we take it to Scotland every time we go. Yes, Jason is also licensed to fly it in the UK. This last part is really important.

In the US, if you want to fly your drone, you need to register it with the FAA. And so it is with every other country in the world. When we’re off to a new country, one of the first things Jason does is a little searching to see what, if any license he needs to fly the drone. Most often, it’s an operator license that’s very similar to the one he has here in the US. Read the book, take the online training, pass the quiz, pay the fee, and you’re good to go. Most countries require you to have your operator license number physically on the drone (we have a sticker with the info), and you have a physical copy of your license (we have them printed out and keep them in our drone case). Most countries are pretty similar with regard to the rules (e.g., don’t fly your drone in cities, near airports, over people, etc.), but there is some variability with regard to your flight ceiling (the highest you can take your drone) and a few other things.

Can you fly your drone without a license? Sure. Would we recommend it? No. If something goes wrong and you get to meet the local police, odds are they’ll confiscate your drone and make you pay a fee. Don’t risk it; getting the license really isn’t that big of a deal. Oh, and yes, you’ll need to do this for each country; sadly there’s no EU-wide license, at least not as of now.

The post Scotland FAQs: Secrets to Know Before You Go – Part 2 first appeared on The DeBode Way.

As we *finally* start getting ready for our next hop across the pond to our favorite place (we might be leaving in two days and haven’t started thinking about what to take yet), we’re reminded of the questions we’re frequently asked about Scotland. And so, to make things easy for all involved, we’ve made this Scotland FAQ page to keep the questions and answers all in one place. We’ll add to this as we get more questions and think of new/better answers.

FAQ 1: What’s the fascination with haggis? Also, what is it?

This is probably one of the more common questions we’ve had. First thing first: haggis is good stuff, so we’d definitely encourage you to try it. We need to clarify: *real* haggis is good. Yes, it’s possible to find canned haggis and, well, do us all a favor and leave it at the store. Truth be told, it’s not as bad as you might think, but it’s also nowhere near as good as the real stuff.

Okay, so what is it? Traditionally, haggis is made with sheep organs, seasonings, stock, and some kind of cereal grain, most often oatmeal. That’s all mixed together, packed into a sheep’s stomach, and then cooked. Still with me? Good. In the end, haggis tastes like sausage, only better. It’s really more of a mind game, but believe us it’s worth pushing past your notions about organ meat, as that’s not at all what it tastes like. Most often, you’ll find haggis as part of a Full Scottish breakfast, which is also amazing.

The neat thing about haggis is that there’s no single recipe for it. Instead, everywhere you go in Scotland has its own spin on the above main ingredients. That means it’ll taste a little different in each B&B and restaurant and in the different parts of Scotland where different spices, types of fat, cereal grains, and the like are easier to come by. Even if you only try it once, give it a go and see what you think. Our bet is it’ll be so much better than you’re expecting.

FAQ 2: Is it weird driving on the *wrong* side of the road?

We work hard to avoid calling it the *wrong* side of the car or road, both of which you’ll experience if you’re adventurous enough to rent a car (friendly reminder: they refer to this as ‘hiring’ a car, not renting one). Instead, just call it like it is: they drive on the right side of the car and the other side of the road. Nothing worse than going to a foreign country and telling them what they do is wrong. From their perspective, what we do is wrong.

All that being said, it does take a minute to get yourself reoriented to driving, so build that into your timetable. If you’re anything like me, when I’m driving I very heavily rely on the solid line on the left side of the road to keep my bearings; that’s hard to do when you’re driving on the opposite side of the car. Also keep in mind that most rental cars in Scotland are manuals, not automatics. And yes, that means you’ll be shifting with your left hand, not the right as you’d do in the US. For this reason (and others), we always specifically rent an automatic. Importantly, you’ll need to make sure you reserve your car in advance, as most of the lots don’t have many automatics sitting around.

As for driving, that comes a bit more naturally, at least to me. Mostly you’re just going with the flow of traffic, however odd it might seem at first. They’re also good about putting up signs (WRONG WAY!) to keep you heading in the right direction. And when in doubt, just look at the road: much of the time there are arrows and other directions written on the road you’re driving on. Writing upside-down? That probably means you’re going the wrong way.

FAQ 3: Trains? Really?

We’ll admit that trains in the US don’t have the best reputations, either for their safety or efficiency. Fortunately, that couldn’t be further from the truth in Scotland. Really, this is true of most of the countries we’ve been to in Europe and the UK, not just Scotland. Trains are safe and clean, convenient, and are usually pretty cost-effective. There’s also an increasing number of high-speed trains, meaning you can get to where you’re going even faster than before. Most of the time the trains have food cars where you can grab a snack or drink, and bathrooms spaced out between the different cars.

One thing we had some trouble with was understanding the different classes of tickets. Sometimes your ticket gets you access to a specific car, but you can pick whatever seat you want. Other times your ticket is for a specific seat in a specific car, and this isn’t always obvious. There are also different fare classes you can buy: the lower classes are pretty basic affairs, while the first- and second-class seats are generally more comfortable and have fewer people in each car. The prices are all over the place, but we’ve found they’re usually very reasonable. The schedules and stations aren’t always when or where you need them to be, and there are often several stations in a given city, so it pays to do a little homework to make sure you’re on the right route and going to the right station.

FAQ 4: What’s the food like over there?

One of the things we really like about Scotland, and again this is fair for most of Europe as well, is the food situation. Tasha has a few food sensitivities that make eating out a challenge when we’re in the US. However, many of the additives and preservatives used in US food are illegal in the UK and Europe, so not something we need to worry about, at least usually. As for the more common sensitivities (e.g., gluten, soy, dairy, etc.), they are all very clearly marked on every menu we’ve seen on our travels (bold words, symbols, etc.). It’s also very common for the host/hostess to ask about dietary restrictions when you make a reservation and/or when seating you for your meal. That information is passed onto your server who has a great working knowledge of the menu and can point you to/away from different options. It’s also not unheard of for the chef to customize a dish for your needs, we’ve found this is especially true at smaller pubs and in B&Bs.

Just to clarify: we’re not saying you don’t need to pay attention to your food allergies when traveling. That’s just silly. However, we’ve found it’s much easier to eat out in Europe than it is in the US. So, if that’s what’s been holding you back, fret not! You may actually be better off in the end!

FAQ 5: Okay, but doesn’t it always rain in Scotland?

True enough, Scotland isn’t exactly an arid climate. They do get their fair share of rain; some might even say more than their fair share. However, it doesn’t usually rain the *entire* time we’re there. Most often there is rain in the forecast almost every day, but that usually means it’ll rain for about 15-20 minutes at some point during the day, and that’ll be it. Sure, some days they get more rain and it’s a little dreary, but there are lots of days when it doesn’t rain at all.

If you’re in town and it starts raining, that’s a great excuse to stop into a pub for a cup of tea and a snack (we’re kidding, you never need an excuse for a cup of tea in the UK). If you’re out on a hike, that’s why we advocate for taking waterproof jackets and shoes. You just never know when you might find a wet spot or when the heavens may open up. And if it really does end up raining all day, there’s likely a roaring fireplace with comfy chairs and couches nearby. Oh and tea, there’s always tea.

FAQ 6: What’s the rule on tipping when eating out?

This is one of the ways Americans tend to distinguish themselves when visiting Europe. When we’re back home in the US, because your server often makes less than minimum wage, it’s common practice to tip somewhere around 20% of your bill. However, be advised that servers in Europe often make a living wage, and because of this, the tipping customs are a bit different.

Most often, we tip about 10%, but even that’s a bit much in some parts of Europe. When Jason goes to Spain, the norm is to leave a 1-2 Euro tip regardless of how large your bill is (there are probably exceptions for really, really fancy meals, but we don’t eat like that most of the time). Similarly, when we’re in the UK, tipping a few pounds for lunch is fairly standard, as is the 10% tip for dinner. Also, make sure you check your bill – they may have already included the tip.

The post Scotland FAQs: Secrets to Know Before You Go – Part 1 first appeared on The DeBode Way.

Rural Business Visits

Once we had someone fetching the bag at the next station, we all clambered into the vans and set off for the Cruachan Power Dam Visitor’s Center just a few minutes down the road. Here the students were split into two groups, one had lunch in the visitor’s center café while the other toured the hydroelectric caverns deep in the mountain, then swapped. Some of the students enjoyed this tour more than others (although it had been highly recommended to us) since it involved a lot of numbers (which typically accounting students love – ha) and science things they weren’t studying. That said, a few of us found it interesting, especially the focus on renewable energy sources in the UK.

I, however, loved it! I have a degree in History & Environmental Science and was eating up every word the tour guide laid on us. Hearing everything from the history of the blasting that created the caverns to the amount of power the dam could create in a day, to how it functioned (they can pump the water back up the mountain to reuse if there’s an electricity surplus – so cool!), and where the rest of the electricity generated in Scotland comes from – loved it. Fun fact – Scotland has ZERO coal-fired power plants as the last closed in 2016. The country’s power is almost entirely renewably sourced. Just a few nuclear sources remain, mostly in mainland Europe.

From the power plant, we made our way to our next official business visit in the highlands at Brander Lodge. This is a newly acquired hotel for our friends David & Christine’s hospitality management company. The students had a great time on a mini-tour of the lodge and grounds and talked with Christine about her plans to capitalize on the expansion of the Cruachan Power Dam (which we had just toured) by adding pods to the grounds to house workers. Once the work is complete, they plan to sell some of the pods and keep the remainder for extra holiday housing at Brander Lodge. The students asked great questions about this business plan and loved talking with Christine.

Welcome to Another World

We hopped back into the vans and were on our way down the long, twisting road to Ardanaiseig Hotel. We had a few folks that were a little green after the drive: our van drivers were experts at navigating the winding, single-track road and got us there a little too quickly if you catch my drift. Over the years, I’ve learned it’s best if I just close my eyes on that road. About 30 minutes later, it was time for everyone to catch their breath. I will never get tired of the gasps of wonder when we turn that final corner into Ardanaiseig and the manor house appears. It’s why we go through the trouble of moving everyone from the cities and into the highlands. It’s a completely different world.

Once we got the chaos of getting everyone into a room sorted, it was time for dinner, which never disappoints here. They have excellent chefs and rely heavily on local products – I love that about them. The dishes are always unique and amazing! We originally thought we had the run of the hotel for the evening, so we didn’t press the typically smart casual dinner dress code for our group. Then we discovered we were not the only ones booked into the hotel. Apologies.

We were bushed after dinner, so headed to our room to call it a night. The students and additional faculty headed for the drawing room for drinks and games. I think they thoroughly enjoyed themselves well into the morning and made friends with the staff. Later I was told we really shook the old place up – not sure if that was a compliment or not. Haha! The staff at Ardanaiseig was incredibly helpful the entire time and somehow managed to keep up with all of us. I bet they slept really hard once we left!

Business Visits in Oban

The following morning we saw nearly everyone for breakfast, then headed into Oban for the day as the students were on to their next business visits. Again, we split the group in two, one heading for Oban Distillery and the other for the Wee Wine Shop. At the distillery, they learned about the long history of Scotch Whisky making in Scotland and all the different types of marketing used to sell it. The Wee Wine Shop gave them the opportunity to learn about building a business out of need during the pandemic, though it was not the original business intended. They also spent time with the sommelier learning about wine pairings so they understand what to order at business dinners in the future. Both were very interesting. Once complete, the groups swapped locations so both got to experience both businesses.

We’ve been on the Oban Distillery tour probably four times now and I still learn things. They do a fantastic job – we highly recommend it. When we tell them we have a group of business students, they not only give us the “this is how you make Scotch” tour, but we also get a little behind-the-scenes tour of how the Scotch industry works in Scotland and how it is marketed around the world.

The Wee Wine Shop was a new visit for us this time, as they’ve only been in business for about a year. The owners, Jean-Pierre and Simone, bring his sommelier and her hospitality experience together to help customers select wines to bring home after the pubs were shuttered during the pandemic. They had originally moved to Scotland from France and Germany with the intention of running a B&B, but when the pandemic happened and B&Bs were also closed, they had to shift to a new plan – the Wee Wine Shop.

Free Time in Oban

After their business visits, we cut everyone loose to get lunch (we grabbed sandwiches at Cuan Mor Restaurant, which was fantastic) and to explore the small town of Oban. I think everyone except us went for fish n chips in various locations, an excellent local choice. Oban was once just a fishing village and ferry port, but it has turned into a bustling tourist destination and launching point to the Outer Hebrides. It’s busy but quaint and walkable, and they absolutely loved it. Everyone also requested more time there. Noted.

We had to basically drag them back onto the vans for another queasy trip back to Ardanaiseig. I think next time, we’ll adjust our days a bit and just stay in Oban overnight, so they have more time there and one less winding van ride. Back at Ardanaiseig, we definitely did not have the hotel to ourselves the following two nights, so we made sure our group knew to behave and dress appropriately for dinner. I didn’t hear any complaints from other guests and only one shushing incident, so I think they managed.

Time to Slow Down

The following day we spent entirely at Ardanaiseig. We let everyone sleep in, then have the day to themselves to wander the grounds, relax, have tea, and get some work done for class if need be. Two groups of students took up the opportunity to go clay shooting with Hugh the Ghillie and LOVED it! He’s a character in his full ghillie getup with his vest, boots, deer stalker hat, and Land Rover. I had a hard time convincing most of the others to leave the hotel to wander the extensive grounds, but a couple of students did go swim in the loch. Brrrr!

Later in the afternoon, we gathered everyone together for a photo and another chat with Christine & David about how they acquired management of Ardanaiseig Hotel and what they had to go through to keep it during the pandemic. Scotland was locked down much harder than the US throughout the pandemic and the hospitality industry suffered greatly. This year will be their first “normal” tourist season since 2019 and many businesses will not be reopening. If ever you wanted to run a little B&B in Oban, Scotland, this is your opportunity! There are many available for sale and lease.

Our final night in the highlands had me awake until nearly 4 am – which is when the sun comes up! We packed up after breakfast, loaded the students into the vans, and were nearly left behind! Haha! As we were settling the bill, the vans pulled away without us. Ok fine, we’ll stay, no complaints here! Jason ran out the door to flag them down while the staff just chuckled in the lobby. Unfortunately, no one got that on video.

They Asked, We Delivered

We left Ardanaiseig earlier than planned so the students could spend more time in Oban. We parked ourselves at the Perle Oban Hotel and had tea for 3 hours while they ran all over town. The hotel graciously agreed to hold everyone’s bags while the group went off to explore. We hadn’t planned on coming back early before getting on the train, so we were very lucky they agreed. David, Christine, and the kiddos met us one more time while were there. They wanted to chat one-on-one with some of the students about their future plans after school. I think they were quite taken with a few and are hoping for some future employees. Yay! I love making travel connections.

Off to London

Just before 4 pm we rounded everyone up and headed across the street to the train station for our journey to London. It is a three-hour train ride to Glasgow where we had two hours to change trains, change stations, and grab dinner along the way. The group split up to eat so we wouldn’t overwhelm a single restaurant, and miraculously all made it to the next station in time to get on the Caledonian Sleeper train.

The sleeper train was such a neat experience! I didn’t sleep a wink again, but it was fun to have our own Club Room complete with bunk beds, a sink, a shower, and a toilet (trust me, it’s the little things), and visit the dining car for a nightcap. I didn’t love that every time the train hit its brakes, I thought I was going to launch off the top bunk, and that there was barely enough space in our room for me to stand sideways with my broad shoulders. Plus, I really thought it would be so much smoother and lull me to sleep, so I was a bit bummed about the lack of sleep. However, I do think we’ll have to try it again sometime to see if it’s any smoother, or if we chalk it up to an over-romanticized experience. It was still fun. We’ll write more about this experience in a later post.

We arrived at London’s Euston Station at about 8 am, an hour later than scheduled. Everyone was awake and ready to go, thankfully! We gathered our things, counted heads, and headed off to locate London Underground tickets to continue onto the last leg of our trip in London. We’ll tell you all about it next week!

Part 1 – Group Journey to the UK – Suddenly We’re Education Abroad Coordinators!

Part 3 – The Remarkable City of London, the End of the Journey

The post Learning to Appreciate the Remarkable Calm of the Scottish Highlands first appeared on The DeBode Way.