Inverness Area

Loch Ness        A whirlwind trip to Scotland started with Inverness and Loch Ness.

 

The Scottish highlands are beautiful but the eastern hills are not as steep or high as I expected. It is surprising how many high flat pastures and fields there are.

Culloden Battle Field     This was the battle that ended the power of the Scottish Highland clans and started years of repression of Scottish culture by the English.

 

 

Clava Cairns
Neolithic burial chambers that are 3000 to 4000 years old.   There are three cairns. Two have entrance passages that line up with the setting sun at the winter solstice. The third has a open  center area but no passage way to it. As with most prehistoric sites in England no one is sure how they were used.

 

Edinburgh Area

Edinburgh Castle

This is where Edinburgh started 1300 years ago.  It has been a fort and royal residence since the 11^th century and most buildings are still used today. St. Margaret’s Chapel inside the castle is the oldest building in Edinburgh completed in 1130.

 

View from Elephant House Café is where J. K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter. Does it make you think of Hogwarts?

 

Royal Mile           The road from the castle to Palace of Holyrood House.

 

Hadrian’s Wall

When the Roman army couldn’t conquer Scotland, they built a wall to mark the end of the empire or civilization and to keep the Picts out.  It ran from coast to coast, 73 miles, with a Castle and gate every Roman mile. Parts of the wall remain as do outlines of several forts, but most of the rocks were taken to build houses, churches and field walls after the romans left.  The amount of artifacts that have been found and are still being excavated is amazing.

On wall where it is part of the Housestead roman fort
 

 

 

Vindolanda Roman Fort near Hadrian's wall