Day 5 - Inverness and Loch Ness

This morning we spent daundering around Inverness, gawking at the the shops. We went to the museum, where a volunteer, Andrew Newton, gave a talk on the Romans in Scotland... and no, Hadrian's Wall isn't as far as the Romans went. There has been a recent discovery of a Roman road near Perth, and the records show that Septimius Severus made several long campaigns into the  highlands. Most fascinating presentation.

Pictish Wolf Carving

After the museum, we went to the food hall where we had a spot of lunch - will probably return tomorrow as Cullen Skink is on sale here.

In the afternoon, we went on a tour round Loch Ness...

We’re going on a Nessie hunt,
We’re gonna find a big one,
We’re not sceptical—
Well… maybe just a wee bit.

We’re going on a Nessie hunt,
We’ve packed a flask and binoculars,
We’re not sceptical—
Just watching for bubbles…

We’re going on a Nessie hunt,
There’s something in the water…
We’re not sceptical—
It’s probably just an otter.

We’re going on a Nessie hunt,
We saw a splash—did you see that?
We’re not sceptical—
Just... walking away briskly, that’s all.

 

Map and statistics for our trip to Loch Ness

We went by coach to Dochgarroch Lochs where we boarded the tour boat Jacobite Rebel and proceeded down the Caledonian Canal and out onto Loch Ness.

The Weir where the Caledonian Canal spits from the River Ness

Looking Down Into Loch Ness

After we disembarked, Sarah had an interesting time exploring the castle - it is bigger than it looks from the outside. 

The famous Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness

On the way back, the coach driver took a wee detour to allow the passengers to photograph some Highland Cattle:

A Highland Bull, not a Coo!

We had an hour's trip back to Inverness with interesting commentary through the Highlands to the North-West of Loch Ness. The driver, who was also the commentator had some fun trying to teach the passengers some of the Gallic, but I am afraid I have already forgotten it.

When we got back, we decided to have our meal at a pub near to the bus station, a Bellhaven pub called Platform 8, and I am sad to say, I have had my first encounter with an unpleasant Scotsman... We seated ourselves at a lovely corner seat and Sarah had just gone up to order the food when this man came up to me. 

He was an auld, thrawn, and fair scunnered, wi a face like a beetroot ready tae burst. His neb wis aye curlin at folk, an he could blether ye daft wi a wheesht o pure bile. Ye’d think the warld owed him a pint an ne'er paid up.

"Yer in me place" he said, "We wis here afore ye"

So I replied, in my best Scots:

"Weel, ye didnae mark it as yours afore we came, an we’re here noo — sae sling yer hook  ye daft bugger!"

With that he went back to his wife, who gae him a right bit o laldie aboot his ongauns an she didnae let up for a good while . We enjoyed our meal in relative quiet though and left.

And tomorrow, we're off to Perth.

Auch and aye - we didnae see Nessie!