Highlands, Scotland - May 2024

 The third day in Scotland, we took a day trip to the Highlands. The tour bus started right across from our apartment early in the morning to go to Inverness, Lock Ness and Glencoe.

Our first stop was a little village, Pitchlory just before entering the highlands.

Downtown Pitchlory.

Gateway to the Highlands.

Inverness Castle from the distance.

The River Ness.

Inverness downtown in the background.

Our guide, Jenny and driver, Alan. 

Loch Ness harbor.

Cruising Loch Ness. No sighting of Loch Ness monster!

Loch Ness and Urquhart castle.

Urquhart Castle in the background.

Beautiful view of the castle Loch Ness from the harbor.

After Loch Ness, the tour itineray changed due to an accident that occured on the way to Glencoe that blocked the road. Our driver would have passed the maximum driving time if he had to wait for the road to open to get to Glencoe. The decision was to cancel Glencoe and to go back to Edinburgh. It was a very disappointment. We were looking forward to see Glencoe as it is the "must visited" village in Scotland highlands. 

Perth Road in Bankfoot Village, last stop on our way back to Edinburgh.

To make up for Glencoe cancelation, we were offered a day trip to Dunfermline Abbey, Stirling Castle and Rosslyn Chapel the next day. It's a nice day with "no rain" in the forecast as we headed over Queensferry, crossing The Forth Bridge to our first stop, the Dunfermline Abbey and Palace.

The Forth Bridge, a railway bridge across the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The old bridge - trains travel on. 

The Forth Bridges - Queensferry Crossing.

Dunfermline : was the (de facto) capital of kingdom of Scotland and birth place of Andrew Carnegie.

Dunfermline Palace and Abbey.

Dunfermline Abbey

The abbey's cemetery.

The site of the ancient of the large medieval Benedictine abbey.

Some parts of the medieval abbey fall into disrepair and some infrastructure still remain. 

Stirling Castle :  from high on volcanic outcrop, the castle guarded the lowest crossing point of the River Forth for centuries. It is a symbol of Scottish independence and national pride. Before getting to the castle, we made a quick stop at the memorial of the Battle of Bannockburn in Whins of Milton, Stirling.

Statue of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots.

Memorial of The Battle of Bannockburn.


Stiring Castle

Stiling Castle

                                                                           The moat.

Crossing the moat to castle entrance.

Castle entrance in the background.

Stirling city center -  Monument with Unicorn on top. Used to be "Excution square" 

High court on Broad street, across from the "Execution Square".

Broad Street in old town center.

The Church of Scotland in "Top of the Town" 

The Church of Scotland cemetery - view from Stirling Castle.

Our last stop of the day was Roslin Glen which is adjacent to Rosslyn Castle and Rosslyn Chapel.

The Kelpies steel horse-head monument between Falkirk and Grangemouth.

The Old Rosslyn Inn in Roslin Glen Country Park.


Rosslyn Chapel on the hill - Old Rosslyn Inn in front.

Rosslyn Chapel sign.

Rosslyn Chapel - The movie "Da Vinci Code" was filmed here.


Memoiral park in Rosslyn Glen.