Postcards from Scotland: Natural magic, breathtaking landscapes

Thinking about Scotland conjures images of kilts, bagpipes and haggis. Peel back the curtain, and there’s so much more to explore, from dramatic landscapes to ancient castles and abundant wildlife.

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On a recent vacation, we explored the centuries-old sights in Edinburgh, hiked on the Isle of Skye, stayed overnight in a castle, experienced amazing warmth and Scottish hospitality, savored some great meals and saw puffins on a boat tour.

After a photojournalism study abroad trip in 2015, which included good friends Sarah and Leigh, we always dreamed of returning to the country to relive our college days and explore once more. In celebration of our collective 30th birthdays, I ventured back to the country with those two classmates from the study abroad, plus our friend Mara and all our significant others.

Following a red-eye flight from New York with my girlfriend, we started our day in Edinburgh on July 2 as we got our bearings, wandered Princes Street Gardens, ate a haggis sandwich and checked into our hotel for a much-needed nap before meeting up for dinner at a food hall with a delicious variety of cuisines.

The next day, we hopped aboard a ScotRail train bound for Inverness, soaking in the sights of rugged cliffs bordered by the North Sea. A few hours later, I had my first experience driving on the left side of the road in a rental car, heading north to Dornoch, where an overnight stay at a castle awaited us.

At the Dornoch Castle Hotel, all eight of us were finally reunited after Leigh and partner Matt had spent the first leg of their trip fly fishing in Perth. Each room in the charming historic hotel had its own unique character and came with complimentary Scotch. One accommodation felt like a suite fit for a king with a stone hearth, antlers anchored to the wall and a four-poster bed frame.

After splitting up for a quick refresh, we met in the castle’s restaurant for a delicious group dinner that featured venison and Scottish salmon, one of the best meals of our trip. The waitstaff even gave us a bottle of wine in honor of our collective 30th birthdays this year.

The next morning, we set off in two cars packed with luggage for the lush and breathtaking Isle of Skye, where we were eager to hike and explore. What was meant to be a three-hour drive ended up taking most of the day as we stopped for a scenic hike at Rogie Falls, a midday snack at the Midge Bite Cafe, a scenic viewpoint overlooking Loch Alsh and an impromptu whisky tasting at The Misty Bottle.

After settling into our accommodation in Portree, we grabbed supplies for a homemade spaghetti dinner, and a few of us opted for a quick hike, taking advantage of daylight that lasted until after 10 p.m.

What was supposed to be a quick out-and-back along Loch Portree turned into a nearly 3-mile trek on switchbacks to the top of Ben Chracaig, a “craggy hillock” that overlooks Portree and the surrounding Sound of Raasay. The misty walk was a welcome way to get our legs moving after hours in the car and a fantastic way to see the sights of Skye. It also worked up a voracious appetite, which we tended to with a hearty homemade meal that awaited us when we returned to our guest house.

The next morning, we awoke early to beat the crowds to one of Skye’s most popular hikes, the Fairy Pools. A series of small cascading waterfalls form crystal-clear pools of mountain water, which we dipped our faces into, hoping to soak up the mystical energies contained within.

After a magical morning with the trail mostly to ourselves, half the group went back to the parking lot to drive to an 11:30 a.m. whisky tasting at the Talisker distillery. Sarah’s partner Elijah, Karissa and I continued up into the mountains, scrambling over loose rocks to get closer to a gully carved into the side of a mountain towering behind the pools.

When we returned to the trailhead, we found the rest of our crew stuck with a flat tire and waiting a frustratingly long time for roadside assistance to arrive and fix it. As the rain began to pick up and mist rolled into the mountains, a few of us hopped in the working car to visit a cafe 4 miles down the road at a seaside campground. Luckily, they had pizza and amazing hot chocolate.

After finally getting a new tire, our group decided to bail on our planned visit to Neist Point, the westernmost tip of the Isle of Skye, which has an iconic lighthouse and rocky seaside cliffs. Given the thick fog, we weren’t sure we’d even be able to see the lighthouse.

Instead, we headed back toward Portree to hike the Old Man of Storr, one of the Isle of Skye’s most iconic walks.

The rain was relentless as we arrived at the trailhead and I put on rain pants, preparing for the worst. As we ascended toward the dramatic volcanic rock formations created around 60 million years ago, the wind picked up and howled in our ears, nearly sweeping us off our feet on the open hilltops. The landscape felt almost foreboding, like walking through one of the landscapes depicted in “The Lord of the Rings.”

As we ascended the stairs toward the mountains, one rock formation looked like the thumb of a buried giant jutting from the ground. Each member of our group was soaked, but we smiled through the conditions and made the most of our hike despite the weather. Heavy raindrops flew sideways, smacking against the hood of my rain jacket and creating a nearly deafening white noise.

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While we took in the magnificent scenery that emerged through thick fog as long as we could manage, it was a relief to get down the trail after careful steps on slippery rocks and find our way back to the warmth of our rental cars.

Back in Portree, we eagerly shed our soaked layers and made plans for takeout, eager to settle in for a dry evening indoors as the rain pounded down mercilessly on the roof we were blessed to have above our heads.

The next day, we awoke early to pack up for another scenic drive across the Isle of Skye on our way back to Inverness. This time, we took the route that went past Loch Ness, which was beautiful to behold. Though we searched, our group was unable to spot Nessie.

After a train ride back to Edinburgh, our group checked into the nicest Airbnb we have ever stayed in. A three-level Georgian townhouse was elegant, ornate and pristine, with a grand piano, a spiral staircase, antique furniture, paintings of dogs and Highland cows, spacious bedrooms and more than a thousand books (as counted by Karissa). That night, we hopped between pubs, enjoying brews, sharing stories and listening to live folk music at The Black Cat on Rose Street.

Our last day together as a full group included a visit to the Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, where we sat in a darkened camera obscura room to see sights of Edinburgh projected onto the wooden table in front of us. After a delicious dinner of salmon and steak at Howies, a local favorite for Scottish cuisine, we ventured back to Edinburgh’s Royal Mile for a nighttime tour.

A tour of “The Real Mary King’s Close” took us to the buried 17th-century streets that were partially demolished to build the Royal Exchange in 1753. Our lively tour guide regaled us with stories of the residents who inhabited those streets, including merchant Mary King and George Rae, the plague doctor who tended to victims in 1645. That night, we said goodbye to Leigh and Matt before they departed for home early the following morning.

On our second-to-last full day in Edinburgh, Mara’s husband, Owen, and I explored the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh while the rest of the group made handbags at the Islander Workshop Experience. Karissa and I spent part of the afternoon getting lost in the National Museum of Scotland, which contains massive collections of artifacts detailing human and natural history. We could have easily spent all day in there.

That evening, we took advantage of Scotland’s late sunset to savor the sights from Arthur’s Seat, an ancient extinct volcano that towers over Edinburgh. On a beautiful, sunny day that’s rare in the United Kingdom, we soaked up panoramic views from the top, traded swigs of wine and took photos before descending to find an Italian restaurant to satiate our hunger.

Determined to make the most of our last day, Karissa and I awoke early and split from our friends to take a 30-minute train ride to North Berwick.

On a boat tour hosted by the Scottish Seabird Centre, we first zipped over to Bass Rock to see the world’s largest colony of Northern gannets. The volcanic plug is home to 52,000 pairs of gannets, or more than 100,000 individual birds. The large seabirds return to this large rock each year to nest and forage for fish, making an impressive spectacle for visitors.

During a trip around the Isle of May, we spotted Atlantic puffins, guillemots, razorbills, shags, kittiwakes and gulls. Seeing puffins was high on our wishlist for Scotland, so it was thrilling to see them foraging, flying and living in their natural summer habitat. We even spotted a harbor seal and a few grey seals perched on a rock.

That afternoon, we visited one of Edinburgh’s lesser-known historical sites, Craigmillar Castle. Steeped in history, the well-preserved castle was first built by the Preston family in the 14th century and added to by other families in the 15th and 16th centuries. It is best known for its association with Mary, Queen of Scots, who stayed at the castle while ill.

Reunited with our friends in the evening, we swapped stories from the day, learning about Mara and Owen’s encounters with Highland cows and Sarah and Elijah’s trip to the beach. We kept wishing for one more day in the city, but knew our time was coming to an end.

Reuniting with some of my best friends in Scotland left me with countless memories and new experiences that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Until our next adventure, I still have the photos and the Scotch I brought home to remember this one by.

Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: [email protected]. Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.

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