Honeymoon Roundup - Nessie, and Our Last Day in Scotland

Leaving the Highlands

I hadn't wanted to go to Loch Ness at all. It was a tourist trap, not even one of the prettier lochs, and it was time we could be spending doing something more authentic. In fact, I was in a snit about leaving the highlands altogether. It was our last full day in Scotland, and I didn't want to say goodbye to the glorious mountains, the soft mists, the spectrum of greens. We were on a path back to Edinburgh, back to flatter lands and busier roads, leaving behind the one-lane mountain passes. The next day would see us on an early flight out.
And true, while there were speed boats that promised "Adventure!" and "Hunting the Monster!" on their sides in vinyl, Loch Ness itself was a perfectly charming place to grab lunch and enjoy eating it along the channel.

Before all of that, though, we left Plockton more beautiful that morning than we had seen it before, and made our way toward Eileen Donan Castle. The water in the harbor was still and glassy, reflecting the small town all around it.

I knew Eileen Donan mostly from Instagram, following the account prior to leaving. It is a lovely castle on the water, home to many weddings. It also has the traditional treacherous slippery stone steps, and a whole host of passageways to explore. We continued to be blessed with still reflective waters all that day, making Scotland just what I wanted - two of it.

We were able to spend some leisurely time exploring, moving through the tight enclosures and mossy exterior.

This was the last of the castles we would see, and it was interesting to note how different each of them was from the rest. Some were gilded, fit for princesses, and others were lost in rubble. Some were built with the idea of tours in mind while others were downright hazardous. A few had pristine gardens, and the rest grew wildflowers in stone notches.

We soon moved on, toward lunch and Nessie, but not without some tremendous views along the way. The highlands don't do anything by half measure.

Much as I had scorned it mentally, I still had to have my picture by Loch Ness. Lunch consisted of veggie burger and the ever present chips, while Alex had a curious neon green cup of pea mash. We had both expected it to be more like maybe mashed potatoes, but this was more like split pea soup, only...soupier? And bright. Abnormally bright. And it only had a tiny wooden implement with which to eat it. He stuck mostly to his protein bar and we both lounged by the welcoming sides of the canal. 

Before reaching Edinburgh, we made a stop by an old bridge with an impressive stone structure, as well as a lovely wooded path in the Cairngorms National Park. Here we walked on the spongey forest floor and gazed up at the native Caledonian Pines. This was another teaser - a place I could have stayed for hours, or perhaps even defected to and become a woodland creature myself.

Then we were off once more to Edinburgh, to race through the rain with our packs, and eat one more exhausted dinner at the hotel before our early departure.