This past weekend was one of the best weekends of my life. All Butler programs in Scotland were taken on a trip through the Highlands to Inverness, a city of about 50,000 in northern Scotland. The entire trip was unbelievable and so much fun, and everyone on the program bonded and had a wonderful time.
We met the buses at 7:30 am (way to early!) on Friday morning and began our journey up north. A group of about 15 of us stuck together the whole trip, beginning with our first bus ride, and we all managed to sit and stay together throughout the weekend. After a very long and bumpy ride, we made it to our first stop-the Hermitage in Dunkeld. The Hermitage is a beautiful area in the woods, with lots of paths for hiking and walking. There is a stunning waterfall, and our tour guide told us that famous British writers used to go there to take hard drugs, get stoned, and ponder life. Weird. The weather wasn’t the greatest, but the waterfall was stunning and it was great to get some fresh air after the long bus ride.
After a quick stop for lunch in Pitlochry, a small town that is the self proclaimed “gateway to the Highlands” we continued the drive up north to Glenfinnan, a touristy spot on a loch with a statue of Bonnie Prince Charlie (a Scottish leader). Glenfinnan is known for its great views of the Jacobite Express, a train that the Hogwarts Express was modeled after. I think that is also the train used in the Harry Potter movies. After a short hike to a viewing spot, we got to see the Hogwarts Express! As most of you know, I have an unhealthy obsession with Harry Potter, so this was an enormous deal for me. Glenfinnan was our last stop for the day, so from there, we continued to our hostel. That evening, we went to a local pub with tons of other Butler students to hear some great live Scottish music. Our program leaders and our tour guide even made it out, so it was a really fun night!
Saturday was another bright and early morning, but the day was worth it. Our guide told us that normally it rains almost everyday during this time of year in the Highlands, but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. We began our morning at Culloden Battlefield, the site of an important battle between the Scottish and British during the Jacobite rebellion. The Scots got demolished, but it’s still a celebrated site. It was so eerie because the entire field was covered in a thick fog, and you could just make out headstones marking where different clans had fallen during the battle. After the battlefield, the group traveled to an enormous farm in Kingaussie for a sheepdog display! The farm was huge and so picturesque, set in the middle of the hills with sheep and Highland cows dotting the landscape. The shepherd showed us how herding sheep worked, and it was unbelievable how smart the sheepdogs were! They each had their own set of sounds and motions, and could respond immediately when presented with a command. At one point during the display, a rouge sheep almost mauled us, but luckily the dogs got him back in line. The shepherd trained all of the dogs and pigs in the movie “Babe” so he definitely knew what he was doing. He also showed us how to shear a sheep! He owns over 2,500, so he’s mastered the craft, but he let us all have a turn. The highlight for all of the girls though was the puppies. They had puppies that were about a month old, and then a bucketful (yes, a bucketful) of puppies that were only 10 days old! I debated stealing one; they were so cute!
After the sheepdog display and a quick stop for lunch, we continued to the Glenlivet Distillery to learn about the process of making whiskey. The tour was really cool, and we learned all about the distilling process. At the end of the tour, we were able to try a 12 year, 15 year, and 18 year whiskey. It was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever tasted. I don’t understand why people pay money for it. The tour guide also told us that they have a barrel of whiskey distilled in 1962 that they’ll open in 2012. These bottles of 50 year old whiskey will sell for up to 10,000 pounds! In my opinion, whoever’s buying that definitely has more money than brains.
The final day of our trip began with a cruise on Loch Ness. Despite our efforts, nobody spotted Nessie. Our boat dropped us off at Urquhart Castle, where we were greeted by a man playing the bagpipes for us. So Scotland. We got to explore what was left of the castle (much of it had been destroyed by the British) and took plenty of great photos. From there, we made our last stop at Glencoe, a gorgeous stop in the Highlands where part of Braveheart was filmed. It’s a huge valley with a sad history. The MacDonald clan, considered “royalty” of the Highlands, was slaughtered here by the British after refusing to succumb to unfair British laws and practices. When my ancestors moved from Scotland to the United States, they changed their name from MacDonald to Fisher. I’d like to think that my ancestors were the ones that fought the British and won (or maybe just the ones who ran for the hills as fast as they could). From Glencoe, we worked our way back through the Highlands and into Edinburgh while watching Braveheart on the bus. It doesn’t get much more Scottish than that.
I could not have asked for a better trip and experience. Everyone got along so well, even though we were cooped up on a bus for much of the trip. Our tour guide was amazing and extremely knowledgeable and so much fun to hang out with for the weekend. I can’t say enough good things about the Highlands and this trip, and although it sounds cheesy, it made me so grateful for the opportunities I have. I felt so lucky to have such great company while having the time of my life. This trip is definitely going to be hard to beat!
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