It was hard saying goodbye to the McIntosh’s after another warm hearty Scottish breakfast, but we did. May took a lovely photo of us with Duncan standing in their front yard overlooking Loch Ness. A final note about their home…for those who know the famous picture of “Nessie” (the Loch Ness Monster) from 1922, it was taken within about 100ft. from their property!

After a few tears and big warm hugs we started down the road toward Castle Urquhart, which was about 15 miles from the B&B. Urquhart is the largest castle ruins in the Highlands. There has been a fort on the rocky perch overlooking Loch Ness since around 300AD.  St. Columba visited the Pictish Lord of Urquhart in 570AD preaching Christianity. The Lord and his family were converted. The castle went through several reconstructions over the next 1100 yrs. It reached its height of power between 13^th-17^th centuries. Lord Grant, Chief of Clan Grant, was given ownership in the mid 1500’s. In 1689 the current Grants were loyalists to the Crown and did not want to join in the first Jacobite uprising of 1689. Knowing they couldn’t hold the castle, the Chief decided to blow up the tower and gate before the Jacobites arrived. He set his own castle on fire to keep it from being used as a stronghold by his enemy! It has lain in ruins ever since. The sun came out while we were there and you could see for miles up and down the Loch. Alas no Loch Ness Monster spotting!

Once again we warmed up with tea and coffee and then drove south down the A82. This is the main road through this section of the Highlands. The windy two-lane road took us through quaint villages, pass sparkling lochs, and majestic snow covered mountains. After an hour we were in Glen Coe. Words cannot truly capture the beauty of this picturesque Glen (valley in English). The mountains tower over the narrow River Coe, which flows gently through the snow covered glen floor.  The mountainsides shimmered as the intense late afternoon sunlight streamed down the peaks. There were very few cars on the road and at every turnoff another grand view met our eyes.

The Glen is known also for a horrific massacre that took place on 13 February 1692 when the Chief of the MacDonald’s failed to make it in time to a signing of allegiance to King William III. In return the king decided to make an example of disloyalty and ordered a troop of Campbell’s from Fort William to go down and befriend the MacDonald’s. Two days later the Campbell’s slaughtered the 38 men, burned their homes, and 40 women and children were left to freeze to death in the winter snows. It is said that if you listen carefully you can hear the moaning cries of the women and children on the winds that blow through the glen. As I stood looking down the glen and listening to the little river Coe run gently a chill ran up my spine. I looked over at Liam and he back at me. He too felt an otherworldly presence within the grandeur of Glencoe.

Our day ended driving further south out of the Highlands, through Glasgow, and down to Troon, a lowland town along the western coast in Ayrshire. Our host Mr. Peter had a sweet orange tabby named Tosh who received a lot of love and petting from us!