Scotland 2014 - 8th Day

Our trip to Scotland

EIGHTH DAY: This was the last day, so we had a relaxed schedule. We started the day leaving all our luggage at a hotel room, ready to be picked up after lunch time.
We visited the magnificent Saint Mary's Cathedral, followed by Saint John's Chapel and then we took a stroll through the picturesque Princess Street Gardens, from where we could enjoy the glorious scenic views overlooking the valley, reputed to be one of the favourite beauty spots of Edinburgh. We walked passing the Scott Monument until "Princes Mall" galleries where we had some free time to enjoy the last shopping before having lunch at a typical Scottish pub, the famous "The Grosvenor" pub. We had a very nice lunch in a very cute pub and we soon left to pick our luggage up at our hotel and get a bus to the Edinburgh airport. 
We had a pleasant flight to Barcelona and we were sound and safe back to our high school in Les Borges Blanques, with breathtaking memories of all our journey throughout Scotland. 
Bye bye Scotland, we'll miss you!

Saint Mary's Cathedral.

Saint Mary's Cathedral seen by one side

Saint John's at the beginning of Princess Street

A view of the Edinburgh castle from Princess Street

Another view of the gardens

Having a walk along the Princess Street Gardens

Jumping in the air

Another pic of our group in the park

The back houses of the Royal Mile.

Our ladies saying bye bye

A view of the Scott Monument

At the entrance of "Princes Mall"

Having lunch at the pub "The Grosvenor"

Another view from inside

A funny pic of two tables 

"The Grosvenor"

Our last meal at Edinburgh was in the pub the Grosvenor

The Grosvenor pub.

At Edinburgh Airport at the boarding gate.

Over the clouds!

Scotland 2014 - 7th day

Our trip to Scotland

SEVENTH DAY: We started the tour early in the morning at 7'45. It was the longest one-day trip and lasted 12 hours. Our experienced and friendly guide was a fantastic storyteller, who taught us about Scotland's rich history, its people and culture along the whole trip.
We were driven along the Lothian county passing the Forth Rail Bridge and up to the Highlands. We could see a great variety of wonderful landscapes, large green meadows where cattle grazed freely, with animals such as Scottish cows, sheep, deers and horses. We stopped at the Victorian resort town of Pitlochry, we crossed the woodland scenery of Perthshire and we went on crossing the Grampian Mountains, the Cairngorms National Park till Inverness, the Capital of Highlands. We went on towards Loch Ness, we were astonished by the breathtaking scenery as we were travelling through some of the most remote and beautiful parts of Scotland. Loch Ness is 24 miles long and over 700 feet deep and it is most famous for sightings of the Loch Ness monster, affectionatelly known as "Nessie". 
We took a cruise across the loch for an hour admiring the awesome scenery on deck, and having a pack-lunch inside it. We were driven along the shoreline to the ruins of the ancient Urquhart Castle. Later, we stopped for a while at the modern visitor centre and we took a picture of Nessie.
Travelling on, we admired the Caledonian canal and the pretty village of Fort Augustus. Then, we entered to the natural beauty of Great Glen. Continuing via Loch Linnhe, we stopped in the Fort William area for a while, then journey onwards, passing beneath Britain's highest snowy mountains, Ben Nevis.
We travelled onwards through Rob Roy Country of Clans MacGregor and Campbell, and then over the dramatic landscape of Rannoch Moor to Glencoe, one of the Scotland's most famous glens, site of the 1692 massacre of the Clan MacDonald. Here we paused for photo stop and soaked up the atmosphere in this haunting glen.
We went on seeing some Highland cattle up close. Continuing towards Stirling, we stopped at the magnificent Stirling Castle, sitting high on volcanic rock and offering wonderful views of the sorrounding landscape. We learnt about the land and legends of Scottish heroes such as William Wallace and Rob Roy. And we could take a picture of the Wallace Monument, a stone tower testimonial to the Scottish legend of William Wallace at the top of a hill. Then, we travelled back to Edinburgh. 
It was such a complete day!

The Forth Rail Bridge, near Edinburgh - Lothian

The Grampian Mountains lanscape

Another pic when going to Loch Ness

The beginning of the Loch Ness

The monster of the Loch Ness, "Nessie"

A lot of vegetation in the shoreline of the loch.

We took a Cruise on the lake Ness, also called Loch Ness.

A group of our students on deck.

On a cruise on the Loch Ness, looking for Nessie.

A view from the lake of the Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness.

Another view of the ruins of the ancient Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness.

The teachers Noemi and Teresa

We say good bye to Loch Ness

Our group at Loch Ness

The Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition

Loch Ness and the snowy Highlands Mountains

The road towards the natural beauty of the Great Glen

The snowy mountains and just behind the clouds, there is the highest mountain in the UK, Ben Nevis.

A restaurant close to Ben Nevis.

 Rob Roy County, in the Highlands, one of the Scotland's most famous glens.

Soaking up the atmosphere in this haunting glen , in the Highlands

 Rob Roy County glen, in the Highlands

 Rob Roy County, in the Highlands

The dramatic lanscape of Ronnoch Moor towards Glencoe

Other minor lakes in the Highlands such as Loch Linnhe.

Our students and a group of Higland cows  close to the grassland fence in the meadow.

Highland cows, also known  as "Hairy coo".

Large meadows of numerous sheep up close.

The road towards Stirling.

Stirling and the Wallace Monument at the background.
A towering stone testimonial to the Scottish legend William Wallace.

A view of vast fields were the English were defeated by the Scottish in 1297.
They destroyed the myth of English invincibility.

The magnificent Stirling Castle.