Vacation in the UK

[Richrail]

We just spent 3 weeks in the U.K., we had a wonderful time and weather only rain on us once while we were in Scotland and that was the day we visited Culloden.

Hiking at Blair Atholl while my wife and her sister where riding Highland Ponies. My wife got to ride the same pony that Jenna Coleman rode for the BBC's "Victoria".

Kilcurn Castle.

Balvenie Castle

Oban High School pipe band

Highclere Castle for the Cakes and Concertos event.

[Jock Scot]

I am glad it went well for you all. A lot can happen in three weeks, particularly when you are travelling quite widely and covering a lot of events. If you don't mind, I would be very interested in your impressions and comments-------good and not so good----- of your visit.

[Richrail]

I am glad it went well for you all. A lot can happen in three weeks, particularly when you are travelling quite widely and covering a lot of events. If you don't mind, I would be very interested in your impressions and comments-------good and not so good----- of your visit.

.

We did self catering and Airbnb.com where we booked are bed and breakfasts. We stayed two weeks and Scotland and a week between Wales and England. The weather was wonderful, the driving for Americans is a challenge, the roads in Scotland seem to be narrower than the ones in England. We were actually run off the road by a Lorry that had crossed to middle line with no passing place close. The Sat-Nav in the rental car was spotty at best, my wife had purchased a international calling and data plan so we were able to use google maps which seemed to work a lot better. Everyone we encountered from shop clerks to restaurant service and castle tour guides were wonderful and friendly, especially we they found out we had come from Nevada in the western U.S.A. We stayed in Stirling for six days at a wonderful self catering apartment. We were able to walk to Stirling castle and to dinners and the train. Unfortunately we only had one day in Edinburgh and the weekend was a bank holiday so there were lots of tourist, we do wish/plan to visit again and to see more of the beautiful city but stay away from the Royal Mile. We live in a tourist town so we should have known what a holiday would bring, oh well things could have been worse but we loved everything we did. We did like getting off the beaten path we visited the town of Keith and loved it. Also we enjoyed Skye a lot we walked around Portree had dinner a "the Pier hotel" It was wonderful. We loved Oban, after dinner we walked around the city and felt very comfortable. I got a positive comments when I did wear my kilt. The guest a Highclere castle for the event we went to loved it. I think over all this was a trip of a life time. We look forward to visiting again in the future, we have a bucket list a places we want to see and experience. We covered 2200 miles in our three weeks the scenery was amazing, I'm pretty sure we took over 3000 pictures. Thank goodness for digital cameras. We had places we wanted to see but we had no timetable so that made things more relaxed. As we where driving if we saw a sign for something that looked interested we would stop and investigate it, I think we saw more places like this then the ones we had planned to see.

[Tarheel]

Thank you for the extra information (per Jock's request). I couldn't wish a better time for such a deserving couple. A toast to many more adventures.

[Jock Scot]

Thank you so much that is very useful. It is very difficult for us locals to know and it is very helpful when giving out advice to those from afar, with what is a far more up to date and accurate impression of how various venues may rate.

Come back soon.

[Richrail]

Some of the Wonderful places we stumbled upon.
Balvenie Castle


Kilcurn Castle


In England we found Tinterny Abby

[ThistleDown]

So glad you enjoyed your time in Scotland. Haste ye back.

[grizzbass]

nice shots. It's been several years since I saw England and Scotland. The fact my oldest daughter lives there with her family makes it more of a need to go.