Trip to Scotland 1983: Four and half months in the Highlands and Islands

[DCampbell16B]

(Please forgive the jumping back and forth in tenses. Some of this is my memories and some is direct from my journal.)

Edinburgh Addenda: On my last day in Edinburgh the Queen arrived in town, although I didn’t see her. Prince Philip was opening something in the afternoon. I wandered around the Grassmarket

I was sitting at a table for Sunday dinner with the pastor, his son, and a friend. One of them asked me my plans, to which I replied that I was “going to bum around the Highlands”. This drew funny looks and faces! It took me three seconds to realize what I had said, after which I had to explain how the word “bum” is used in the States.

As I was checking different stores for a daywear jacket, I was in one where a little boy, maybe 3 years old, was being fitted for a kilt and jacket for some occasion. The dad and the shop assistant were trying to get them on him. The boy had his back to a full length mirror. When they finally got the kilt and jacket straightened out they turned the boy around. When the boy saw himself, the crying stopped instantly, and he had such a look of joy and wonder on his face.

I caught the Stirling bus about 9:30. Met a piper from the Gordons. £1.70 for the ride. Could see the top of the Forth Bridge in the distance. Everything was very green. Passed 3 or 4 slag piles, possibly from coal mines? Passed through Linlithgow and Falkirk. Saw the hills to the north getting higher.

The hostel in Stirling was closed until 5:00. Got something to eat and ate overlooking the Carse. Standing there I am on my own and not “lost”. I know where I am going and am no longer answerable to anyone.

10p phone (don’t remember who I called)
63p lunch
1.70 bus
1.00 castle entrance
2.30 to stay at the youth hostel
35p to store the suitcase
18p for tea
75p fish and chips

Stirling Castle has better views than Edinburgh Castle (possibly I noted that because the Esplanade was basically bleachers). Stirling feels more available to visitors. The Argylls have an info branch here, and the 23rd Cadet training company is here. The Argylls were in Cyprus until June ’84, then transferring to Craigiehall.

I went through the museum, but I won’t bore you with my notes.

Trying to decide about going to Cupar and Comrie, and eventually Perth.

Hostel warder kindly looked after my pack while I went to shop for some souvenir.

Asked one of the guides at on the Castle parade ground the name of the mountain to the north. “Those are the Grampians. Been there for years.” (Well, I had wanted to know the name of a particular one, but he was funny enough I let it slide.)

That night I stayed in Argyll’s Lodging, so I got to stay in a building which belonged to the chief of the clan (not really that big a deal...). I understand that now it is a museum. Then it was pretty spartan, and work was ongoing.

Bought jam, oatcakes, bread for meals.

For those of you unfamiliar with Youth Hostels here is an introduction as to how it was then (there have been changes in the intervening years). You joined by paying a fee, and were issued a pass card with your picture. You were provided a bed in a dormitory and a place to cook your meals and eat. A hostel warden was in charge. You paid the fee and your pass was stamped. You were expected to do some chore as assigned to assist with the care of the hostel. The cost to stay was minimal, worked on a scale. The scale was as follows: Level 1 you got hot showers, Level 2 you could get a hot shower if you put a 5p piece in the slot, Level 3 the warden dumped a bucket of water over you.