Hello future Glaswegians!
Today, I want to talk about two road trips that I did while I was in Scotland. These two trips were absolutely amazing and are some of the best memories I will keep from my year spent here. I did both of these trips with University friends, so not only were they a great way to discover the wonders of the country but also allowed me to create very strong friendships.
'Truly magnificent' island
The first road trip lasted three days, we rented two cars and drove to the Isle of Skye. This island is gorgeous and features so many amazing places and things to see. I highly recommend going there and seeing for yourself how truly magnificent it is!
On the way to the island, you will drive near Loch Lomond, Glencoe and the Eilean Donan Castle (picture below) you should definitely stop along the way to look at the beautiful landscapes around you. On the island make sure to go to the Fairy Pools, Neist Point, the Old Man of Storr, and plenty other remarkable spots which are best described in travel guides.
We went on our trip at the end of September which was a great period as there were not a lot of tourists, and the weather was still nice. We slept in comfortable and quite cheap youth hostels, many of them are on the island. At first, the idea of driving on the left, on the 'wrong side of the road' was pretty scary but honestly you get used to it very quickly and it wasn’t a problem for more than 30 minutes!
Astonishing landscapes
The second road trip took place at the end of the first semester, at the beginning of the Christmas Holidays. During this four-day trip we travelled along the North Coast 500, the road that goes along the north coast of Scotland.
Again, we were astonished by how beautiful the landscapes were each time the road turned and we encountered a new view (picture below). During this trip, we also took the opportunity to visit a whisky distillery (definitely a must-see if you spend a year in Scotland!).
In just 30 minutes of travelling, you can go from the Highlands, a mountainous terrain, to sandy beaches and fishing villages. Make sure to stop at the very top of Scotland, in John O’Groats, to see an amazing rock formation in the sea (picture below).
I would recommend stopping at the fishing village of Durness, as it contains the best traditional Scottish pub that I went to in Scotland.
Wonderful village
South of Durness, we found the wonderful village of Ullapool. From there, we travelled east to go back to Inverness and the Loch Ness. After everything that I had witnessed, the Loch Ness was definitely not the most beautiful place in Scotland, but you have to go there, as any proper tourist would!
Most beautiful country I have ever visited
I will always have amazing memories from these two trips. Scotland is truly the most beautiful country I have ever visited, and I hope that you will have the opportunity to discover it as I did.
Pierre
