Day 5: Inverness
Sheepdogs, Culloden Battlefield and a Town by the River
Today was a highlight for many people on our tour.
We waved goodbye to Kenmore and boarded the coach for Inverness.
But first … PUPPIES!!
We waved goodbye to Kenmore and boarded the coach for Inverness.
But first … PUPPIES!!
Just down the road from the farm was a hotel where we stopped for lunch. Today, we didn't get a choice of entrée but no one was complaining! We were all served beautiful scones with whipped cream and strawberries and steaming bowls of scotch broth. A traditional soup made with mutton, barley and vegetables, scotch broth is simple and filling and truly divine. The broth itself was rich and wonderful and I've never tasted mutton so tender and delicious! Perfect on such a chilly day.
A scone making demonstration followed in the lobby of the hotel. |
The next stop was Culloden Battlefield. Anne gave us a summary of the story as we approached the battlefield so we knew the gist before arriving. In 1746, the Jacobite rebellion met its end when they were defeated by the Duke of Cumberland and the Royal Army. The rebels were fighting for Charles Stuart, better know as "Bonnie Prince Charlie," to retake the British throne from King George II. The Jacobites were defeated soundly. The wall Anne is standing next to in the above photo shows a visual representation of the some 2,000 rebels who were killed, compared to the maybe 300 government soldiers who died.
After Culloden, the bagpipe, the kilt and tartans was made illegal and clan chiefs deposed. Rick writes in the Scotland guidebook: "Scottish culture would never fully recover from the events of the campaign called 'The '45.'" While many locals admire Bonnie Prince Charlie, Anne repeatedly called him "an idiot" for his failure as a military leader. The museum itself is good and contains a powerful video that makes you feel like you are a part of the battle (not for the faint of heart). After you make your way through the museum, you can explore the battlefield for yourself. Matt and I opted not to get the audio guide however some of our tourmates said it was great. I imagine it would have been helpful to have at the battlefield as much there is unmarked. Charlie fled to the Isle of Skye after Culloden and when he left for Rome it is said he left with the recipe for Drambuie, a spiced honey liqueur. True to form, Anne greeted us a the coach with Rusty Nails, a cocktail made with Drambuie and whisky, for us to try. |
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We pulled into Inverness and many tour members (ourselves included) took the opportunity to dropped off some clothes to be laundered. We picked them up the next day and it cost us £12 for a small garbage bag full.
In Inverness, our group was split between two hotels. We stayed in the Glenmoriston Town House Hotel. Perhaps because we were one of the younger couples on this tour we got a room on the top floor. We understood ahead of time that our hotels might not have elevators and we take the "no grumps" commitment seriously so we carried our bags by ourselves up, up, up to our room with no problem. We were a little taken aback, however, by the fact that, due to the slanting of the ceiling, our shower did not have a stand! We had to take our showers sitting down in the bathtub. Again, having known ahead of time that our hotels might be a little colorful, this was more of a surprise than a problem. While this particular quirk may have been unexpected, we were hoping for dynamic, interesting hotels on this trip. We didn't want to stay in American-style hotels everywhere we went and it certainly makes for a good story. After we dropped off our bags we headed out to the Malt Room to do a little whisky tasting. We both selected a flight of whisky to sample. It is dark and moody in the Malt Room and the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. I'd definitely recommend a stop if you are interesting in sampling a little whisky but don't know where to start (or even if you do - they have a large variety). After our whisky we made our way to Apsendos Mediterranean and Turkish Restaurant recommend in the guide book. It was very good and not too crowded. We turned in for an early night and feel asleep to music playing somewhere I couldn't place. |
TASTING NOTES
Interested in drinking scotch whisky - simply "whisky" when you are in Scotland - but find yourself on a learning curve? Not to worry. There's a lot to know but it is tasty work.
*Scotland has five distinct whisky regions: Lowlands, Highlands, Campbeltown, Islay and Speyside. Much like how terroir - the soil, water, air, etc. - effects the taste of a wine, each different regions produce very different whiskys. This guide on Visit Scotland's website was very helpful to me when learning about the whisky regions of Scotland.
*You may have heard of a single malt and blended whisky. Here's the difference: a single malts come form the same distillery and made with the same process whereas blends are a combintation of producers.
*Taste a few things at home to figure out what you like. See if you can find a local restaurant that offers a Scottish whisky flight.
*Most importantly, the best whisky in Scotland will be the whisky you like. Matt loves the peaty, smoky Islays. I think they tastes like football pitch on fire and prefer the sweeter Campbeltowns. It's about personal preference. Experiment and enjoy! Slàinte!
Interested in drinking scotch whisky - simply "whisky" when you are in Scotland - but find yourself on a learning curve? Not to worry. There's a lot to know but it is tasty work.
*Scotland has five distinct whisky regions: Lowlands, Highlands, Campbeltown, Islay and Speyside. Much like how terroir - the soil, water, air, etc. - effects the taste of a wine, each different regions produce very different whiskys. This guide on Visit Scotland's website was very helpful to me when learning about the whisky regions of Scotland.
*You may have heard of a single malt and blended whisky. Here's the difference: a single malts come form the same distillery and made with the same process whereas blends are a combintation of producers.
*Taste a few things at home to figure out what you like. See if you can find a local restaurant that offers a Scottish whisky flight.
*Most importantly, the best whisky in Scotland will be the whisky you like. Matt loves the peaty, smoky Islays. I think they tastes like football pitch on fire and prefer the sweeter Campbeltowns. It's about personal preference. Experiment and enjoy! Slàinte!