In The Mountains And Valleys Of Scotland

I flew to Scotland because I needed a moment of respite. Something in me screamed that I had to go to Scotland again and better sooner than later. I was working as a bar manager at a beach restaurant, a demanding job. I did not know how I would suddenly be able to take a break and fly because even a Saturday off was impossible to achieve.

I talked to my manager and told him that I should probably leave because I felt as though I was drowning at work, to the extent that I was losing myself and I had to listen to myself and fly. He told me I could go and come back and it would be okay. So I booked a flight and two weeks later I was in Scotland.

The last time I was in Scotland I went on a lot of day trips. Let’s say that I saw most of the famous places. I knew I wanted this trip to be calmer. I remembered that amongst all the places I had been on the previous trip, I had told myself that Glenceo was a place to remember, a place to return to. So I booked a hotel for four days in Ballachulish, a village in the Glenceo area and another five days in Edinburgh, the capital city.

Glenceo is a remnant of an ancient volcano named after the Ceo River that flows through the valley.

I went to Ballachulish straight from Edinburgh Airport. I tried to book the tickets for the trip in advance, but I could not understand how their bus system worked. I took a bus from the airport to Glasgow. When I got to the bus stop to Ballachulish I discovered that everyone who was waiting had managed to book the ticket in advance and that the bus was fully booked. I waited for all the passengers to board and luckily some of the passengers who had booked a ticket did not arrive, so I was able to board the bus straight after I got to the station and didn’t have to wait for two hours for the next bus.

The road was stunning in its beauty, we drove through Loch Lemond, the largest water source in UK, into tangled forests towards mountains and amazing valleys where many waterfalls and rivers are hidden in every corner. I was anxious about missing my stop and was helped by a local app which unfortunately dropped me off one stop before I needed, about an hour and a half walk from my hotel. Of course from that moment on I only used Google Maps, but I had to walk for an hour and a half with a huge backpack and a very stuffed bag.

I took a backpack because I couldn’t remember if there are pavements in the Highlands. Well there are, it is not a third world country.

I got there exhausted, but I managed to arrive. I discovered how much inner and physical strength I actually have on that walk. The truth is I enjoyed the walk with impressive mountains on all sides, a lake and lots of waterfalls and trees. Of course as soon as I unpacked my bags, I was filled with renewed energy and went for a walk around the hotel area, which was beautiful. I was looking for somewhere to buy lunch, a place that does not exist in the town I was in, especially off-season. Despite this I really enjoyed the walk in the area and had an early dinner at my hotel.

 



























In the Glenceo area there were no street lamps at all, so after the sun set, it was completely dark. Luckily the hotel I was in was stunning. It had a living room with antique sofas, in an old world design, including a big fireplace and a bar, so I was happy to spend my evenings there.

In the morning I planned to go on a trail at Glenceo, but I couldn’t find the bus stop that was closer to my hotel. As I already knew the way from the day before I decided to just continue on foot. Suddenly a car stopped and a girl got out to take a photo of the landscape. I knew it was my sign to ask for a ride. The people were nice and I felt safe in their car, maybe because they were hiking with dogs or because they were travelers themselves. The car drove faster than the bus would have driven and we were so immersed in the conversation that I totally missed the place where I wanted to get out.

Consequently, by the time I said goodbye to the people in the car and checked where I was, I was a six hours walk from my hotel. For a moment I was stressed, but then I remembered that the day before, I had seen someone get on the bus that I was traveling on, near to where I had just been dropped off. It was further than I had intended to go, but I had already arrived and was glad I had the opportunity to walk in such beautiful surroundings.

So I started out on a walking trail and calculated the time so that I would not miss the next bus (in another three hours). Apparently I did not calculate the time as well as I had thought and found myself almost an hour ahead of time at the bus stop. Happily, the bus stop was in front of a mighty mountain near a raging river so I had the opportunity to sit and enjoy the view.

The next day I managed to find the bus stop that is closer to my hotel and went towards the trail I had missed the day before. I entered the heart of a beautiful forest in the fall and the first thing I felt was fear. In Israel I do not allow myself to walk alone in the forest, as much as I would like. Near every forest there is a village hostile to Israelis and I have heard many stories about girls who lost their lives in this way. I reminded myself that I was in Scotland and that there were no big, scary men waiting to harm people like me and even if there were, I have a good punch and a great kick.

Right at the beginning of the route into the forest I met Joann. First of all it was nice to see that there were other girls doing that trail alone (after Joanna I saw a few more girls hiking alone), but there was something about Joanna that immediately made me want to interview her for an article I was preparing. During our conversation I saw that we had a lot in common and I  enjoyed her company. She also seemed to enjoy my company and we continued to do the rest of the trail together and also went for a joint lunch.

There is something about the landscape of the Highlands in Scotland that cannot be put into words, but Edinburgh is also full of charm.

In Edinburgh I slept in a hotel in the GrassMarket next to Victoria Street. So I was right in the center and I had a castle view from my room, which was really nice because in the evening the castle is bright and gives a really magical spectacle. Edinburgh has street lamps so I allowed myself to walk around even after the sun went down, because of course the days were short and there was a lot to do.

In Edinburgh I only walked around because I enjoyed the buildings and the bagpipe players scattered around the city.

I like Scottish construction. It is different from the rest of the buildings in Europe, not only the type of stone they used, but the whole archhitecture itself. It is not fancy, but still impressive. It is special and majestic but also simple, magical, but accessible. It is full of history, but it feels more legendary in my opinion.

There is a lot to see and do in Edinburgh and in Scotland as a whole. I will expand on this in a follow-up post with recommendations and coverage of transport routes that will combine my two trips to Scotland and include the places I visited in Edinburgh and the Highlands.

That’s something to look forward to.