Photos by Request: Great Britain

[NewEnglandLady]

One of the trips on D and my "pre-baby" list was Scotland. We had been to Ireland in 2009 during the fall and really loved going that time of year, so we decided to go back to Scotland in the fall of 2010. I'd never been to London (D had) and D wanted to see Wales and rural England, so we decided to make it a Great Britain trip.

I never posted photos, but Jennifer was interested in seeing them, so I'm more than happy to post them now. I think we took over 1,000 photos on this trip, so this is a teeny tiny sliver.

I'm starting with London:

 

[Jennifer W]

Your Westminster Abbey shot is fantastic! Clear blue skies, too.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

The second set of photos are from Wales, Stonehenge and the Cotswolds in rural England. We saw a play at the Royal Shakespeare Theater in Statford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare's birthplace) and it was probably one of the bigget highlights of the trip. I also fell in love with North Wales--we stayed in this adorable town called Beddgelert and went to the top of Mt. Snowden (we climb the highest peak on all vacations).

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Here are some pics from Scotland. I absolutely loved Scotland and really fell in love with the Highlands. I really loved the Isle of Skye and Glencoe. We also went to Oban, but don't have a pic. We also visited Hadrian's wall and walked a couple of miles along it. The tree in the second shot was featured in Robin Hood...the Kevin Costner version.

 

[movie zombie]

nice shot of the Stones! the lack of tourists in the picture is amazing.

MoZo

 

[Jennifer W]

Stonehenge! I would love to see it. It looks amazing and I really should get round to planning a trip there.

 

[dragonfly411]

Stonehenge is amazing. I loved Stratford upon avon.

I remember that tree!! LOVE that picture! Have you thought of framing it?

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Final group of shots--these are from Inverness, St. Andrews and Edinburgh. We also visited Loch Ness and the battlefield at Culloden, which was such a great museum. I forgot to upload a shot from it, but it was another big highlight of the trip. The biggest surprise of the trip was St. Andrews. I love to golf and follow golf, so seeing the Old Course was exciting. What I couldn't believe is that you can just go out on the course so long as you don't get in the golfers' way. Crazy, right?!

 

[Jennifer W]

I love St Andrews. Did you enjoy Fife? That's where my family all come from on both sides, back as far as we can trace. I was the only one for centuries not actually born in Fife. I drove past three major hospitals during labour so my daughter could be a Fifer.

Looks like you got remarkably good weather for your trip!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

MZ--getting that shot was difficult because Stonehenge was SO busy that day. D went during the winter and he and his cousin were essentially the only tourists that day.

Jennifer--Stonehenge is really interesting, definitely worth a trip over there to see it.

Dragonfly-- last month I hung 46 framed shots that I call our "wall of memories". It's from various vacations we've taken since getting married three years ago. The shot of that tree definitely made the cut... in fact, about half of these photos made it to the wall.

 

[Jennifer W]

The photo of the castle with the forgotten name is incredible. What an awesome shot!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I really loved Fife--after St. Andrews we went down to the East Neuk--Anstruther, specifically. It was such a nice departure from touristy St. Andrews. I loved St. Andrews, but we drove down there after spending the morning in the Highlands and it was like night and day in terms of the number of tourists. It was nice to leave and spend a little time in Anstruther before heading to Edinburgh.

The castle shot is kind of funny. I'd taken a different photo of it on our way in, then gave the camera to my husband on the way out and he took this photo. We both said "I got a great shot of this castle", so then there was a showdown about whose photo was better. In the end, I agreed that I liked his slightly more and his shot made it to our wall of memories. Let me see if I can find my shot...

I did find it. I'm also including a shot of the battlefield at Culloden. These are tombs for entire clans.

 

[TravelingGal]

Ooh, thanks for sharing! We are planning a trip for September 2012, so are very excited! Great to see the pics!

 

[bebe]

Oh your pictures being back so many memories for me. DH and I had about 5 business trips to the UK. 2 lasting for 3+ plus weeks. During that time we explored like crazy !! I loved Scotland - the heather, the people, the quaint villages, the history!! I wish I could remember the castle name - is it the castle (ruins) on the lake where the legendary Lochness monster is said to live? Looks familiar to me.
Post more pics, I'd love to see them. Scotland is on our most go back list!

 

[yiska]

Those look great! I'm slightly embarrassed that I live in the UK and you've seen FAR more of it than me...

 

[Jennifer W]

Thank you for taking the time to post these. I'm really enjoying them! It looks like a fantastic trip, I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
I love Anstruther - we looked at a house there last year, but we were outbid. I was relieved in the end, it was something of an impulse! I'd love to move to there or Crail at some point, though. I'm on the East coast, but a little further south. I hope you managed to find some East Neuk seafood. Incredible crab and lobster. If you didn't, you'll have to come on back!

Thanks again!
Jen

 

[Jennifer W]

Ooh, thanks for sharing! We are planning a trip for September 2012, so are very excited! Great to see the pics!

Are you thinking of bringing Amelia?

 

[NewEnglandLady]

TG, you'll have an amazing time!

Bebe, I think you're thinking of Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness--we did see that one as well. But this one is close to Loch Ness, so maybe you are thinking of this one. I don't know why I can't find the name of this in the Rick Steves book. D will remember, I'll have to ask him.

Yiska, I think that happens to everybody--you tend to want to explore far from home. We had only been to the West Coast here in he U.S.once, I think, before we took a road trip out there.

 

[TravelingGal]

Ooh, thanks for sharing! We are planning a trip for September 2012, so are very excited! Great to see the pics!

Are you thinking of bringing Amelia?

Um....NO.

 

[Jennifer W]

Ooh, thanks for sharing! We are planning a trip for September 2012, so are very excited! Great to see the pics!

Are you thinking of bringing Amelia?

Um....NO.

Ha! That's probably the best plan. You have to see the East Neuk - I'm biased, but I think it's amazing.

 

[movie zombie]

Eilean Donan i believe is the name of your "unknown" castle.

Yes, Castle Urquhart and Loch Ness go together.......

i loved scotland.......and orkney as well. wales will always remain special to me, too.

MoZo

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Yay! Thanks, MZ, that's exactly right!

 

[Skippy123]

Wow, what an incredible trip!!! I love your pictures; they make me want to go back and go visit some place that I have never been to too! Great pics

 

[rosetta]

Beautiful pics!

 

[Pandora II]

Lovely photos!

MZ - you can't actually get very near the stones - they have a walkway round the outside but it's a fair way back so even when there are loads of people it is possible to take photos with no-one in them!

When I was little I actually climbed on the stones... in those days there wasn't any gift shop/ticket office etc, you just stopped at the side of the road!

 

[atroop711]

just PERFECTION! Love the pics..so gorgeous. Thanks for sharing

 

[movie zombie]

yes, i know as i've been to the Stones.......but one of the first through the gate first thing when they opened one morning. before the tour buses showed up and unloaded. while most were still have breakfast. when the parking lot wasn't filled and i had the pick of places to park. an amazing space even after the other tourists showed up. but this is one of many special stone places in the Isles.........

MoZo

ps go north in scotland, really north. come around a corner and find an old abandoned castle built next to the sea or in a lake...built to protect against the vikings so many years ago.

and standing on Hadrian's Wall looking north imagining what the romans were fearing.....

oh, yes, many wonderful memories of scotland.....

thanks for the pictures that have my mind tripping back to that road trip.

 

[kenny]

Thanks for the wonderful pics.

I love traveling vicariously

 

[katamari]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed looking at them.

 

[lulu66]

loved your pics!! thanks for showing them to us