Scottish Borderlands & Hadrian's Wall

Pictures are Here

We traveled on a tour bus that had stops at Roslyn Chapel, the borders, and at an old Roman outpost along Hadrian's wall called Vercovicium, or Housesteads.

Rosyln Chapel was an amazing structure. It is currently covered by a steel superstructure to keep the rain off and allow moisture to dry out of the sandstone structure prior to sealing. The moisture has been destroying the chapel. Unfortunately, there is no secret Templar library in the basement, just a small room, but there is an intriguing hole in the top of the staircase revealing an empty space beneath the chapel. A few years ago they good sonar readings from the ground beneath the church and found that that their are catacombs beneath it and that the space below is as big and deep as the space above. Pictures where not permited inside and trees and the steel structure made any attempt to frame a decent shot outside futile. It will have to stick in our memory. The steel frame should be dismantled by August 2010.

Hadrian's wall was well worth the long drive southward. The old fort is nearly all rubble, but you can get a real feel for the this one time dividing line between civilization and the frontier by standing on the wall and staring off into the northern frontier. The wind was very harsh and sheep where many making walking very hazardous. forget about laying on that grass.

Very beautiful country.

West Highlands of Scotland

Photos are here.

I have to say I originally hated the idea of taking a bus tour while on vacation, but the more of them I take, the more I like them.   Here we traveled from Edinburgh into the West highlands visiting castles and lochs.

• Castle Duone -- Used for a number of scenes in Monty Python's Holy Grail.
  
• Castle Kilchurn -- Ask Kai for the story on how the driver almost did not take us to see this great castle.  This is situated on the shores of Loch Awe.
  
• Invernary Castle -- The seat of the clan chief of clan Campbell, the Duke of Argyll.
  
• Loch Lomond -- Yes the one in the song.
  
• Stirling Castle --  Everyone who has seen Braveheart knows this one.
  

The Highlands are striking for their spartan beauty and unspoiled wilderness.  Driving in and around Scotland was the first time that I felt like I had entered country that nature holds more sway than man while I was in Europe.    A remarkable place.

The best shots of this trip was a series I caught of Kai looking out of the window on the second floor of castle Kilchurn.   I try not to repeat a lot of shots, but I like these a great deal so posted all of them.  She looks great.

National Museum of Scotland

The National Museum of Scotland allows photos.   Some really great stuff here for history fans, but no great aesthitic photos.    I liked the Isle of Lewis Chess set and Pictish ornements--particuarlly the chains of estate and authority that look very familar to me.

Pictures are here