Ramblings of a Kilted Mind: Down to Dumfries

I didn't get to post any the last couple of days because the last night in Inverness I was in a pub and then I didn't get internet access at Dumfries until today.

Tuesday I started at Elgin Cathedral. It was built in the 13th century and was the 2nd largest cathedral in Scotland.

Next was Spynie castle just outside of the town of Elgin. It used to guard the port of Elgin before the loch was purposely drained about 200 years ago to make more farm land available.

Next up was Huntly Castle, at one time home of the Gordons.

Wednesday I stopped by Urquhart castle and went inside.

Then I left Loch Ness and went into Glencoe, famous for the massacre of the MacDonald clan in 1692.

Now it is known more for it's fabulous scenery.

and the occasional highlander is known to show up from time to time:

After Glencoe I came to Dumfries and got settled in and this morning went to Caerlaverock castle. This is the 'new' castle which was started around 1278.

This is the 'old' castle. It was built about 50 years before the new one was started but they realized the site they had chosen was too close to the water so they moved to the new location several hundred feet away.

My next stop was Sweetheart Abbey, which was founded in 1275 by Dervorguilla of Galloway in memory of her husband, John de Balliol.

It's amazing to think that something over 700 years old is still standing.

After touring the abbey I had lunch at the little cafe next door, and the toffee shortbread sundae for dessert was just about the best thing I've eaten in a long time.

The views around Dumfries are beautiful. We're no longer in the highlands but it is still impressive.