Howard’s take on Ron and Val’s Post-Interaction Scotland Tour

A retrospective, with pictures and much silliness

Last modified 07 August 2007 22:55 Eastern Time

Interaction having concluded, several worldcon members went on a package tour around Scotland. Here are pictures by Yours Truly of what we saw.

The cast of characters can be seen here, or will be once I have selected the images and received permission to post them.

Each day but the first was begun with a Scottish breakfast, meaning various kinds of sausage, cold cereal, eggs, various kinds of carbs and other meats depending on the hotel, and rather varied levels of service.

Day

Events

1: 2005-08-08
(Monday)

Meet guide and our private motor coach for transfer to Edinburgh for personal exploration before meeting for the wonderful Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Dinner on your own. Late evening transfer to Dundee. Overnight at the Swallow Hotel, Dundee

2: 2005-08-09
(Tuesday)

Scottish Breakfast

Morning will be spent exploring Dundee, including visits to HMS Unicorn (the oldest British warship afloat) and Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s HMS Discovery (and the Tay Bridge).

Then we head to Angus and Glamis Castle, the childhood home of the Queen Mother and legendary setting for Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth.

Dinner and overnight at Swallow Hotel, Dundee

3: 2005-08-10
(Wednesday)

Scottish Breakfast

We head toward the highlands, starting with a visit to the Caithness Glass Factory (my shots) in Perth.

Next is a stop at the Edradour Whiskey Distillery (with a little sampling, of course).

We will pause in the Victorian town of Pitlochry, and Killiecrankie Pass with the Soldier’s Leap

then head higher up to the Grampian Mountains before arrival at our hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the Hilton Coylumbridge (with its “traditional Scottish fayre,” two swimming pools, and 65 acres of countryside - a place to chill out)

4: 2005-08-11
(Thursday)

Scottish Breakfast

We will first pause on Loch Ness to do some Loch Ness Monster spotting.

Continuing on down the Great Glen, we pause at Urquhart Castle

and then continue on to the town of Fort William at the foot of Britain’s highest Mountain, Ben Nevis,

before arriving at our hotel in the port of Oban.

Dinner and overnight at the Oban Bay Hotel [Note for American vistors: this hotel is traditional Scottish. Don’t expect showers here, only baths!]

5: 2005-08-12
(Friday)

Scottish Breakfast

This morning we will catch a ferry across to the Island of Mull.

A short drive across brings us to the small landing stage of Fionnphort.

From here, we will take a foot ferry to the small Island of Iona where we visit the Abbey.

In the afternoon, we will return to Mull and aim to spend time in the pretty town of Tobermory

before catching a late afternoon ferry back to Oban.

Dinner and overnight Oban Bay Hotel

6: 2005-08-13
(Saturday)

Scottish Breakfast

Heading south again, we will visit Inverary Castle

and then pause on the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond.

ADDED: Trip to Sterling Castle

We will then travel around Glasgow for our last night in Scotland at the Bowfield Country Club, where we can relax before the trip home.

Dinner and overnight at the Bowfield Country Club

7: 2005-08-14
(Sunday)

Scottish Breakfast

Transfer to airport at Glasgow, which will take approximately 30 minutes.