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Loch Ness
Keith Stokes' Scotland Trip 

Day 4 - The Highlands and Loch Ness

Tuesday morning I was back at Timberbush by 8:15AM for the Loch Ness tour. After the Borders looked so beautiful the day before, I wanted to see some of the Highlands. There were two vehicles going, though we would have almost no contact between them - a 36 passenger bus and a 24 passenger motor coach. 

Timberbush tour van
Mike explaining the options at Loch Ness

I was assigned to the motor coach. One of the last passengers to board, I had an inner seat near the back of the full vehicle. As we headed out of Edinburgh toward Stirling, the seat was uncomfortable, the view not so good and Italian tourists behind me wouldn't stop talking. 12 hours of this looked like a big mistake.

After about an hour and a half we had our first stop, at a roadside woolen mill and cafe near Callander in the Trossachs. The stop gets a lot of bus traffic, and most people feed Hamish, a large Highland Bull - a real eating machine.


Mike and Hamish

When it came time to board, Mike (the driver/guide) asked if I wanted to sit in the jump seat in the front next to him. Did I! Suddenly I had lots of legroom a great view and could chat with the driver. I don't know if it was because I was the oldest person on the bus, or the only native English speakers, but the rest of the 380 mile trip was great.

Glen Ogle Kendrum Viaduct
Kendrum Viaduct viaduct at Glen Ogle completed about 1904 -  now used by bicycles

Kendrum Viaduct viaduct at Glen Ogle

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