Montezuma Castle National Monument

ALERT:

This is the last weekend (August 15-16) that the US National Park Service is allowing free entry to over 100 national parks. Montezuma Castle is one of the free locations during this special promotion. See the following list to see what is available to visit for free.

http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparksbystate.htm

Living in a cliff dwelling

A five-story, 20-room building, Montezuma Castle is nestled high on a cliff. Since the building is not accessible to visitors, what it must have been like to live so high off the ground with all of your needs having to be hauled up the 100-foot cliff? Certainly, the native people were intrepid.

 
From visiting similar buildings in Arizona, I have learned that often the rooms were entered from an opening above. The people performed food preparation and other activities communally. What they never seem to show, however, is what people used as “rest facilities” – a puzzle to me!

 
It seems like they must have been extremely physically fit climbing up ladders and the rocks to reach their living space. With water so scarce, they used pots they created to transport the water.

 
A visitor center provides exhibits and background on this amazing construction, which has weathered time well, considering the wind and elements that have battered it. An “easy 1/3 mile” park-like loop allows visitors to see the cliff buildings from a distance. There are trees for shade.

 
The park information claims the Sinagua abandoned the cliff dwellings and the area in the 1400s. They speculate that the area was in a drought or the Sinagua were in conflict with neighboring people.

 
NOTE: This can be an enjoyable visit in conjunction with other nearby National Park sites like Montezuma Well and Tuzigoot. A joint pass can save a visitor admission fees if you want to see both Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle. Seeing Montezuma Well is free.

 
www.nps.gov/moca/

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DAY 14

Even though we just got there (Edinburgh), it’s time to get out of town!

What do Mel Gibson, Liam Neeson and Angus Macfadyen have in common? They have all portrayed Scottish heroes at your local Cineplex. Whether or not the movies were entirely accurate (Braveheart & Rob Roy) is beside the point. The characters were real. William Wallace, Rob Roy and Robert the Bruce were, in fact, local heroes, much to the chagrin of the British monarchy at the time.

We are going into what was then their land and stopping by some of the most historical spots in Scotland.

Falkirk

A short 41-minute drive northwest of Edinburgh is Falkirk.

On July 22, 1298, William Wallace was defeated at the Battle of Falkirk by King Edward I due much to disorganization and, in part, treachery mounting behind the scenes. The independence of Scotland was at stake, but this was not the last time we would see Wallace or his friend Robert the Bruce.

In stark contrast to battles for independence of the 13th and 14th centuries is the modern use of ingenuity on the part of some crafty mechanical engineers.

How do you get rid of 11 locks that previously connected two canals … well that’s easy, you build a Ferris wheel!

All you have to do is change the name slightly, and you have the Falkirk Wheel.

Falkirk Wheel

With a difference of about 79 feet between the levels of the two canals, engineers decided to build a boat lifting mechanism that actually does resemble a Ferris wheel on steroids! Huge rotating arms lift gondolas from level one to level two connecting the two canals.

You can book a 1-hour ride on a boat that will take you up to the next canal and back. There are also trails, canal walks, a gift shop, interactive displays and a café in the visitors’ centre to which entry is free.

Boat Trip Prices
Adult £8
Child (3-15 years) £4.25
Child under 3 years FREE
Concession (Seniors) £6.50
Family ticket (2 adults/2 children) £21.50

Parking: £2.00

www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk/index.html

Bannockburn

It’s about a 20-minute drive north on the A9 to what is probably the most significant battlefield in all of Scottish history.

Robert Bruce’s Scottish army of a mere 5,000 defeated the 20,000 troops of Edward II on June 24, 1314. The English left Scotland, Bruce was left to sit on the throne, and, although 10 years later, the English finally conceded Scottish independence.

Battlefield

Walk the battlefield, see the exhibits and, of course, rummage through the gift shop.

Granted, this type of excursion isn’t for everyone, but if you are interested in history, this certainly is a must see.

Directions: 2 km south of Stirling on A872,

Adults: £5.50
Family: £15
1 Parent: £10
Concession (Seniors): £4.50

http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/95/

Stirling

Castle
If you only see two castles in Scotland, it has to be Edinburgh, and Stirling. Sitting atop a commanding rock makes it visible for miles. This castle reeks of history. Built between the late 1400s and 1500s, there are many buildings and battlements (overlooking two battlefields, Stirling Bridge and Bannockburn) to see while you are there.

**The Palace is currently closed for major renovation to show the King’s and Queen’s Lodgings circa mid-1500s. The current reopening date is March 2011.”

Summer
1 April – 30 September: 9.30 am to 6.00 pm
Winter
1 October – 31 March: 9.30 am to 5.00 pm
Adult: £9.00
Child: £4.50
Concession: £7.00
Car parking: max 4 hours – £2.00.

http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertyoverview.htm?PropID=PL_275

William Wallace Monument

Talk about a view! This is the place.

It took eight years to build, stands 220 feet above Abbey Craig and is accessed
inside by 246 steps on a spiral staircase – the Wallace Monument is the epitome
of “old school” sightseeing.

 
No elevator, and little in the way of handicap access (Disabled access to the grounds and visitor’s pavilion. Limited disabled access to The Monument), this monument will literally leave you gasping (at the view, and for air).

 
Hop on a free shuttle from the “free” parking lot, or walk up the wooded slopes of Abbey Craig. Just two miles from Stirling is the hill where, in 1297, William
Wallace watched the English army cross Stirling Bridge before leading his army into battle and victory.

There are four levels within the monument, each with something to see. Seventy- one steps lead to level 1 and a history of Wallace’s life. Also, on display is what is “supposedly” Wallace’s 700-year-old sword (obviously not authenticated).
Trek up 64 more steps and you will be at Level Two, the Hall of Heroes.

 
Level Three (62 steps) is the geographic Diorama which shows you the lay of the land surrounding the monument.

 
It’s only 49 more steps to The Crown of the Monument to peruse the landscape you were shown on Level Three.

 
They always say going down a stairway is easier. This narrow spiral staircase to ground level might question that statement. But, if you make it successfully, head to the Gift Shop, or Victorian Tea-Room before heading back down to the car park.
With a few exceptions, The Wallace Monument is open daily, all year somewhere between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM depending upon the season.

 
Admission Prices – 2009
Adult: £6.50
Child: £4:00
Student: £4.90
Family (2 Adults/2 Children): £17.00

http://www.nationalwallacemonument.com

This will have been a packed day, so we’ll head back to Edinburgh.

TOMORROW: St. Andrews – Can you say … FORE!

DAY 13
EDINBURGH

At this time, we will be nearing the end of our trip. There are still enough things to see that we could probably spend another week in Scotland, but that’s not going to happen. So, we have to make some decisions about what to see and not …

With the variety of sightseeing attractions in the city it really comes down to what your personal preferences are.

Are you … all museums … all the time?

Maybe … a day at the zoo … key word “day”

Or, are you … can’t get enough of those castles …

And of course … sightseeing? I just want to shop!

Whatever you wish to do, Edinburgh has it.

Even though we are coming into the city by car the evening before we are not dumb enough to use it to get around the city. It is well documented that driving in Edinburgh is not only difficult, but extremely frustrating!

It seems the street designers came up with all sorts of magic tricks to confuse and baffle the driving public. And besides all of that, parking is not only difficult to find, it’s expensive. (Think New York City)

*** Although there is no underground/subway, at this time, a Tram (Light Rail) system is “under construction” which will run from the airport through city centre and out to Leith, which is also a cruise ship port. Completion date is set for the end of 2010 with revenue service commencing in 2011. So, to add to the already congested traffic is light rail construction!

When it’s done, it’s great! When it’s not, it’s annoying!

http://www.edinburghtrams.com/

Although a little late to the party, as many cities throughout Europe and the world have been running light rail for years, this will definitely be a helpful feature in moving both residents and travelers through the city.

So, until then it’s buses, or your own two feet for the really budget-minded traveler. Of course, there are taxis if you have a bit more change in your pocket.
There are day tickets for unlimited bus travel for 1 day at a cost of £3.00 adults.
www.lothianbuses.co.uk

(At this time, I am not going to give you the exchange rate in dollars, as it continues to fluctuate upward rather quickly in the last few weeks. Great for the “£ “, not so much for the “$.“

This sort of reminds me of when I lived in Mexico for a short time and the Peso went into wheelbarrow mode against the dollar. Maybe it was that 60% interest they were giving on savings accounts that caused that little hiccup!

Anyway, Toto and I are no longer in Mexico, so let’s get back to Scotland.

TOUR BUS

As with many cities in Great Britain there is a hop-on, hop-off bus that circles Old and New towns. Three tours (Edinburgh, City, and Majestic Tours) tickets are currently £12 for adults; £5 for children and are good for 24 hours. Other tickets include a family pass for two adults and up to three children at £28.

For the month of September, tours run every 20 minutes from 9:25 – 5:45
http://www.edinburghtour.com/

If you need information, there is the Edinburgh Information Centre near Waverley Station (Train terminal). Tickets for just about anything are available, and there are enough free brochures to wallpaper your house.
So, where do you start?
They say it’s impossible to see all of Edinburgh in three days, so what do you do if you only have one?
Well, it’s pretty simple … the Royal Mile and Old Town (which by the way isn’t much older than New Town!)
Old Town: circa 1500’s
New Town: 1766 – developed to relieve congestion in … wait a minute! Let me guess! Hang on! Ah … Maybe …
Old Town?

WHICH WAY TO GO?

Next you have to decide which way to walk … are you an early morning hiker? (early morning stamina)
Or, are you an afternoon hiker? (a lot of energy left, not sitting in front of the TV watching Soap operas)
The reason for the question is simple. As The Royal Mile is actually built on a hill, it can be a Royal Pain on your feet if you are not used to walking uphill.
Reality based: it takes about 20-25 minutes to walk … down hill.
Of course, shops and people will be going by you at a speed rivaling the USS Enterprise (the spaceship, not the aircraft carrier).

So, we’re going to start at the top of the hill and work our way down the mile.

(Actually, for you mathematicians and street engineers in the bunch, the Royal Mile is just a shade longer than a mile). For the rest of us, we don’t care!

Edinburgh Castle

Not to be mistaken with every other castle in Scotland, it takes the name of the city over which it guards. (Don’t worry; there won’t be a quiz about which city…)

Although not the first castle on the hill, this one began sometime in the 12th century. But if you are looking for those original structures (with the exception of still standing, St. Margaret’s Chapel (1130 A.D.)), you might want to find an H.G. Wells time machine to go back over 300 years.

What you see today is basically what was built as a military garrison which still barracks soldiers. So, consequentially, most of the displays are that of military history. But even if you aren’t a military historian, the views are great and there is a lot to see.

Check out the website: There is an interactive 3-D model of the castle which turns to show different angles and brings ups photos and info of selected areas.

Hours: April – Sept 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Admission:
Adults: £13
Senior Citizens/Students: £10.50
Children: £6.50 15 & Under

www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk

At the other end of the Royal Mile is the Palace of Holyroodhouse

If you just can’t enough of those Royals’ … well, this is the place.
This is the Queen’s official residence in Scotland.
Formerly the home of Mary Queen of Scots, this is where the other half lives, or actually, vacations briefly during The Queen’s Holyrood Week. This spectacular runs from the end of June until the beginning of July including a traditional garden party with few of her “closest” friends (about 8,000 of them).
There is a lot of antique furniture, and lots of history. There is also the Queen’s Gallery (separate admission) which displays works from the royal collection. So, if you and the queen are on the same page with tastes in art, this is definitely your place.

Hours: Apr-Oct daily 9:30am-6pm
Nov-Mar 9:30am-3:45pm

Admission prices

Palace of Holyroodhouse
(including an audio tour)
Adult: £10.00
Over 60/Student: £9.00
Under 17: £6.00
Under 5: Free
Family: (2 adults, 3 under 17s) £26.50
Joint Admission – Palace of Holyroodhouse and The Queen’s Gallery
Adult: £14.00
Over 60/Student: £12.50
Under 17: £8.00
Under 5: Free
Family: (2 adults, 3 under 17s) £38.50
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=36

In between the castle and Holyroodhouse are several tourist attractions and lots of restaurants and stores.
Personally I’ve got my eye on the Whiskey Experience adjacent to the Castle. If you haven’t set foot in a single distillery in Scotland, this place just might make up for it. There’s a tour, there are tastings, there’s even a shop with over 300 whiskies for sale, even those miniature bottles you get on the airplane.
http://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk/index.html

As time permits, you can stop at Gladstone’s Land or St. Giles Cathedral, as well as the much talked-about, and often maligned, Scottish Parliament building. You can be the judge if it really fits in with the rest of the surrounding area.
There are also narrow alleys that take you down the hill on either side of the street.
Stop, as you like, relax at a pub or restaurant, but whatever you do, have a good time.

Next Week: Heading out to Stirling Castle and a famous Scottish Battlefield. And, we’ll look at the real Braveheart, William Wallace, or at least his statue.

As promised from yesterday, we’re continuing our journey down to Edinburgh.

Day 12

Aviemore to Edinburgh

Distance: 126.0 miles
Time: 2 hr 48 min

We are going to make a few stops and hopefully we’ll have time for all of them.

1st Stop

Blair Atholl

The village of Blair Atholl is approximately a 90-minute drive north from Edinburgh or Glasgow just off of the A9, 35 miles north of Perth.

Blair Castle

The seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl is touted as Scotland’s most visited historic house and is also the home of the Atholl Highlanders, Europe’s only remaining private army. (I think I’ll see if I can rent them out for a few jobs that I have pending around the house.)The tour takes in some 30 rooms including an ornamental Victorian armoury which includes weapons used at the Battle of Culloden, and the ballroom with 175 pairs of antlers . . . now that’s a lot of venison!

The castle grounds are part of an estate of over 145,000 acres of farmland, forests, housing, industrial development and marked trails.

A 9-acre walled garden, a deer park, peacocks roaming the grounds and those strange, Old English Sheepdog looking, Highland cattle are all part of the castle area. And, the kids can play in the woodland adventure playground.

The on-site restaurant (Tullibardine) serves lunch and afternoon tea, and a gift shop is available.

It is possible to tour only the grounds at a reduced fee.

Hours: Daily 9.30am to 5.30pm
Admission: Castle and Grounds / Grounds Only
Adults: £8.25 ($13.20) / £4.00 ($6.40)
Senior Citizens: £7.20 ($11.52) / £4.00 ($6.40)
Children: £5.10 ($8.16) / £2.00 ($3.20)
Family Ticket: £22.50 ($36.00) / £10.00 ($16.00 )

2nd Stop

Just down the road (A9), a little over 10 miles from Blair Castle, is the small village of Pitlochry with an even smaller claim to fame in the hills above …

Edradour Distillery

Edradour is touted as the smallest whisky distillery in Scotland. It might even be the smallest legal distillery in the world. John Reid and his two assistants hand-craft Edradour without any kind of automation. And the location is right out of Brigadoon … complete with a rolling stream and a wooden bridge just in front of the distillery’s white-washed buildings.

With a minute production of only twelve casks of whisky a week, this could well be the most difficult whisky in the world to find! Added to the after production maturity of at least 10 years to reach its peak, Edradour is a rare find.
Tours are FREE … let me repeat that … FREE! And it’s available almost every day of the year. And, yes, there are samples!
And don’t worry if you can’t find it on a map. I have the best paper map of Scotland available and I could hardly find it! And even their website declared its difficulty.
From Pitlochry, follow the A924 Braemar/Blairgowrie road 2½ miles through the village of Moulin. After climbing the hill and passing over a small bridge you’ll see, on a sharp bend, the signs for Edradour.

http://www.edradour.co.uk/main.html

3rd Stop

Two miles north of the city of Perth on A93 is the entrance to Scone Palace.

Celebrated as the crowning place for Scottish Kings, the history of this estate is renowned throughout Scottish history. Shakespeare even mentions this place in his historically and factually inaccurate play, Macbeth. The real Macbeth was actually crowned here in 1040.

Touring the Palace is at your own leisure with docents available to answer questions in each room.

Gift and food shops along with a Coffee Shop and limited engagement full service restaurants are available.

On the grounds, which are able to be toured at a reduced fee, there are several points of interest:

Moot Hill – Deemed Scotland’s most historic site where Macbeth, Robert the Bruce, and Charles II arrived for their crowning ceremonies on the Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone.

Wild Garden – Woodland walk including the first Douglas Fir introduced by David Douglas, a Son of Scone.
.
Pinetums – Redwoods and Fir trees from 1848.

The Murray Star Maze planted with Purple and Copper Beech to resemble a tartan.

And watch out for those crazy peacocks that seem to spring up at every Scottish estate.
The Palace is only open from April until the end of October, while the grounds are open all year, but, only on Fridays after the Palace closes down for the season.

Admission: Palace and Grounds / Grounds Only

Adults: £8.50 ($13.20) / £4.80 ($6.40)
Senior Citizens: £7.30 ($11.52) / £4.20 ($6.40)
Children: £5.30 ($8.16) / £3.20 ($3.20)
Family Ticket: £24.00 ($36.00)

Well, we finally make it back to our last extended stopover, Edinburgh. From here we will also journey out from the city on two of our four days.

Next Week: Day 1 In Edinburgh + Battlefields, Castles and Monuments

DAY 9 – Continued

We leave John O’Groats for a short trip to the town of Wick.

John O’Groats to Wick
Distance: 16 miles
Time: 22 min

A harbor town, Wick is also noted in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the Shortest Street In The World! 1 Ebenezer Place is a whopping 6 foot 9 inches. Yeah, that’s pretty short!

 
Wick is also noted for having the most northern malt whiskey distillery in Scotland, Old Pulteney Distillery. Although tours are given, we won’t have the time.

http://www.oldpulteney.com/

 
As we leave town and head south on A99, we will have the distinction of driving on the most dangerous road in Scotland. The 23 minute, 17 mile trip between Wick and the intersection of A9 at Latheron is rated Black for dangerous! (one of only four in Great Britain).

 
We’ve both driven on roads that make a corkscrew look straight, but from the looks of an AA map (the UK version of AAA), this doesn’t seem to be the case with A99.
Sooooo ….. we are definitely going to drive cautiously.

 
After Latheron, we’ll motor down the coast until we reach:

Dunrobin Castle less than a mile north of Golspie is the most northern of the large estate houses in Scotland, dating back to the 1300’s. It is also one of Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited houses.

 
Tours of Dunrobin Castle are self-guided although there are docents in the main rooms to answer questions. Much like Culzean Castle that was in the earlier part of our itinerary, there are extensive gardens and grounds to explore as well as a live Falconry display twice per day.

 
Ticket prices include entry to the falconry display, museum and gardens.

http://www.dunrobincastle.co.uk

 
Down the road a few miles is the Glenmorangie Distillery. Producing award winning single malts since 1843, the facility was closed until recently due to renovation. It is once again open for visitors.

 
http://www.glenmorangie.com/

Tain

If you are interested in architecture, and who isn’t … a short detour off of A9 and into the town of Tain will be of interest. The architectural family of A Maitland & Sons designed much of the downtown area in the late 1800s.

Inverness

45 minutes south of Tain is the large city in the highlands which we have already driven through twice. As we are looking for kilts, we are hoping to stop by one of the oldest kiltmakers in Scotland if we have time:

 
James Pringle Weavers of Inverness – Making Kilts, tartans, etc. since 1780, also offer a weaving exhibition with interactive displays.

From Inverness, we’ll travel directly back to Aviemore for the night.

So, today we have been on the road approximately 316 miles and almost 8 hours … not counting our stops.

Although we definitely won’t have time, there are two additional attractions outside of the city if you are into military exhibits.

Outside of Inverness

Fort George – A huge fort, completed in 1769, is possibly the largest fort in all of Europe. It is open for visitors year round and is approximately 15 miles NE of Inverness.
Adults: 16-59 £6.70 ($10.66)
Children: 5-15 £3.35 ($5.33)
Concession: 60+ £5.20 ($8.27)

http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyoverview?PropID=PL_136&PropName=Fort%20George

Culloden Moor Visitors Centre – 6.5 miles east of Inverness is the site of the famous battle of Culloden in April 1746. With the defeat of the Jacobites, this marked the last battle on British soil and the banning of clan tartans until 1782.

There is a newly opened ultramodern visitors centre containing:
- Interactive exhibition
- Battle immersion film on a 360 screen that puts you in the middle of the battle
- Roof top viewing of the battlefield
- Footpaths through the battlefield

http://www.nts.org.uk/culloden/

In the next installment next Monday we’re going on the ultimate search for cookies and whiskey in the Spey Valley…

Scotland: Fall 2009

Well, I’m back.
The emergency kilt fitting went reasonably well, although the bagpipe lesson was more problematic.

For some reason there were lots of neighborhood dogs howling … or was that the neighbors screaming at me to stop strangling that cat?

BACK TO THE PLAN …

Last time we were coming back from the island of Arran. We plan to arrive back at Glasgow Central train station at around 9:27 P.M. Hopefully, we’ll have enough time to pick up a car for an early morning departure but that might not be possible due to the really odd hours of rental car desks at the train station.Alternative: Move the Arran trip around so we’re sightseeing in Glasgow instead on the last day.

So, I’m going to do some more checking as we don’t really want to go to the airport to pick up a car.

DAY 7

PORTREE – Isle of Skye

Today we are finally in a car, hopefully, driving on the “wrong” side of the road with a steering wheel on the “wrong” side of the car … Other than those two small distractions, it should be quite interesting.

After leaving Glasgow, A82 leads north along the western shore of Loch Lomond, the largest lake by surface area in Great Britain. The drive also passes Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Great Britain near Fort William.

There are plenty of places to stop along the way to see the lake and the mountains so we won’t be driving like we are on the Autobahn.

www.lochaber.com
www.visit-fortwilliam.co.uk

At about 127 miles into today’s trip, we will turn west on A87 until reaching the Isle of Skye via the much maligned Skye Bridge and to the town of Portree. Up until 1995 the only way to reach the island was by ferry. To rile up the locals even more was the toll that was set by the government to offset the ferry rides. It made the bridge toll the highest in all of Europe! Consequently, it has since been dropped and the drive across the bridge is free.

The harbor town of Portree is mentioned in a Harry Potter novel and is the setting for the Scottish portion of the 2008 film. Made of Honor.

With a wide selection of Hotels/Inns, and Bed & Breakfast establishments, Portree is a centralized location to explore the island.

Apart from the scenery, we are looking forward to checking out Armadale and Dunvegan Castle, the Skye Heritage Centre, the shops and restaurants.

There are also several boat trips that leave from various points on the island.

www.skye.co.uk

Glasgow To Portree, Isle of Skye via Ft. William
Distance: 210.7 miles
Time: 4 hr 53 min

DAY 8

AVIEMORE

Leaving Skye, we will be stopping at one of the most famously photographed castles in all of Scotland. Just 8 miles back on the mainland is the island fortress, Eilean Donan Castle, near the small fishing village of Dornie. The castle been prominently featured in the movie Highlander (1986). Other films that have used the castle: The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970), Loch Ness (1996), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Elizabeth:The Golden Age (2007), and Made of Honor (2007)

Although not the original castle to stand on the island, it has become the most famous.

www.eileandonancastle.com

Although we could probably take photos there all day, we need to get to Aviemore by evening. It’s only about a two hour drive, but there is another major stop along the way.

At about 43 miles from Eilean Donan we turn back onto A82 and head northeast traveling along the most talked about Loch in Scotland. And, if we’re lucky, we’ll see him or her … the Loch Ness Monster! Although rumored since the 7th century, the “monster” didn’t become famous until 1933 when a local, standing near the castle where we are heading next spotted, something. It was at that time that everyone came out of the woodwork with sightings, and “photographs” of … something! To this day this is no proof one way or the other about the existence of any type of creature, but you never know …

In an effort not to backtrack later we are going to stop at another famous castle before we reach Inverness. Urquhart Castle, on the shore of Loch Ness, is mostly in ruin, but what remains makes an interesting filming location. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970), and the aptly titled Loch Ness (1996) used the castle. Conversely, the recent film, The Water Horse, which is totally about the Loch Ness Monster, was filmed mostly in New Zealand!

Gotta love Hollywood!

From Urquhart we are going to drive through Inverness and directly to Aviemore for the next several nights.

Portree To Aviemore (Via Inverness)
Distance: 144.5 miles
Time: 3 hr 17 min

Next week: Details about our planned stay in Aviemore.