As I was editing my travel section on my blog I realized I never added my travel diaries post from Scotland! A few months back Richard and I went to Scotland with his parents and it was so lovely. I remember watching the movie Braveheart when I was younger with my brother and thinking Scotland looked so beautiful and green ( despite the heads being cut off with swords on the film.. I always wanted to go explore beautiful Scotland since I was young after watching that movie!)
If you’re looking for a place to really recharge your batteries and disconnect from technology Scotland is a great choice. Most of the time I didn’t even have service which at first annoyed me, but after a while I started to love it. Instead of looking at social media or emails I had fresh eyes to look at the beautiful nature (and sheep) that surrounded me. I came home feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
We stayed at the charming Auldgirth Inn which looked like something out of a storybook. It was built in the 1500’s and began as a sanctuary for Monks as they travelled from Melrose to Galloway. It has since been a Blacksmiths and a fishing bar before being transformed into the traditional pub/hotel.
The Inn was ran by a very nice Scottish man named Ian and a lovely English women. They gave us a key to the Inn ( not a room key.. but a key to the entire building!) It truly was a unique experience. There are only ten rooms at the inn and the owner Ian had his two dogs living there with him so we made new puppy friends as we sat and sipped our wine and Scottish whiskeys in the pub.
One of the pups hanging out at the pub.
One thing I realized on this trip is that Scottish people love to eat.. and they eat big portions! I thought Americans were all about big portions.. but come on people, look at this breakfast! This is called a “Full Scottish” breakfast, similar to a “Full English.” Anyway, I tried haggis and black pudding for the first time and actually liked them until I was told what they were made of. A bit too much for me! Haggis is made from sheep’s heart, liver and lungs and black pudding was my favorite.. but I quickly found out it’s a “blood sausage!” Well, when in Rome I guess, eh?
We took a ferry to the Isle of Arran which may have been my favorite part about the trip. This island was so gorgeous. The way of life there seemed so simple and laid back. Everywhere you looked was beautiful. Look to the left and see the beautiful sea, look to the right and you will find lush green rolling hills.
Richard and I with his parent’s as we we’re leaving the Inn.
We had such a lovely trip. I would highly recommend going to Scotland and exploring all of its beauty. Also if you do go don’t just get a normal hotel. Stay at an Inn. Yes, you won’t receive maybe the luxury type of treatment you would get at a hotel but it’s a different type of luxury. You get to meet the locals, stay in a very old historic building and you really feel like you have your own little piece of home in Scotland.
Have you ever been to Scotland? I would love to hear about your time there in the comments below!
Until next time, have a beautiful day!
Scarlett
