Overcrowded

Glencoe was formed nearly 500 million years ago from volcanic activity and still forms an area of about 15 x 8 km of a former supervolcano with its own microclimate. It is a popular destination with a beautiful view over the hills. So we put on our hiking boots once again. We had specifically bought a (children's) hiking guide for Scotland, and it was time to put it to use.

The only problem was that we had chosen a hiking route but started at the wrong place. We were already puzzled that the description of the path didn’t match at all - after about 1.5 hours, we arrived at the correct starting point.

After all the nature, it was time again for some culture, and it was also time to say goodbye to the Highlands. 

Julius had specially wished for a kilt and a visit to a beautiful castle in Inverness. 

Scone Palace is the showcase castle for tourists in Scotland. Beautiful, large park including a maze, lovely castle, and a historically significant past. Therefore, we easily managed to spend almost an entire day there.

And the maze was no joke. Another man and I were quite desperate until we were finally 'rescued' by our children. Others were even navigating the maze using Google Maps.

Our journey now unfolded rapidly. So we immediately headed towards Edinburgh. August is 'Fringe Festival time' in Edinburgh. The city itself has only about 550,000 inhabitants, but in August, an additional 2 million tourists arrive. Campsites are fully booked, rooms start at €300 per night, if you can find anything at all. So we eventually found a decent sleeping place 40 km west in North Berwick. And what a place it was!

We were not familiar with the area and had never heard of Bass Rock. A large volcanic rock populated by over 100,000 gannets. At first, we thought the stone was naturally white, but it is the birds (and their droppings) that make the rock appear white. When you stand in the boat in front of the island and see sheer masses of birds all around, you feel transported back to a time when the animals ruled the Earth.

To be continued... We need to make up some kilometers now.