Scotland!

We just returned from a two-week research trip around Scotland. This has been on the bucket list for years. So thrilled we finally got to go. In this first blog post inspired by our trip, we’re sharing some cool photos of the ten castles we visited on our trip.

Enjoy!

On a blustery day, we visited Edinburgh Castle and fortress. It saw mostly military duties, but it does hold the crown jewels of Scotland, or the 'Scottish Honors.' This castle was built in the 12th century on top of an extinct volcano.
Mary Queen of Scots made an appearance in the Edinburgh castle Great Hall. She's quite revered in Scotland, and tourists will find images, paintings and even rubber ducks with her likeness.
Edinburgh Great Hall has been refurbished by Scottish craftsmen to look much as it did in the Middle Ages.
The sport of royalty: Falconry. We got to fly this nifty bird. it flew right to our glove to get the piece of chicken offered. We learned that each member of the royal family had a type of bird of prey they always used: the king used an eagle, the queen used a falcon, and so on.
Dalhousie castle just outside Edinburgh, the first castle we visited. is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland.
Taking tea in the Dalhousie library!
We were so enamored with this compact castle; it had every feature we thought a castle should. The ceiling in the grand entry made an impression on us.
Stirling Castle: Built around 1110 by King Alexander I. The golden age of this castle is past, but it perches over over the valley like a crouching lion.
A closer view of the majestic Stirling Castle, sight of so many critical battles throughout Scottish history
The Queen's bedroom. King James V brought his bride here, but she died before she even had a child. He remarried Mary of Guise, daughter of a French duke and they proceeded to deck out this palace in this ornate French fashion.
The Stirling Tapestries: we learned that the unicorn represents Christ and is a symbol of Scotland. It took 6 weavers 13 years to re-create the 7 unicorn tapestries that adorn this hall. The originals are in the Cloisters in Manhattan.
This shows a grand view of the grand reception room just outside the Queen's bedchamber. Two re-enactors liven up the space. Notice the paige adjusting his stocking.
Rosslyn Chapel outside of Edinburgh. This remarkable edifice was finished in the mid-fifteenth century by the Sinclair family. Over the centuries it fell into disrepair until it became a fashionable place to visit. Poets and even Queen Victoria graced this site. The renewed interest sparked a renovation project, which was helped along in the 20th century by the chapel being featured in the DaVinci Code film.
Jenny snuck this picture of the inside of Rosslyn Chapel. Pictures are not allowed in the interior.
Just as we entered Blair Castle, a wedding party entered. And when we exited, a bagpiper led the bride and groom to this horse-drawn carriage. What a fairy tale wedding!
With 2 fireplaces, this drawing room in Blair Castle sparkles with gold leaf, marble and intricately carved furniture. The oldest part of the castle dates to 1269.
Check out this grand entryway. You wouldn't want to mess with Clan Murray, with the amount of weapons at their disposal. This castle actually was beseiged by the Jacobites in 1746. The British surrendered the castle. It became a brief moment of glory in a doomed cause.
Cawdor Castle: Still inhabited part of the year by the Dowager Countess Cawdor; she said in the tour narration, "one doesn't own a castle, the castle owns you." The oldest part of the castle dates to the 1400s, perhaps earlier.
You can see the age of the castle stones when you look down to the dungeon. Cawdor was originally home to the Calders and passed to the Campbells in the 16th century.
This cheery yellow sitting room looks like a place Jenny would love to curl up with a good book.
A view of the shrubbery maze: off-limits, sadly.
A small formal garden is just one example of the exquisite gardens at Cawdor Castle.
Urquhart Castle: Notice the lovely clouds and Loch Ness around the ruins of Urqhart as Frank and Jenny make their way to the site.
We passed this life-sized trebuchet on the path to the ruins. A film crew made it for a show filmed onsite and then donated it to Urquhart.
Urquhart has a lively history. It was one of the great castles taken by the English when Edward I invaded in 1296. It changed hands many times. In 1692, the towering gatehouse was deliberately blown up so that the castle could never again be a military stronghold.
Urquhart ruins: this shows just how long the castle was in its heydey.
Eilean Donan Castle: This has been rebuilt so many times we did not visit the interior. It strikes a pose against the loch, mountains and clouds.
Dunvegan Castle, Isle of Skye: Over 800 years old, Dunvegan is thought to be the oldest occupied castle in northern Scotland; and home to the MacLeod clan for over 30 generations. One thing we DO know--it's cold and windy here.
Frank mirrors the nobleman's pose (from the painting) inside the comfortable Dunvegan library.
Doune Castle: Did you know this is THE castle from Monty Python and the Holy Grail? It's also featured in Outlander.
Remember that scene in Monty Python when Arthur and his knights are being taunted by the Frenchman? This is the wall. Terry Jones' funny commentary makes this castle tour the most entertaining ever!
This fireplace at Doune is big enough to roast an ox in! Joanna and Jenny pose INSIDE the fireplace.