Fat sheep dotted the landscape as I crossed the border from England to Scotland. Shaggy, red-headed highland cows roamed across the green countryside. I remember going up to a highland cow, incredulous that it wasn’t a Steven Spielberg fake animal. Red hair covered his eyes as he looked at me. I hadn’t even realized that it was a bull; the horns should have given it away. As I ran away, I sank into the mud and lost my shoe. Luckily the bull continued to munch lazily on some grass, so I pulled my shoe out of the mud and was glad to get back to the bed and breakfast for a nice cup of tea.
Eilean Donan was my favorite refurbished castle. It looked like a stone house from the outside; I would never have called it a castle. It was right by the ocean. The inside of the castle was magical: it had dark wood, armor, grand fireplaces, and tapestries with rich, deep colors. I was transported back to the medieval time period for just a moment.
Lock Ness, one of a group of lakes in the middle of Scotland, was an unforgettable place. A castle ruin overlooked the blue, tranquil waters of the lake, unruffled by the Lock Ness monster. Being a dragon lover, I looked around for quite a while on the lake, knowing full well I would never see a sea dragon, but I was determined to give it a chance nonetheless.
Inverness, a town situated on the northernmost part of Scotlan
d, was a cold, barren land. Mist rolled in over the swampy, boggy water of the ocean. The shore was extensive, and it looked like a forlorn, uninhabited place as I walked barefoot across the cold, dark sand, mist swirling around my feet. I entered a sweater shop and bought a thick, blue sweater, which I still have to this day.
So jealous!!! Someday, I’ll make it to the British Isles, too… ((dreamy sigh))
Scotland is gorgeous, and so is England. You should definitely try to go some day!