Say Aye to Adventure in Scotland
My train roams through the English countryside with a view towards the hills of the Lake District. Sunset breaks outside, over the freshly green grass fields. Following my prolonged weekend in Liverpool - I have planned a couple of days stay in Scotland.
Coming To Scotland
I was coming to Scotland at the end of May. A weekend combined with a bunch of local holidays - Scotts had a nice 4 day weekend. This did not apply to me as a foreign freelancer - but I chose to have a couple of days off. I have not seen Beni, a friend of mine in some time. As I knew I was going to come to Liverpool - I thought it would be a shame not to hang out. I have longly been wanting to hike in the Highlands - but somehow never got to do it. This felt like a perfect occasion.
Getting out of the train just as the sun set - we had a meeting point agreed in a nice pub by the train station. Having a first few pints and catching up - drawing our plan for the upcoming days. This has all been a bit of last last-minute trip- I abruptly decided to fly to the UK from Mexico as Liverpool FC was pursuing greatness and I wanted to be present in person - but that's a story for another time.
Strolling through the city centre of Edinburgh offers stunning views any way you look.
Edinburgh - The Prettiest City In The UK
Highly subjective opinion. I visited London, Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester. None of them come close. As my mate Beni lives in Edinburgh and I am a passionate couch hopper - the plan for the first day was clear.
I do stand by the opinion that Edinburgh is the prettiest of the British cities. I would even go as far as saying that Edinburgh on a sunny summer day is one of the prettiest cities in Europe!
You do not even have to bother with planning an itinerary for your trip. Just fly in and get ready for cafe hopping & try out the world's best whiskeys. Edinburgh's location is convenient for outdoor enthusiasts too. Be it a run-up to Arthur's Seats or Pentland Hills south of the city - a great place for a hike or bike ride when in need of city escape.
We have spent hours walking through the picturesque streets of Edinburgh. We found a local bar in a courtyard just off the Royal Mile, not available on Google Maps - you know you've found a gem then. Another place I'd recommend visiting is Cafe Royal, I told the bartender what flavours I liked in my drinks and he brought this rolls-royce of whiskey. Sadly, to this day, I cannot read its name from the bottle correctly(pictured in a gallery below).
Strolling through streets of Edinburgh, Cafe Royal & famous Calton Hill view.
The first night, however, took an unexpected twist. As we lost the keys from an apartment, we ended up taking a back-and-forth cab right to Glasgow around 3 AM to pick up the spares. Oh boy, nothing beats hearing the Glaswegian accent at these late hours. It made me doubt the proficiency of my English.
Munros, Corbetts, Grahams & Other Names I Have Not Heard Before
After roughly 2 hours of sleep, we successfully ran to the train station and hopped on a ride towards the Highlands. The station is busy as more folks had a similar idea to ours and wanted to capitalise on a long weekend. The weekend (back in 2022 was a Jubilee weekend - awarding citizens with 2 days off)
We board a crowded train and head north. First excitement came not so long after leaving Edinburgh - as you could see the Wallace Monument off the train. To those familiar with Braveheart movie or the story of Scotland's fight for independence - Stirling is where William Wallace won the battle against the English at the end of the 13th century. I look at the monument & I can hear Mel Gibson shouting "freeeeeeedom". Literal chills.
After a 3-hour ride up North, we arrive at the little mountain town Aviemore. When deciding on where to go - we considered a few options. In the end - we opted for Cairngorms National Park. An off-the-beaten-path spot not so far away from Edinburgh. Have to say it was a great decision.
Before checking into our mountain lodge - we met up with Ewan, another friend and an avid outdoorsman, and we embarked on the first hike. The moment I admired was when Ewan brought out his paper map. Then continued by pointing to the trail we would be heading towards. Nowadays, when everyone wears a watch to track their activities it feels refreshing to see someone using a paper map as a source of navigation. As I have learned in the next few days - in Scotland this is still a thing. I wish it was the case in more countries! It subtly enhances the feeling of an adventure.
The first day we went light with our hike choice. Choosing an easy 10km circle in Glenmore. Hiking up Meall & Bhuchaille.
See the lap from the first day of hiking on Strava.
Paper map & Scottish national soft drink - Irn Bru. Mountain hut & a coming storm.
The hike was calm in typical Scottish summer weather - not too warm, not too cold. As we hiked up our first Munro - A Munro is a mountain in Scotland over 3000ft or 914.4m. There are 282 Munros around Scotland. As per other names, The Corbetts are the mountains with altitudes between 2500ft and 3000ft and The Grahams between 2000ft and 2500ft.
Excited to have bagged my first Munro - we got caught by a surprise rain. Nothing that would cause our spirit to go down though.
As we finished the loop - we had good activities to look forward to. First - a nice cold dip in Loch Morlich. Followed by a chippy visit - ending with a dinner that skyrocketed our cholesterol levels. Deep-fried haggis and chips. Is British cuisine that bad, you ask? Well, if cooked properly... yes. Yes, it is. However, after a day of travelling and hiking - it's hard to find something as satisfying as chips and gravy!
Snapshots of Cairngorms, Scottish delicacies, classic paper map & two creatures dipping in Loch. (pun intended)
Day two was a bit more ambitious. Ewan & Beni planned a long hike that would help us conquer 3 Munros - after a good night of sleep, we set off early morning.
Hiking map for day 2.
Not knowing much about Cairngorms before coming here - I have been completely blown away. Apart from the feeling of remoteness & roughness, it has truly got its charm. The valleys were full of crystal-clear lakes with sand beaches.
As we hiked up the Ptarmigan station - we had a stunning view. Temperature & humidity inversion gifted us with an amazing above-the-cloud feeling. Despite the uphill being steep and me feeling the beers from the previous night - it was well worth it.
Ptarmigan is a top lift station of what used to be a skiing resort. Due to many reasons, it made me wonder who gives approvals on designs of such projects - as it was illogical in many ways. As I've heard - skiing is not a thing in Cairngorms anymore - due to climate change. Yet, I've heard stories of avid ski tourers - who bring their skis up only to ski for a couple of tens of meters. As a fellow ski tourer, I commend this behaviour.
Clear-sky, "skiing slope" and hiking above clouds.
After learning of local ski-touring habits, we descended towards Loch Amon to hike our 2 Munros. I'm not quite sure that my words can do justice to how stunning those mountains were that day. I'm aware such conditions are rare for Scotland even in the summer months. The more I get to appreciate the sheer beauty of that place. For once, I got lucky with the weather.
Stupendous views.
After reaching the top of Cairngorm & Beinn Mheadhoin we rested on a "beach" right by Loch Ammon. Then made our way back to the town. We met hikers, trail runners, and wanderers - of whom everyone seemed to have been an outdoor enthusiast. Just a fun day out. One thing I always try to bring with me to the mountains is the attitude. Growing up in Slovakia - there is a way of how you behave in the mountains. Quiet, peaceful, cheering fellow hikers, just being present. I've got a similar feeling in Scotland. From meeting people on the trail to drinking pints after a long day of hiking. Everyone was genuinely nice, interested and happy that they got to spend a great day outside.
That evening we ended up socialising with a bunch of Scotts & Englishmen in a local bar. Trying to stay out of local politics, we may have had one too many beers. The next morning we got on a train back to Edi. I would make my way out of Scotland the day after.
Bidding farewell to Scotland catching one last sunset in Edinburgh.
The sheer beauty of Edinburgh and the charming remoteness of the Scottish countryside combined with welcoming and genuine people make it one of the top places to visit when searching for the feel of adventure on your vacation, sabbatical or life in general.
Scotland As a Future Digital Nomad Paradise?
While writing this blog, I came across the report highlighting the potential of Scotland as a nomad destination. A report calls for the promotion of Scotland, locally and globally, as a go-to destination for remote workers & digital nomads. Local businesses operating in tourism & hospitality could hugely benefit from it and many of the operators are aware of the uncapped potential.
Scotland's breathtaking scenery, culture and infrastructure present a great opportunity. The climate comes into play making it a seasonal, but it ticks all the boxes for an adventure-friendly summer destination
Even during my short time over there, while heavily affected by the weather - I thought that this could be an incredible place to get your base set up for a fun summer. If you love adventure or sports like bike camping, hiking, climbing, surfing (!!), kayaking and so much more, or just love spending your time outdoors - Scotland is your place to go.
Looking back on this trip made me realise how many more places I want to explore in Scotland and how many more activities there are to be enjoyed!
Walk the West Highland Way, visit Orkney & Shetlands, explore the Isle of Skye, drive North-Coast 500, surf its shores and so much more...
