Mull to Edinburgh - Edinburgh Airport and back.

 Thursday 18th July and Friday

A very early start to the day, catching the ferry just about 1 k away even though they are still in feet and miles here. Here the ferry is with it’s nose up waiting for us to go in, a real Tardis when you see what comes out, at least a couple of long lorries, wouldn’t want to be driving them on the one lane roads, or rather wouldn’t be wanting to be coming in the opposite direction. 

Over to Oban, yes another place name we have borrowed for New Zealand.

A bit of a damp trip inland to Stirling Castle, our last stop of the tour. Have been lucky with the weather really, doesn’t get that green without the rainfall to maintain it 

Anyway  what is one of the first things I see at Stirling castle? Bloody cabbage trees in Queen Anne’s Garden 

Plus a couple of people of Ron our tour, who never fail to stand in front of what others are trying to photograph. Obviously time to be on my own again, when people start to annoy me. Beautiful garden though.

Went on a guided tour with Andrew to guide us, he was great, big voice, funny and informative. About the struggles between English and the Scots to hold the castle, Robert the Bruce, William Wallace ( although Braveheart used a lot of artistic license. James 4, 5 and 6 of Scotland - 6 being 1st of England and Scotland. They all had a hand at rebuilding the castle after Robert the Bruce had it ruined so as not to let the English occupy it again. Stood where the chapel was that Mary queen of Scots was christened. Such history!

Overlooked the graveyard, I remembered it had some significance, from what I can tell this is where the stone of Scone stood fro crowning monarchs, till the English stole it!

The Palace appartments are just amazingly restored as most areas had been turned into a military barracks with additional floors

the great hall with its magnificent oak ceiling - I’m sure he said it took about 163 good Oak trees to reconstruct - no it was 350 oak trees that were felled in 1995 from the Perthshire forest. 1328 pieces to make the Hammerbeam roof - no nails or screws, just wooden pegs - impressive.

Original 1628 frieze in the new chapel that was built after the old one was considered too small 

The palace apartments 

Some lovely textures and fabrics 

And don’t forget the ceilings 

Not good photos but you will get the idea of how fancy and pretty they are.

Ready to fire at the English? Loved the textures of different parts of the castle below. 

This is Robert the Bruce with Jonathon Livingstone Seagull posing on top! 

Finished our drive back to Edinburgh, got left at the hotel we started from, our tour leader took off to get a train, we tried to get taxis from where he had suggested, but none appeared so ended up going down to the station and found some there, restful night at the Premier Inn by the Airport.

Up early to get to Airport, pretty much into the eye of the chaos caused by the internet outage, got so far as sitting on the plane, and they feed us our snack whilst we waited, eventually told to disembark, no wait, no disembark. Flight was delayed, delayed, then cancelled, kept receiving updated flights for my connection from Amsterdam but no idea how I was getting there.

In the end they have rebooked me on BA flights going through Heathrow to Prague - will believe it when on the plane - but not until Sunday morning. So had to find accomodation in a very expensive city with rooms disappearing as I tried to book. In the end found something with an ensuite and clean, but a bit on the shonky side not too far from city centre, which I will have time to explore tomorrow now, if I get out of bed in time! 

Cuts back my time in Prague but hopefully can get a bit of a look around, will just be grateful to be heading towards home I think.