Scotland in the Winter

by David Henderson

Even the mention of the name of the country -- "Scotland" -- has always captured my imagination and conjured up thoughts of legends, myths, lost grandeur and castles. One ancient castle on Scotland's west coast, Eilean nan Caorach (on the right), sits abandoned on an island in Loch Linnhe.

My ancestors came from Scotland long ago but I never really knew the country until a recent visit. All it took to get me excited was a week, and I went there at possibly the dreariest time of the year - November. The wind and rain may have a chill but that's warmed by the friendliness of the people and dramatic beauty of Scotland. I'm looking forward to a return visit.

Scotland isn't a large place. You can drive from Edinburgh to Glasgow in an hour and completely across the country in about three hours. Getting north into the highlands becomes somewhat of a time-consuming challenge because many of the roads are narrow -- for a "single carriage," they say -- requiring you or opposite approaching traffic to pull over and stop to allow enough room to pass. Not a problem because Scottish drivers are extremely courteous. It doesn't really matter which direction you take to find an adventure in Scotland. Let me share a couple of places that are a little out of the ordinary ...

The Isle of Eriska is a small island, located on a loch, on Scotland's west coast, about 15 miles north of Oban. From atop the hill at Eriska (photo on the right), you can see for miles in all directions -- Loch Linnhe that empties into the ocean, the blue mountains to the north that eventually lead to the Isle of Skye . It's completely isolated. All you will hear is the wind and possibly the lapping of water on the rocky shoreline and the occasional screech of a hawk or call of a wild pheasant. The Isle of Eriska is the ultimate retreat.

The only structure on Eriska is a castle, now a luxury hotel, built about 100 years ago, new by Scotland standards. The hotel is privately owned by the Buchanan-Smith family and is focused on luxury at every turn -- tea is served every afternoon at three in the sitting room. A wood and coal fire burns 24 hours a day in the great fireplace to chase away chills from a walk. And staying at the hotel is a gourmet experience of fresh local fish, meats and vegetables. Each evening, after dinner, guests gather for coffee, a brandy and chocolates and to watch wildlife come right up to the castle, searching for treats. If you've never been to such a place, I recommend Eriska for a couple of days. The staff is attentive, and the castle environment is grand. By the way, there is a wide choice of such castles-turned-hotels, and it's easy to check them out online.

Then, there is Glasgow. Once a grimy blue-collar factory town, Glasgow today is the cultural gem of Britain ... a city celebrated for its symphony, art galleries, gardens, performing arts center and university. It's a fun place, and not to be missed during a visit to Scotland.

Perhaps most notable is that Glasgow was the home of 19th century architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Born in 1868, he is considered the European counterpart of Frank Lloyd Wright and is renowned worldwide for his innovative and influential style which helped shape European art nouveau. He embodied the arts and crafts movement -- a rebellion against the industrial revolution -- was sensitive to spatial considerations and designed for the entire environment. The front of an elementary school he designed is in the photo on the right.

His designs ranged from the magnificent building for the Glasgow School of Art to tea rooms, dinnerware, furniture and jewelry -- all as much in style today as 100 years ago.

The influence Mackintosh's "Glasgow style" of architecture can be seen throughout city. He even created his own distinctive font for lettering, noted for its tall, block style (see the photo to the left) that could be the signature for art nouveau that came many years later. Visitors can tour the schools and have lunch at the famed tea room.

And, then ... I stumbled upon this tiny magical village on the east coast of Scotland, and finally understood its allure. It's St. Andrews. Home of St. Andrews University , founded in 1413, the university for Britain's kings. There are the ancient ruins of St. Mary on the Crag church, a place where Christians have worshipped since the 8th-century (photo on the right). And, it's the birthplace of the game of golf.

Exploring Scotland is a new adventure each way you look. From roaming remote hills of heather and ancient castles and exciting cities and sweeping vistas of a coastline, Scotland is not to be missed. My advice is to avoid the Scottish dish, haggis. There are all kinds of stories about how awful the meat dish is, and I think they are all true. Other than haggis, Scotland is terrific!

Writer and BoomerCafé co-founder David Henderson
lives in Alexandria, VA.
His email is david@boomercafe.com .

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