June 17--Edinburgh

Yesterday we rode the train back to the park and ride lot, retrieved the car and headed to the next B&B which was in a suburb of Edinburgh called Portobello which is on the Firth of Forth and is a beach community.  We could see the beach from our bedroom window.  We headed back into town via the bus and spent some time in the Princes Street Gardens where Betsy sketched and I walked around the park.  Since the Scottish National Gallery was next to the park we took a look.  After that we headed to New Town for a stroll.  I think we were tired because the crowds of people got to us, it was a warm day so we headed back to the B&B via bus and walked along the beach until dinner time.  One of the places the B&B recommended was a tapas restaurant which is something I've wanted to try.  Tapas are a Spanish food.  We each ordered 3 different tapas and enjoyed them.
I forgot to mention that a night or two before I had tried a small portion of the dreaded haggis. I actually liked it--had a good taste, very rich, and was peppery.  I ask the waitress if the peppery taste was normal and she said it was.

June 16--Edinburgh

We didn't want to drive into Edinburgh so we found a light rail park and ride location and took the train into town and immediately headed to the castle which is the most impressive castle we've seen thus far.  It's built on solid rock and looms over the city.  It was crowded but we did wait in line to see the Scottish crown jewels.  After the castle we walked The Royal Mile to look at the shops in Old Town.

June 15--Inverness to Edinburgh

On the road again with a stop at Blair Castle around the Perth area.  This was a great castle but they would only allow pictures to be taken in one room which was a bummer.  I managed to sneak a couple anyway.  The gardens were very nice.  After the castle we hit the road again for the Edinburgh area for a one night stay in Faside Castle.  This castle goes all the way back to the 1200's and for many, many years was a ruins.  Then in the 1980's a couple bought it and began a restoration which is amazing.  They now rent out the one tower bedroom along with the great hall and it was really fun to have the whole upper two floors all to ourselves.

June 14--Inverness

First thing in the morning before taking off from the B&B we walked down to a marina to look at the boats.  Then in the car to Ft. George which on the coast and is an active army base and home to The Royal Highlanders Regiment.  We were lucky enough to watch a group of new recruits being taught how to dress in their dress uniforms.  Then back to the city to do the self guided walking tour, stopped at every kilt shop in the city (no I didn't buy anything since I've already got a kilt that my family loves), and toured the cathedral. 

June 12--Lake District

Cloudy all day but no rain.  Headed south to Ambleside which is a very cute but touristy town, and then to Hawkshead which is where Beatrix Potter's husband had a law office, but it's now used as a gallery of Potter's art.  Betsy went through the gallery and I walked up to the old church and wandered around the town.  On the way back toward we stopped at the biggest garden center I've ever seen.  It was like a mall with nothing but plants, garden tools, furniture, clothing, anything and everything garden related.  Then another drive through the country via a "mountain" pass.  This was our last day in the Lake District and our weather wasn't good, but even with the clouds and rain it was a pretty place.  Must be spectacular with sun.

June 11--The Lake District

The weather was (again) a little rainy.  Drove into Keswick which is the main town in the district and found a laundry where we washed the clothing we'd worn for the past few days.  After finishing that duty we walked the town and I swear every other shop was selling hiking, climbing, mountain biking stuff.  Betsy discovered that an art pencil she uses is made here and they had a factory outlet! Apparently about a hundred years ago a couple of sheepherders found a deposit of graphite which they thought might be a form of coal.  That didn't work out for them, but they discovered that it left a smudge on their hands that was pretty much waterproof so they started using it to mark their sheep.  Someone else took it step further and invented the graphite pencil. 
After Keswick we took a drive through the Newland Valley which was beautiful despite the rain and clouds.
We've gotten into a routine of eating which would probably kill us at home, but we're doing so much walking that we will probably survive.  In the morning we have an English breakfast which consists of eggs (scrambled, fried, or poached), incredible English bacon (much thicker and more flavorable than ours), sausage, beans, toast, and coffee or tea.  After the first couple days we tell our hostess that we'll just have eggs and one piece of bacon, one sausage, toast and coffee or tea as we can't eat all that food.  About 1 or 2 PM we'll stop at a tea room and have a little something.  Betsy usually has tea and scones with clotted cream and jam.  I'm on a mission to try every Lemon Drizzle Cake that I run into along with coffee.  About 5 or 6PM we'll find somewhere to have dinner.  If we're in the country we'll try and find an inn with food or if we're in town we'll find a restaurant or pub. The food over here is much more flavorful since they don't put all the chemicals in it.

June 11-- Mosedale End B&B

Most of our travel day yesterday was rainy but shortly after checking into our B&B the clouds parted and we were able to walk around the town of Mosedale, which consists of maybe 15 old stone farmhouses, and the village inn.  This region is known for it's beautiful "fells" which the locals define as mountains, but for us they were big hills.  Lots of hikers and bikers in this area.  There are lakes, but the weather was cool and rainy so we skipped the boat ride. In the  picture of our B&B the right end of the building would have been used for livestock housing back in the 1600-1700's, but the upper portion now houses 3 guest rooms and down below is storage.  Our hostess, JoAnn is a baker and we had delightful baked goodies delivered daily to our room.