Glencoe, Fort Williams, Inverness. June 16.

Thursday dawned bright and early with high hopes for lovely weather and lots of hiking and camping for the next week. Those hopes were dashed pretty quickly as we headed north into Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. It wasn't pouring, it was just a steady mist of heavy mist that permeated every layer of clothing and completely blocked our view. This was Nic's third (or fourth, there is some confusion) into Scotland and he has had tough weather every time. He was pretty disappointed. He has done a lot of cool things in Scotland, he just has never really seen Scotland. We had hoped that our early visit coupled with a little luck would bear out for him. We were wrong.

We had originally hoped to go to the very furthest point in Scotland we could, while hopping along the Western Coast to see beach, lochs, and mountains in four days, and attend the Aberdeen Highland Games on Sunday. It was an ambitious plan.

The rain made me cry, and maybe some stress from the previous day about wedding crystal and its significance or lack thereof. So my hour of crying may have also contributed to a slightly darker mood. Also my allergies have been pretty dreadful and that is not helping me keep crystal, or the lack thereof, in perspective.

Just prior to the Great Crystal Incident I had walked into the Chemist's in Edinburgh and demanded the strongest allergy medicine they sold - ALL of it. I then confessed how much allergy medication I am taking and I think the poor saleswoman feared for my life. Poor woman kept saying as I checked out, "Please enjoy your holiday. You can buy as much as you want, but please read the instructions." I do read the instructions, but also read the Internet and the Internet says that really weak, sad allergy medicine is pretty harmless and I am on Holiday, and I am trying to have FUN. Thankfully I actually bought some decent allergy medicine, which I am happy to report I am taking safe and appropriate dosages for as prescribed on the packet.

I have felt poorly. Sometimes you don't realize how poorly you felt until you feel you better. I was really genuinely worried I would head out into the wilds of Scotland and be completely and totally miserable as well as super wet. I was acting preemptively. I am not an allergy medicine addict.

So the first few hours of the great Scotland experience were not great. Although it is hard not to quickly sort your mood when you find yourself by the Falls of Falloch - just steps from the road.

Bad weather usually results in tea or coffee, so Nic and I took refuge from the rain and our gloom in a sweet a cafe which boasted of 'Real Food.' We began to seriously wonder if we had planned well enough for this trip.

Refreshed, we persevered toward Fort Williams with the hope that a plan would emerge. Please note the beautiful pictures taken from the car. It was breathtaking. I was also super cold and wet and neither of were feeling great about our plan to camp at this moment.

Nic and are also some of the only people who can make a 3 hour car journey an epic 4-5 hours. We do it regularly. Nic is eternally curious and I have learned that my best experiences in life typically come when I follow his curiosity with an open mind. So we saw many things on the side of the road. I tried to take as many pictures as I could of the mountains trying to capture the beauty. I failed, but I hope these somewhat honor the beauty of Scotland. It is truly a magical place. Ben Nevis is tucked back in these clouds somewhere. Needless to say, we did not hike it.

The lochs are gorgeous, deep, and spiritual. We travelled past lots and lots of lochs. Although Nic often wonders what I am thinking as a roam along behind him. Sometimes he says I am unhappy, which is not true. I am very, very happy, just reflective. I All of this internal work is making dream rich dreams, dig into my feelings, and look to our future.

We stopped off in Fort Williams for food and then Nic and I hatched a plan for the evening - it included a hotel out of the rain, but it required a change of direction, sending us to Inverness, rather than the deep heartland of the West. With our plan somewhat more firm, Nic and I took a quick walk through town to see what Fort Williams had to offer. I cannot say how happy I am that we did. The one thing I really wanted to buy while in Scotland was yarn from Scottish wool. Lo and behold there is a tiny yarn shop in Fort Williams. So I bought the most beautiful local yarn.

See? Isn't it the yummiest!?

Then we stopped off at a Inverlochy castle for tea, but I guess my unbrushed hair, and running clothes turned them off. They pointedly invited to leave and mentioned a reservation was required.

So we had a picnic by the Loch instead. It was perfect, if a little damp.

But we tried again at Glengarry castle and ruins. They let us in! Can you believe it??

We had tea in this castle. It was delightful. We *may* have fallen asleep on the couch after our tea. It was a perfect afternoon. The grounds people allowed us to wander around and look at Loch. It was so quiet. I don't know if I have ever experienced this much quiet.

Pictures from the grounds of the castle and the loch.

And us under the beautiful flower arch.

Nic and I really enjoyed seeing the old trees. They were glorious. Much old growth remains in Scotland preserved by old families.

See? I am a tree hugger.

I really liked the castle and the ruins.

We saw red deer in the wild, but we also saw these along the roadside. The wild deer were more fun to watch, but harder to photograph. Red deer are somewhat rare these days in the UK.