Scotland Road Trip: Edinburgh, the Highlands, and the Braemar Games
This time last year I was in Scotland with my London friend. In my mind, the trip was born of a conversation that went something like this:
September 2024 (Yes, a full year in advance of the trip.)
My friend M: Do you want to go to the Highland Games with me in Scotland next year?
Me: Ok.
I had no idea what to expect from the games. I assumed The Braemar Gathering—affectionately known as the Braemar Games, would involve things like men in kilts throwing tree trunks. As you can see, I was not far off. However, the tree trunk is really a wooden pole and it’s called a caber. The things you learn.
The games delivered. There were adorable little girls competing in Scottish dance contests. One man ran one of the races barefoot in a kilt. I became obsessed with the tug-of-war competitions. I had no idea the sport could be so intense. Even Charles and Camilla made an appearance.
St. Andrews, Loch Ness, and the Scottish Highlands
And while the games were a lot of fun, Scotland overall stole my heart. Our trip began in Edinburgh and we made a loop around the country.
Our first stop was St. Andrews—the town and THE golf course. I am a hacker on the links but it was awesome to set foot on one of the most famous courses in the world.
Hopefully my London friend is reading this—thank you for driving! I was zero help in that department. We had a stick shift car rental and in Scotland, you drive on the left. I can’t drive a manual and it took me a while to get used to being a passenger on the opposite side of the car, let alone driving it.
But once we settled in, we would just stop along the road to get out and take pictures. Mine do not do justice to the views because the Highlands are just that beautiful.
One stop along the way was Loch Ness. We didn’t see Nessie, aka the Loch Ness Monster, but her habitat is gorgeous. The blue water surrounded by the mountains really is breathtaking.
The Tiny House and the People We Met
All of our encounters with the locals were absolutely lovely. (One of the many reasons I’m convinced I could live in Scotland.) We chatted with a retired rugby player in a park before we started on an impromptu hike. He was sitting in the back of his truck reading the paper, presumably after hiking the park himself. He shared his knowledge of the park and gave us some tips on what to explore.
At one point during the trip we stayed in a tiny house—which was an adventure of its own. I’ve never seen a bathroom sink that small. But the owners, a young couple with small children, were super nice.
The husband built three tiny houses that sit next to a farm. He was in the process of converting another building on their property. Our tiny home was cleverly done.. We talked extensively with the husband about everything from his daughter’s upcoming birthday party to (respectfully) relations between our countries.
Things to Try in Scotland (Maybe)
Along the way, I tried Irn-Bru because people at my old job told me I had to. I really didn’t. It tastes nothing like the orange soda it looks like. And I also tried haggis. Surprisingly, it was pretty good. And for someone with a palate as sensitive as mine, it didn’t disturb any of my internal plumbing.
One of the most surprising stops (for me) was The Kelpies. My friend was excited to see them and I had never heard of them. They were huge and impressive. These are the things that make me wonder—how does one get permission to build such things?
A Few Days on My Own in Edinburgh
After my friend headed back to London, I was on my own for a few days. Of course, I found a bookstore and a local stationery store. I visited Edinburgh Castle and The Palace of Holyroodhouse. And I toured the 17th-century underground street of Mary King’s Close—which was both creepy and fascinating.
And I even made my own Harris Tweed Islander bag, which you can only do in Scotland (and now London).
My London friend is actually from the U.S. and is in year five, I think, of her European adventure. I miss her a ton. And among her many awesome traits, she’s an amazing international travel partner. Scotland was not on my very long travel wish list, but I am ecstatic I said yes to that trip.
Have you ever traveled somewhere that totally surprised you—in a good way? Tell me in the comments. And if you want to come along for behind-the-scenes travel escapades (the B-roll), join the newsletter—Between Chapters—because Paris could be next.
