We had an incredible first day of our journey through Scotland today! The clouds parted and our morning was bright and crisp with dark clouds in a blue sky. Following breakfast we boarded a bus, drove through Inverness, and arrived at Culloden, a historic battlefield of great importance.
Here the Jacobites, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie suffered a key defeat by the Duke of Cumberland in 1746. Charles managed to escape the battlefield and later flee from Scotland. His attempt to restore the Stuarts to the throne was unsuccessful. We wandered through the visitor center, which had excellent displays, including a room where you were surrounded by a graphic film recreation of the battle. Outside a path led to a monument erected on the battlefield. The heather were blooming in lush purple clumps, giving a sweet smell to the air as we pondered the somber past. Next we stopped at Clava Cairns, a group of three stone burial chambers and standing stones from the Early Bronze Age which were quite interesting.
A history lecture after lunch saw us through Loch Ness, as well as a scenic cruise past Urquhart Castle. Unfortunately we did not have any monster sightings on the water today. On the west side of Loch Ness we disembarked for a variety of activities. Kayakers paddled onto the water, hikers strolled through town and countryside, and photographers shot the ship transiting a series of locks. The afternoon was filled with a full panoply of weather conditions, providing us with a great appreciation for Scottish weather. The evening ended with a lovely sunset and a special musical performance by local musicians before bed.
