A Scotland Wedding Trip - August 3-13, 2017

Three years ago, in August 2014, my nephew Kevin and I went on a 2-week adventure back to the land of our ancestors. This time I went back to Scotland for his destination wedding!

Day 1: I left Jacksonville, Florida, and headed off to Scotland late this afternoon. My husband, Rodney, stayed home to take care of our two older cats. It was a relatively uneventful trip from Jacksonville thru JFK and the Dublin airports to Edinburgh.

Day 2: I arrived in Edinburgh late this morning; unfortunately, my luggage did not. Oh boy... I normally pack an extra set of clothes, toiletries, rain jacket, and power adapters in my carry-on bag and never need them. This trip I didn't. Big mistake.

St. Giles Cathedral

I went to my hotel to drop off my carry-on at the front desk since it was too early to check in. I took my stinky self (really missing my clean clothes) out into the sprinkling rain (really missing my rain jacket) to do some sightseeing. I walked along the Royal Mile with the gazillion other people there for the Tattoo Festival and a few other festivals that were being held. Ugh! There were too many people for me to really enjoy myself, but I stopped by St. Giles Cathedral, an Historic Scotland site that was featured on a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland postage stamp in 1969 (a Philatelic Photograph). That perked me up a bit! Adjacent to the Cathedral was an Equestrian Statue of Monarch Charles II. Sweet!

Hourglass on Headstone in Greyfriars

To get away from the Royal Mile and the droves of people there, I next visited Greyfriars Kirkyard, where I came across a Mausoleum and numerous Hourglasses on some of the historic and beautifully ornate headstones. I also checked out the Greyfriars Kirk while here. According to Wikipedia, construction on This Old Church began in 1602 and was completed circa 1620. By this time, the rain was really coming down, and I was absolutely drenched and miserable. However, I did manage to stop and check out a plaque on the kirkyard wall as I was leaving and discovered it was a Disaster Memorial placed in remembrance of the victims of the Union Carbide Gas Disaster in Bhopal, India, in 1984.

By now, it was late enough to check into my hotel (hub by Premier Inn Edinburgh-Royal Mile). Unfortunately, there was still no news about my missing luggage. Thankfully, the hotel provided me with a toothbrush, toothpaste, lotion, and deodorant, and I managed to do a little creative hand washing of the clothes I'd been wearing for well over 24 hours in the bathroom sink. I got on my computer to contact my husband at home and other family members in Scotland for the wedding. By the time I was ready to call it a night, I only had about an hour of juice left on the computer and even less on my cell phone. Note to self: ALWAYS carry adapters, extra underwear, an extra outfit, and toiletries in my carry-on in the future.

Day 3: Still no word on the location of my luggage. Aer Lingus sucks. Sorry, but they were absolutely no help and acted like I was putting them out when I tried to find out what was going on. I reluctantly put on my hand washed clothes (still a bit rank) and headed out to purchase underwear, shirts, pants, a brush (my hair was looking absolutely ridiculous by now), and a power adapter since I had no idea if my luggage was ever going to arrive. The wonderful hotel clerk suggested I go to Primark (about a mile from the hotel) to get some cheap clothes, etc. I bought a pair of leggings, a pair of sweat pants, three shirts, a four-pack of underwear (hallelujah!), a five-pack of socks, and a hairbrush for just under 20 pounds. They didn't carry an adapter for my electronics like she thought they would, but there was a Samsung store two doors down and they told me to go to the Superdrug another three doors down to get an adapter. Yay! I can freely use my computer and phone again.

Abraham Lincoln in Edinburgh

I spent the rest of my final day in Edinburgh before heading to the wedding venue by wandering around a few more of the historic cemeteries in the area. The cemeteries were the best places I could find to get away from the crowds... at least crowds of the living kind! My first stop was the Old Calton Burying Ground. According to Wikipedia, this Worldwide Cemetery was established in 1718 and contains over 1,000 graves. Within the cemetery was a Scottish-American Soldiers Memorial, a Civil War Memorial featuring a statue of Abraham Lincoln, which I visited. I also found the Famous Grave of Dead Poet David Hume, who was the author of the "Treatise of Human Nature".

The next cemetery I visited was the New Calton Burial Ground, a cemetery that I actually first visited with my nephew Kevin in 2014. I found a lovely winged Hourglass on one of the headstones in this cemetery, as well as a World War II Memorial to five merchant navy seamen "known unto God" whose bodies were recovered from the sea following an attack on the MV Atheltemplar on 1 March 1941 during World War II.

Winged Hourglass

Unfortunately, after spending so much time trying to locate my missing luggage and shopping for new clothes and other items, I didn't have as much time to spend waymarking around Edinburgh as I had planned. It was a bit disappointing, but Edinburgh was only ever intended to be icing on the cake. The main purpose of my trip was yet to come and I was really looking forward to it.

Day 4: At 2:00am this morning, my luggage finally arrived! I had asked the hotel clerk to wake me up as soon as it arrived. I was so happy to have my stuff, especially the dress and shoes I was going to wear to the wedding. The hotel staff was fabulous during this ordeal. I would definitely stay at this hub hotel again and probably will.

On the Train to Stranraer

After a few more hours of sleep, I got up and took the first train out to Glasgow, where I met up with my niece Carrie and nephew Brian. The three of us then caught the train to Stranraer in southwest Scotland. Upon arriving in Stranraer, we took a cab to the Dunskey Estate in Portpatrick where we would be staying for the next week and where the wedding was to be held.

The wedding party and attendees were scheduled to stay at the main house or Castle on the Dunskey Estate. The castle was built in 1900, is beautifully maintained, and still has all of its original features including the majority of furnishings. We arrived at the estate before we could check in so we went to the Estate's Tearoom for some hot tea and scones with clotted cream (yum!). Once the castle was ready for us to move in, we headed to it and spotted an Anchor, a Sundial, and a few Lion Statues in front of it, as well as a beautiful view of the North Channel. Before long, the rest of the wedding party and guests arrived, and we all enjoyed a nice dinner put together by our hosts.

Dunskey Estate Castle

Reverse Jeep Driving

Day 5: Today, we all went to the Laggan Outdoor Activity Center in the town of Gatehouse of Fleet and had fun with archery, sledging, and reverse jeep driving. Sledging involves flying down a hill on a sled with tracks on the bottom instead of skis. Reverse jeep driving involves driving with a blindfold on while your co-pilot in the back seat navigates without talking!!! What makes it even more challenging is that when you turn the steering wheel to the right, the jeep goes to the left and vice versa. It was absolutely hilarious!

On our way back to the Dunskey Estate, we stopped at the Cairn Holy Chambered Cairns I and II. My husband and I actually stopped here in 2012 to explore these two Megalithic Monuments that are listed on the Historic Scotland register. According to Wikipedia, these are two Neolithic chambered tombs. Next, we made our way back to Dunskey and enjoyed the wedding rehearsal dinner, once again put together by our hosts, as well as a fun whisky tasting.

Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn I

Fairy Door

Day 6: Today was the much anticipated wedding day! The wedding wasn't to take place until late afternoon, so the bride and groom held a scavenger hunt for us on the estate grounds in the late morning/early afternoon. We had a fun time exploring the estate's Outdoor Maze, as well as its Fairy Trail, which boasted at least 20 Wee Fairy Folk Doors... so, so cute! There was also a nice Footbridge along the Fairy Trail.



By the time we finished the scavenger hunt, it was time to start getting ready for the wedding. It was held in the gardens behind the castle, and my nephew wore a kilt in the MacPherson Clan's Hunting Modern plaid tartan and his bride Megan wore a beautiful champagne colored floor-length gown. Such a beautiful wedding. Sigh...

Megan and Kevin Say Aye Do!

Anchor overlooking Portpatrick

Day 7: We went into the adorable little seaside village of Portpatrick today and found a geocache while out and about. I also spotted a few waymarks, and my family was kind enough to stop and let me take some photos and coordinates for a couple of old Anchors, Artistic Seating in the form of a beautiful stone bench, and a small Coastal Lighthouse. We also discovered a Disaster Memorial, which consisted of a Relief Art Sculpture placed in honor of the lifeboatmen from the village who joined the effort to rescue passengers on the sinking MV Princess Victoria in 1953.

MV Princess Victoria Memorial

We also visited the ruins of the Portpatrick Old Parish Kirk, which included a Dovecote and a Churchyard Cemetery. Within this Worldwide Cemetery, we discovered two Graves of Unusual Deaths, one for Nathaniel Wither who drowned in the Baltic Sea in 1813 at the age of 24 and another for Betsy Splatt and her daughters Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Susanna, and Ann Maria who lost their lives in the wreck of the Orion paddle steamer in 1950. Both the Kirk and the Churchyard are listed on the Historic Scotland register.

After arriving back at the Dunskey Estate, I spent a little time wandering around the walled garden, where I spotted a Draw Well, which was installed some time in the 1700s to as late as about 1815. It was used for watering plants in the Walled Garden. It no longer serves that function, but is a nice little decorative feature in the garden. Later in the day, we walked down to the Estate's beach, where our host had arranged a cookout and bonfire. It was a great way to end a beautiful day.

Dunskey Castle Ruins

Day 8: We spent most of the day around the Dunskey Estate today, but in the afternoon we headed back to Portpatrick for dinner. After dinner, we wandered up the Outdoor Stairway of 125 steps to the ruins of the Dunskey Castle (not part of the Estate where we are staying). According to Wikipedia, Dunskey Castle was constructed in the 12th century and is privately owned.

Day 9: A few of us drove over to the nearby Killantringan Lighthouse today. According to Wikipedia, this Coastal Lighthouse came into operation in 1900 and served as a waypoint in the North Channel of the Irish Sea. The lighthouse is a protected building on the Historic Scotland register. Just outside the walled area surrounding the lighthouse were two pieces of Old Agricultural Equipment, possibly a plow and a hay rake. You just never know what kind of waymarks you're going to come across! Just down the hill from the lighthouse was a spot overlooking the Killantringan Bay and a Dedicated Bench was placed here in memory of Linda Anne Bovaird.

Killantringan Lighthouse

Day 10: The wedding adventure ended today. My sister Carol, her husband Larry, my niece Carrie, my nephew Brian, and I all caught the same train out of Stranraer. The first three got off in Glasgow, while Brian and I continued on to Edinburgh. Unfortunately, the hotel I stayed at upon arriving in Scotland didn't have any vacancies tonight, so I stayed at a different hotel that was not as centrally located and wasn't nearly as nice even though it was more expensive. I guess I should have booked my accommodations a few months earlier than I did!

Victorian Post Box

I only did a little bit of waymarking in Edinburgh this afternoon. On my way to Charlotte Square, I spotted a Victorian Post Box at the intersection of North Castle Street and Queen Street. Once I got to Charlotte Square, I took a Philatelic Photograph of Bute House. According to Wikipedia, Bute House is the official residence of the First Minister of Scotland. The house was featured on a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland postage stamp in 1975. I just love the Philatelic Photographs category! By this time, I was pretty exhausted and headed back to my hotel. On the way back though, I spotted a Hard Rock Cafe and had to make a quick visit!

Day 11: I caught my flight home today. It was a wonderful trip, a wonderful wedding, and a wonderful time with my family. The only thing that would have made it better was if my husband could have come too. Next time...