We woke up bright and early this morning to overcast skies, but NO rain!! It's the last day of our Isle of Skye tour and I will admit that I will be sad to leave this side of Scotland. It's been absolutely magical, despite being a bit damp. Of course, David and I are always happiest for the grumpiest weather and oftentimes prefer it to sunny skies anyway, so this weather was just fine by us.
Speaking of magical, for our first stop today we hit Manuela's Wee Bakery and Fairytale Distillery. This Highland hidden gem (aka fairytale foodie haven) is definitely a place that should be visited. The site is made up of small fairy-tale cottages that is owned and operated by a German family who’ve brought their love for fairytales to Scotland. I was delighted to explore this quirky little hobbit/fairy wonderland while getting some delicious baked goodies and coffee.
Imagine my absolute delight to learn that not only would I be able to visit Loch Ness, but that David had secured us tickets for a boat tour on the Loch itself?! The fact that we had a clear day AND I got to enjoy myself on the water was absolute heaven to me. I've seen a lot of beauty while in Scotland so far, but I will admit to quite a bit of happiness and joy as this particular development.
The boat ride was everything I hoped it would be and we managed to hit a few little gifts shops before having to leave the area. I love the highland coos, but Nessie definitely has a place near to my heart.
After Loch Ness we headed to Cairngorms National Park for a short, quick hike to stretch our legs and get a little scenery in while it wasn't so wet. Although we didn't get to spend much time at the park, it is interesting to note that you can find five of the UK's six highest mountains here, alongside 55 Munros (mountains over 3,000 ft.). Luckily we did get to see a small waterfall during our hike.
We stopped in Pitlockry for a comfort break and to stop for ice cream. Julia and I decided to try the Edradour Highland Single Malt Whiskey ice cream and it was AMAZING! 🥃 🍨
Our tour was then off to Perth for a late lunch and to pet the highland cattle at Taste of Perthshire. Feeding the cows was yet another highlight to an already wonderful day for me. They enjoyed the carrots we brought for them to munch on and even allowed a few pets.
One cow arrived late after all his mates ate all of the carrots. He moo'd loudly for a good long bit before staring at us with looks of betrayal. Sorry little coo... maybe next time!
Conor picked us up to take Julia home and to take us to our hotel for the evening. We felt bad because he couldn't hardly get into the city center due to the Fringe festival happening in Edinburgh, but we finally made it through the crowds and to our hotel. We are on our own tomorrow because Julia has to study for her final before we jaunt off to Ireland- so stayed tuned for our adventures while unchaperoned tomorrow!
*** Special Thanks to Chris for an amazing adventure to, from and around the Isle of Skye. He was a wealth of knowledge and a super friendly tour guide as well. We would highly recommend utilizing Discover Scotland Tours. This is a fantastic company. They were super professional, knowledgeable, and helpful. Link included below:
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