July 1, 2007
We enjoyed the urban landscape too - at left Edinburgh's Royal Crescent in the New Town (new in the late 1700s that is) - there can be two floors below the sidewalk and as many as 5 above. We vastly increased our appreciation for the novels of Alexander McCall Smith and Ian Rankin as we soaked in the atmosphere of the city.
At right, a statue of Andrew Carnegie, native son of Dunfermline in Fife. As a youth, he was denied entry to this park, so when he grew rich he bought it up and gave it to the town for public enjoyment.
Urban Scenes in Scotland
Hillwalks in the Highlands
June 30, 2007
On the left, the view from the Stob a Choire Odhair one of the "Munros" - Scottish mountains over 3000 feet high - a delightful solitary hike through moorland up an old glacial valley.
On the right, the top of Ben Nevis, the highest place in the UK, with a view north toward the Great Glen. This day we had company - hundreds of Brits and Scots plus a good number of German and other European folks on their first free weekend after the end of the school year. We lucked out, the top is out of clouds only 1 day in 10.
Side trip - "over the water"
June 26, 2007
Here we are walking over the Radical Road on the Salisbury Crags in Edinburgh, Scotland - that's Bob in the distance. You can see the castle at the left beyond the Old Town, and in the far distance the Firth of Forth railway bridge is peeking over the hill.
Another entry in our series of June solstice northern vacations.
Taking a break
June 1, 2007
This trip is coming to its end - I'm heading home for some family events over the next few weeks.
Here I am with my trusty GPS which helped me find the turnoff to Loft Mountain Campground in Shenandoah National Park.
Later ...
May 29, 2007
Later the same day, I walked for hours through a riot of pink rhodies and flame azaleas. I almost forgot about my tired feet.
Rhododendron Tunnel
May 29, 2007
Climbing up Pearis Mountain out of the New River Valley - at around 3,000 feet I entered the rhododendron forest. From up in the sunshine, the rosy blooms can be seen, but down here at trail level, it's a shady tunnel.
Holiday Weekend
May 27, 2007
It's Memorial Day weekend, and the campground is packed full of horse trailers, pickup trucks, horses, and their people. On the right side of the rail fence, only tenters are allowed, because the drinking water well is over there - so that's my tent on the lawn!
The horse people ride on fire roads, and the AT hikers have their own separate path for foot travel only, so I'm the only person who intersected both groups. Riding my bike, I had to wait for some horses that had apparently never seen a mountain bike before.
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