Ne glede na to, kam te ponesejo poti, bolj ko se potovanje bliža koncu, bolj pri sebi delaš nekakšno inventuro. Še posebej, kadar gre za deželo, kot je Škotska, ki je bila od nekdaj visoko na seznamu »must go, must see«.
Že takoj lahko brez pomislekov rečem, da nas ni razočarala. Pravzaprav je to veliko težje doseči pri potovanjih, od katerih že vnaprej veliko pričakuješ, kot pri tistih, na katera se odpraviš brez posebnih predstav in pričakovanj.
Škotska skozi naše oči
Škotsko sem si predstavljala kot zeleno deželo prostranega višavja, neštetih gradov in skrivnostnih jezer. Seveda sem bila prepričana tudi, da bomo prav mi tisti, ki bomo ob obisku Loch Nessa končno zagledali Nessie.
No, to je bilo pravzaprav edino škotsko razočaranje, saj Nessie ni bilo nikjer. Očitno je imela tisti dan dopust.
Zaradi večstoletne povezanosti z Anglijo sem si v svoji glavi napletla tudi zgodbo, da bodo Škoti precej podobni Angležem. Kako zelo sem se motila. Očitno še vedno drži tisto, da knjige ne gre soditi po platnicah.
Prav vsak, s katerim smo navezali stik, pa naj je šlo le za bežno srečanje ali daljši pogovor, je bil prijazen, zgovoren, nasmejan in odprt. Preprosto takšen tip ljudi, ki mi je blizu, zato je morda tudi moje navdušenje nad Škotsko toliko večje.
Tudi puncama je bila Škotska vsekakor vredna obiska. Od smeha na račun »goveda s slabo frizuro«, kot je višavsko govedo poimenoval Igor, do neuspešnega iskanja Nessie, skupnih zabavnih trenutkov ni manjkalo.
Višavsko govedo svoje pričeske sicer nosi zelo samozavestno, zato sklepam, da ga Igorjevo mnenje ni posebej prizadelo.
Potovanje, ki nas je spet povezalo
Škotska je bila tudi odlična priložnost za urjenje angleščine. Punci sta začeli samostojneje navezovati stike in se sporazumevati, hkrati pa je koristila tudi nama, saj angleščine ne uporabljava več vsak mesec, pravzaprav niti vsak teden, kaj šele vsak dan.
Na začetku morda v glavi še sestavljaš popoln stavek, sogovornik pa medtem že čaka na odgovor, toda po nekaj dneh besede vendarle stečejo. Če ne drugače, si pomagaš z rokami, nasmehom in univerzalnim turističnim jezikom: »Sorry, could you say that again?«
Predvsem pa smo po dolgem času znova potovali nekoliko drugače. Veliko smo se premikali, menjavali kraje in nastanitve ter se vrnili k načinu »vse, kar imam, nosim s seboj« v nahrbtniku.
Če česa ne moreš spraviti vanj, tega očitno ne potrebuješ. No, vsaj to je moja tolažba, ko ne morem vzeti s seboj toliko, kot si želim …
Tudi čas med pohodi, vožnjami in pešačenjem do nastanitev smo dobro izkoristili. Za vsakdanje pogovore, vprašanja o potovanju, opazovanje sveta skozi okna avtobusov in vlakov ter pogovore o vsem, kar smo srečevali na poti.
Pravzaprav smo bili skupaj veliko več kot doma, kjer nas potegnejo šolske, obšolske in službene obveznosti ter vsakdanji ritem.
Glasgow, Edinburgh in dva različna obraza Škotske
Kar zadeva Edinburgh in Glasgow, moram priznati, da bi Glasgow zlahka izpustila s seznama krajev, ki bi jih želela še enkrat obiskati. Name preprosto ni naredil posebnega vtisa. Zakaj, niti sama ne znam natančno pojasniti.
Morda je bil razlog prav velik kontrast z nekaj dnevi, ki smo jih pred tem preživeli v škotskem višavju, kjer je vse umirjeno, počasno, naravno in pristno. Nato pa se po nekaj urah vožnje znajdeš v Glasgowu. V povsem drugačnem svetu, polnem vrveža, hrupa in predvsem tistega dobro znanega, meni precej odbijajočega vonja po travi. Ne tisti zeleni škotski travi, da ne bo pomote.
Edinburgh pa je povsem druga zgodba. Glavno mesto, ki se ga kar ne moreš naveličati. Nikjer stolpnic, nikjer občutka velikega in neosebnega mesta. Ravno nasprotno.
Ko sem zgodaj zjutraj, še ob zori, odgrnila zavese, je bila ulica pod oknom tiha in mirna kot prizor iz filma, postavljenega nekam v 19. stoletje. Le avtomobili ob pločniku so razkrivali, da smo vendarle v nekem drugem času. Če bi mimo pripeljala še kočija, se mi to najbrž sploh ne bi zdelo nenavadno.
Zeleno, ki te ljubim zeleno
In potem je tu seveda še višavje.
»Zeleno, ki te ljubim zeleno.«
Verz Federica Garcíe Lorce, ki mi še danes, po vseh teh letih, odmeva v spominu na gimnazijska leta in profesorico slovenščine. Pravzaprav si težko predstavljam besede, ki bi lepše opisale Škotsko.
Saj ne, da sami živimo sredi mesta. Tudi zdaj, ko zapisujem zaključne misli o našem potovanju, skozi okno gledam smreko. Desno od računalnika leži telefon, na njegovem zaslonu pa fotografija Nie in Nare.
V jaknah sedita na klopci le nekaj sto metrov od Nessie in zajtrkujeta. Okoli njiju zelena trava, v ozadju teče potok, na obrazih pa široka nasmeha. Koruzni kosmiči verjetno še nikoli niso bili tako dobri.
Ko v očeh svojih otrok vidiš pristno srečo, pravzaprav ne potrebuješ ničesar več. Kaj bi ti lahko bolj ogrelo srce?
Morda so prav ti vmesni trenutki tisti, ki bodo na koncu ostali najdlje. Ne le gradovi, jezera, mesta in škotsko višavje, temveč tudi skupna hoja, smeh, pogovori, zajtrki na klopcah in zavedanje, da smo skupaj. Zares skupaj.
Škotska je tako upravičila prav vsa naša pričakovanja in si prislužila posebno mesto med našimi potovanji. Če bi se prikazala še Nessie, bi bilo že skoraj preveč popolno. Poleg tega pa potrebujemo vsaj en razlog, da se nekoč vrnemo.
Do naslednjega potovanja
Zdaj nas naslednji čakajo naši čarobni Tenerifi. A teh pravzaprav sploh ne štejem več za potovanje. Tenerifi so naš drugi dom. Kraj, kjer preživimo del poletnih počitnic in kjer sem mirna, sproščena in srečna.
Skoraj tako kot doma, le da je tam topleje, pred nosom imamo Atlantski ocean, na krožnikih pa precej več morske hrane. Če sem čisto iskrena, je to nekoliko izboljšana različica doma.
Kam in kdaj nas bo odneslo naslednje pravo potovanje, pa tokrat še čudežno ne vemo. Za nas je to skoraj nenavadno stanje in ne vem, koliko časa bo trajalo.
Verjetno le do trenutka, ko bo nekdo mimogrede omenil zanimiv kraj, jaz pa bom »samo malo pogledala« letalske vozovnice.
Do naslednjega potovanja torej. Kamorkoli že bo, kajti najlepše poti so pogosto prav tiste, za katere še niti ne veš, da te čakajo.
We started the morning the way every good travel day should begin: with a cup of Barcaffè on our favorite bench at the edge of Drumnadrochit, right in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. Beside us, a small stream flowed gently by, providing the perfect soundtrack to another day on the road.
At last, it was time to leave. Anja and I put on our backpacks and set off for the next stage of our journey.
Since we were staying in four different locations across Scotland, travelling with backpacks was really the only practical choice. They gave us far more freedom to move around. Changing from trains to buses, and then walking to each new accommodation, was much easier than dragging suitcases across platforms, pavements, and cobbled streets.
We had already travelled this way in Portugal, making our way from Porto to Nazaré and then on to Lisbon. It worked so well that we decided to do the same in Scotland.
To be honest, backpacks have only one real downside. If you don't pack them carefully and suddenly need something that ended up at the very bottom, it doesn't take long before half your clothes are scattered all over the room.
Once again, Anja proved to be much better organised than I was. She had packed everything thoughtfully before we left home, so throughout the trip she always knew exactly where everything was. Everyone has their own strengths.
Before long, we were standing at the bus stop. I had bought our tickets a few months earlier through the Citylink app. I had read that this route could get quite busy, so I decided to book them in advance, just to be on the safe side.
Across the Scottish Highlands on a Double Decker Bus
It's not something you expect. In the middle of nowhere, in a tiny village with a name that's almost impossible to pronounce, a double decker bus pulls up to collect you.
But that's exactly what happened.
As if that wasn't enough, the driver turned out to be the very same one who had brought us here a few days earlier. We placed our backpacks in the luggage compartment and, naturally, headed straight upstairs. There was plenty of room, so we could choose whichever seats we liked. At the beginning of the season, seat reservations clearly aren't essential, although it's still reassuring to have them.
Even though we were far from any major towns, the buses here run surprisingly often. If I counted correctly, there are nine services a day on this route. It connects Inverness in the north with Fort William in the south and is one of the main transport links through the Scottish Highlands.
Over the years, we've covered plenty of miles by bus during our travels, and most of those journeys have been excellent. There have been a few memorable exceptions, though. I still remember the adrenaline-filled ride along the narrow Irish roads to the Cliffs of Moher, and the winding mountain route to Ronda in Andalusia.
Scotland has a well-developed bus network, and with a little planning you can reach even some of the more remote corners of the Highlands. Even so, if I had the choice, I would still pick the train every time.
Our next accommodation was about an hour and a half away. Something told me this journey was not going to be boring.
Great Glen: The Valley That Splits Scotland in Two
We waved goodbye to Drumnadrochit as the bus climbed the hill we had walked the day before. One last time, we caught sight of the haunting ruins of Urquhart Castle before they disappeared from view.
If you ever travel this route, choose a seat on the left-hand side of the bus. On the right, you'll spend most of the journey looking at forests and hillsides, while the left side offers almost constant views of Loch Ness. At least there, you have a tiny chance of spotting the legendary Nessie. On the right, that chance is pretty much zero.
The Great Glen is not only one of Scotland's most famous valleys, but also the natural corridor through the Highlands. Stretching for almost 100 kilometres, it has connected the north and south of the country for thousands of years. A road, a long-distance hiking trail, and an inland waterway of lochs and canals all follow the same route, offering different ways to experience this remarkable landscape. Whichever you choose, you're surrounded by spectacular scenery from start to finish.
During the first part of the journey, Loch Ness is your constant companion. Much of its shoreline is covered with trees, so you rarely see the loch in its full width, although every now and then the view opens up. As we travelled on, the sky grew darker. The sun kept trying to break through the clouds, but never quite managed it.
In a way, that slightly darker atmosphere suited the loch perfectly. It made the entire landscape feel even more mysterious.
The first houses begin to appear, and before long you arrive in Fort Augustus, a small village at the southern end of Loch Ness. This is where Loch Ness ends. Or begins. It all depends on which direction you're travelling.
Fort Augustus is best known for the Caledonian Canal, which runs right through the centre of the village. The canal was built to provide ships with a safer route between Scotland's east and west coasts by linking four lochs, allowing them to avoid the often dangerous waters around the country's northern coastline.
The hills rise steeply from the valley, and by now Loch Ness is well behind you. Wherever the landscape levels out, even just a little, you'll find open pastures stretching across the valley floor. In the distance, the first patches of snow are already visible on the mountain peaks.
It doesn't take long before another loch comes into view. Soon, the waters of Loch Lochy open up before you. Unlike the darker, more mysterious Loch Ness, its shores are far less wooded, giving you wide, uninterrupted views across the water and making the scenery feel even more spectacular.
This was one of the most beautiful stretches of the entire journey. The landscape seemed to be painted in every imaginable shade of green. Then the snow-capped peaks that had been following us in the distance finally came into full view.
These mountains form the highest part of the Scottish Highlands and the highest range anywhere in the British Isles. As you travel along the loch through the valley, it feels as though you've already climbed high into the mountains. In reality, though, it's just an illusion.
Gradually, the first houses begin to appear again. We were getting close to our destination for the day.
Just before the bus reached the town, two enormous steel pipes caught our attention on the hillside. They ran straight down the steep slope, and none of us could work out why they were there. It wasn't until later that we discovered they were part of a hydroelectric power station. Water is channelled down these pipes from a reservoir higher up the mountain to turbines below, generating electricity for the area.
After spending hours surrounded by such untouched scenery, seeing industrial structures like these came as a bit of a surprise. But clearly, they're there for a reason.
Then a long pier comes into view, and a minute later the bus pulls into Fort William bus station.
Another destination lies ahead. A new place to explore, a new accommodation to settle into, and hopefully another memorable adventure in the heart of the Scottish Highlands.
Fort William: Beneath Ben Nevis
The bus station sits right next to the railway station, so there's no complicated logistics to worry about. We took our first steps through Fort William, a town on the shores of Loch Linnhe, a sea loch known for its impressive tides, where the difference between high and low water can exceed four metres. Suddenly, that long pier we had just seen made perfect sense.
On one side of the town lies the loch, while on the other rises Ben Nevis. At 1,345 metres, it may not seem particularly high by international standards, but it is the tallest mountain in the United Kingdom. Because it rises almost directly from sea level, it looks far more imposing than its elevation suggests.
Although Fort William is a relatively small town, it has much more to offer than first meets the eye. This is where the Caledonian Canal begins, the same waterway that accompanied us for much of today's journey. It's also home to the famous West Highland Line, often described as one of the most scenic railway routes in the world. In a few days, we'll be travelling along it ourselves on our way to Glasgow.
If Edinburgh has the Royal Mile, Fort William has its High Street, a long, almost perfectly straight street where you'll find almost everything a visitor could need.
When we stopped in front of the welcome sign in Drumnadrochit a couple of days earlier, we all felt as if we had suddenly forgotten how to read. Of course, we hadn't. The sign was written in Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic language now spoken by only a small minority of Scotland's population. Before long, we were greeted by a similar sign in Fort William.
Scottish Gaelic is one of the oldest languages in the British Isles. Although you rarely hear it spoken in everyday life, the Scots continue to treat it with great respect. That's why many town signs, railway stations, and official notices are still bilingual, helping to preserve a language that remains an important part of Scotland's history and cultural identity.
After collecting the keys, we settled into what was already our third home of the trip. We weren't in the mood to unpack just yet, and it was already time for lunch, so we headed back down to the High Street.
With plenty of the afternoon still ahead of us, we set out for a relaxed walk around town after lunch. Everywhere you look there are churches, characterful old buildings, and, of course, pubs proudly advertising an impressive selection of Scottish whisky.
The weather changes incredibly quickly here. One moment we were caught in the rain on the High Street, so we ducked into a souvenir shop. Five minutes later, having found nothing that caught our eye, we stepped back outside into bright sunshine.
That was enough for one day. Our accommodation was a little way up the hillside, but those extra steps were more than rewarded with an evening view across Loch Linnhe.
Tomorrow, we'll be exploring the beginning of the Caledonian Canal, the famous Neptune's Staircase, and the Glenfinnan Viaduct, home to one of the most iconic scenes from the Harry Potter films.
Will it be as magical as it looks on the big screen?
Today was the first day we finally got a proper night's sleep.
When you open your eyes and see a small stream flowing right past your accommodation, the day begins differently than it does in a city. Not that there was anything wrong with our time in Edinburgh, but here in Drumnadrochit, almost in the middle of nowhere, everything felt more relaxed. Somehow, it just made sense.
For years, I've been using Booking to book our accommodation. We've had great experiences with it in London, Paris, Washington, New York, Dublin, Porto, Lisbon, Rome and Barcelona. The place I remember most is still the apartment in Nazaré overlooking the beach and the cliffs where the world's biggest waves are born. But this accommodation in Drumnadrochit would take second place without hesitation.
The only thing I've never really liked about booking accommodation is breakfast. Paying €15 per person, whether it's an adult or a child, has never seemed particularly reasonable to me. Children usually eat nothing more than a bowl of cereal or a slice of bread with a spread, so we prefer to find a nearby supermarket or bakery and have breakfast our own way.
We started the morning on the same bench where we had ended the previous evening. For most people, it would have been a perfectly ordinary way to begin the day. For me, it meant something much more. It was the fulfilment of something I had wanted for a very long time.
When I was about the same age as our girls are today, I kept reading a book about the world's greatest mysteries. Of all the stories, the one that fascinated me most was about the mysterious Loch Ness, where people claimed to have seen a strange creature from a distant past.
I read that chapter countless times. Again and again, I imagined what it would be like to stand there one day. Back then, I made myself a promise that when I grew up, I would visit this mysterious place.
Well, now I've grown up.
And today was finally that day.
Over the Hill
Our accommodation was at the far end of the village, which turned out to be an advantage in its own way. The supermarket was close by, but I wasn't sure whether the local bus stopped there or if we would have to walk up to the main stop. Later, we discovered that it did stop nearby. Since we didn't know that at the time, we had no choice but to walk to the lake. Looking back at the end of the day, it was definitely the right decision.
Not long after leaving Bunk Inn Loch Ness, you cross the small bridge over the stream that had made our stay here even more enjoyable. On the other side is a well maintained path for walkers and cyclists, while to the right you'll find a campsite for motorhomes and tents. The path stretching ahead, the green meadows all around us, and the clouds gathering above combined to create this beautiful view.
The path then begins to climb gently. With every step higher, the view over Loch Ness gradually opens up before you.
As we walked, I told the girls the legend I had read so many times as a child. Although I've seen many lakes over the years, you look at Loch Ness differently. Not only through the eyes of an adult, but also with the curiosity of a child. Your gaze keeps drifting towards the water and the distant waves. You know it's only a legend, yet somewhere deep inside you still hope you'll catch a glimpse of something.
When we were almost at the top of the hill, Nia suddenly pointed towards the lake.
"Look, there's something!"
For a few seconds, we all stood still. What if...
But it was only a floating buoy, most likely marking the position of a diver.
The excitement, however, was completely real.
So was the disappointment a moment later.
Still, those few seconds when we all wanted to believe that we had really spotted something extraordinary are a memory we'll keep forever.
When Loch Ness Opens Up Beneath You
From the top of the hill, the meadow drops steeply all the way down to the shores of Loch Ness. Sheep were everywhere here as well. One of them kept watching us suspiciously the entire time. Jokingly, we decided it must have been keeping an eye out for Nessie.
All around us was the same distinctive yellow shrubland we had been seeing throughout Scotland ever since leaving Edinburgh. The bright yellow creates a beautiful contrast with the deep blue waters of Loch Ness, making the view truly unforgettable.
And then, nestled among the yellow shrubs, you catch your first glimpse of the ruins of Urquhart Castle.
At last, you are standing here. After a few minutes, the girls had to start hurrying me along because I kept wanting to take just one more photograph.
By the time I caught up with them, they were already waiting at the entrance. Tickets for the four of us came to around €50. But this was one of those places I would have visited regardless of the price.
In the end, Anja was one step ahead of me. While I was still taking photos, she had already bought the tickets. She knew how much this visit meant to me.
A winding staircase first leads you down to the lower level, where you'll find the gift shop. Unsurprisingly, Nessie is everywhere. On mugs, T-shirts, notebooks, magnets and key rings. Wherever you look, it's all Nessie and the castle.
For years, I've liked bringing home something small from every trip. Eventually I started collecting souvenir coins. They take up almost no space, yet each one instantly takes me back to the place where we bought it. Nia, meanwhile, collects snow globes from the places we visit, and her collection grows a little larger every year.
Despite the rather high price, I bought one in the end.
In the next room, a short film about the history of Urquhart Castle was just beginning.
That's where we learned why the castle was so important.
Because of its strategic position on the shores of Loch Ness, it controlled one of the main routes through the Scottish Highlands for centuries. As a result, it was fought over time and again by the Scots and the English, and later by powerful Highland clans.
The film was coming to an end, followed by something that was genuinely brilliant.
In the final scene, you see Urquhart Castle as it once stood at the height of its power. Then the screen slowly opens in the middle, revealing the real ruins standing right in front of you.
Among the Ruins
There were a fair number of visitors, but it never felt crowded, so we were able to explore the castle at our own pace.
As you make your way down through the ruins, you're greeted by a replica of a trebuchet standing beside a beautifully maintained lawn. This medieval siege engine was once used to hurl massive stones at castle walls in an attempt to breach their defences.
Soon afterwards, you cross the former defensive ditch and step into the castle ruins.
One of the things that makes Urquhart Castle so special is its varied layout. You don't simply follow one flat path. Instead, you are constantly climbing and descending between different parts of the castle, with every turn revealing something new.
You walk through the remains of the Great Hall, where lavish banquets were once held, past the private quarters of the castle's lords, the chapel, the stables, the dovecot, and the imposing Grant Tower. Beside each set of ruins, an illustration shows what that part of the castle looked like centuries ago.
We also made our way down to the very edge of the lake, where the castle's harbour once stood. In those days, the Water Gate served as the main entrance for anyone arriving by boat across Loch Ness.
Throughout our visit, we kept glancing across the surface of the lake, hoping that something unusual might finally appear.
Nothing.
So we decided to climb a little higher.
If Nessie wasn't coming to us, we'd go looking for a better viewpoint.
Somewhere near the top, we suddenly heard a familiar language.
Slovene.
The first Slovenians we had met on our journey.
Three generations of one family were travelling around Scotland by car, but in the opposite direction to us. We exchanged a few travel tips before wishing each other a safe journey.
When I looked back towards the tower below, it finally sank in that I had fulfilled another childhood dream. After seeing whales, crossing the Arctic Circle, and standing at the westernmost point of mainland Europe, I was now standing at Urquhart Castle, scanning the waters for Nessie.
We stayed there for more than an hour.
A cold wind blew the entire time, so the hats we had brought with us were far from unnecessary.
Despite our persistent watch over the water, Nessie had clearly decided to remain a legend for a little while longer.
Legend or not, the views alone made the visit worthwhile.
Cows with Hairstyles
In the morning, the walk over the hill had felt almost magical. Every bend in the path made us wonder what we would see next. But when it was time to head back, the idea of crossing the hill all over again suddenly seemed far less appealing. So we decided to wait for the bus instead.
We got off at the upper end of the village, knowing we still had plenty of the afternoon ahead of us. First, we stopped for lunch before exploring this part of Drumnadrochit. There are a few more shops here, and the village even has its own distillery, so there's certainly no shortage of Scottish whisky.
There was only one thing left to do before returning to our accommodation: the walk back. This time, we didn't mind it at all. We had a very good reason.
We had spotted them on our very first day.
Highland cattle.
These are no ordinary cows. You recognise them instantly by their long, curved horns and their thick, shaggy coats, which often cover their eyes completely. They look as though they've been putting off a visit to the hairdresser for years.
That long hair isn't just part of their charm. It's perfectly adapted to life in the Highlands, protecting them from wind, rain and harsh winters, allowing them to live outdoors almost all year round.
Today, Highland cattle are among Scotland's most recognisable symbols. You'll find them on postcards, magnets, calendars and in just about every souvenir shop. But when you're standing only a few metres away from them, it's easy to understand why they've become so popular. Despite their impressive horns, they seem remarkably calm, and their wonderfully untidy "hairstyles" give them an almost cartoon-like appearance.
They're simply great fun to watch, as long as you're on the right side of the fence.
Sometimes the Best Days Are the Ones You Don't Rush
Today was the fifth day of our journey, which meant we were roughly halfway through the trip. From the very beginning, we had planned this day to be a slower one.
The more we travel, the more I feel that it's sometimes better to skip a sight or two and spend an extra day in a place you're already enjoying. It makes the whole journey feel more relaxed, and you get to experience a destination instead of simply ticking it off a list.
Giving Drumnadrochit an entire day turned out to be exactly the right decision.
Tomorrow, we'll be moving on once again, this time by bus to Fort William. Before this trip, I knew almost nothing about the town, apart from the fact that it lies beneath Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the United Kingdom.
So far, everything has gone just as we had hoped. We're already looking forward to discovering what tomorrow will bring.
Scotland had been on our travel wish list for a long time. The only obstacle was finding suitable flights from Slovenia, which were usually either inconvenient or too expensive. When EasyJet introduced a direct route from Ljubljana, there was nothing left to think about. The tickets were booked. It really was that simple.
Then came the more challenging part: finding a solution and putting together a plan that would actually work.
How do you explore Scotland without a car?
Renting a car was never a serious option for us. Maybe we would have considered it if we had been traveling as a couple, but even then I'm not sure we would have chosen that route. Driving on the left side of the road had never appealed to us. Traveling with our two daughters made the decision even easier.
Since we almost always rely on public transportation when we travel, the choice was quite straightforward. We would explore Scotland by train and bus.
The first step was booking our train tickets from Edinburgh to Inverness. I bought them about two months before departure through the Trainline app and quickly realized that booking early really pays off. Had I waited until just before the trip, the same tickets would have cost several times more.
Another advantage is that you can choose your seats when booking. At that moment, it feels like everything is under control. Or at least that's what I thought. Later we discovered that having reserved seats doesn't always mean you'll actually get to sit in them.
One purchase that proved especially worthwhile was the Family & Friends Railcard. It is valid for two years and gives families significant discounts on train travel. If you're planning several rail journeys around Scotland, it quickly pays for itself.
There are several trains a day between Edinburgh and Inverness, giving you plenty of departure options. That's especially useful if Inverness isn't your final destination. Since we wanted to spend our first night by Loch Ness, we still had about a thirty-minute bus ride ahead of us to the village of Drumnadrochit.
I deliberately didn't buy the bus tickets in advance. The train journey takes almost four hours, and I didn't want to worry about what might happen if our train was delayed. Since buses run frequently, we had no trouble buying our tickets after arriving in Inverness.
In the end, all of our concerns about traveling this way turned out to be unnecessary. Exploring Scotland without a car is not only possible, but surprisingly easy. Instead of concentrating on driving on the left side of the road, I could simply look out of the window and watch the landscape gradually change as the Scottish Highlands unfolded before us.
The train journey wasn't just a way of getting from one place to another. It became an important part of the experience of discovering Scotland.
Departure
The entire planning of our eleven-day trip was shaped by one simple idea: we would not need a car. That is why we chose our accommodation mainly based on its proximity to train and bus stations.
In Edinburgh, we stayed just a five-minute walk from Haymarket Station, one of the city’s main transport hubs. This meant that arriving from the airport, and later leaving for the north, was not particularly complicated.
This day was entirely about moving north. Trains run frequently, but I chose a morning train just before nine. That way, we would not have to get up in the middle of the night, and we would still arrive in Inverness early enough to have a calm look around before continuing by bus towards Loch Ness.
The platform was full of people, but I was not too concerned. We had our tickets, our seats were reserved, and I also knew which carriage we needed to be in.
At first, I had to find somewhere to put our two large backpacks. The few luggage racks were already full, so I tried to squeeze them into the corner near the bicycle storage area.
Meanwhile, I told the girls to find our seats.
Just as I was trying to fit the last backpack into place, they came back.
"Our seats aren't there."
For a moment, I just stood there.
What do you mean they aren't there?
I went to check for myself.
They really weren't.
The carriage was completely full. Finding four empty seats together was out of the question.
Now what?
Just then, a member of the onboard catering team walked past with a trolley of snacks. I asked him what was going on.
He explained that, due to technical problems, they had to replace the scheduled train. Instead of the planned six-carriage train, only a three-carriage train had arrived, so the seat reservations were no longer valid.
In the end, we found four empty seats scattered throughout the carriage and ended up sitting separately, as if we had fallen out with each other.
I should add that the staff later apologized several times for the inconvenience.
Once the initial frustration faded and I saw that the girls were perfectly happy, I relaxed as well. I turned my attention to the view outside the window. Scotland lay ahead.
Unlike the bus, which leaves Edinburgh and heads north almost immediately, although the journey takes a little longer, the railway first curves west before continuing towards the Scottish Highlands.
Heading North
The train quickly gathers speed as it passes the suburbs of Edinburgh, and before long, the city is behind us. A city that had completely won us over in just two and a half days. You can't help wondering what the rest of the journey will bring. If it has started this well, what awaits us in the north?
By the way, Edinburgh didn't show us its most famous side during our visit. In two and a half days, not a single drop of rain fell. We enjoyed sunshine, temperatures of around 15°C, and only a light breeze. For Scotland, the weather was almost unbelievable.
Once the city finally disappears beyond the horizon, the landscape begins to take on that unmistakable Scottish character. Large fields of bright yellow rapeseed stretch between stone walls and isolated farmhouses, creating, together with the lush green meadows, a scene that stays with you from the very first miles of the journey.
Vlak mirno drsi skozi manjše kraje. Tu cerkev, tam graščina, malo naprej osamljena kamnita hiša. Kamen je skoraj povsod glavni gradbeni material in pokrajini daje povsem drugačen videz.
Braveheart
As the train approaches Falkirk, an unusual steel structure briefly appears among the trees on the left. The train passes it in a matter of seconds, but it is almost impossible to miss. It is the Falkirk Wheel, the world's only rotating boat lift, built to connect two canals at different heights.
As you travel north, it almost feels as though you are traveling back through time. Between Falkirk and Stirling, the railway passes places closely connected to the story of William Wallace. Near Stirling, he won his greatest victory, defeating a much larger English army against all odds. Near Falkirk, which we had just passed, he suffered his greatest defeat less than a year later. Yet it did not bring an end to his story. Instead, he became a lasting symbol of Scotland's fight for freedom.
As the train approaches Stirling, the impressive Wallace Monument comes into view on a hilltop. Built nearly six centuries after his death, it still stands today as a tribute to the man whose story was introduced to the world by the film Braveheart.
As the tower slowly disappears around the bend, the railway line finally turns north.
Into the Scottish Highlands
The landscape begins to change. Gentle hills gradually give way to higher ground, small lochs start appearing beside the railway, and near Perth the train crosses its first major river, a quiet sign that the Scottish Highlands are just ahead.
Many passengers got off here, so at last we were able to sit together.
If there is one thing this railway has in abundance, it is sheep. Wherever you look, they are there. Meadow after meadow, flock after flock. White, black, adults, lambs. They are almost impossible to count. Even where it seems there is nothing but grass, another flock is usually grazing in the distance.
Beyond Perth, the railway begins its climb into the Scottish Highlands. Forests gradually give way to the open moorlands of the Cairngorms National Park. The landscape becomes increasingly vast, the trees begin to disappear, streams run alongside the tracks, and rounded peaks rise in the distance, with patches of snow still visible even in late April.
By this point, it already feels as though you are high in the mountains. Then, in a split second, a sign flashes past the window. Highest Point on Rail Network. Out of the corner of your eye, you just manage to catch the number above it.
453 metres.
I have to admit, I expected it to be much higher. But that is exactly the charm of the Scottish Highlands. They do not impress with their elevation, but with their endless sense of openness and wilderness. It feels as though you are travelling far into the north.
By then, you are no longer thinking about how many miles remain before Inverness. You simply sit by the window and enjoy the view. It was moments like these that convinced me we had made the right decision to travel by train.
Inverness
During the final part of the journey, the landscape changes once again. As the train descends, it crosses numerous bridges spanning rivers and streams, each offering beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. In the distance, wind turbines slowly turn, while the bright yellow rapeseed fields of the south give way to dense yellow gorse, a familiar feature of this part of Scotland.
We stepped off the train just after noon. The platform was busy, which came as no surprise. Inverness is the main transport hub of the Scottish Highlands and the starting point for exploring the northern part of the country. From here, routes branch off towards Loch Ness, the Isle of Skye, the North Coast, and many other remote corners of the Highlands.
Our first stop was the bus station, located right next to the railway station. We bought our tickets, left our backpacks in the luggage lockers, and headed into the city.
Just a few minutes later, as you step out of a narrow street onto the banks of the River Ness, one of Inverness's finest views opens up before you. On the opposite bank stands a row of stone buildings, while on this side the slender spire of the Gothic cathedral rises above the river. Behind you, perched on a hill, stands Inverness Castle.
It feels as though someone had set out to capture everything you imagine Scotland to be within just a few hundred metres.
Just below the castle, we found a restaurant for lunch before crossing the bridge to the other side of the river. The River Ness is neither blue nor green, but a light brownish orange. As I later discovered, its distinctive colour comes from the many peat bogs in its upper catchment, which naturally tint the water.
As we walked back across the bridge, a strong wind suddenly picked up. At that very moment, a street musician began playing Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind. Coincidence or not, the song could not have matched the moment more perfectly. The wind carried the melody along the river as we slowly made our way past a traditional Scottish cemetery and back towards the bus station.
One final journey still lay ahead, taking us to the place said to be home to Scotland's most famous legend.
Drumnadrochit (Dram-na-DRO-hit)
While waiting for the right bus, I spent the time practising the pronunciation of the village that was our destination for the day: Drumnadrochit. Somehow, the combination of letters ch almost guarantees that you'll pronounce it incorrectly the first time. ch vedno pripravi do tega, da ime izgovoriš narobe.
Before we set off, the driver introduced himself over the loudspeaker and gave everyone a warm welcome. After sharing a few practical announcements, he reminded passengers that drinking alcohol and smoking were not allowed on the bus. Then, with a smile, he added that if anyone happened to need the toilet or suddenly felt like a cigarette along the way, they should just let him know and he would make a short stop.
It was obvious that he genuinely enjoyed his job. And this wasn't a tourist coach, but an ordinary scheduled bus service.
That alone puts you in a good mood from the very beginning of the journey. In fact, throughout this trip we met more smiling, relaxed, and genuinely friendly people than anywhere else we had travelled. And they were all at work. There is a difference between the kind of friendliness a job requires and the kind that comes naturally. Here in Scotland, we encountered the latter again and again.
Just a few minutes after leaving Inverness, Scotland's most famous loch comes into view on the left: Loch Ness. Stretching for almost 37 kilometres, it is one of the country's largest lochs. Its great depth and dark, peat-stained water give it an atmosphere of mystery that never quite disappears.
The bus covered the miles quickly. For most of the journey, the trees hide the loch from view, but every now and then they part just enough to reveal a glimpse of the legendary Loch Ness, said to conceal the prehistoric creature affectionately known as Nessie somewhere in its deep waters.
Just before reaching Drumnadrochit, the ruins of Urquhart Castle come into view on a rocky headland. This is the very castle that appears in almost every documentary whenever the mysteries of Loch Ness are explored.
At the End of the Village
The bus stop is at one end of the village, while our accommodation was almost at the other, so we still had a short walk ahead of us. But it was anything but boring.
Within a few minutes, we caught our first glimpse of the famous Highland cattle. With their long horns and shaggy fringes covering their eyes, they looked as though they were badly in need of a haircut.
A little farther on, we passed a field where people were playing hockey, and another where a game of bowls was underway. Both on grass, of course.
At last, we arrived. A cosy family apartment with bunk beds was waiting for us, just the right size for the next two nights.
For a while, we considered walking down to the loch. Then we noticed a small stream flowing right beside the house. The sun was still pleasantly warm, and a few wooden benches stood along the water's edge.
Our plan for an evening walk was forgotten in an instant. I went to buy two Cokes and two beers.
There would be plenty of time for the loch tomorrow.
Scotland had been sitting at the very top of my wish list for a long time. The problem was that there simply were not any sensible flight connections that worked both financially and timewise.
That is usually the moment when Igor steps in. People who know us sometimes call him my personal voice of reason. He always reminds me that places do not disappear overnight and that they will patiently wait for us. Of course, I agree with him… at least in theory.
Although I suspect this is simply his nicer way of telling me to stop behaving like a stubborn child in a toy store. Apparently, not every wish has to become a trip immediately.
When the Universe Says “Now”
Then one autumn day, I noticed that EasyJet was opening a direct route between Ljubljana and Edinburgh.
At that moment, it became clear: the universe was sending me a sign. Or at least a very affordable plane ticket.
There was only one small detail left: choosing the right time to go. Considering where Scotland is located and how unpredictable the weather can be, the May holidays quickly turned out to be the most sensible option.
Booking the flights? The moment tickets became available. Which meant October already.
Igor simply nodded. A victory for me.
Why Scotland?
If I am completely honest, I do not really have one specific answer.
Something has clearly been pulling me there for a very long time. Probably ever since primary school.
Whenever we behaved well, our English teacher, Alja Štendler, would unlock the cabinet with the large television inside. She used to play documentaries and short films from around the world for us.
There always seemed to be Scots wearing those red tartan “skirts,” which, by the way, I also had myself back then. Along with bagpipes, mist, and castles, of course.
It is true that I have never been the biggest history enthusiast. But the combination of castles and Scotland has always had a special effect on me.
Not quite on the level of shoes… but very close.
And then there is Nessie. The eternal question of whether she exists or not. We already confirmed that Santa Claus exists. We visited him ourselves in Rovaniemi, Finland.
So the next logical step?
A proper expedition in search of Nessie.
Preparing Without Overthinking
By now, we are practically professionals when it comes to trip preparations, so I do not stress about them too much anymore.
In my head, I had already done a full wardrobe inspection. I checked what was still usable and which clothes had finally reached the end of their life. Either because of age or because of artistic experiments from school days. Our children’s creativity tends to leave permanent consequences.
Those are usually the clothes we take with us and quietly retire after the trip.
In fact, for this journey we bought only one new thing. A new 75-liter backpack. Thanks, mom Marjana, for the gift cards. The old backpack had clearly reached the end of its career.
This time, we were traveling the same way we did in Ireland. With backpacks.
Why backpacks? Simple. Logistics.
When you move from place to place every few days, a backpack is incomparably more practical. No dragging suitcases across cobbled streets, no searching for elevators, and no chasing a rolling suitcase through a train station.
Final Preparations Before Departure
In the end, the only thing left was checking our travel medicine kit.
The holy trinity was already waiting on the shelf in the basement, ready for the grand finale when we would finally pack everything into our backpacks.
The girls already had their absences approved at school. I decided to treat myself to unpaid leave for the trip.
As for Igor… well, honestly, I just hoped he had everything arranged at work too.
From an Idea to a Journey
And just like that, almost without noticing, a completely innocent wish slowly turned into a very real journey.
From childhood images of Scotland, bagpipes in the background and castles hidden in the mist, to lists, backpacks, and travel logistics that by now almost feel routine.
Somewhere in between, there was a bit of persuasion, a bit of waiting for the right flight deals, and of course, a small amount of my stubbornness that apparently always wins in the end.
But that is exactly where the magic of it all lies.
Ideas need time to grow. Sometimes you put them aside for a while, only for them to come back even stronger later on.
And once everything finally clicks together, the timing, the flights, the excitement, there is not much thinking left to do anymore.
You pack your bags, check whether you have everything. Or at least most of it.
And then you go.
What Really Matters in the End
Maybe, in the end, it does not even matter whether we actually find Nessie or not.
What matters more is everything that comes with it. The time spent together. Moving from place to place. That feeling of freedom when you carry everything you need with you. And almost everything you could wish for.
And of course, the stories you bring back home.
Then again, if we already successfully confirmed the existence of Santa Claus and are now heading off in search of Nessie… it almost feels logical that someday, Yeti and Chupacabra will eventually be next on the list.
ALONG THE WAY
The backpacks will soon be on our shoulders. The plans carefully prepared by Igor, as always.
There is just enough of that pleasant uncertainty in the air. Just enough to leave room for surprises.
Exactly the way it should be.
Everything else unfolds along the way.
And if there is one thing we have learned by now, it is that the best moments are never the ones you carefully plan in advance… but the ones you simply experience.
