I witnessed another one of Caledonian Canal's gates as We drove past Fort Augustus. Yet I never did quite plan to revisit the long strip of deep waters with Nessie fame. It was about a year and a half since my last visit on
3rd April 2008. We stopped at Urquhart Castle briefly to allow our tour mates who were interested in the medieval ruins to alight.
It was one of the largest Scottish stronghold in its heydays and a much fought-over location. But now, its skeleton lay serenely by the water as plants as vegetation stirred gently in the wind.
I mused about Urquhart's similarity to
Dunnottar of Stone Haven to which Dave, our tour guide concurred that he too loved the seaside fortress more. If anything, Dunnottar stood on a more precipitous place and braved the North Sea's tempest while retaining fully its proliferation of beating hearts. That coastal bird sanctuary certainly seemed more eventful.
As time went on, the quietness and peace of this once mighty place grew on me. This place is filled with life too, maybe not so much those with squawking calls and beating wings, but certainly those of emerald stems that sway in the wind.
Off we went again, through a bend over the village of Drumnadrochit in the deepening shadows of Glenurquhart, passing numerous statues of the alleged plesiosaur with as many local interpretations.
At the shores of Hotel Clansmen we waited for the Jacobite boat to arrive.
Under the hills, I watched the black waters lapped and licked the pebbles. There was a sense of peace that was soon shattered by the approaching cruiser.
We hopped on and cruised away, southward, between hills.
In the west, a storm brewed and the gray blue threads was vaguely visible in the distance. In that direction also staged the setting sun.
A white swatch tailed us and I braced myself for the relentless winter winds.
It was one of the largest Scottish stronghold in its heydays and a much fought-over location. But now, its skeleton lay serenely by the water as plants as vegetation stirred gently in the wind.
I mused about Urquhart's similarity to Dunnottar of Stone Haven to which Dave, our tour guide concurred that he too loved the seaside fortress more. If anything, Dunnottar stood on a more precipitous place and braved the North Sea's tempest while retaining fully its proliferation of beating hearts. That coastal bird sanctuary certainly seemed more eventful.
As time went on, the quietness and peace of this once mighty place grew on me. This place is filled with life too, maybe not so much those with squawking calls and beating wings, but certainly those of emerald stems that sway in the wind.
Off we went again, through a bend over the village of Drumnadrochit in the deepening shadows of Glenurquhart, passing numerous statues of the alleged plesiosaur with as many local interpretations.
At the shores of Hotel Clansmen we waited for the Jacobite boat to arrive.
Under the hills, I watched the black waters lapped and licked the pebbles. There was a sense of peace that was soon shattered by the approaching cruiser.
We hopped on and cruised away, southward, between hills.
In the west, a storm brewed and the gray blue threads was vaguely visible in the distance. In that direction also staged the setting sun.
A white swatch tailed us and I braced myself for the relentless winter winds.
No comments:
Post a Comment