Our first stop was MacDonald Forest Hill Resort just outside of Aberfoyle, Scotland. MacDonald Forest Hill Resort is beautiful and old. The only problem was that there was one (and only one) taxi driver in Aberfoyle and he was usually busy. Getting around was a challenge. We tried to hike up to the top of Ben Venue mountain but it was so muddy we had to turn around. As much as we liked the resort, we decided to move our stay Edinburgh so that we could get around more easily.
Our first 4 days in Scotland were spent in Aberfoyle... between Edinburgh and Glasgow... in the middle of nowhere! Aberfoyle is a town of less than 1,000 people. Our hotel, the MacDonald Forest Hill, is 5 miles outside of town. There is only 1 taxi in town to transport anyone that needs a taxi... do you see the problem here? We felt so luck to have a nice couploe drive us into town to do this hike. And then we saw the illusive Red Squirrel... but no Werewolves!
Stirling Castle is a medevil castle which dates back to 1530AD. We enjoyed exploring the grounds around the castle, especially the Church of the Holy Rude and the connected cemetery. Most of the gravestone are from the First and Second World Wars but some of them date back to 1680 AD. Quite a find! After visiting the castle and the palace, we made our way back to the pub at Portcullis. Such a great place to relax among locals and drink whatever beer they are pouring.
Edinburgh is a big city and getting around is a wee bit easier! It is an old city with parts of it dating back to 600 AD. A lot of the old buildings have been well preserved. Highlights of Edinburgh were the Christmas Market, the Whisky Experience, Holyroodroad Palace and Edinburgh Castle. We visited Mary King's Close which was an old section of the city that is underground... no sunlight, no running water, no sanitation services... it must have been a fun place to live