In the third part, we continue our journey through beautiful Scotland to the football capitals and small towns that have amazed us with their rich history and lively local vibe.
On our first day in Glasgow, we took a trip to the Scottish Highlands through a local travel agency and with their driver – a guide in a kilt, leggings and beret, and a small group of other travellers. It was only when we got used to the strong Scottish dialect that we enjoyed the stories about Scottish clans and legends and traditional Scottish songs that the guide played on the radio. In the morning, we arrived in greyish weather at Loch Lomond, Scotland's largest loch.
We stopped at many viewpoints along the castles and admired the nature of the highlands and valleys and the peace that prevails there.
The first major stop was the town of Inveraray, where the mansion stands as if from a fairy tale. Then we enjoyed sitting on a bench by the water, immersing ourselves in Scottish myths and legends collected in a book we bought in one of the town's shops. Then followed the route to the port city of Oban.
The town developed around a whisky distillery in the 18th century. Above the city stands the McCaig Tower, which offers a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding islands. Oban is full of shops selling some of the best Fish & Chips in the UK. We visited a fast food place called Nories, recommended by none other than Chef Gordon Ramsay. In addition, we also bought ourselves a carbonated drink Irn-Bru, which, according to the guide, is popular as the second Scottish national drink, after whiskey.
Our minibus continued to the northernmost point of this excursion (and our entire journey) to the Glencoe Valley, from where we enjoyed the serenity of the incredible hilly landscape, occasionally covered with taiga and shrubs. One need not ask twice why this landscape has given rise to many stories and myths about magic and supernatural beings, and has served as a backdrop for numerous films and books.
However, the valley also carries a darker history. It witnessed the infamous 1692 massacre that claimed the lives of 38 English soldiers who took members of the MacDonald clan.
The last stop was the old pub and The Drover's Inn, which has been welcoming guests here for more than 300 years. Not only does it embody the mystery of the Scottish Highlands with its well-preserved architecture, but it is also said to occasionally welcome ghosts.
The second day in Glasgow, we took the mural route in the city centre. While discovering the beauty of the murals, we came across several groups being led from one mural to another by local guides.
In front of the Gallery of Modern Art, we saw a statue of the Duke of Wellington with a traffic cone on his head, with which he had been crowned by some miscreants, and a Deadpool mask had also been tied to his head. The path also led us to the city cathedral, where we descended into its dark underground.
This was followed by a new local culinary speciality. We had a traditional Scottish dish, Cullen skink. This dish could be characterized as a stew with corn, potatoes, leeks and smoked fish, served with fresh bread and butter.
We used the afternoon to take a long walk along the banks of the River Clyde to the Riverside Museum, considered the architectural achievement of the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid and her architectural bureau. Admission is free, and there are models of old trams, locomotives, cars, carriages, etc. A historic ship with Glenlee masts is anchored in front of the facade of the museum, and the tour is free of charge. On the way back along the once important river, where the most important ships were made and where maritime trade flourished, we observed the last remnants of industrial heritage. An example of this is the huge Finnieston crane, once used to transfer freight from the railways to ships, and one of only four still standing in Scotland's largest city.
In the evening we watched the sunset by the river and counted down the hours until the train, which was scheduled to leave in the early hours of the morning, so we did not sleep anywhere that night. We were going to sit by the river and spend the last few hours at the train station. Due to the closure of the station, we stayed on the riverbank and just then the cold hit. After spending the night, we settled into the first class of the high-speed train to Manchester as a reward and fell asleep.
Towards the end of the ride, we woke up just in time to see the sunrise as we drove through the Lake District National Park and its shimmering green meadows, occasionally cut by rocky railroad viaducts. The moment took us out of reality and into another dimension of feeling, until we were "pulled out" by a conductor with some fragrant coffee.
After a few hours, we arrived among the fast-growing skyscrapers of Manchester, where we ate breakfast from our backpacks on a bench amid the morning hustle and bustle of businessmen. As a modern economic centre, the city does not offer many historical attractions, but it has quite a few museums worth visiting – the National Football Museum, the Museum of Human History, etc.
The next stop was Leeds, which took us about an hour to get to. What is interesting about this place? Golden owls, which have been a symbol of the city since its foundation. During the design of the city coat of arms, the first city councilman included three owls in the image, but it is still unknown why. There is also the so-called Owl Trail, which leads visitors through various sculptures and images of owls.
The ultimate destination for a busy two days was the seaside town of Liverpool, home to the Beatles and football. Despite our tiredness, we set out to discover its vibe the same day. At first, we were drawn to the sea, where crowds of tourists were waiting for a photo opportunity with a statue of the famous Beatles. We then turned down the street to The Cavern, a club where they used to play often.
We also saw the largest cathedral in the UK and one of the largest in the world, Liverpool Cathedral, which is breathtaking to look at. It was designed by a then only 22-year-old apprentice architect - Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who is today known for the following works: the Battersea Power Station in London and the Cambridge University Library. He also designed the famous red telephone booth. The modern Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is also nearby.
We did not even miss the ornate entrance to Chinatown, decorated with golden dragons, which is said to open the door to the oldest Chinese community in Europe.
We continued exploring the harbour area of the Royal Albert Dock. Once the industrial heart of the city, it is now a lively tourist area with shops and restaurants. At the time of its construction, it was the world's first non-combustible harbour complex, built of three elements - iron, stone and brick. The city's most visited attraction is said to attract at least four million tourists each year.
In the morning, we took the regional train to the next city on the list, Chester on the River Dee. The town, which evolved from a Roman fort dating back to 79 AD, is today a worthwhile stop with its old Tudor-style town centre. The most interesting places to see are the buildings in the city centre (facades of white plaster and wooden beams) - some of which fall under the so-called "Chester Rows" (historic buildings consisting of a series of covered corridors on the first floor, with entrances behind), the Cathedral, the Town Hall, the East Town Clock Gate, the city walls and the largest Roman amphitheatre on British soil.
The next stop was Shrewsbury, the birthplace of Charles Darwin. The first attraction was the railway station itself, which resembles a mansion with beautiful flowers in the troughs on the pillars at the entrance.
We were also pleasantly surprised when we entered the church of the Holy Virgin Mary, where an elderly gentleman approached us immediately. He offered us a map of the church with marked important points. We took our time and moved from one point to another and got to know the essence of this space. In the main part of the nave, young and old alike were looking at the art exhibition, from the side wing we were caressed by the sounds of the piano, as a small piano concert was taking place at the same time, and in the other wing, children were making crafts in a workshop. We learned about the multifunctional use of such a sacral building, which serves as a place of connecting the local community as well as tourists. On our way out, we stumbled upon a donation spot. This was not a box where you drop cash, it was a bank card scanning device, like a POS terminal, which deducts the selected donation amount from the payment card.
We also walked to the city market, which was very interesting as it was located in a building similar to a block of flats. You had to climb the internal stairs to reach it. On the first floor there were numerous stalls selling food and other goods, and on the second floor there was a gallery overlooking the market, around which were small shops selling old-fashioned products, wine, restaurants, etc., and benches where you could grab a bite to eat and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the vendors and visitors below you.
We then bought some traditional Cornish Pasty and ate them on a bench in a beautiful flowering garden in a nearby park called The Dingle. Adding to the fairy tale and romantic nature of the view, a painter was painting a picture of a colourful garden on a canvas near us.
Along the river, we then returned to the railway station, where the largest still functioning signal house for directing trains is located. Most of these signal boxes are closed today, as trains are routed from remote centres using modern technology. As a point of interest, the Ditherington Flax Mill, located on the outskirts of the city, is the world's first iron-framed building (otherwise known as the "Grandfather of Skyscrapers").
Surprised that such a small place left such a big impression on us, we took the train to our final destination for the day - the capital of Wales, Cardiff, which you can read more about in the next part of this article, where we continue our journey around the Island.
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