The terrain was wilder today as we walked from Aberfoyle to Callander: all moorland, lochs, and rolling hills with great views. We agreed that some of our photos look like something off chocolate box lids, almost too picturesque, but that’s how it looked.
Tag: Scotland 2026
Glimpses from a wooded trail
Glimpsed layers of countryside from an often wooded trail on day one of our Rob Roy Way hike along the southern edge of Trossachs National Park. Tonight we’re in Aberfoyle with seven more days of walking ahead. We can still walk as far as we ever did, it just takes us a few more days.
Fuelling up for the big hike
We’re now in Drymen, near Loch Lomond, joined by two UK friends, ready to hike the Rob Roy Way for the next eight days. Dinner tonight was at a pub originally owned by Rob Roy’s sister, a thematic start to our adventure.
Wee Willie Winkie’s resting place
Our walk today held quite a few surprises. At the Glasgow Necropolis we happened upon the grave of William Miller, the ‘laureate of the nursery’ and author of Wee Willie Winkie. Behind it, Glasgow Cathedral dominates the skyline.
Saturday night in Glasgow
OMG, etc. Glasgow (Scotland) is hopping tonight. We arrived today and were originally planning on a quiet beer and a light bite for dinner, but the city had other ideas. We took the opportunity to ride the delightfully diminutive subway to a slightly quieter neighborhood instead. As a kid, I absolutely loved riding the Glasgow subway, and I still do.
Tracking the migratory patterns of our gear
Set up trackers for our upcoming trip: D and T for our backpacks; 1 to track a cardboard box we’ll check in at MSP then mail from Glasgow. The rectangular tracker goes in my wallet. (The total weight for the four devices is 1.5 ounces, 43 grams.)
One pint of protection
One-pint Ziploc freezer bags are essential travel gear. They protect our passports and phones, and will allow us to use our devices safely in the inevitable Scottish rain. They’ve been difficult to find since the pandemic, but yesterday I managed to order a bunch at a good price from Amazon. After our Sunday morning walk, we found them waiting for us in the package room.
Rob Roy: history, spiced for the screen
It’s Sausage Saturday, which means sausage, cabbage, and a movie with ice cream at intermission. Tonight’s feature is Rob Roy (1995) and his ‘fight against a corrupt aristocracy,’ a story that feels relevant for our times. Set in 1712 and 1713, the plot follows the fallout after money lent to Rob Roy is stolen. While the ‘baddie’ is an invention, the performance nearly won an Oscar, so we’re expecting a well-told tale filled with ‘epic Highland sword battles.’
REI refresh
Headed over to REI Co-op to freshen up our hiking wardrobe. Clothes shopping at a brick-and-mortar usually isn’t my thing, but I make an exception for hiking gear. Besides, I was almost out of bike chain lubricant, and they carry that too.
Glasgow gear swap
Over the years, we’ve learned to travel light with just carry-on backpacks, even for month-long trips. For our Scotland hike, we’re bringing hiking poles, which must be checked. Dwight found a sturdy, 3-ply box in our building’s recycling area, which turned out to be just the right size despite my doubts. In Glasgow, we’ll swap the poles for our noise-canceling headphones and other items we won’t need on the trail, then mail the box to a post office to collect at the end of our hike.