Both nights of our tour we stayed on the shores of the legendary Loch Ness, though, sadly, we didn't get to see Nessie. (Though I definitely believe there are massive, prehistoric creatures lurking in there. You'll have to ask Court what he thinks. :)
On our first night we attended a lecture/demonstration about the traditional way of life for the highlanders. It included a full explanation of the various weapons used, types of houses which were built (and how humans and animals shared a small space in the dark cold of winter), and a full demonstration of how the men and women created their traditional dress. (Note - it took metres upon metres of fabric for the men's outfit, similar to the one Mel Gibson wore in Braveheart.) Interestingly, we learned during that presentation that the tartans for each clan are a relatively new invention - back in the day, all clans likely wore the same colour/pattern because their material was made/dyed with locally grown plants. The way the clans used to distinguish themselves was through different arrangements of feathers, etc., in their hats. After being inside a traditional highland hut, it was easy to imagine why the Scots have such a reputation for being rugged - it would have been bitterly cold, wet, and smokey - a hotbed for disease which likely smelled worse than a cesspool. Lovely.
The following morning we headed off to the Isle of Skye, but first stopped off at Eilean Donan Castle, made famous in a whole slew of movies, including: Entrapment, The World is Not Enough, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Made of Honor. Nice digs.
Our trip to Skye was marred by "fine, Scottish weather" - i.e. fog, wind, and pissing rain. Nonetheless, it was gorgeous, particularly the waterfalls at Kilt Rock.
On our final day, we took in Inverness and learned more about the mysterious legends of the most famous loch in the world. Our guide, Allan, told us that the water in the loch is so black (due to run-off from the mountains and farmers fields) that it's impossible to see anything an inch or two beyond your face. He told us of how divers from all over the world have tried to navigate the waters, but have failed miserably because you simply cannot see. (And really, who wants to be in those types of conditions with dinosaurs??) At its deepest point, Loch Ness is 230 m. We were told that because of how deep and dark it is, scientists are repeatedly stumbling upon species which have never before been seen, and with all of the underwater caves and caverns which have never been explored, it's entirely likely that there are many, many more unknown creatures living in its depths.
Something really cool which Allan shared with us relates specifically to the ongoing debate about whether or not there is, in fact, a monster living in Loch Ness. Allan told us that years ago, a large organic mass was detected on one of the sonar systems at work in the loch. When scientists sent probes down to try and discover what it was, the samples they turned up matched nothing which had been uncovered anywhere else in the world. (As far as they could find, anyway.) Interestingly enough, however, a large organic mass was discovered some time later in the deep waters off the north-east coast of New Zealand, and when those samples were studied, voila! They matched those pulled from Loch Ness. So, the question remains - what are they, and how did one end up in a freshwater loch in Scotland, whilst the other one was discovered in the salt waters around New Zealand? Oh, and how many are there total? Surely they require partners to breed, right? And, given the fact that sightings of sea "monsters" have been recorded at Loch Ness since the 7th century (when first reported by Saint Columba), it can't be the same one over and over again...
Right?
The most moving experience we had in Scotland took place at the historic Culloden Battlefield, the site of the final battle of the Jacobite Uprising in 1745. An oversimplification of this historic uprising is that the Scots (particularly the Highlanders) were fighting - with support from the Irish clans and the French - to run the British out of Scotland so that she could be a sovereign nation. The battle itself was more of a massacre. We were told that the British troops suffered less than 100 casualties, while as many as 2,000 Scots and their supporters were killed. This defeat began a crackdown in Scotland which sought to destroy the culture, language and religion of the people.
One of the elements of this battle which is particularly sad is that it didn't have to happen. Had Charles Edward Stuart (also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie) not believed the false information relayed to him by British spies in late 1745 and withdrawn his army from its advance on London, it is entirely possible that the Jacobites could have successfully overthrown the British on their home turf, thus changing the face of history as we know it. Alas, he had his troops retreat, and six months later, they were decimated at Culloden.
Can you imagine what the modern world would look like if Scotland had defeated the British? I'm sure Ireland can. (More on that later.)
No comments:
Post a Comment