CHAPTER 1
A DREAM BECOMING REALITY
There are some dreams that get stuck in your head, and they stay there for years doing nothing. So now and then, they pop up and keep you busy, but eventually, they go back into your mind. Exactly this is what happened when I started to dream of going to Scotland for a road trip. This idea roamed around in my head for years, and I always imagined what it would be like. So a few months ago, I decided to take action. I booked the ferry to New Castle and planned a route to drive. This was an adventure where I did not know what to expect; now, looking back, it was the most epic thing I ever did. Truth be told this trip was not very cheap. The total distance of the road trip was a solid 2000 km. If you are in a position where you have some spare time and money, then this is certainly worth considering.
''This was an adventure where i did not know what to expect, now looking back it was the most epic thing i ever did in my life''
CHAPTER 2
START OF A JOURNEY
Where do you start planning a road trip like this? That is the question is asked myself at the beginning. Well, the obvious starting point was getting there. For me, there was only one option, taking the ferry. The reason is that I could go with my car. It is pretty expensive; a crossing will set you back around 400 euros. But I got a discount because I booked a few months in advance. So for me, the ferry was 320 euros (still very expensive). Secondly, I had to plan a route before booking the hotels. I wanted to see as much of Scotland as possible in 8 days, so the route was chosen: Edinbrough - Pitlochry - Inverness - Portree - Oban - Glasgow - New Castle. In hindsight, now that I have driven this route, I can undoubtedly say that this was a joy to drive, and many hot spots will be seen on the way. The hotels on this route cost me around 700 euros. So the cost of just getting there was around 1100 euros. So, as I said in chapter one, this trip isn't cheap. But done right, it will be worth every penny.
CHAPTER 3
THE CINEMATIC LANDSCAPE
Scotland has one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. It isn't surprising that many Hollywood movies are shot in Scotland: Harry Potter, 007 Skyfall, and Braveheart, to name a few. This was the primary motivation for me to go on this road trip. Departing from Edinburgh gave the start to the road leading into the highlands. For the full route click here. Shifting landscapes is one thing that is truly remarkable for the highlands. The terrain started to get rougher by the mile driving towards Inverness, going from flat but rough fields to wilder hillside landscapes. Eventually, becoming full of rockside mountains that you are driving between. It truly is a cinematic view that you experience from your driver's seat. The most stunning landscape for me was the Isle of Skye. The Island left such an impression with its long coastal roads and impressive rockside mountains. Also located on the Isle of Skye is the old man of Storr. This rock formation is 720 meters high and can be hiked to reach an incredible view. Besides many mountains and rock formations, Scotland is also known for its particularly beautiful lakes that you can drive by. The most famous, of course, being Loch Ness. My expectations for this trip were high, but these were heavily outclassed by everything I've seen.
CHAPTER 4
THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME
This road trip was something that will always be remembered. The scenic routes, the Scottish people, and the experience of being on the road in such a landscape. As mentioned earlier, this trip will cost you a lot of money. But executed correctly, this will be one of the most epic journeys you will ever do. I was in a position to do so, and looking back, I'm pleased that I chased my dream of going to Scotland. This will be one of many articles coming on this site. I'm planning to do more of these blogs/videos. This site and the road trips will hopefully inspire you to go on your own and explore some beautiful roads. There are more dreams of mine that I want to do, but this will come in time on this site.
