Scotland 2025 - Sept 16 - West Highland Trail

Goodbye Glasgow, 

After a relaxed breakfast at the hotel and a wee wander around the neighborhood of the train station, we said goodbye to Glasgow and hello to the Train and Hike Grand Tour. 

We have a full wallet of train tickets, one ticket for each segment of our journey. Today our train ride was to Ardlui (which sounds lovely in a Scottish accent, somehow they make it all one syllable) 

Off we went on the train, complete with our picnic of Scottish shortbread. 

The train trip had some spectacular views of both the shore of the sea (looking west) and the hills and lochs of the Highlands to the east. 

Our transfer was right at the train station waiting for us, and he expertly managed the winding narrow road to find the Drover Inn. We do know a lot more about the Glasgow Rangers football team now 😉.

Drover's Inn is just what you think it should be. Quaint and welcoming. 

And famous 🤣

While we did not officially have a hike planned for today, we wanted to find the trail and we decided to do the hike back south to Loch Lomond, a part of the trail we would miss tomorrow as we will head north. So off we went.

Complete with mountain streams, mud and rocks, and some lovely purple flowers. 

To the Bonnie Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond...(Mom I know you are singing now!) 

Yes every step or two is a spectacular scene. There will be a lot of photos on this trip I predict.

Today we lucked out with some afternoon sunshine. We passed many hikers heading north as we went south. At this late hour they were all rather tired and many mumbled about anticipation of a cold beer shortly when we asked about their day. One hiker was just finishing up a 21 MILE hike today. Yikes. Our little out and back was just over 7 kms. A nice distance to get us started. 

Happy trails, indeed. 

Scotland 2025 - Sept 15 - Arrivals, Departures and Old Friends

The Grand Tour of Scotland - Train and Hike is about to begin. 

I arrived in Edinburgh last night to be greeted by my old friend Krista, friends from the 1983 Dundee Highschool Field Hockey trip to Canada. 

Duff and Nik arrived before me and so my pick up crew was extensive. 

An amazing meal and a glass of wine to bring back all the memories of the summers of 1985 and 1988, the last times we saw each other. 

A bed to sleep in helped get me onto UK time, and we got Nik off to the airport for his motorcycle adventure ...

Followed quickly by Duff and I departing for the train to Glasgow, thanks to Sandy dropping us at Mayfield Train Station. 

And the Grand Scotland Tour was officially started. 

Another old friend, Donna, from Helensburgh, came to rekindle our friendship. Would you believe we met when our respective fathers started a conversation in a Chinese restaurant in the summer of 1983... Donna and I became penpals, and here we are have High Tea in Glasgow 42 years later. 

The Willow Tearoom, designed by Charles Rennie Macintosh was impressive in not only it's design and furnishings, but the quality of the food and bottomless teapot. 

Outside the museum of modern art, everyone must have a photo with the (famous) cone headed statue.

And a wee tour of Glasgow must include a hop on the tube - the circular subway system that seriously looks like a little tube. 

A lovely little walking tour included Ashton Lane. 

Over to the University of Glasgow, where we wandered with freshmen and enjoyed the beauty of the Harry Potter-like buildings. 

We bid farewell to Donna and promised to not wait so long for another reunion. 

Art Galleries and Museums in Glasgow are free. 

We walked the gardens and dashed into the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery with just 20 minutes before close. We were greeted by a lovely Scottish man, a museum volunteer, who asked us "why would we arrive at the best museum in the world with only 20 minutes till close." 🤣 He has a good point. 

We dashed about and saw some art and a beautiful Salvatore Dali, Christ of St. John of the Cross. 

As we walked back to our hotel we were serenaded by a piper in the park, while we watched the skateboarders jump and the dogs chase the squirrels. 

The skies threatened rain most of the day, but very little fell on us today. 

It was a fun day of arrivals, departures, and dear old friends. 

Tomorrow, another adventure begins. 

Aug 31 2025 - BC Adventure - Art and Goodbyes.

Calvin Hunt. 

Our visit to the workshop of Calvin Hunt was the perfect finishing touch to our week. He is smart, funny, humble and a highly respected artist, mentor, dancer and knowledge keeper. 

As he spoke, the twinkle in his eyes glittered. His gift of storytelling was enhanced with his ever present movement, he danced while he spoke, perhaps not even knowing he was moving but his body responded to his words. 

He is an expert carver, often commissioned by a government or a wealthy collector to create a unique piece. His work can be found all over the world and yet his workshop is quaint and rustic. 

He is worldly and local, an elder and yet with the energy of a teacher on the first day of school. We loved being with him to deepen our understanding of the stories we had started to know. 

We left with the story of the eclipse and an appreciation beyond any we could have gained elsewhere. 

Saying goodbye to this adventure is both sad and energizing. We all have had moments of ROSES in full bloom, we have all had to deal with some THORNS, but most of all there are so many BUDS in all our hearts and minds to bring forward and celebrate. 

Thank you to our old friends and our new friends for making this a magical adventure. 

Homeward bound, leaving some of my heart with the Kwakwaka'wakw people, and the wildlife of beautiful British Columbia. 

Aug 30 2025 - BC Adventure - Alert Bay

Showers. We all needed them. And they felt good! 

Back at the Kwa'lilas Hotel. And a new guide to share more knowledge. Dani Dawson. 

Dani takes us back to Port McNeill for a foggy trip on a BC Ferry. Yes it is still Fog-ust. 

Alert Bay is a small island between the mainland and Vancouver Island. Home to about 1,200 residents and the U'mista Cultural Center. Rain doesn't hamper our walk of the village. 

And we make our way up Smitty's hill to the Nawalakw Garden. Here we meet Verna, who has tended to this garden for several years. She is a most charming host, with energy and wisdom, and a deep love for her community. She talks of the youth volunteers and the hope the garden provides. The jobs it has created and the availability of fresh produce it supplies. An impressive story, continuously being written as she is a lifelong learner and a humble leader.  

She greets us with snacks and drinks and stories as we wait out a downpour under the shelter of the waiting area. 

Nawalakw, meaning supernatural, is an organization supporting Food Security (grow with love), Language and Cultural Camps, Immersive Language Programs, and more.

We enjoy a tour of the garden and a taste of the strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. Nature's candy. 

From here we walk the hilly island community to the cultural centre for a special lunch and learn. 

The cultural center stands on the land of the former residential school, St. Michaels.  It was demolished in 2015, an act celebrated by most. An act allowing the community to focus on the future and heal. 

We have a guided tour of the art and treasures slowly being returned to their rightful owners after traveling to many foreign places. Many treasures were taken from the indigenous people here, when the potlach was banned. Museums and private collections are now returning these special items back home. No photos were to be taken in the climate controlled museum and display area. The pieces were stunning. 

Lunch was prepared for us. 

Homemade bannock and delicious fish soup. 

A feast enjoyed by all of us, even a super chatty traveller from New Jersey who took our group photos above. 

We ate, we learned and we enjoyed. 

A short walk from the Cultural Centre we found the tallest totem pole in the world, and the Big House of Alert Bay. 

The Kwakwaka'wakw tribal totem pole stands 53 meters high, although a portion at the top came down in a strong wind, and is now at the Cultural Centre. This pole represents 18 of the factions of this community, and includes the Sun Man, the Thunderbird and a whale. 

The sense of community is deep here. Our guide Dani waves at every car passing, and calls out to an auntie and uncle and a cousin. We enjoy her stories and wander back to the Ferry dock. 

Along the boardwalk these little shelters were built to allow for gatherings and discussions (photo above). 

The old fish processing plant remains, but the business is closed. 

A small church. 

Beautiful views. 

 

And once again, an eagle watching over us. 

Back at the hotel we are treated to a very special song and drum ceremony and a final dinner with Dani joining us to continue the conversation about truth, reconciliation and growth.