New Lanark 2004, 2005, 2006

Bell's Tower

New Lanark was a cotton mill that operated from 1785 to 1968. The buildings have been preserved and became a "World Heritage Site" in 2001. It is located in South Lanarkshire in the South of Scotland, about an hour by train from Edinburgh or Glasgow.

It became more well known under the management of Robert Owen (1771-1858), who married the eldest daughter of David Dale, the former owner of the New Lanark cotton mills. He took over the management in 1800 and introduced a number of social reforms.


The whole area lies idyllically in the Clyde Valley. The mills are surrounded by pretty woodlands and  the Clyde Walkway, which leads to the "Corra Linn" waterfall. As I'm quite interested in the history of the Industrial Revolution, New Lanark was a must-see for me.

Robert Owen's House

I was deeply impressed when I visited New Lanark for the first time, in 2004. The grounds were much bigger than I had imagined; so presumably the buildings must have included flats for the workers. I quickly understood that people did not just work there but had lived there, too. Some buildings have been converted into holiday accommodations and you can choose between hotel, flats and a youth hostel. The other buildings remained as they were and can be visited. They are beautiful examples of industrial architecture in the countryside.

You can visit the following: Visitor Centre ( former "Institute for the Formation of the Character"), the School for Children, the Millworkers' Houses, the Village Store and Robert Owen's House. Moreover, there's a café (Mill Pantry) and an Edinburgh Woollen Mill Shop.

School for Children

In the Visitor Centre I read more about the history of New Lanark, especially about the working conditions. There are some machines that operate and show what work was like in the past. When I entered the room with these machines, I immediately noticed the noise and got an idea of the circumstances people had worked in in those days.
During his management, Robert Owen inspected  a large amount of factories and found dreadful working conditions. He reported them to Parliament but sadly resulted only in the passage of some weak laws in 1819. He decided to bring about a change in his own mill.

Look from Mechanic's Workshop

I was very moved by all the social reforms Robert Owen had introduced: free medical care, a sickness fund, street cleaning services, an early kindergarten, an infant school and school playground (both first in the world), a school for children, a new Village Store (forerunner of the Co-operative Movement), weekly flat cleaning to improve health and hygiene, progressive education, phasing out of child labour and shorter working hours.

The "School for Children" and the "Institute for the Formation of the Character" were built because Robert Owen believed that education was the key to creating a society without crime and poverty. He forbade children to work in the mills until they were ten years old. In these times of the early 19th century there were no work restrictions for children. The "Act of Labour" was set in 1849, much later than Owen had set up his own working conditions in 1816.

After having explored the Visitor Centre, I walked to the former school for the workers' children. A little cinema inside showed the "Annie-MacLeod-Story", a short film about the life of a child in the early 19th century. School lessons included the following subjects: singing, dancing, art, history, geography and nature study.

Corra Linn Waterfall

Before these evening classes, lectures, concerts, a reading room and dancing for all ages were provided, Robert Owen had shortened the working hours to ten per day (formerly twelve to fourteen).

I went on to the workers' flats and learnt that the furnishings had been ahead of their time. At first, one room was allocated to each family, then in the course of time they got two rooms.

Robert Owen impressed me so much because he changed some things for the better and didn't let himself be held back by others. He stood up for his ideas and convictions and never stopped saying what he thought. He never gave in and went on improving working conditions. He keenly recognized a lot of problems of society and changed them in his domain of influence.

Clyde Walkway

Besides New Lanark, I also found the "Scottish Wildlife Trust" there and took part in two guided tours, one by day to watch new pairs of Peregrine falcons and one at night to watch badgers and bats. First, our small group of people had to be very silent and wait for some time. Finally, our patience was rewarded. I've never seen these animals in their natural surroundings before so I've got some magical moments to remember.
I really enjoyed walking on the Clyde Walkway and passing the "Corra Linn" waterfall, which was totally breathtaking.

I can really recommend going to New Lanark. It is definitely worth a visit, especially for history lessons. You can even book a tour guide for school classes.

Edinburgh 2000 - 2012

Edinburgh Castle

Right from the start I fell in love with Edinburgh; when I visited it for the first time in 2000.

With about 500.000 inhabitants living here, the capital of Scotland is much smaller than London. Nevertheless it has lots of attractions to discover such as two castles ("Edinburgh Castle" and "Holyrood Palace"), four galleries, several museums and theatres.

Furthermore, there are two beautiful parks: Princes Street Gardens in the very centre and Inverleith Park in the North of the city.

Scott's Monument

The Royal Mile is a special main street in the Old Town because it is divided into four different parts with different names: Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate.

The chessboard-like layout of the New Town was designed by Robert Adam, the architect of the 18th century in the UK; Adam's design makes it easy to find your way through the city.

Ramsay Gardens

I especially like Victorian and Georgian architecture and I'm never tired of looking at it. You can find typical Georgian houses, for instance, at Ramsay Gardens, which is close to Edinburgh Castle (Castlehill) and is well-maintained.

Incidentally, I met the sweetest acquaintance of my holiday there. Whilst I was walking there, I discovered a squirrel running around. It came quite close to me when I talked to it. I felt I was being watched by it. After a while both of us went in different directions but when I turned back, the squirrel had stopped and was looking back too. Very sweet :)

Ramsay Gardens

If you can't get enough of architecture, you could take part in one of the guided "Mercat Tours" leading through the Old Town with all the little streets and narrow alleys.

If it's your first time in Edinburgh and you're interested in history, I'd recommend paying a visit to both castles so you can better understand Edinburgh's and Scotland's history.

"Holyrood Palace" is the Queens' residence in Edinburgh. If Her Majesty The Queen is there, the flag will be hoisted. Moreover, Mary, Queen of Scots used to live there.

St. Giles Cathedral

Besides St. Giles Cathedral in the Royal Mile with its big bronze plaque of Robert Louis Stevenson on the right side, I would visit "Greyfriar's Kirk". It's much smaller than St. Giles and more simply furnished but has a lot of charm. It is also nice to walk around the nearby graveyard with its ancient trees.

If you want to learn about the soul of Scotland, a visit to the "Writer's Museum" is a must. Here you can read about the three most important Scottish writers: Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Greyfriar's Kirk

Sir Walter Scott published his novel "Waverley" in 1814 and happened to be one of the first writers to write historic novels. "Scott's Monument" was built in his honour and set in the centre of Edinburgh. Robert Burns was highly regarded because of his poems and songs written in a colloquial language, which reached a wide range of people. In memory of him, "Burns Night" is celebrated in late January every year.
"Treasure Island" and "Jekyll & Hyde" made Robert Louis Stevenson famous, even though his family was well-known as engineers who built all the lighthouses along Scotland's coast. I really loved reading "Jekyll & Hyde" and have seen it on stage several times.

Writer's Museum

As for museums, I really like visiting "Gladstone's Land" in upper Royal Mile  and the "Georgian House" at Charlotte Square. Here you can see the furnishings of the 18th century.

Another interesting museum is the "National Museum of Scotland". There are lots of different objects to see and a very special clock that comes to life every hour. It's over 3 floors high and a real show-stopper with dramatic music: Bach's "Toccata".

My favourite pub is definitely the "Jekyll & Hyde" in Hanover Street, New Town. I've never seen a droller pub than this. It's furnished in the novel's style and you feel a bit like being in Dr. Jekyll's laboratory.

Places to have tea or coffee and a piece of cake could be "Chocolat du plaisir" or "Clarinda's Tearoom", both in lower Royal Mile (Canongate), close to "Holyrood Palace".

Deacon Brodie's Tavern

One of my favourite restaurants in the city is "Deacon Brodie's Tavern". You can either sit in the pub downstairs or in the restaurant upstairs in the middle of the Royal Mile (Lawnmarket). Deacon Brodie inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write "Jekyll & Hyde". By day, Brodie was a cabinet-maker, deacon of a trade's guild and city councillor. By night, he was a burglar. In a bitter twist of irony, he was hanged at the gallows that he had designed one year before in 1787.

Stratford-upon-Avon, September 2013

Shakespeare's birthplace

I was very curious to visit Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of  Shakespeare, in the Heart of England. I read "Julius Caesar" and "Much Ado About Nothing" when I was in school. Ever since then I have wanted to visit the birthplace of Britain's greatest writer, and see a theatre play of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Anne Hathaway's Cottage

I flew to Birmingham and took the train to Stratford. My guest house was lovely. The kind  proprietor gave me some very good tips for the town and the whole region.

After arriving, I walked around the town to get a first impression of it. Stratford is a pretty place that is full of atmosphere, especially because of all the medieval buildings. The pub "The Old Thatch Tavern" was recommended to me, so I had dinner there - I didn't regret it.

In the evening, I watched the comedy "A Mad World My Masters" in the Swan Theatre. It wasn't written by Shakespeare but it was performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company and was hilarious ;). Additionally, I really liked the way the theatre was furnished.

Anne Hathaway's Cottage

The next day, before leaving Stratford, I went to see Shakespeare's birthplace in Henley Street and tried to take a photo of it without any tourists - nearly impossible. I met a woman there who came from Munich, and who was trying to do the same thing. We discovered we were both from Germany and had the same Christian name. A nice surprise :)




We decided to visit Shakespeare's house together, which was great. It was interesting to see how it was furnished and the way people had lived in the 16th century. In the past few years I had seen a lot more 18th and 19th century style housing, but very little from this earlier period.

Holy Trinity Church

We went on to Anne Hathaway's cottage, which was located a little way out of the town centre. It took about 15 minutes by foot and we passed by lots of nice cottages with thatched roofs.
Anne Hathaway's cottage looked just wonderful with its own thatched roof and pretty garden. When we entered the first room, we were given some information about Anne Hathaway and her family, and of course about Shakespeare. There were many small rooms with narrow doors and low ceilings, which made everything look very cosy.

River Avon

We then headed to the Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare was buried, besides other family members of his. It was very touching for both of us to visit his tomb. We stood still for a while. The church was located close to the river Avon - a beautiful area. We walked along the river until we arrived at the  Royal Shakespeare Theatre.



I left in the afternoon and went to Birmingham, where I met my English friend Lynne and stayed with her. I'd have really liked to visit "Hall's Croft" and "Mary Arden's House" but that's on my to-do list for next time. (John Hall was Shakespeare's son-in-law and Mary Arden was his mother).

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Some days later, we returned to Stratford together to see Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus". I had read before that it's the bloodiest play out of all of Shakespeare's plays and it really unnerved me. I found it difficult to fall asleep afterwards.

No matter what I had read about theatre before, the Royal Shakespeare Company was highly recommended and now I know why. I found both plays very intense, one made me laugh and the other made me shiver.

Isle of Arran, June 2010

Brodick Bay

I took notice of the Isle of Arran via a travel book that I had found in Edinburgh airport. The photos of "Brodick Castle & Country Park" looked so beautiful that I thought I defintiely have to go there. Furthermore, I read that Arran is a hiker's paradise and known as "A miniature Scotland".

Brodick Country Park

I spent a week in a charming B&B in the island's capital, Brodick, and enjoyed fantastic sea views every day.It was my favourite accommodation, not only because of the view but also due to the hearty proprietor, a varying breakfast and tastefully decorated rooms.

After having arrived in Brodick, I noticed the strong scent of flowers and trees. I've never smelt such a permanent scent as it was here and it immediately made me feel very relaxed.

Brodick Castle

Brodick Country Park

First, I visited Brodick Castle, which was wonderfully furnished but better known for its huge country park. I spent hours taking photos of the trees and bushes of flowers. My lunch in the park café made me forget about the rest of the world. In the afternoon, I walked back to Brodick, along the coastline and stopped at many parts of the beach.  

The next day I went to see the "Arran Distillery" and took part in a funny guided tour. Our tour guide told us anecdotes about the production of whisky and about the time before the distilleries legally started their production. The tasting of the "Arran Malt" drew my attention to the "unknown" whiskies, while the "Arran Malt" is now one of my favourites.

Later on, I went to see the village Lochranza with its castle ruin and noticed the smallest ferry I've ever come across, which takes you to the Mull of Kintyre.

Machrie Moor

A bit further on, I reached "Machrie Moor" and went to the "Machrie Moor Stone Circles". The closer I got to them, the more silent it got, as it was only surrounded by lots of sheep. I saw more and more lying stone circles and became more and more silent and at one with myself. Then I found the three huge standing stones. I forgot about time completely and spent nearly three hours there. I really enjoyed the tranquility and again an intense scent of plants and the nearby sea.

Machrie Moor

Back again on the main road, I went towards Machrie Bay Golf Course. Before I had arrived there, I saw and heard a golf ball hit next to me and was a bit shocked. I looked around and recognized a golf course that was divided into two pieces by the main road. Suddenly a man asked me if I had seen his golf ball. His second question was if I was ok. How nice but I didn't mind. Golf always comes first in Scotland ;)

Machrie Moor

After that little shock, I strolled along the stony beach and noticed the special light of the West coast that I was told about in my B&B. I also found some extraordinary beautiful stones there.



Holy Isle, Lamlash

Moreover, I visited the towns Lamlash, Whiting Bay and Blackwaterfoot. I especially liked Lamlash because of the stony beach and some nice pubs and cafés.

Worth mentioning is the little factory of "Arran Aromatics" which produces wonderful soaps, shampoos, body milks etc. Everything I need in my bathroom ;). I tested various scents and liked all of them.

Machrie Bay

Concerning food, I came across the restaurant "Arran on a Plate" and enjoyed many great meals there. 

Another must-see is the little island museum that shows us of the island life in the past. Close to this museum, I found a little cheese factory. I tasted some cheeses and can recommend them all :). 

my view

Besides all the B&B's and hotels, there's a big spa hotel where you can completely relax. I had a look inside as well as in the garden area, and both looked incredibly pretty. 

Arran is a charming, little jewel in the South West of Scotland that is hardly known. 

Isle of Wight, July 2011

Sandown

The Isle of Wight is located about two hours from the South of London. It is known because of  "Cowes Week", a week full of sailing, taking place in July every year. I spent a holiday there with my English friend Lynne. We took the ferry at Portsmouth and quickly reached the sunny island.

Shanklin

We visited beautiful seaside resorts such as Ryde, Ventnor, Shanklin and Sandown. Ryde, in the North, is the biggest town on the island with a huge variety of shops and restaurants. It's a lively place but charming at the same time. That's why we took a stroll round the town the whole day and did some shopping, with a rest for lunch and coffee break in between.

Shanklin

Ventnor, in the South, is best known in travelbooks but unfotunately very touristy, so we only had a quick look and didn't stay so long.

Shanklin and Sandown are smaller and less known, offering some nice little shops and cafés. Especially Shanklin looked very cute. I really loved the thatched roofs, which made the whole village look like a fairytale.

Shanklin Chine

We visited ''Shanklin Chine", a historic leafy gorge, first opened in 1817. We sometimes had to climb steep hills to get into the beautiful woodlands with waterfalls, rare plants and wildlife but we were rewarded with a beauty and tranquility that I'd hardly ever encountered. Even a squirrel's feeding station exists there. In addition, we had a little rest in the café and I tried the cream tea - fantastic !!!

The Needles

As Shanklin and Sandown offer a wide selection of sandy beaches, we spent much time walking there. Apart from one day, it was a week full of sunshine and reaching temperatures of up to 25 C. You can't ask for more.





The next day we went to see the "Needles" in the South West of the island: Rocks, standing in the sea with a lighthouse at its top. We took a boat trip and got very close to them. When we had finished the boat trip, my friend told me this area is known for paper weights made of glass. We had a look in the factory and I bought a beautiful one :)

Osborne House

Osborne House Park

Finally, we visited Osborne House in the North of the island, near Cowes, a place Queen Victoria had spent more time than anywhere else. I've seen many castles and manor houses in Great Britain but this place belongs to the most beautiful ones. It's not the huge park, which is definitely worth mentioning, but the way the house was furnished by Queen Victoria. Everything looked very cosy with a great passion for details - distinctively Victorian, which was of course, named after her.

This house gave me an impression of the young Victoria, which made me feel the great love and affection she felt for her husband and her children - totally different perspective to all that I'd heard before.

The Isle of Wight is a little paradise in the South coast of England.

Shetland, April 2011

Jarlshof

I went to Shetland with a friend of mine in late April, 2011. Shortly after our arrival at airport Sumburgh, in the South of Mainland, we felt gale-force winds blowing in our faces. The sun was shining brightly and the sky was as blue as it could be.

The sea, directly behind the little runway, looked awesome and the sun was gleaming on it.

I was totally euphoric !!! It was a burning ambition of mine to visit Shetland  for a very long time and I finally made it here. Everything was different to what I had expected and anticipated: different scents, sounds,colours and landscapes!

Spring was yet to come. It was late April on the most northern point of the UK, and it felt about
15 C.

Levenwick

On the way to our B&B, located in the island's capital, Lerwick, we noticed there were absolutely no trees, just rocks and bushes. We started exploring the island from Lerwick, where a huge plaque in the harbour welcomed all visitors in English as well as in Norwegian, all of which reminded me of Shetland and Orkney, once belonging to Norway.

Sumburgh Head Lighthouse

The sights in the South of Mainland were definitely the "Jarlshof" and "Old Scatness", two prehistoric villages. It was amazing to see all the roundhouses built about 4000 years ago. We enjoyed a guided tour at "Old Sctatness" and were given some information about its history.

Being in the South of Mainland, we also walked to the lighthouse of Sumburgh Head. We kept looking for puffins because of the signs posted, and half an hour later, we discovered a single one between thousands of seagulls. It looked very funny ;)

Eshaness

The place to eat for us was at  "Sumburgh Hotel", which was typically furnished like in the English countryside: cosy armchairs, thick carpets and curtains with flower patterns. There were no more restaurants or cafés in Sumburgh but it was definitely worth having eaten there. It turned out to be the best lunch I've ever had (smoked salmon and raspberry cheesecake). And while we had lunch inside the hotel restaurant, the wind howled outside!

Eshaness

The next day we headed to Eshaness in the North West of Mainland and went hiking on the volcano trail. Before we reached the car park at Eshaness lighthouse, it started raining heavily. After that short rain shower, it remained grey and foggy. It felt like being in the middle of nowhere, just the elements around us, green grass, some sheep and a single Shetland pony :)

Eshaness

Nearly two hours later, we arrived at the cliffs of Eshaness and I was totally overwhelmed ! The wind howled and lashed the sea into a fury. We could hardly talk because it was so loud. For me, it was a place to be silent, to just watch and listen to the elements. It started raining from time to time again, but it didn't disturb us. I myself enjoyed the fresh air mostly, and furthermore realizied how little people are in these surroundings. I took only a few photos but these turned out to be the most special ones for me. It touched me deeply because everything looked so colossal.

Another walk on that day led us to St. Ninian's Isle, which was very beautiful. We reached the little island by passing a strait, which we had been told before, is not possible to flood.

The way to St. Ninian's Isle

Moreover, we visited Scalloway, the former capital of Shetland. Scalloway Castle still looks massive, although there were only ruins left of it. Interestingly, we noticed a row of houses that looked typically Norwegian: wooden houses in dark red and dark blue.

St. Ninian's Isle




The last day of our visit we went to the "Muckle Flugga" lighthouse, located in the "Hermaness Nature Reserve", on the Isle of Unst, passing through the North of Mainland, taking a ferry to the Isle of Yell and a second ferry to the Isle of Unst. Yell and Unst looked like a flat, barren landscape.

Muckle Flugga Lighthouse

There were only a few houses on Unst and the huge "Hermaness Nature Reserve". Having arrived at the car park, it took us about two hours to reach the UK's most northern point, with the "Muckle Flugga" lighthouse on top of it. It was a perfect day: the sun shone the whole day, it was about 15 C but with such a strong wind that we could hardly talk to each other.

A puffin close to Muckle Flugga

When we looked around, we discovered thousands of puffins. Definitely heart-warming. There was one very close to us, coming out of his cave from time to time, walking up and down. It was so cute. That was the highlight of our holiday.

The last bus stop on Unst

I would most definitely like to return to Shetland; its rough but beautiful landscape and colossal rocks touched me more than anything I had ever seen.

Orkney, April 2011

St. Magnus Cathedral

I went to Orkney with a friend of mine in late April, 2011.

The airport of Kirkwall was as small as on Shetland, however was located much closer to the town centre, where we stayed in a charming B & B. While having breakfast, we could see "Scapa Flow", a huge natural harbour with many shipwrecks lying on its bottom, dating back to WWI and WWII.

Kirkwall Harbour

Orkney was different to Shetland. There were some trees and bushes and lots of farmers with their tractors on the fields, and on the streets. I immediately smelt the scent of flowers and farming. Besides that, I noticed the well-maintained streets and gardens.

First, we visited Kirkwall, the sweet and small capital of Orkney with a huge diversity of nice little shops and cafés. I especially liked "St. Magnus Cathedral". All my travel books recommended its magnificent architecture and it was true - I felt overjoyed !

Moreover, I liked the harbour area, watching all the ferries come and go, connecting all the little islands of Orkney with each other.

Scara Brae

The next day we went to "Scara Brae", a neolithic village some 5000 years old, close to the sea. It was located in the North of Mainland. In 1999, it became a World Heritage Site as part of the "Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site".

After we had visited the whole area of the village, I decided to climb down the huge rocks behind "Scara Brae" until I reached the beach. The rocks looked amazing as they were formed by the sea and the wind kept pushing me around.



I think, it was this combination of the bright green and blue colours, thte continuing gale-force winds and the smell of the sea that left a huge impression on my heart.

Yesnaby

When we finished our lunch here, we went to see "Maeshowe", the finest chambered tomb in Northern Europe,dating around 5000 years ago.

On our way to "Maeshowe" we passed the massive rocks of Yesnaby that deeply impressed me so that I got totally carried away in the moment, and felt like I could have screamed out loud, although the wind would have swallowed my voice :)

Yesnaby

Shortly after having arrived at "Maeshowe", I felt the special atmosphere here. We took part in a guided tour and learnt a lot of its history. Our attention was drawn to the signs of the Norse inside the tomb, that told a story of the people who had once lived here.
The shop nearby offered great books and Celtic jewellery. Generally, Orkney is known for its special Celtic jewellery: I found two beautiful rings.

Standing Stones of Stennes

Later on, we headed to the "Standing Stones of Stennes", a small henge with 4 standing and 3 lying stones, and then to the "Ring of Brodgar", one of the largest of all Neolithic henges. The "Ring of Brodgar" was much bigger than I had thought and imagined. We remained silent while walking around the stone circle. I concentrated on the stones and took in the extraordinary atmosphere. In contrast to this huge construction, built between 4500 and 4000 years ago, I felt as small as I had felt at the Cliffs of Eshaness on Shetland. It showed me there's much more to life than our "daily trivia", there must be a bigger picure to life.

Ring of Brodgar

The next day we visited the "Broch of Gurness", another sample of a neolithic village, close to the sea in the North of Mainland. It was a very huge area with one huge broch in the middle and smaller oval houses around. As you can clearly see on the pictures, we were quite lucky with the weather.

Ring of Brodgar

In my eyes, the sun made the sea behind the broch look even bluer and the grass on the ground even greener.

Additionally after that, we decided to visit the "Tomb of the Eagle", a 5000 years old chambered tomb located on the island of South Ronaldsay. In order to reach there, we drove along the huge bay of "Scapa Flow" and passed through Churchill Barriers, concrete walls, which closed the canals between the eastern islands. You can still see the shipwrecks jutting out of the water, dated back to WWI and WWII. It was a strange, eerie atmosphere so that we couldn't stand to stay long.

"The Tomb of the Eagle" was much smaller than "Maeshowe" and on private grounds. The entrance to the tomb was so small  that  I really had to think whether I wanted to go in or not. However, I decided to do so. We also paid a visit to the little museum. It was really interesting to read about the history and the way the tomb was found.

Broch of Gurness

In the afternoon, we took part in a guided tour of the "Highland Park Distillery" and really enjoyed it because our tour guide entertained us with little stories about the distillery's history and the production of whisky. Besides that, the building looked very nice, especially because of the pagoda roofs.