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A weekend in the Highlands

Soaring hills, picturesque glens, breathtaking vistas -- these sights are among the best-known attributes of Scotland, and they have helped to perpetuate a myth of the Highlands as timeless, magical, and indescribably other. From Sir Walter Scott to Diana Gabaldon, the Scottish Highlands have been a larger-than-life character and setting for centuries of real and imagined epics.
My own particular epic was, as they say, a wee bit less dramatic. Knowing that the Highlands are far too big to see in a weekend, I elected to take a three-day trip to see what the hype was all about (just kidding; I read Outlander and I already knew). This mini-taste of the Highlands called for minimalism throughout: traveling companion, extra socks, water bottle, toothbrush, and not much else.
To leave as much time and money as possible for traveling, I packed only a small backpack that could be carried with me throughout the day. It held essentials like toiletries, a journal and a book, and a raincoat that for the very damp Highland weather. In another effort to save money, I brought food with me: fresh and dried fruit, peanut butter, dates, honey and spelt rolls from the local bakery, chocolate, and homemade roasted chickpeas and granola. 
Friday morning saw me on a bus to Glencoe, one of the most well-known Highland destinations: the tiny village offered tea, but the hilltops offered the main attractions: views down into the glen and mountains as far as the eye could see. 




The snow - capped peaks and rainy weather left us in no doubt that we were in Scotland, but once we'd dried out our shoes, the next day was entirely different. The Highland city of Inverness offered hiking paths courtesy of the Forestry Commission of Scotland, as well as a look out over Loch Ness.
Not far from Inverness is Culloden, the moor where Bonnie Prince Charlie's army was routed by the British in 1746 in the last pitched battle on British soil. The memorial includes a museum and visitors' centre, as well as a walk around the battlefield itself, where plaques offer information about the battle and its outcome. The chilly air and grey skies felt bleakly appropriate as we walked past clan memorial stones that mark mass graves dug after the battle. This bloody chapter of Scottish history is a far cry from the more jovial experiences that have marked my time in the country so far, but it felt equally important. 
The city of Inverness boasts a lovely hostel and Old Town, several good restaurants and lively culture. We enjoyed the nighttime walk to the Ness Islands, where fairy lights illuminate the path and offer a view of the bright city and its reflection in the river. 
 By day, as is to be expected, the city was misty, but that made it no less beautiful. As every view from the top of a hill confirmed, the Highlands are expansive, and this weekend away barely scratched the surface of what they have to offer. I can't wait to go back. 
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