The magic of the highlands

After we booked our flights to Edinburgh Kea, the awesome travel planner that she is, suggested we should book some guided tours and see more of Scotland than just the capital. I was eager to visit a new country so I was open to all suggestions. After the tours were booked I didn’t give it more thought so I didn’t research the places we were going to see. Because of that I guess I didn’t have high expectations, I hoped for nice weather, beautiful landscapes and some really old buildings.
We went on two tours by the same company and with really entertaining tour guides. Sitting in a car for hours and only making a few stops here and there for a photo op might sound very touristy and boring but it’s actually a great option if you’re short on time or travelling alone. We saw a lot on our tours, we drove through several cosy towns and saw a lot of sheep (but  for some reason I don’t have a picture of a single one!). There was also beautiful old castles, whiskey tasting at a distillery, highland cows and crazy weather or as a colleague of mine used to called it “four seasons in one hour”. If there’s one thing that truly blew me away was the landscapes. I remember getting out of the car at Glencoe and being in awe of my majestic surroundings. Maybe it’s because I haven’t traveled that much or because I’ve spent most of my life in the flatlands known as Ostrobothnia but I’d never seen anything like it. What can I say? The highlands left a lasting impression on me. So much so that I’m going back later this year!