Driving in Scotland

Our "ride" A Volkswagon Passat (stick shift)

We've had a wonderful time in Edinburgh and were glad we arranged to stay an extra day.  Today we head north in a rental car.  Sam heads out to retrieve our rental somewhere in downtown Edinburgh.  I must say that this was the part of the trip I dreaded most -- driving.  He returns with the car having spent some time practicing driving around the city.  Edinburgh can be a challenge to drive in what with all the intersections featuring the convergence of several roads not just 2 and street names that go from one name on one end of the block and then change to something else at the beginning of the next block!  Plus, for Americans, your brain keeps screaming at you that you are on the wrong side of the road. 

While Sam was at the rental car agency two Scandinavian women had given him their spiral bound extremely detailed driving map of Scotland as they had just spent 10 days touring the Highlands and the Islands etc.  God bless them!  Since I was the dedicated navigator I honestly don't know how we could have gotten anywhere without those maps with only one working cell phone with spotty navigational capabilities.

Hubby at the wheel.

Luggage loaded we cautiously set out to navigate the streets of Edinburgh and hopefully find our way north toward the Firth of Forth Bridge.  We took out two orange road cones and scrapped an orange construction fence up against the passenger side door but all in all we are still alive.  Of course, an American in the front passenger seat feels like they are in the driver seat and one can't help but press on an imaginary brake.  I had fairly worn a hole in the floorboard of the car by the time we got to the bridge.  Admittedly, it was a bit like Mr. Toads Wild Ride but once we got out of Edinburgh it was smooth sailing for the most part.  Relieved we sail up the A9 towards Perth taking in the sights.  My husband is my hero for climbing behind the wheel and I'm not too shabby myself for navigating us out of Edinburgh.

Driving on the left.....

We eventually stop in Pitlochry on the outskirts of The Cairngorms National Park to have a bit of lunch.  The name of this small town is Pictish deriving from the Picts who were among the earliest inhabitants of Scotland settling mostly on the Eastern side.  Names prefixed with Aber- Cat- Dol- and Pit- are Pictish in origin.  The eastern side of Scotland features many town names bearing these prefixes owing to the fact that the Picts settled predominantly on this side of Scotland well before written history.  We find excellent refreshment at Drummond's Restaurant and Public Bar http://www.pitlochry-scotland.co.uk/restaurant/pitlochry/drummonds-restaurant-and-public-bar/ a family owned restaurant with fresh homemade victuals.  Satisfied,  we pile back into the car and head north toward Nairn our final destination.  Hubby has a tee time at Nairn Gold Club late in the afternoon and we are anxious to settle in and explore the Moray Firth. 

My youngest taking a snooze.