Glen Coe - Glen Finnan Day expedition - some notes - 19 Sep 2009

It's just my scrap note. I believe this maybe interesting and if someone really have time can read it haha.

Oh.. the picture of the map -- look like a man carrying a sack - can see the belt area of the man - those are full with industrial park - including petrolchemical plant

• 9.30 out from sch – rain – 53 seater bus – 24 germans
• Scot seems small – only 3 hour from east to west
• Each day the scenery look different and because the changing weather make them different – and scots love to talk about this particular matter and love to compliment their own scenery because of this particular matter as well.
• Palace – living / castle – build and used to protect itself in the warfare
• Pass Stirling Castle – build near River Ford – the strategic point – build similar to edin castle – at this place the first bridge to cross the river in scot was build in 1314.
  -- K. of scot died – no son à fights amongst the prospects à invite K. of Eng to come and choose à K. of E see opportunity then chose the weakest and then imposed tax on scot
• Unhappiness arose, William Morris -> led the uprising à battle of Stirling Bridge à he was then called the “lord protector of Scot” – he was then betrayed and sent to executed in London.
• Robert the Bruce – one of the prospect – he was a bit confused whether which side (k. of eng or scot) to choose. But after Morris died, he decided that he would fight for Scots. -à he brought a bit of peace for Scotland for a period of time
• Beautiful scenery – and there’s wind farm – wind energy.
• Can grow corn nowsaday – result of global warming
• Doune Castle – place filmed for ‘Monty Phyton’ movie? – was a royal hunting lodge – built by powerful men.
• Most castles in scot was not built for Q or K, they built by different ruling Clans in diff region – coz each clan govern the area for the people in their clan (not like the feudal system)
• Doune was the market – it’s a city in the edge where highlands meet lowlands – highland ppl brought kettle and sell at the market
• Doune was also the place that was famous for its pistol – the first gun shot in American Independent war’s pistol came from here. – now it’s a quiet city where you could rarely see any vibrant from the past.
• Callender – normal looking scot town where the main road passes in the middle. Growing because of the railway and holiday destination by tourist train. In the Roman time, there was a camp here but only short time when it conquered England. Guess, they retreated back coz they probably don’t see that they can do anything in this particular weather and few people in highlands.
• Loch Luknic à color will be different (orange gold brown) – there’s a road along this particular LONG Loch.
• McGreger Clan – Robert Roy – he was like Robin hood – this clan refused to register with the England system – so was cheated by its neighbor, the Campbells, who registered McGreger Clan’s lands under their name. McGreger disputed, but then resulted in the hunt by the government instead. They, then, blended with other clans’ background, however, maintain their identity – this is called highland ‘honor’ where, if anyone harm ppl in their clan, they would fight back.
• If ‘Ben’ is taller than 900m, it will be called ‘Monroe’ – and “Monroe bagging” is a word to call people who climbed over 250 Monroe in Scotland.
• Crianlarlch - meeting point town where major main road meet
• Actually scot’s main roads are just one lane road – one go one back. Maybe because the hilly plane I see today
• Tyndrum – was famous for its gold rush – has the green welly shop
• West Highland Way – it’s a 5-day walking route from Glasgow to Fort William.
• The political change (register of land and etc) plus the industrialization forced people off their land. And people see that sheep and kettle give more value to the land than the human inhabitant.
• The rivers are shallow and with rocks
• The hills are filled with grass – not much of a tree because last time were cut during the napoleon war and then the introduction of sheep. Plus, deer eat young trees – very hard to grow. Therefore, if want to grow tree – must fenced up to prevent deer.
• Loch Ba – the glacier made this happen the water and some humps of hilly planes.
  I wonder how they do wars last time, the weather was not favorable, how they hunt for land and power… crazy people.
• Visitor Centre – eat there, i was very surprised with the very strict to the rule of not bringing outside food in. – at some place they even say 'this trash is for customer of the shop only' – how crazy to be possessive over the Trash bin!
• It was wet day – and tiring – that my legs were shaking – was wearing 4 layers….
• Loch near the sea is like Fjord – we starting to see Sail Boats in the loch – nice west coast.
• Ben Nevis – 1343m – highest in UK
• Caledonian Canal – the short cut from Atlantic to the North Sea.
• These people love to compliment their own weather – I like it when people can just enjoy themselves by appreciate every little things in life. – as I said sunny does not always give the best view! – cold cold with mist is enchanting as well.
• Lots of Rainbows!!!!!!!!! Like 10s we saw
• There’s Duck Crossing warning sign, besides for deers and human
• Lots of ppl travelling on motorbikes
• Dalwhinnie Whisky Distillery – the highest (situate above sea level) in scot
• What does “NO HARD SHOULDER” mean? I see lots as a sign on the road……..