On The Road to Glasgow Scotland
/This was mostly a day of travel, sandwiched in between a castle in Belfast and a traditional Scottish dinner from a non-traditional host! Let’s start with the castle.
Belfast Castle was built in the Scottish baronial style for the third Marquis of Donegall in 1870 in what is now North Belfast. His descendants eventually presented it and its estate to the city of Belfast in 1934. It is now used for weddings, business meetings and special events.
According to legend, a visitor to the castle will have good luck as long as a cat is present. Look throughout the garden and you will find nine “cats!”
It was now time to say goodbye to Northern Ireland as we made our way to Belfast Port to board the ferry that would take us to Scotland.
The Stena Line Ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan can carry up to 1200 passengers AND 660 cars (or 110 commercial trucks or coach buses). It’s like a small cruise ship!
As we boarded the bus, ready to take us to our hotel in Glasgow, we noticed the “theme music” had suddenly changed!
The drive through Scotland was different as well. Yes there were cattle farms and sheep farms, but the landscape was somehow different. It was hilly, sometimes through forests, sometimes through rocky terrain. We drove through vast fields and quaint towns. We drove past abandoned ruins. We even got caught up in a traffic jam!
When we finally arrived at the hotel, we had just enough time to get our luggage, get our bearings and get back on the bus to head to dinner - at a remote restaurant called The Torphichen Inn. Owner and host Freddy greeted each guest personally, accompanied by bagpipes. Our traditional Scottish dinner also came with traditional Scottish entertainment. And yes, Sara tried (and LIKED) the haggis - I, on the other hand, was not so brave!
Tomorrow we explore Glasgow!