Things seen in Scotland... I will be back!

[Shawn Seeger]

So, my wife and I were in Scotland for a while (clan and celebration - birthday, anniversary, cancer free trip)... the land will always call to me, we are already planning a return trip (next time I will fish at least once)

I watched other fish and one actually catch, exciting.








I know it's not a fly rod, but this guy was fishing in the North Sea, second cast....

 

[Buzzy]

Welcome home, Shawn! More pictures, please. (I imagine the home site might require a moment or two to get things back in order, eh?)

 

[Dave Boyle]

Very nice Shawn,

Thanks for sharing. I've always wanted to go to the Orkney islands, good fishing for sea run browns in the salt too. The flies made me laugh tho', the black pennel is truly a great loch fly but for starters it's black. The pattern there is an impostor.

Dave

 

[Jim F.]

Very nice and the best part is the "cancer free" comment.

 

[doublespey]

Thanks Shaun . . . congrats on many fronts. Really like the "Fishing Etiquette" sign- but I suspect if someone posted that on WA waters it would be shot full of bullet holes within a week.

 

[Shawn Seeger]

Welcome home, Shawn! More pictures, please. (I imagine the home site might require a moment or two to get things back in order, eh?)

So, I touched holy water... and watched a brother of the hobby/sport throw a fly... the River Spey...








Then at a local pond


Saw may amazing places and History!


Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo (wanted to see it since I was 12) so cool! Look it up on YouTube... 

Elephant Rock


Many great days

 

[Westfly Refugee]

Wow, if you were in Orkney, you must of seen/visited some of the megaliths...pics please!

 

[Canuck from Kansas]

Wonderful news (cancer free) - bucket list!!

 

[Dloy]

Watched some Tatoo videos, impressive. If/when I go, I’ll try to time it to see them.
Reminds me a bit of the Palio (horse race). If any of you plan to visit Sienna, try to time it to see the Palio. Every city it seems has that one time of year that’s integral to the citizens.

 

[Dave Westburg]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane Shawn. Fond memories of scotland. Big windy bays and heather...


Wet flies worked on a floating line...

Boats with old fashioned wood oars and ghillies named Allastair who wear deerstalker hats and say "are you in" when a trout turns with the fly...

 

[Shawn Seeger]

Wow, if you were in Orkney, you must of seen/visited some of the megaliths...pics please!

So, we did a day of touring on Orkney, and saw amazing things. Both my wife and I said we will spend at least a week on Orkney the next trip! I had read the Orkney Saga, and missed some things I wanted to see and spend more time at a couple places. Orkney was part of the clan tour so we were limited.

It was so cool that I would consider going for an extended stay to volunteer on a archeological dig just to see the cool stuff.

We went to Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar, Standing Stone of Stenness and Maeshowe. Then in our departure morning I walked quickly and spent 20 minutes in the St. Magnus Cathedral, built by the Earl Magnus. A Viking Christian. It was cool that they found Earl Magnus bones during a restoration project, behind a column stone that had a small cross scratched on it.

When we were in our own driving tour we drive mostly (90%) on back roads and just searched out standing stones, stone circles and cairns. They are everywhere in Scotland.



Skara Brae (above)

Stones of Stenness (older than Stonehenge)


Ring of Brodgar




(I had cleared all photos of my phone prior to the trip, came home with 5000 new photos, I did take double just to make sure but still a ton of awesome things to see!)

 

[Robert Engleheart]

That run on the River Spey looks like heaven

 

[up2nogood]

I have been in a lot of places in the world . I have more or less lost the desire to travel overseas anymore , but one place I haven't been is Scotland ,and will hopefully get a trip done there . This thread confirms it for me to hopefully get it done . One of the attractions for me besides what I see Shawn posting is St. Andrews . Shawn , thanks for posting those wonderful pictures .

 

[Paul_]

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Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo (wanted to see it since I was 12) so cool!

I watched a YouTube video. It was one of the most eclectic performances I’ve ever seen. US Navy Ceremonial Drill Team, colorful Indian dancers, military bands, bag pipes… and at the end they all performed together. Very cool!

 

[Westfly Refugee]

@ shawn seeger, Thank you for the great pics. The Orkneys are about the only place outside the NW that I really want to visit. You mention the ancient sites being everywhere, and that is what far nw Ireland, County Mayo, was like. The entire landscape was a museum sans entry fees, interpretive signs, and car lots. Sacred geometry was in clear evidence throughout the region, IF, you knew what to look for. I expect the Orkneys are much the same.

 

[Shawn Seeger]

I have been in a lot of places in the world . I have more or less lost the desire to travel overseas anymore , but one place I haven't been is Scotland ,and will hopefully get a trip done there . This thread confirms it for me to hopefully get it done . One of the attractions for me besides what I see Shawn posting is St. Andrews . Shawn , thanks for posting those wonderful pictures .

We had been to St. Andrews Cathedral on a previous trip, it is neat to see, but I would HIGHLY recommend going to Elgin and visiting the second largest cathedral in Scotland the Elgin Cathedral. It was AWESOME!!! The main reason is that you can climb to the top (open) area (about 3 stories up). And it has more of its original structure still standing which gives you a real understand of how massive this cathedral was.

I know some people like St. Andrews because they can also see and visit the Old Course, but that wasn't that big a deal for me.

My wife in the entry way for size comparison





There are many rooms that tell the history with many carvings and artifacts

 

[up2nogood]

We had been to St. Andrews Cathedral on a previous trip, it is neat to see, but I would HIGHLY recommend going to Elgin and visiting the second largest cathedral in Scotland the Elgin Cathedral. It was AWESOME!!! The main reason is that you can climb to the top (open) area (about 3 stories up). And it has more of its original structure still standing which gives you a real understand of how massive this cathedral was.

I know some people like St. Andrews because they can also see and visit the Old Course, but that wasn't that big a deal for me.
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My wife in the entry way for size comparison
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There are many rooms that tell the history with many carvings and artifacts
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You are killing me with these pictures , now I definitely need to go there . I spent some time in Ireland ,so have some idea what's coming going to Scotland . Being a golfer , St. Andrews is a must . I fished for several years with a guy that we became friends with in Montana . Since passed away in 2023 at the age of 96 . Being a retired school teacher , but during his working days he traveled all over the world during his summer vacations , one of the places was Scotland . Being a school teacher he was also the golf teams coach ,so a fair golfer in his own right . Anyway he had his receipt for St. Andrews golf course when he played it , the cost was $5.00 , so it was a few years ago. He said at the time it was not that hard to get on to play , being that it is apparently a public course . I'm sure these days it's just a bit more expensive ,and probably pretty hard to get on ,and play .