Glasgow – Out Hiking.

 Day 1

Moira and Rob on their first hiking
experience in 2004

Training Western Canada 2004

With Moira as guide, the three headed off on consecutive days of hiking in the highlands of Scotland. During the first day’s drive, Rob required frequent reminders from Moira to “Drive on the left, please.” followed by “Oh.  Sorry…” whenever he drifted to “right” side of the highway.  She uttered these reminders while subtly pressing on an imaginary brake pedal on the front passenger’s seat side of the vehicle. The roads to their destination town of Glencoe challenged Rob’s driving attentiveness. At times they formed a bottleneck for several kilometers squeezed between four-foot stonewalls lining the roadside that barely allowed space for two cars passing in opposite directions.

Loch Lomond

After about ten kilometers of this narrow road Moira assured him “Don’t worry.  It’s only like this until Loch Lomond ends.” However, this assurance came when there were still another dozen kilometres yet to come.

Scottish highland landscape

As they ventured farther and farther northwest from Glasgow, the hills grew in size and grandeur, and despite the sun shining for the previous two days, ice and snow still partly covered them. Whenever there was a pullover place Rob stopped the car for photos. Moira and Rob hopped out to capture all they could in pictures while Beth tried to doze in the backseat having been out late whiskey tasting the night before.

Moira and the Three Sisters

“The landscape is not like Canada. We’ve chopped down all the trees now, but I kind of like that you can see everything.” confessed Moira.

“It is a beautiful view.”, agreed Rob.

When they finally reached their destination, they parked the car at a roadside lot by the hills known as the ‘Three Sisters’. After placing their hikers upon their feet, they commenced the trek upward along the trail known as ‘The Hidden Pass’.

Double Trouble

Sunny day on the icy tops

As the three ascended, Moira carefully stepped along the icy parts of the trail and apologized for her trepidation. "Remember I'm not Canadian! I'm not as used to running around on snowy grounds." she laughed nervously as she grabbed Rob's arm for balance.  And, as Beth bounded ahead to test the trail for Moira she good-naturedly called out, “OK.  Now you’re just showing off.”

Day 2

Driving on the road to the Trossachs was little less rigorous for Rob who was feel slightly more confident on the roads, but apparently not any less for Moira who continued to remind Rob to drive on the left, apologizing all the while.

Checking a Trossachs Trail map

“The Trossachs was my dad’s recommendation.  He says that it’s like all parts of Scotland in only one small place.” Moira commented as she guided them to there new hiking location.

Though the trek was less rigorous then the previous day’s trail, it matched it in its picturesque quality. During the first half, the trail climbed up gentle sloping hills that were long ago cleared of forests much like that of the Highland hills, while the second half led them through sparsely wooded areas of gnarly trees and through muddy cattle pastures.

Cattle pastures

As they walked through the 'kissing gates' and followed the clearly laid out path they realized they were entering an area populated with a herd of cows and their calves.

Moira, who was disappointed that they had not yet come across the Highland cow which is unique to Scotland with its long hair and wide-spreading horns, was a bit surprised with Rob and Beth's delight seeing a bunch of "normal cows".

 

"But they're not normal." insisted Beth having no previous cow identification experience "Look at them... They are hairy. I think they are Highland cows."

"That's not hairy! They are NOT Highland cows. I can’t imagine why you are so excited…." queried Moira.

Real Highland Cows

"Well they do have long hair... and we normally are not in the same field as cows... Look at the calves... They are so cute."

Moira rolled her eyes and laughed. "I can't imagine how excited you'll be when you see a real Highland cow." and she headed off leading the way down the trail.

Ranger Fans

"Can we go to the game too?" asked Beth after Moira announced she was going to a football game the next day.

"That'd be great. I wasn't sure if you would be interested..."

They met at Moira's flat and walked the few blocks to the Hampden Park stadium at noon on Sunday. "It's a very exciting game for Glasgow. The Celtic Rangers usually play in the Professional Première League but, because of a financial mismanagement, they have been demoted to tier three. Today they are playing my dad's favourite team- Queen's Park Spiders. He's very excited as they are in second place, and they are all amateurs players."

They bought their last minute £15 tickets and settled in the black and white section full of the Queen's Park's fans.

"Wow. These seats are posh. Cushiony, with arm rests, and right at the midline of the field."

The game was well played by teams from both ends, but Rob and Beth were equally as entertained by the response of the faithful fans in the stands around them, as well as by the fanatical Celtic Ranger fans in stands opposite the stadium. The man that sat beside Moira was as tense as anyone could be.  He showed raw, intense emotion with every goal, and when he felt that the Queen’s Park players messed up, he shouted out advice in a heavy Glasgow accent.

Unfortunately Moira's father's team didn't win the day, but as the three agreed, the Spiders put up the good fight against a team of professionals, even managing to score agains the pros.

Cheers

On the walk back to Moira’s flat, they shared one last meal together at her neighbourhood pub before saying a final good bye, as they were heading to Belfast, Northern Ireland the next morning.

"Thank you for everything!! It was great to see you again and to eat every type of Scottish food with you."

And, Moira agreed that since it has been eight years since she had been to Canada, it was time she return.