In twilight, things become vague. There is a glimmer of something on the horizon, but it may well be just fog in the dusk. Stories we tell each about the Highlands become tales, and through the dusk of the valleys, they become myths. (The Bloodshed of Glen Coe)
Beyond a mighty wall built by the Roman emperor, Hadrian used to be a country called Caledonia with brave inhabitants who liked to color their faces and didn’t fancy their southern neighbors very much. In the end, nothing changed in a dramatic way, and the country is called Scotland today. The blue face paint became the color of the flag, and you still don’t want to argue with a Scotsman.
Sure, the easy way to discover a country is to use the road network and make photo stops. If you want to get to know a place, though, you need to make some detours without a vehicle and start to wander. Ensure you have a map, but also be prepared to get lost. Only if you discover on your own will you see true beauty and make the journey yours.
Inveraray Castle is situated close to Loch Fyne in the mighty Highlands of Scotland. The building is part of a large Estate belonging to the Dukes of Argyll, a branch of the Campbell family. The castle was built in the middle of the 18th century but was remodelled in large parts after a fire in 1877. In 2019, Inveraray still belongs to the Campbell family but is open to visitors as well. Part of the Estate is also a beautiful garden, a forest, and a cattle farm with highland cows.
The islands of Great Britain and Ireland are crammed with historical monuments from different time periods, reaching from pre-antiquity (Stonehenge) to the modern era (Shard in London). Many exciting sights though were built in medieval and early modern times (St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland, picture 1 and Culzean Castle, Scotland, pictures 3, 5, and 7) or in the time of industrialization (Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol, England, picture 2, Menai Bridge, Wales, picture 4 and Britannia Bridge, Wales, picture 6). Some impressions.
Memories from a Journey to the Island. Shot in Chester, Bath, Salisbury and Bristol in July of 2019.
Michael Hoffman Photography 