Lochs, Castles & Dukes
Posted by Leonard And Me , 7.28.2018 11:57 AM
We begin our morning on the lake -- or loch -- with a cruise on Loch Lomond. This is the largest inland stretch of water in Great Britain by surface area. The weather lately has been typical of Scotland....rain, rain, and more rain. Fortunately, it hasn't rained hard enough to put a damper on our outside activities. Those new rain jackets we bought before we left for this trip have definitely been worth every cent...and more!
Speaking of rain....there are motorcycles everywhere! These crazy riders have not had a dry day to ride in quite a while. Needless to say they are dressed from head-to-toe in waterproof gear and heavy clothing. This is the last place I'd want to ride my Harley on vacation!
Traveling higher into the Highlands....we were heading north to Inveraray to visit the Castle and have lunch in town beside Loch Fyne. Today we officially had our first order of FISH & CHIPS in Scotland. The town has a few shops, cafes, and pubs. The main attraction in this area was the Inveraray Castle which is featured in the TV show Downtown Abbey. The Castle is the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Clan Campbell and the iconic, must-see visitor attraction on the West Coast of Scotland.
Built in the 1750s as a neo-Gothic fantasy fortress complete with dry moat, later modifications included the addition of a third floor with dormer windows and steep conical roofs. The Inveraray Castle features a collection of more than 1,300 pikes, muskets, swords and other weapons on display that are a reminder of the clan’s military might.
We toured half the Castle....because the other half is the actual residence of the Duke of Argyll. He currently lives here with his wife and three children. The guy is not much older than we are....and we lucked out and got to meet him today!
Believe it or not....he works in the gift shop! And because Jenesa thought he was a pretty good-lookin' Duke....she convinced him we would buy something if he posed for a picture! He even autographed our souvenir.
Thank you to Torquhil Ian Cambell, the 13th Duke of Argyll for the picture! Who can say they've ever met an official Duke before? THE LEONARD'S!!!
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