Much of the appeal that travel holds for me is the wonder of seeing somewhere new. I’ve know people with vacations patterns that are utterly habitual, and I simply cannot relate. We are creatures of habit, and I certainly have my own. But travel offers a break from the typical day-to-day that offers a taste of wonder.
But occasionally, a place I’ve already been beckons me to return. This is what Scotland is currently doing.
My One Visit Was…How Long Ago?
My one visit to Scotland was all the way back in 2008. I had just finished my first year of junior college, one year removed from graduating high school. A friend of mine invited me along on a family trip to England. His father is from England and trips back to both sight-see and visit extended family were occasional.
After spending a full week in London, the two of us bid his siblings farewell and hopped on a train headed north. We had a brief stop in Glasgow before continuing on to Fort William. We spent our first full day in Scotland hiking Ben Nevis. The next few were spent backpacking the Great Glen Way. This trail follows a fault line that splits northern Scotland from Fort William to Inverness. It’s a relatively easy hike, with much of the path following the lochs and canals at the valley floor. It also offers you a chance to spot Nessie since it passes right along Loch Ness.
We covered the 70+ miles in just three days, followed by a day in Inverness before finishing off the trip in Edinburgh. It was a great experience for an almost-19-year-old. And now I want to go back. It’s hard for me to believe that it has been nearly 17 years since that trip.
The Highlands Are Calling Me
There is something enchanting about Scotland’s mountains. Add in battered castles, windswept heath, and a bagpipe soundtrack playing in the background, and I’m sold. Each photo I see online feeds the desire. The memories from 2008 have come flooding back, and they will be hard to shake.
I was young and pinching pennies during the first trip. While it wouldn’t be a lavish affair, I’d be sure to drop whatever necessary to rent a car this time and circle the north part of the country. The Isle of Skye is a must, plus Glencoe and as much other spectacular hiking I can find. I’m not sure I could keep that same pace if I tried to repeat the trek along the Great Glen Way. I’d be up to try it. But 30 miles in a single day may be something I have to work up to. At nearly nineteen, a single day of recovery was sufficient.
So, Scotland may go on the 2026 itinerary. I’ve penciled out the rest of 2025, leaving room for maybe one spur of the moment international adventure. But I won’t do Caledonia the injustice of trying to stuff it into a meager few days before rushing back home.
A Final Thought
There are few places in the world I may convince my dad to go. It has been many years since he left the country. He’s traveled a bit across the globe, all during his time withe the U.S. Navy. I remember looking at currency from countries like Oman and the Philippines as a kid, thinking it so cool he’d been those places.
But that was decades ago. He’s done some travel within the United States, but the international days are well behind him. However, I may be able to convince him to get a passport to visit Scotland. Ireland is another possibility.
How about you: do past trips ever have such a strong siren call?
