Choosing a holiday

How do you choose where to go on holiday? We used to rent a holiday cottage or caravan in England or aboard and have had some wonderful times with the children.

Brittany


In recent years our children have gone on holiday with their partners and our holidays have changed without them, and we have choosen to go on more organised holidays. We like exploring and getting to learn about a country rather than lying on a beach and soaking up the sun.

There are always so many countries and places to visit that it is always difficult to decide where to go. We like to plan it well in advance, so that we have time to look forward to it.

Up in the Alps in Switzerland near Interlaken


Croatia

Last year we went to Croatia and on a free day we went on a days trip on an old fishing boat around some of the islands. The twenty or so passengers were all nationalities - German, Irish, English, Italian, Chinese and Cypriots and we had a wonderful day out together.



When we returned off holiday we went on the internet to see if we could find any holidays that catered for small numbers and a holiday visiting the Highlands in Scotland came up at the top of the list. We visited Edinburgh for my 40th birthday 9 years ago and walked past a amazing poster in a shop window showing the Highlands and immediately agreed to return one day to do this.

So this is where we have just been on holiday, and the views were even more amazing than I remember from that poster......



We travelled over 700 miles in 5 days visiting the North West part of the Highlands and also stayed on the Isle of Skye for 2 nights. The scenery was breathtaking, particularly when the sun shone! It felt so remote and the area so vast and unpopulated. The air was fresh and it was just so peaceful.


We have been to Wales and Ireland previously, but this landscape was for me even more beautiful than what I have seen in other places. We travelled with an award winning local Scottish company Rabbies and would never have been able to visit so many magnificent places in 5 days without them. There were 12 others in our party, who came from all around the world - India, Poland, New Zealand, Taiwan, and America. It added to our experience to share our holiday with such a nice group of people. Neil, our tour guide and driver was excellent and shared with us many amazing stories and Scottish music.


The pictures of the mountains look almost unreal, don't they? We are still sorting through our pictures so this won't be the last you see of Scotland on here! We had a mixture of rain and sunshine on our holiday but the sun kept shining when it really mattered.  Have you got any holidays planned soon I would love to here what you are doing too. In the meantime the only mountains I will be seeing are mountains of washing and ironing!


Sarah x

Comments

  1. Dear Sarah,

    Your holiday in Scotland sounds perfect! The photo's of the mountains, the lochs in the distance and the bareness of the landscape look beautiful.

    My husband and I have been there years ago, but hope to go back one day. I will keep the Scottish company in mind who organised your trip.

    Although our girls are all over 18, they still want to go on holiday with us. I realise it won't be for long any more. On the other hand it will be fun to find another sort of holiday together, just like you and your husband did.

    Have a lovely weekend!

    Madelief x

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  2. I was thinking of you this week and hoping you were getting some sunshine - when the sun shines here there is nothing quite like it - wild and wonderful!

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  3. Your photos are amazing! I love them all! I have never holidayed in Scotland - I've always been put off by the weatherman but your photos have made me have second thoughts. We haven't booked any holiday for this year as with me being unwell it was impossible and now that I'm better all the best places are booked up - it's called Sod's law!
    Have a great weekend!
    June

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  4. Gorgeous pictures. I've always wanted to visit Skye (well, ever since I read a novel when I was about 17 which was set there. I think it was the descriptions of those brooding Cuillin!). Funny how holidays change when children are off doing their own thing. Must say, I don't miss all those visits to the various theme parks around the globe!

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  5. It sounds like you had a fantastic holiday, the views are amazing, so so beautiful. I'd love to go to Scotland and Ireland, we've been to wales on a mini break and loved it.

    Usually we go to Portugal for a few days during Summer but to be honest sometimes I'd rather stay here and go somewhere for a few days, England is such a beautiful country.

    I'm looking forward to seeing more photos of your holiday.

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  6. Hi; Thanks for visiting my blog so often...
    I like it to see your pics of Switserland; We also often visited lake Interlaken; I love the mountains.( we don't have any in netherlands)
    I also visited Skye when I was 19 ( long ago!!!) We camped along the sea but it was very cold and a lot of little flies( midges?)But it was special to be there!
    I'm looking forward to visit Sweden once!
    greetings Fleur

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  7. Beautiful pictures...sounds and looks like you had a fantastic time,,thanks for sharing.
    Devon

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  8. The scenery of Scotland is so beautiful in fine weather. Lovely photos from your holidays.

    I`m not sure if we will get a holiday this year as our two dear old dogs are failing. When they are no longer with us I hope we will get away somewhere.

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  9. Yay, so pleased you got to see Scotland at it's best - can't be beaten when the sun shines! My dad spent 6 days walking across Skye, a couple of weeks ago, and he had no rain while we were soaked over here on the West. Juliex

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  10. We like exploring too - what's the point of going if you don't?!

    Sadly, we can't afford holidays - we've camped twice in the last 6 years in Wales and Cheddar, which was nice but we have a huge list of places - such as Norway, Iceland, Croatia... I haven't been to Scotland and that's another one I'd really love to go to but it's so far, we'd like to tour it properly or at least go for two or three weeks. I love wild, bleak places with no people and I love rugged views Scotland is very me - like the peak district but we bigger hills and less tourists!

    Loved your photos, especially the last few!

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  11. We went to Scotland for our honeymoon many years ago and vowed to return...your photos remind me of happy times thanks for sharing them.
    xxx

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  12. Dear Sarah,
    so many thank you for the wonderful photo´s and I hope you was so enjoyed at your holidays...
    Herzlichst Flori
    Sorry, my english is a bit rusty....

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  13. Dear Sarah,

    I loved seeing your photographs of Scotland - as it is the place my Mothers family came from. One day I would love to visit there.
    Look forward to seeing more of your photos and thanks for sharing.
    Always the downfall coming back from holidays with the pile of washing and ironing.

    Happy weekend
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  14. scotland is beautiful! we go the The Lakes about every couple of years, this year we are trying to boook NYC! ahhhhh! excitied!

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  15. It looks like the perfect place to "get away from it all", fantastic scenery & photographed beautifully as always x

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  16. Hi Sarah glad you had a good holiday, pictures excellent, years since I've been to Scotland, my husband dad had a caravan near Dunoon, which was lovely. Julie xxx

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  17. Hello Sarah,
    It sounds like your holiday was wonderful and the photographs are breath taking....
    We visited Scotland many moons ago and found it special too....
    Thanking you for popping in on me also....
    Have a Monday full of kindness!
    Mariax
    Getting tense for my lad, as selection is in July for the paralmpics(fingers and toes crossed) as this will be our holiday this year hope fully!
    Maria x

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  18. Hi Sarah, gorgeous photos. I've only been to Edinburgh so haven't truly experienced Scotland - yet! Might have to wait until our kids have flown the coop though. We had 2 nights away with them pickering about having to share a room, and they wonder why we don't go further afield!! Sx

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  19. Europe has some amazing places. Thank you Sarah for sharing some of your travels with us and I can't wait to see more of your Scotland photos. : )

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  20. This looks amazing, Sarah! It is a dream of mine to go to Scotland - I am longing for unpopulated, calm, green landscape. I do not mind the rain or drizzle and it needn't to be hot. I have been to Edinburgh once and have never forgotten about it. It sounds and looks like you had an interesting and relaxing holiday and maybe you can daydream a little while ironing your mountains! We are off to Ireland soon and hope to see some of such landscape as well! Christa

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  21. Lovely!!!!
    perfect pics
    XOXO

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