ISTours Scotland provided an affordable way to travel around Scotland, and I went on every trip offered during the season, which amounted to seven trips across three months. The first trip took me on a journey through the Scottish highlands from Loch Lomond to the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
While visiting Loch Lomond, I learned about the tragic history behind the song On the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond. It tells the story of two young Jacobite brothers captured during the Jacobite Uprising. Both were taken to England, but at the end of the conflict, only one was released—while the other was condemned to execution. Before his death, the condemned brother is said to have written the haunting lyrics:
You’ll take the high road and I’ll take the low road,
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye.
But me and my true love will never meet again,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.
In Scottish folklore, if someone dies far from home, the faeries carry their spirit back via the “low road,” the path of the dead, while the “high road” is the one taken by the living. The song is a poignant farewell from one brother to another—a beautiful and heartbreaking goodbye set against the backdrop of Loch Lomond.
Next, we drove through Glencoe where we learned more history about the Jacobite uprising told through the lyrics of The Massacre of Glencoe, which told the story of the Campbell Clan being instructed to massacre the MacDonald Clan for their failure to pledge allegiance to the monarchy by the date demanded. Scotland has a dark and captivating history, and a drive through the Highlands reveals only a small part of it.
The final destination was the Glenfinnan Viaduct which was picturesque on its own, but I was there to see the famous bridge that the Hogwart’s express crossed on the journey from King’s Cross Station to Hogwarts.
Our tour arrived at just the right time, as we ran into a man who lived in the area and had been involved in filming. He shared stories about how when filming was happening he had to keep all the lights off in his house so he didn’t impact the lighting on set – an impressive feat with five and seven year old boys in the house. For his efforts he was given tickets to the London premiere of The Chamber of Secrets.
In addition to the bridge, the location used to film the Black Lake was nearby, and despite it being so cold, we were caught in a hailstorm and I dipped my hand into its waters. For the first time leaving Glasgow this was a truly magical experience!
Isabella