Can you picture it?  A group of four “mature” women in a rented minivan laughing their way around Scotland!!

That’s exactly what three of my friends and I did last September when we decided to leave our families behind and head out for a “Girls Only” vacation in Scotland.  After spending a couple of nights in Edinburgh, we headed out to visit some castles, see a lot of beautiful scenery and track down our ancestral homes. (I won the prize on that one! Mine is ThirlestaneCastle in Lauder, a very impressive little abode, if I may so myself.) 

As a big golf fan (who hasn’t played golf myself in many years), I kept getting us sidetracked as we drove up the western coast on our way from Stranraer to the Isle of Skye.  Could you resist a little side trip to see the RoyalTroon Golf Club???  The Fellow Travelers (or FTs) patiently waited for me to take some photos, then we had tea in The Marine Hotel before making the folks at the Pro Shop very, very happy. (When you’re spending pounds, it doesn’t seem to hurt quite so much. Just DON'T stop and figure out the exchange rate!!)

On up the coast, we stayed one night at CulzeanCastle, which I highly recommend to anyone who gets a chance to visit Scotland. The scenery is spectacular, and it’s just up the road from TurnberryGolf Club, the site of several British Opens. More photo ops, of course. (No pun intended.)

Toward the end of our 10-day visit, the FTs again proved to be great friends when they agreed to another side trip just so I could see St.Andrews. WOW!  It’s just as fabulous as I’ve always heard. It was late in the afternoon by the time we arrived there, so we only had time for some shopping at the Old Course Hotel, more photos and a little mis-adventure that I’ll tell you about when I know you better!!!!

Hope you will check out my Scotland Photo Gallery!!