I’ve been fortunate to have visited the Scottish Isles five times. The first four times (1987, 1988, 1989, and 2004) with the NC Botanical Garden we had excellent food, in small family-run hotels. We spent long days hiking, with stops to check out the flowers or walk carefully between nesting birds. We saw a variety of wild animals and had many stunning views of cliffs, ocean, mountains, and lush green.

I love to think back and remember the open, flat, green land and high cliffs full of birds and flowers. And the food!!! Big Scottish breakfasts with stewed apricots and prunes, oatmeal, eggs, bacon, finnan haddie, and toast or pastries, then lunch with two sandwiches, fruit, and a cookie or candy bar, and the dinners! Oh, my! Salmon, venison, lamb, fish, casseroles, and beautiful fresh desserts with whipped cream on everything. And a pint of local beer when we came in from walking, and a bit of single malt after dinner. All that, and I’d lose weight!

So many good memories. I jumped at a chance to go back with UNC Alumni Association in 2019, on a cruise ship, with very little walking, but I got to see the open, flat, green land again. Bus trips instead of long walks worked fine. The food on the ship wasn’t the same as the local hotels but it was outstanding – it seemed like we had salmon every day and seafood buffets every night!

The first trip I wrote up was the 2004 trip, in 2004. Since then, I’ve written up my notes when they were fresh. I’d been thinking I should write up the old trips, but it took COVID-19 to get around to it.