Glencoe in fall

I first visited Scotland in 1996, if I remember correctly. Another vacation was planned for 2001, but a riding accident intervened and I was in intensive care instead of sitting on a plane to Scotland. Last year, almost 20 years later, I wanted to try it again. Finally - again - Scotland.

I had hardly told anyone about my plan. The fear that something could go wrong again was too great. In the meantime, I had also had 15 years of terribly debilitating illnesses behind me, from which I had not yet fully recovered mentally and physically.

But this time everything was going to work out. And I even dared to make the trip alone. Equipped with a small photo equipment and luggage that was as light as possible, a walking stick because of my weak muscles, and a lot of heart pounding, I boarded the plane. I fought my way to the car rental center at Edinburgh Airport and even drove the three hours to Glencoe in the west of Scotland.

I was extremely grateful to the lady from the rental car company that she had persuaded me to take an automatic car, even if it was more expensive. But with gears, sitting on the right-hand side and driving on the left-hand side of the road, on these really narrow, winding and bumpy roads littered with potholes - that would have been too much.

After many years of isolation due to chronic fatigue, pain and much more, I had to watch where I was going. I felt like a little kid or a convict being allowed to see the world again. There was just soooooo much to see!

Even on the first morning, the mood started to set in and I wandered around aimlessly, looking for a good spot. It turned out to be Buachaille Etive Mór. A magnificent mountain near the Glencoe Valley. I was really lucky with the weather over the next few days too. Of course, it was sometimes typically British or Scottish: rain and wind. But there were actually sunny spells and wild cloudy moods every day. You can see a selection of pictures in the gallery, and there's also a video.

 

After a good week and a half, I was totally flattened by all these impressions, I was extremely grateful and happy that I had finally fulfilled this long-standing dream. And I returned home with a little more self-confidence: I can do more again. I can do it. Even if I'm still weak and have difficulty walking.

Incidentally, the Scots at the airport and elsewhere were very helpful and courteous when they saw me arriving with a walking stick and a limp. In Germany, I tend to get run over...but accessibility is a huge issue in both countries.

Translated with DeepL