I had Scottish Oak Smoked Salmon [Responsibly sourced salmon with scrambled free range eggs] for breakfast at the hotel. Sharon had Eggs Benedict [Free range poached eggs on a lightly toasted muffin topped with grilled home cooked gammon and homemade hollandaise].
Packiing up the car, we pulled away from the hotel after 9:30 am.
The first stop was Fort Augustus. This turned out to the first of several pleasant surprises for the day. Fort Augustus is on the Caledonian Canal. Scotland built the canal and a series of locks to connect the Irish Sea with the North Sea. We walked up just as they were moving a group of boats through the locks in Loch Ness.
We had a light lunch at the Lock Inn. Sharon and I split a vension burger and some mushroom soup. We sat at table outside along one of the locks. After lunch, we walked to the tip of Loch Ness.
The second stop was Urqahart Castle. Tom had bought tickets and a parking pass ahead of time. We walked the ruins. The castle, situated on a headland overlooking Loch Ness, is one of the largest in Scotland in area. There was lightning and thunder across the loch while we were wandering the ruins.
The third stop was the Loch Ness Centre. This was also a pleasant surprise. We took a 45 minute multi-media tour walking through 500 million years of the geological history of Loch Ness. The tour delved into ancient Scottish myths and legends focusing on the Loch Ness Monster. It summarized the scientific research that has taken place around the Loch Ness Monster.
After the Loch Ness Centre, we checked in the Loch Ness Lodge. This lodge exceeded my expectations. The large room was very nice and overlooks Loch Ness.
After a drink at the lodge, we walked to the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel for dinner. Sharon was not pleased. She described the dining room as a cafeteria. The service was good, but the food was only adequate. Sharon and I both had Uist Dived Pan Seared King Scallops [Shaved Fennel ~ Granny Smith Apple Gel ~ Yuzu Kosho Dressing] as a starter. We had a special for the main; it was a seafood newburg casserole with cod and shrimp.
Sitting in the palor of the hotel after dinner, I crashed hard and wandered up to bed.
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