The B&B Moyness House in Inverness was perfectly charming with Victorian accents, interesting nooks, beautiful moulding, a coal-burning fireplace and large windows. We found the sitting room to be very comfy. It was a perfect spot for writing in our journals since we wanted to capture every detail of our trip. The Highland breakfast was amazing as promised. After three mornings of the best fresh eggs, bacon and vegetables imaginable, it was time to pack the car and head to Edinburgh.
Moyness House B&B
Did I forget to mention, the one thing I absolutely didn’t want to do was rent a car?! Turns out, even though the train ride from Edinburgh to Inverness would have been fascinating, the car thing (driving on the wrong side) wasn’t so bad. I’m pretty sure I scared my daughter way more than any other drivers in Scotland and ultimately she took over that responsibility! Score one for Miss Daisy!
Having a car allowed us to take a detour to an Outlander destination we definitely couldn’t miss. On our own this time, we stopped at the Highland Folk Museum. This is the film location chosen for the Outlander, Starz episode “Rent”. We arrived early at the outdoor museum which was perfect; only one staff member and no other annoying tourist. It was great, as we ran around like preschoolers on a playground, taking photos!
Large building used as the tavern in the episode “Rent” in the Outlander series
In the largest building was the location where the tavern scene was filmed.
We were told the film crew occupied the location for about three weeks. While we were there that morning peat was burning in some of the buildings. I forgot to ask if they had peat burning during the filming. I don’t know how anyone could breath or even see with all the smoke, but it was glorious!
Village at the Highland Folk Museum
View from the village at the Highland Folk Museum
While in Edinburgh, we stayed at 94DR. The clever name is derived from its location; 94 Dalkeith Road. Our host, Paul, was so cheerful and welcoming when we arrived. It was as if we were old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years. I loved the masculine vintage decor coupled with the grey and black color scheme. All of the wood work throughout the foyer and along the three flights of stairs leading to our room on the third floor is painted black. I thought this was a fantastically bold choice and it captured my approval at once. Our room was bright and smart; the walls being painted a crisp white and the bedding set to match. They incorporated a few lively red accents to add a little punch of color.
View of back patio from 3rd floor window at 94DR with rain hitting the window.
Our room was cozy and comfy with a great en suite bathroom that featured heated floors! Coming from Texas, heated floors are not very common, so it was a nice little treat for our feet. We had the most charming window seat in our room that allowed the space to be flooded with gorgeous emerald and moss tones from the garden outside.
Breakfast was a true delight. The dining room is housed in a solarium, so we were able to look out into the garden while enjoying the scrumptious breakfast Paul prepared. Paul served Andrea and me a two course breakfast that started with a yogurt parfait comprised of vanilla yogurt, a homemade wild raspberry rhubarb compote and homemade granola. This was followed by a salad of roasted potatoes and seared pancetta topped with beautiful spring asparagus and a fried egg. Paul certainly enabled us to take on a day of exploring Edinburgh by feeding us a fantastic breakfast!
Luckily, we were within walking distance of the Royal Mile, Victoria Street and Edinburgh Castle. The Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle were highly energized with visitors. While touring Edinburgh Castle, I constantly aimed my camera skyward to capture bits of fascinating timeworn architecture. We were told that there are about six thousand visitors that tour the castle every day. I believe everyone came at the same time that day and proceeded to follow us through the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle. It was a wee bit crowded.
My favorite picture at Edinburgh Castle. The five petal rose, the thistle and the fleur-de-lis.
Everywhere we looked, we found something fascinating to observe or watch. Victoria Street was characterized by a slightly slower pace than the popular Royal Mile and was dotted with interesting shops and restaurants.
When we travel again to Edinburgh, we would definitely like to visit the additional Outlander sites suggested by our guide, Ian Deveney, from Inverness Tours; Doune Castle (exterior filming of Castle Leoch), Blackness Castle (used as Fort William where Jamie gets flogged) and Linlithgow Palace (Wentworth Prison).
So much to live for!!