April 27, 2024

Well, there will be no pictures of our fun cocktail party with the trivia team. We had many goodies to eat and lots of wine and champagne but I was having such a good time, I completely forgot to take pictures! Our butler, Keton, did a great job setting it up.

Today is our last day in Scotland and we have enjoyed every minute of it. It would be a place to come back to and spend some more time.

We. Had breakfast overlooking the docking procedure. We are at the Greenock port which is a short distance from Glasgow.

Our tour today was Loch Lomand and the Glengoyne Distillery. We had booked the first departure and were notified by destinations that we would depart at 12:15 instead of in the morning and there was no second departure. There were 2 buses though, so I guess we all went together. Our guide was Gilbert and he was certainly very knowledgeable about historical figures but was hard to understand much of the time.The first thing he told us after introducing himself was that we must be blessed because the weather is so good – they have had only 3 dry days in the last 6 months and it is sunny today and even a bit warmer – it got up to 50 degrees during the day.

We headed out to the distillery first and I assume the other bus went to Lock Lomand first. Along the way, Gilbert talked about James Watt – this is his statue.

James Watt was a prominent figure in Scotland’s history. He was a renowned engineer and inventor. Born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1736, he is best known for his improvements to the steam engine, which played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution. His innovations significantly increased the efficiency and practicality of steam power, revolutionizing industries such as mining, transportation, and manufacturing. His partnership with Matthew Boulton in Birmingham further propelled his inventions into widespread use. Watt’s legacy is celebrated in Scotland and beyond for his contributions to engineering and industry.

St. Patrick was also born here.

This area was known for ship building but that largely disappeared in 1960. The city went into a decline but now it is experiencing a renaissance. Compared with Edinburgh, this is a much more industrial city. We didn’t spend time there but saw some sights as we drove through. All of the US fast food restaurants are here!

We drove through many small and charming villages and past lots of sheep with young lambs frolicking in the meadows. They are sooooo cute!

We arrived at the Glengoyne distillery and the tour guides split us up into 3 smaller groups for the tour. It was a fascinating explanation of the process of making the whiskey they are known for – from the barley to the barrels.

Glengoyne Distillery is situated near the village of Killearn in Stirlingshire, Scotland, is renowned for producing Highland single malt Scotch whisky. Here are a few key points about Glengoyne Distillery.

It is located at the foot of Dumgoyne Hill with the surrounding area providing the pure water essential for the whiskey production. It dates back to 1833 when it was founded as the Burnfoot Distillery. It became Glengoyne in 1905. It is known for its traditional methods of whiskey production including slow distillation, the exclusive use of golden barley and sherry cask distillation.

Of course, we had a tasting of the 10 year old and the 15 year old Single malt Scotches that they make here. I am not really a whiskey fan, but did taste it.

Norm bought one yesterday – Raasay – which we saw written up as a good one and he bought the 12 year old one here.

This one was a standout in the gift shop!

After our visit and purchases we headed for Loch Lomond.

Loch Lomond is a freshwater loch located in the Scottish Highlands. It’s the largest inland stretch of water by surface area in Great Britain, covering about 71 square kilometers (27 square miles). The loch is known for its stunning natural beauty, surrounded by picturesque landscapes, hills, and mountains. It’s a popular destination for outdoor activities like hiking, boating, and wildlife watching. Additionally, the area has cultural significance, with several songs and poems inspired by its beauty, including the famous song “The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond.”

There are shops, refreshment stands and a very extensive aerial playground where kids were being challenged!

And we saw a golden retriever chasing a stick in the water.

We did have a few raindrops before we boarded the bus to return to the ship. And we saw this sailboat from our room. Brr, too cold for me! We depart for Belfast tonight at 10 PM.