My favorite places were Rowan Tree cottage (which was amazing … owner very dear, place beautifully done and he is attentive to every little detail … it’s a lovely little croft house overlooking the sea and away from everything .. for two days I just pretended I lived there … went off by myself for about 4 or 5 hours sketching and ding watercolours .. loved it!!!) …. then Strongarbh in Tobermory was really great as well .. beautiful old stone house high on a hill looking across the harbour … a young-ish, very hardworking couple own it and they, too paid attention to every detail … rooms were lovely and the food was like 5 star hotel food … great presentation .. really nicely done in every aspect!

Um, … let’s see then there was Loch Roag on Lewis …. although lacking in the charm and really nicely done feel of Rowan Tree and Strongarbh it was certainly adequate and I think probably pretty representative of the type of place available to stay in the Outer Hebrides … it was clean, food was okay, etc. .. and you were right about the weather … it rained like crazy and there were such high winds that they almost didn’t run the ferry over to Lewis … I actually liked the weather as I thought it added to the mystique of the rough and barren geography (luckily I had packed waterproof rainpants, coat, hiking boots, etc. so I was fine) and the beaches were amazing!!! Also the drive up to the Butt of Lewis where there is a lighthouse way out on the spit, high on cliffs and where the Atlantic and North seas meet … spectacular scenery made all the more impressive by the wild and wooly weather!!! Then in Inverness we were at the Strome Lodge … which again was a great old stone house, nicely done. We had a little trouble adjusting to how busy and hectic Inverness traffic, etc. seemed after the remote Lewis, but did okay. The host was nice enough and food was okay … Then the Thainstone house was absolutely beautiful, good staff, very friendly and the food was very, good … then went on to St. Andrews area ( stopping at Dunnotar Castle on the way which was absolutely incredible !!!! ) and found Old Manor Hotel which was very nicely done, our room looked out to sea and the food was very good .. then Haymarket Hotel in Edinburgh was a neat old building they “dropped the ball” in a couple of areas but were so hardworking and friendly and willing that I certainly gave them the benefit of the doubt as they are in transition right now … all in all just fine. And then our last night Holiday Inn Express worked out great in Glasgow Airport. Hope this info/feedback is helpful to you!

The Scottish people were the most “friendly, hardworking and willing” people I have ever met. The tremendous variety of landscape boggles your mind. I really don’t see how they get people to leave and go home. I certainly didn’t want to!!!!

Soooooooo … again, thank you so very much for all your hard work and patience in making our trip absolutely the best I have ever been on. I will never forget it and fortunately have loads and loads of photos to “revisit” Scotland.