-Hi, I'm Rick Steves, back with
more of the best of Europe. This time, we're packin' light, but there's always room
for puppies, sheepdog puppies. We're in the Highlands
of Scotland. [ Wind whistling ]
Thanks for joining us. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ The Highlands are where dreams
of Scotland are set. The land of kilts, clans,
and lonely castles, the Highlands offer the
quintessence of Scottish charms. In this episode, we'll connect
with clan heritage, be awestruck by Highland beauty, marvel at early
British engineering, join in the search
for a monster, time-travel back
to the Iron Age, watch sheepdogs
do their thing -- -[ Whistles ]
Hold 'em back! Hold 'em back! -...and check out
some traditional folk music. ♪♪ The United Kingdom includes
England, Wales, North Ireland, and Scotland. Scotland includes a third
of Britain's land. Its main cities are
Glasgow and Edinburgh. To the south is the Lowlands
and to the north, the Highlands. Focusing on the Highlands,
we'll visit Inveraray, Oban, follow the Caledonian Canal
to Loch Ness, Inverness, and the battlefield
at Culloden. Here in Scotland, the Highlands
have more than half the land, and only 5% of the people. Still, it's these Highlands, so
vast, yet so sparsely populated, that give us the classic
image of Scotland. The highest mountains in Britain
are here in Scotland, in the Highlands. While only around 3,000 feet
in altitude, they offer a dramatic welcome
and a backdrop of constantly changing views
for road trippers. Long lakes, called "lochs" here,
cut like fjords into a land where the heritage
remains strong. -In this region, so much
seems proudly Scottish. Clans gather to celebrate
traditional sports, girls grow up dreaming to dance
like their mothers did, whisky is savored with
reverence for the culture -- ♪♪ ...and pipers still stir
the Scottish soul. And, in this land
so steeped in culture, Scotland's beloved hairy coo
feels perfectly at home. These shaggy Highland cattle have evolved to fit
the environment. Their adorable bangs
protect their eyes from both insects
and the persistent wind. Historically,
Highland society was centered around the clan system. In medieval times,
long before being tamed by any central government, the Highlands were inhabited
by a collection of proud, and often bickering,
tribes, or clans, each with its own chief
and deep-seated traditions. ♪♪ Castles dotting the landscape
evoke this strong clan heritage. Scottish people,
whether in Scotland; or abroad, as part
of the Scottish diaspora; still relate
to their historic clan and many venerate
a particular castle as their historic capital
and almost spiritual center. Inveraray Castle, the residence
of the 13th Duke of Argyle, has a stately turreted exterior
set in a delightful garden. ♪♪ Historically, a stronghold
of the Campbell clan, its walls are well-hung
with portraits of the many dukes
who've called this palace home. Here's the first duke, with dukes number two
and three on deck. As with many such castles,
the aristocratic family still lives here,
like clan royals. Displays are like
a family scrapbook, showing the current duke
and his family, who still occupy the private
half of this palace. ♪♪ The public half is a museum, filled with precious,
if you're a Campbell, artifacts. ♪♪ This case features pendants of esteemed family members
through the ages. This one's filled
with dirks and daggers, set against
a nice Campbell tartan. A highlight is the Armory Hall,
which fills the main atrium. Here, swords and rifles are artistically arrayed
in starburst patterns. Docents are standing by
and happy to answer questions. -So, our halberds here date
from the 1600s. They come from the earlier
castle, before this one. -Now, what is a halberd? -So, a halberd could be used
against charging cavalry and you'll notice
they've got tassels on them. It's not just for decoration. Don't know about you.
If I'm killing someone, you don't want their blood
dripping down your weapon, making it all slippy. -So, the tassels
actually had a function. -That's right. So, the tassels
would soak up the blood. -And these muskets? -So, this is our Brown Bess
flintlock muskets, all dating from the 1740s. These are all original and they were last used
at the Battle of Culloden, 1746, the last battle fought
on British soil. Yes, so, we have,
in this cabinet, some of the belongings
of Rob Roy MacGregor, a kind of famous folk hero. -The famous Rob Roy? -That's right,
Rob Roy MacGregor. So, this is his sporran here. -And what is a sporran? -So, a sporran,
if you think of a kilt, there's no pockets in a kilt. -Right.
-So, you'd have your sporran and, in your sporran, you'd have
maybe a wee bag of oatmeal. -So, this is your bag
of essentials, -Exactly. Yes, for sure, yeah.
-hanging right here in front. Yeah.
-Yeah. -You'll find castles like this
all over the Highlands. Today, countless
Scottish Americans make a pilgrimage of sorts
to their ancestral clan capital. If you're a Campbell,
you'd come here, to Inveraray. The main town of the west coast
of the Highlands is Oban. ♪♪ With the arrival
of the train in 1880, Oban became the unofficial
capital of this region and a destination for tourists. Today, Oban's harborfront
seems eager to please its many visitors. Victorian facades recall
those early days of tourism. Before then, its economy
was dominated by whiskey -- its venerable distillery
has been busy since 1794 -- and by fishing. Even today,
a tiny fleet stays busy. When the rain clears, sun-starved Scots
enjoy their esplanade and the beach brings joy
to young families. [ Birds squawking ]
♪♪ The town's port has long
been a lifeline to Scotland's Hebrides Islands, earning Oban the nickname
"The Gateway to the Isles." But we'll save the islands
for another episode. We're driving north,
deeper into the Highlands. Of course, here in Britain, you drive on the left-hand
side of the road. You get used to it. The roads are good,
the traffic's light, and the scenery is gorgeous. The stunning valley called
Glencoe offers the essence of the wild and stark beauty
of the Highlands. While the valley
is massive in scale, at its entrance is a tiny
and practical home base. Glencoe Village is basically
a one-street town gathered around its church. There's the humble folk museum, plenty of B&Bs... We're staying
with Jackie and Iain. Bye-bye. ...and a memorial
to a terrible tragedy, a tragedy that, while three
centuries old, still resonates. [ Melancholy tune plays ] To be sure
we get the story right, we're joined by my friend
and fellow tour guide Colin Mairs. This is a beautiful valley. -Yeah, well, it does have
a sad story, though. In 1692,
there was a massacre here and government troops --
Redcoats, made up mostly of Campbells --
they were sent here by the king. They were given
the orders to ride to the homes of the
MacDonalds of Glencoe and to await
further instruction. So, they enjoyed
the hospitality, the Highland hospitality,
of the MacDonalds of Glencoe and, after 12 days, the further instruction arrived for the Campbells to massacre
the MacDonalds of Glencoe. As the MacDonalds slept
in their beds, the Campbells
carried out the order. We know that 38 MacDonalds
were killed as they slept. Others fled for the hills. This was midwinter,
in the Highlands of Scotland, and many others perished
and died in the cold. Ever since then, this has been
known as the Weeping Glen. ♪♪ -It's fitting that such
an epic, dramatic incident should be set in this equally
epic and dramatic valley, where the cliffsides
still seem to weep. [ Wind whistling ]
♪♪ Glencoe valley leads up
into the vast Rannoch Moor. This moor, the biggest expanse
of uninhabited land in Britain, is hundreds of desolate
square miles, much enjoyed by hikers
and lovers of nature. [ Wind whistling ]
♪♪ [ Triumphant music sweeps ] When filmmakers want
a stunning, rugged backdrop; when hikers want
a scenic challenge... ♪♪ ...and when Scots want to
remember their hard-fought past, they all think of Glencoe. ♪♪ [ Mid-tempo tune plays ]
As we drive north from Glencoe, we find a massive fault line
slashing about 60 miles across the Highlands,
nearly cutting Scotland in two. The drive from here,
northeast to Inverness follows three long,
skinny lakes, created by the great Glen Fault, and a series of 19th-century
canals that laced them together. This is the Caledonian Canal. ♪♪ Perhaps the most idyllic stop
along the canal is the little town
of Fort Augustus, built around an impressive
staircase of locks. Today, this historic piece
of British engineering is a welcoming park. [ Birds chirping ]
♪♪ 200 years ago,
as Britain was at full steam during the Industrial Age,
it connected these lakes with about 20 miles
of canals and locks. That was so its ships
could avoid the long journey around the north of the country. The Caledonian Canal
took 19 years and cost a fortune to construct. It opened in 1822. [ Upbeat tune plays ] While these locks were
an engineering marvel in their day,
they were quickly antiquated and a disaster, commercially. Shortly after the canal opened,
ships were built too big to fit and, shortly after that,
with the advent of steam trains, the Caledonian Canal
became almost useless, except for Romantic Age tourism, and, today, the canal remains
a hit with holiday-goers. The most famous part of the
Caledonian Canal route is the long and skinny
Loch Ness. 22 miles long
and over 700 feet deep, it's essentially the vast chasm
of that fault line, filled with water. They say Loch Ness
contains more water than all the lakes
of England and Wales, combined. Loch Ness is deepest
near Urquhart Castle. While thoroughly ruined
and little more than an empty shell
to climb through, in its medieval heyday, this
strategically situated castle was one of the most important
in the Highlands, controlling traffic
along the great glen. Today, so gloriously situated, with a view of virtually
the entire lake, it's extremely popular
with tourists and the perfect place to look
for the Loch Ness monster. ♪♪ While the lake is,
frankly, boring, the local tourist
industry thrives on the legend
of the Loch Ness monster. It is a thrilling thought,
and there have been several seemingly
reliable sightings. And, of course, there's
a touristy exhibit that would love
to tell the story. The Loch Ness Exhibition
is spearheaded by scientist and naturalist
Adrian Shine, who's spent decades studying
the Nessie phenomenon. ♪♪ Adrian, can you tell me
the mission of this exhibition? -Our mission is to be part
of the essential sense of place. We are not a monster show,
but we will tell you a lot, whether you like it or not,
about Scottish lochs, by arguing about the
Loch Ness monster. But we do it in a fairly
entertaining way, I like to think, because we're
talking about the one thing we would all like
to have in Loch Ness. What we do is take you through
the history of the search for an unusual animal
in Loch Ness. In the '60s,
it was surface surveillance, with big,
telephoto-lens cameras. Having failed, in the '70s, we went underwater, partly in my own little,
photographic hide, Machan. Having failed
to encounter a beast, we resorted
to sonar in the 1980s -- sort of underwater radar. We built a flatpack sonar search
vessel on a beach in 1981, patrolled up and down the loch. The contacts led, in the end, to Operation Deep Scan in 1987,
with the fleet. In the '90s, we got a bit canny. We used an indirect method
and we have been, ever since, and it's general science. What could the loch support,
in terms of food resources? What do the temperatures
tell us about what could live in Loch Ness? And, finally, we have
the environmental message, in terms of the record
within the Loch Ness sediments. I would like our visitors
to go away thinking about what could live
in Loch Ness, when we have explained
Loch Ness. Go and see Loch Ness, but, if you want
to understand it, come here. And, at the same time,
and above everything, we want them to go away knowing
a lot more about Scottish lochs. [ Tranquil tune plays ] -Just beyond Loch Ness, I feel
the real spirit of Scotland most deeply at Culloden,
the site of the last major land battle fought
on British soil. ♪♪ About 300 years ago, Scotland was embroiled in
a bloody civil war with England. Well, it's a complicated story. Basically, the Scots were
fighting for their culture: to put a Catholic king
on the throne and to keep their ancient
clan traditions. The last leader of this cause was Prince
Charles Edward Stuart, fondly known
as "Bonnie Prince Charlie." His forces were called
the "Jacobites," named for his grandfather,
the deposed King James. James was Catholic and his name
was "Jacobus" in Latin, and that's why the rebels
were called "Jacobites." For a long time,
Bonnie Prince Charlie confounded the English
and their Protestant monarch. Slipping from valley to valley, hiding behind clever disguises
and in sympathetic farmhouses, Charlie kept the Scottish dreams
of his Jacobite followers alive. Those dreams ended here, at the decisive
Battle of Culloden in 1746. The on-site museum
tells the story vividly. ♪♪ Docents demonstrate
battle techniques to give visitors context, and a small theater
captivates its audience with a dramatic re-enactment. -[Shouting]
[ Blast ] -This Scottish clans gathered
every possible warrior, but they were outnumbered
and outgunned [ Suspenseful music plays ]
by the British redcoats. While the clans fought fiercely, the British were cool,
methodical, and ruthless. -[Shouting] [ Gunfire ] -Ooh! -The hour-long battle
was a catastrophe for the Highlanders as the British army finally,
and thoroughly, defeated the Jacobites. Survivors broke ranks
and ran for the hills. [ Suspenseful music climbs ] -[Distant shouting] -After the battle,
the British army hunted down and killed clan chiefs
and sympathizers. They banned kilts,
tartans, bagpipes, and even the local language. Scottish Highland culture
would never fully recover. [ Melancholy tune plays ] On the battlefield, flags mark
where the two armies lined up. This is where the hand-to-hand
fighting took place. As visitors wander
the battlefield, they pass mass graves and ponder
how entire clans fought, died, and were buried here,
at this Scottish Alamo. ♪♪ For many, this is
an emotional visit. ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Birds chirping ]
[ Outro plays ] Nearby, the town of Inverness
straddles the River Ness, near the eastern end
of the Caledonian Canal. [ Tranquil tune plays ]
This town's charm lies in its normalcy. Inverness is a simple,
mid-sized Scottish city that gives you a taste
of the urban Highlands. It has a disheveled,
ruddy-cheeked grittiness and is well-located
for enjoying nearby sights. Check out the bustling,
pedestrianized downtown and stroll the riverside. [ Outro plays ] Inverness is a great place
for music in the pubs. Tonight, MacGregor's
is hosting a session. Not a formal concert,
but just an open table for local musicians
to get together and jam. While this is a modern pub,
it embraces traditional Scottish music,
which is clearly alive and well. [ Playing rollicking tune ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Music brings the people of the
Highlands together, even today. ♪♪ [ Knocking ]
♪♪ ♪♪ It's an inviting conviviality. Everyone seems eager to get
to know each other and visitors feel welcome. You enjoy amazing music
for the cost of a beer and the beer is great. -Yah!
♪♪ ♪♪ [ Playing outro ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Flute plays tranquil tune ]
-We're driving south, to learn how some of the
original Highlanders lived. Across Scotland, little
round islands on lakes are the remains
of prehistoric fortified homes. These are called crannogs and date back centuries
before Christ. Here at the Crannog Centre
on Loch Tay, one's been rebuilt, using
mostly traditional methods, and now welcomes visitors. -This is the
Scottish Crannog Centre. It's a reproduction
of a 2,500-year-old crannog that archaeologists
are excavating, as we speak,
in Loch Tay, right now. It was built out in the loch
itself for defensive purposes. In Scotland then,
you had bears, you had wolves, you had big cats called lynx, other people
roaming the countryside. And if you're out here
in the water, there's only one way in and out,
and that's the walkway. So, if you can keep that secure,
you, yourself, in here, are going to feel a lot safer. -Guides demonstrate
Iron Age technology: turning a lathe... ♪♪ ...grinding flour... -Stones against each other. -...and even starting a fire
the really old-fashioned way. ♪♪ Whoa.
-That's how you make a fire. -[Clapping] You can give the tools
a try yourself and discover how easy
the guides make it look. Scotland is littered
with reminders of prehistoric people
from an even earlier age. At Clava Cairns, three
Bronze Age burial chambers date [ Strings play tranquil tune ]
from about 4,000 years ago. Each was once buried
under turf-covered mounds and surrounded
by a stone circle. The central "ring cairn"
has an open space in its middle. The two passage cairns each have
an entrance shaft that, on the winter solstice,
lines up with the setting sun. ♪♪ [ Birds chirping ]
♪♪ Visitors are caught up
in the peaceful wonder of this ancient
and sacred site. Enjoy the mystery of this place. Were these stone circles part
of a celestial calendar? Was the soul of the deceased
transported into the next life when the sun was just right? Nobody really knows. -[Whistling] -But everyone knows
sheepdogs are fun. A favorite experience
when touring Scotland is to visit a working sheep farm and meet the farmer
and his dogs. Each afternoon, Neal Ross
takes a break from farming to show off his
well-trained sheepdogs and his son, Tristan,
is learning from the master. -The main purpose of the dog
is go down the field, get the sheep,
and bring them back. The voice commands,
I'll explain the voice commands to you. This command means
"stop that dog." [ Long whistle ] Stop command. The dogs' hearing is
like electric. The command "away to me"
means "right." Wee Mark, wee Mark, wee Mark. "Stop" is "lie down."
Little Mark. The voice command "come-bye"
is "left." Bo, come-bye.
[ Double-tone whistle ] That whistle sound [two double-tone whistles] means "left." [Single down-tone whistle]
means "right." [ Three single-tone whistles ] [ Two double-tone whistles ] -Great, another foreign language I can't understand. The show ends
with a demonstration on how to shear sheep, with the kids
getting a chance to help. The dogs love some attention
when they're on break and there's always lambs
to be fed. [ Laughter ] ♪♪ We connected with
spectacular landscapes, [ Playing rollicking tune ]
shared traditional music, felt the power of history, and were inspired by the pride
of this resilient culture. ♪♪ I hope you've enjoyed our look
at Scotland's Highlands, with its rich heritage
and majestic nature. Thanks for joining us. I'm Rick Steves. Until next time,
keep on travelin'. ♪♪ -[Laughing] Rob Roy's sporran?
-300 years old. Yeah. For sure, yeah. -[Laughing delightedly] -Oh, that's okay.
-Yeah. [ Laughter ] -This is my new dog
for next year. [ Laughter ] -I hope you've enjoyed our look
at Scotland's Highlands, with its rich heritage. [ Laughing ] Loch Ness monster? I just don't buy it. -[Roar] ♪♪
