Category Archives: Sightseeing

Fort Augustus (Scotland, U.K.)

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Fort Augustus and the Caledonian Canal

Part of Scottish Highlands Tour

From Spean Bridge, it was another 36.7 kms. (a 30-min. drive), via A82, to Fort Augustus, a charming settlement and popular and busy tourist destination in the parish of Boleskine and Abertarff, at the south-west end of Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands, home of the famous Loch Ness Monster (fondly called Nessie).  Here we were to have lunch and, afterwards, go on a boat cruise around Loch Ness. It was raining throughout when we arrived and we had to bring out our umbrellas to get to Monster Fish & Chips, adjacent to the Jet Petrol Station, where we first tried out a huge serving of its namesake.

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Monster Fish and Chips

Jet Petrol Station

Until the early 18th century, the settlement was called Kiliwhimin. After the Jacobite rising of 1715, it was renamed Fort Augustus after  Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, one of the sons of King George II.  From 1903 until 1933, the village was served by a rail line, from Spean Bridge, to a terminus on the banks of Loch Ness.  It was built by the Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway in the hope of eventually completing a line to Inverness and latterly operated by the North British Railway and its successor, the London and North Eastern Railway, but initially operated by the Highland Railway.

Caledonian Canal

 

After lunch, I proceeded to explore the village on foot.  Fort Augustus is centered around the impressive, 96 km. (60 mi.) long Caledonian Canal.  The canal, connecting Fort William to Inverness, passes through Fort Augustus in a dramatic series of locks stepping down to Loch Ness. The canal was built, between 1804 and 1822, under the direction of William Jessop and Thomas Telford.  Boats using the canal are raised and lowered 13 m. by a “ladder” of 5 consecutive locks, all completed in 1820.  The A82 road crosses the canal on a swing bridge at the foot of the 5 locks.

War Memorial Hall

The single storey War Memorial Hall, a public hall converted to the Territorial Drill Hall (and later returned to its original function), was designed by Inverness-born architect John Robertson (1840-1925) and built from 1891 to 1892.  It Italianate style detailing includes round arch windows with unusual convex moldings and deep overhanging beams.  The interior includes a good hammerbeam roof in the main hall.

The Clansman Centre

A memorial plaque, set in a round arch recess at the porch front of the hall, has a battlemented parapet and was built in 1918.  It commemorates the residents of Fort Augustus who were killed or missing in the First World War (21 names) and the Second World War (5 names).

The Mill Shop

The village’s economy is heavily reliant on tourism and all around the town are many gift and souvenir shops selling tartan treats (scarves, blankets, woolen jumpers, etc.), traditional Scottish souvenirs and Nessie souvenirs such as the Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre, The Mill Shop (a converted church), the Fort Augustus Gift Company, the Clansman Centre, etc.

Caledonian Canal Centre

The Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre, beside the lowest lock, offers visitors and locals a wealth of local heritage and internationally renowned local features of the Caledonian Canal (designed by Thomas Telford and opened in 1822), Great Glen and Loch Ness. This world-class visitor and destination hub also offers all year round facilities for visitors, a gift shop promoting relevant and locally sourced goods and a café serving homemade, Scottish produce. There is also a grab and go offer, boasting fresh coffee and local artisan ice cream from the Black Isle Dairy.

Fort Augustus Gift Company

The Clansman Centre, housed in a historic 19th century Victorian schoolhouse, is a quaint little craft and gift shop specializing in Celtic and locally produced crafts and gifts such as silver jewelry, Harris Tweed, tartan, whiskey barrel clocks and frames, Celtic plaques, clan scarves and Nessie souvenirs. An interactive museum, it also offers shows on the Clansmen, featuring live re-enactments with weapons demonstrations, by costumed actors dressed in traditional Highland garb, in a recreated Highland turf house theater.

Bothy Restaurant & Bar

Aside from Monster Fish & Chips, you can also dine at Bothy Restaurant & Pub, The Moorings and the Boathouse.

The Moorings

The Boathouse

Monster Fish & Chips: 6, A82, Fort Augustus PH32 4DD, United Kingdom.

Fort Augustus Gift Company: Main Street, Fort Augustus PH32 4DD, United Kingdom.

The Mill Shop: Mackay Hall, Fort Augustus PH32 4DJ, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 1320 366404. Open daily,10 AM to 4 PM.

Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre: Canal Side, Fort Augustus PH32 4AU, United Kingdom. Open daily, 9 AM to 5 PM. Tel: 01463 725581.  E-mail: stay@scottishcanals.co.uk.

Clansman Centre:   Old Schoolhouse Canal Side, Fort Augustus PH32 4BD, United Kingdom.  Open daily, 11 AM to 4 PM.  Tel: +44 1320 366444.  E-mail: clansmancentre@gmail.com. Website: www.clansmancentre.uk. 

The Hairy Coo:  Suites 6 & 7, Administrative Office Only, St. John’s Studios, 46A Constitution St., Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RS, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 131 212 5026.  E-mail: contact@thehairycoo.com. Website: www.thehairycoo.com.

How to Get There: Fort Augustus is located 161 kms. (100  mi.) from Edinburgh and 692 kms. (430 mi.) from London. The village is served by the A82 road and lies approximately midway between Inverness (56 kms.) and Fort William (51 kms.) in the Scottish Highlands.  Coordinates: 57.1432°N 4.6807°W.

Spean Bridge (Scotland, U.K.)

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Spean Bridge

Part of Scottish Highlands Tour

From the Three Sisters Viewpoint, another 45-min. (49.56 km.) drive brought us  to Spean Bridge, a small and attractive village This prominent landmark, visible from the A82, offers views across the River Spean valley to the peaks of Ben Nevis and Aonach Mòr to the south.

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The village, nestled at the southern end of the Great Glen, was named for the Highbridge, over the River Spean, built by famed military road and bridge-builder Gen. George Wade in 1736 (only the piers now remain).

Mhor Health Pharmacy

This was believed to be the place of the first Jacobite Uprising action in 1745, called the Highbridge Skirmish, where a small force of 11 men and one piper, all Keppoch MacDonalds, fooled government troops into thinking the bridge was heavily defended. These forces were then reported to be chased to Loch Oich, at which place they then surrendered.  The village is best known for its iconic Commando Memorial.

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Spean Bridge Mill

During our short stopover, we dropped by Spean Bridge Mill which has a wide selection of knitwear, accessories and gifts.  Homemade food, tea and coffee is also available at the coffee shop.  The resident weaver there demonstrates his craft on impressive Hattersley Looms. The Whisky Shop beside it boasts over 150 different Scottish malts.

Spean Bridge Mill

Spean Bridge Mill: Station Rd, Spean Bridge PH34 4EP, United Kingdom Tel: +44 1397 712260.   E-mail: speanbridge@ewn.co.uk.

The Hairy Coo:  Suites 6 & 7, Administrative Office Only, St. John’s Studios, 46A Constitution St., Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RS, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 131 212 5026.  E-mail: contact@thehairycoo.com. Website: www.thehairycoo.com.

How to Get There: Spean Bridge is located around 15.1 kms. (9.4 mi., a 15-min. drive), via the A82, northeast of Fort William in the Scottish Highlands.

Three Sisters Viewpoint (Scotland, U.K.)

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Three Sisters Viewpoint

Part of Scottish Highlands Tour

One of the highlights of our Highlands tour was our visit to Glen Coe, one of the most scenic and beautiful places in the Scottish Highlands. The area around this beautiful green valley is simply unique and breathtaking, a magical land straight out of a medieval story book and worth the visit.

Gearr Aonach and Aonach Dubh

There are various places to pull over and photograph and relax along the A82 (one of the most beautiful roads that the Scottish Highlands has to offer) in Glen Coe, with many trails to hike and scenic vistas. One of the easiest yet most rewarding places to visit in the Scottish Highlands is the Bidean massif’s Three Sisters, one of the most iconic sights in the Highlands and a view that’s emblematic of Glen Coe.

Beinn Fhada and Gearr Aonach

From Rannoch Moor Viewpoint, it was an 8.85-km. drive to the Three Sisters Car Park and its viewpoint where there’s plenty of room for motorists to pull in and take in the sights here.  Along the way, we saw, from a distance, the waterfalls at Allt Coire nam Beithach Glen.

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Waterfalls at Allt Coire nam Beithach Glen

Also known as Bidean nam Bian Mountain (the highest point in the county of Argyll) in the Scottish Highlands, the “Three Sisters of Glen Coe” are three distinctive, steeply-sided ridges extending into the north.

Jandy and Grace with Gearr Aonach and Aonach Dubh in the background

Also known as Bidean nam Bian Mountain (the highest point in the county of Argyll) in the Scottish Highlands, the “Three Sisters of Glen Coe” are three distinctive, steeply-sided ridges extend into the north.  Residing in the Valley Glen, right off A82, going towards the town of Glen Coe northwest of Glasgow and Stirling, it is a great way to experience the Highlands and learn about the history of Scotland.

This part of Scotland, filled with rolling hills and waterfalls, is accessible year round.  In the summer, green grass surrounds the area and, in late fall/early winter, the grass turns a beautiful yellow brown if it is not covered by snow.

The author

From this classic viewpoint, you have a gorgeous view of the road-facing trio of siblings in question – the 952 m. high Beinn Fhada (or Ben Attow), the 692 m. high Gearr Aonach in the middle and the 892 m. high Aonach Dubh. Each sister is a termination of the northeast reaching ridges that protrude from the main spine of the complex and awe-inspiring Bidean.

These mountains have volcanic origins dating back hundreds of millions of years and the area was carved by glaciers from the last Ice Age, creating this stunning landscape. Gearr Aonach (Short Ridge) and Aonach Dubh (Black Ridge) converge at Stob Coire nan Lochan, a 1,115 m. (3,658 ft.) high subsidiary peak of Bidean nam Bian that lies about 1 km. to the northeast of the actual summit.

Beinn Fhada (Long Hill), the final, most easterly sister, joins the Bidean nam Bian massif at the summit of Stob Coire Sgreamhach.  It is separated from Gearr Aonach by a glen known as Coire Gabhail (translated as “Glen of Capture”).  However, the glen is more normally known as the Lost Valley, as it has a wide flat area concealed from Glen Coe by the landslip which blocked the entrance and allowed a loch to form. The Clan Macdonald  used the valley to hide their livestock from raiders, or hide cattle they themselves had stolen.

Hikers also use the car parking as a starting point for either adventures on the Bidean or to begin an ascent to the Aonach Eagach ridge to the north. However, for the latter, there is more suitable parking along the main road to the east.

Manny, Selena and Paula

Three Sisters Viewpoint: A82, Ballachulish PH49 4HX, United Kingdom.

The Hairy Coo:  Suites 6 & 7, Administrative Office Only, St. John’s Studios, 46A Constitution St., Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RS, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 131 212 5026.  E-mail: contact@thehairycoo.com. Website: www.thehairycoo.com. 

How to Get There: The Three Sisters viewpoint is located 1795 kms. (a 2-hour and 35 min. drive via A82) from Edinburgh and  138.7 kms. (a 1-hour and 50-min. drive via A82) from Glasgow.

Rannoch Moor Viewpoint (Scotland, U.K.)

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Rannoch Moor

Part of Scottish Highlands Tour

From Loch Tulla Viewpoint, a further 6.76-km. drive brought us to roadside car park by the Loch Ba, off to our right, that lead up a small mound. From here, we had a 360° view across the exposed moorland of the 130 sq. km. (50 sq. mi.) Rannoch Moor (also known as the Great Moor of Rannoch) and the inlets of Loch Ba grasping like fingers at the land.  Here, we could also see the 1,021.4 m. (3,351 ft.) high Buachaille Etive Mor,  Scotland’s most photographed mountain known for its iconic pyramidal shape.

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Buachaille Etive Mor

At an average altitude of 300 m., Rannoch Moor is a a vast, boggy landscape that sits on an elevated grand plateau in the Highlands of Scotland in the Bridge of Orchy near Glen Coe. It is located to the west of Loch Rannoch in Scotland, where it extends from and into westerly Perth and Kinross, northerly Lochaber (in Highland), and the area of Highland Scotland toward its south-west, northern Argyll and Bute.

The author (left) with Grace and Jandy

Here, at every angle, we virtually see water, whether it is a loch (lake), a lochan (small lake), stream or bog. Its desolate rugged landscape of peat swamps, flowing streams and untouched land, gave me an unsettling sense of “nothingness.” This wild territory, known for its insects, plants and wildlife, is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation and is often referred to as “the last place of wilderness in Britain.” Much of the western part of the moor lies within the Ben Nevis and Glen Coe National Scenic Area, one of 40 such areas in Scotland.

Whilst some patches might look dry, a short walk, without proper boots, soon proved to us how wet and waterlogged the land is as the Rannoch Moor is actually 82% water or bog, making it the largest area of blanket bog in Britain.   Beneath the watery surface of Rannoch Moor lies granite, a hard rock that is impermeable, which means water cannot easily soak through it but collects in pools on top.

During the end of an Ice Age, approximately 12,000 years ago (when much of western Scotland was covered by a large ice cap), the center of the massive ice cap was over Rannoch Moor and, in some places, the ice was more than 400 m. thick. Although ice sheets look vast and immovable, ice does flow inside them very slowly and, over the years, the movement of the ice scraped out holes in the tough granite. Pieces of the rock and sand scoured away by the ice then became frozen within the ice cap.

When the climate improved and the ice melted, the fragments of rock and sand were scattered across the granite. This left a landscape with lots of hummocks where the rocks had been deposited, and lots of holes where the granite had been gouged out. The holes filled with water creating lochs and lochans in the bedrock.

Notable for its wildlife, it was frequently visited by Horace Donisthorpe who collected many unusual species of ants on the moor and surrounding hilly ground. Today it is still one of the few remaining habitats for Formica exsecta, (the “narrow-headed ant”), although recent surveys have failed to produce any sign of Formica pratensis, which Donisthorpe recorded in the area in the early part of the 20th century.

Though only a few plants could grow on top of this watery plateau, it is particularly famous as being the sole British location for the Rannoch-rush, named after the moor. The cold and wet conditions meant there was always plenty of water around, with the constant dampness preventing plant and animal matter from decaying fully and, over thousands of years, this created peat, a thick, dark material rather like soil, that spread across the area, forming an unusual waterworld that is known as a blanket bog.

Dwarf birch (Betula nana)

Not many have tried to inhabit these lands as the boggy territory makes this unlivable. However, this is close to the site of the Massacre of Glencoe between Clan MacDonald and Clan Campbell on February 13,1692 when, as narrated by our driver and tour guide Michael Mitchell, an estimated 30 members and associates of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were killed by Scottish government forces, allegedly for failing to pledge allegiance to the new monarchs, William III and Mary II.

Marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris)

In the 19th century, the West Highland Line railway, which gently crosses the moorland for 37 kms. (23 mi.), was started to provide a link from Glasgow to Fort William. It took several years as they had to build on soft peat and soil and float the tracks by bringing thousands of tons of earth and ashes over the land and laying a mattress of tree roots, branches and brushwood to stop the railway line from being absorbed by the bog. Today, the railway line still runs but has been extended to Mallaig. Corrour railway station, the UK’s highest, and one of its most remote being 16 kms. (10 mi.) from the nearest public road, is located on this section of the line at 408 m. (1,339 ft.).

Fans of the Highlander  novel series will recognize Rannock Moor in in the fictional novel The Element of Fire where Duncan and Connor MacLeod track the antagonist Khordas to Rannoch Moor. There Duncan defeats Nerissa, Khordas’ female companion.

Many people may also recognize it as a filming location for a number of movies and TV series. This moorland was featured in the TV series Outlander and Kinloch Rannoch was the location for Craigh Na Dun.  It also briefly appeared in the 2010 movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 when the Death Eaters board and stop the Hogwarts Express train looking for Harry Potter and Neville then gets up and says “Hey losers, he isn’t here.”  Corrour railway station was also used for the remote rural location scene in 1996’s Trainspotting.

Rannoch Moor Viewpoint: A82, Bridge of Orchy, Highland PA36 4AG. Coordinates: 56°39′15″N 4°35′37″W. Click here for a Google Pin for the viewpoint.

The Hairy Coo:  Suites 6 & 7, Administrative Office Only, St. John’s Studios, 46A Constitution St., Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RS, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 131 212 5026.  E-mail: contact@thehairycoo.com. Website: www.thehairycoo.com. 

How to Get There: Rannoch Moor viewpoint is located 165kms. (a 2.5-hour drive via A85) from Edinburgh, 116 kms. (a 1-hour 45-min. drive via A82) from Glasgow, and 105.6 kms. (a 90-min. drive via A82 and A84) from Stirling. The A82 road crosses western Rannoch Moor on its way to Glen Coe and Fort William.

Loch Tulla Viewpoint (Scotland, U.K.)

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Loch Tulla

Part of Scottish Highlands Tour

From Callander, a further 74-km. (a one-hour) drive, via the A84, A85 and A82, brought us to the famous Loch Tulla viewpoint, off the A82 just north of Tyndrum and near  Bridge of Orchy, Argyll and Bute.   Along the way, we passed by the Glen Ogle Viaduct, a 12-arch bridge built between 1866 and 1870.

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The Glen Ogle Viaduct

One of the most beautiful viewpoints in Scottish Highlands, it has fabulous views down to the loch below and the surrounding hills and mountains. We parked at the large viewpoint car park and a layby which is popular with visitors, and then enjoyed a little stroll along the fairly large roadside parking area.

The author (left) with Grace and Jandy

This nice viewpoint, a must visit for us, is very popular with minibus tours as a stop off for photos. This is one of the smaller lochs that you pass if you are walking the popular West Highland Way and can be found close to Inveroran and Bridge of Orchy. The views around here, looking down on Loch Tulla, are amazing.

The loch, lying near the Black Mount mountain range and northeast of the Inveroran Hotel, is 4 kms. (2.5 mi.) long with an average width of 0.8 km.(0.5 mi.).  It has a mean depth of 10 m. (33 ft.) and a maximum depth of 25.6 m.  (84 ft.). The River Orchy flows from the southeastern side of the loch. It contains salmon some of which are bred locally.

Looking round, a square stone cairn caught my eye.  Called the Sir Thomas Munro Memorial Cairn, it is dedicated to the memory of the numerous mountaineers who, over the years, have lost their lives in the Scottish hills, as well as to Scottish mountaineer Sir Hugh T. Munro of Lindertis who, prior to his death in 1919, published the “Munro Tables” in 1891, after a meticulous study of all Scottish mountains in excess of 3,000 ft.

Sir Thomas Munro Memorial Cairn

The cairn contains 795 stones, one from each of the 3,000 ft. high summits of Scotland, known as the “Munros” or “Munro Tops.”  It is obviously a labor of love built in May 2000 by Mr. W.G. Park who remembered to collect a small stone from each one he visited.  The stone on top was taken from the ruins of Munro’s old home of Lindertis.

Memorial plaque

Loch Tulla Viewpoint: A82, Bridge of Orchy PA36 4AG, United Kingdom.

The Hairy Coo:  Suites 6 & 7, Administrative Office Only, St. John’s Studios, 46A Constitution St., Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RS, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 131 212 5026.  E-mail: contact@thehairycoo.com. Website: www.thehairycoo.com. 

How to Get There: Loch Tulla viewpoint is located 158.5 kms. (a 2-hour and 22 min. drive via M9) from Edinburgh and  118.75 kms. (a 1-hour and 48-min. drive via A82) from Glasgow.

Scottish Highland Tour: Callander (Scotland, U.K.)

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Hairy Coo Tour Bus

Our second day in Scotland was to be spent touring the Scottish Highlands and, with our limited time, we wanted to fit in as much as possible by joining the 12.5-hour Hairy Coo Tour (£57 each).  To secure the best seats (we were able to occupy the first four rows on the left side) in the airconditioned luxury coach, we arrived early (7:30 AM) at the assembly area outside Deacon’s House Café (304 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh) where we all met Mr. Michael Mitchell (AKA Mako), our Scottish tour guide and driver.

This was to be Michael’s last trip as he would leaving for Canada the next day to marry his girlfriend from Windsor, Ontario.  We departed Edinburgh’s Old Town by 8 AM, traveling north towards the heart of Scotland’s central belt.

Meet up place along Lawnmarket

Half an hour into our trip, between the Scottish towns of Falkirk and Grangemouth, we passed by The Kelpies a pair of monumental 30 m. (98 ft.) high steel horse-heads, next to the M9 motorway, that form the eastern gateway of the Forth and Clyde Canal, which meets the River Carron.

The Kelpies

The sculptures, which represent kelpies, were designed by sculptor Andy Scott and were completed in October 2013. An unveiling ceremony took place in April 2014. Around the sculptures is an area of parkland known as The Helix.

Callender

Throughout the long drive, Mark provided live commentary and storytelling.  Passing by Sterling Castle, he enthralled us with tales of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.  He was also informative with regards Jacobite history. After an hour long, 86.7-km. drive, we had our first stopover of the day at the town of Callander, “The Gateway to the Highlands.”

Mhor Bread

Nestled at the foot of the Trossachs, it is the eastern gateway to the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, the first National Park in Scotland. Here, we bought breakfast of sandwiches and pastries at Mhor Bread & Store.

Trossachs Woollen Mill

After breakfast, we again boarded our coach for the short 1.93-km. (5-min.) drive to Trossachs Woolen Mills, home to three beautiful, very hardy and gentle Highland Cows (the oldest cattle breed in the world) – Hamish Dubh (born in 2012), Honey (born in spring of 2011) and Holly (calf of Honey).   Visitors are allowed to feed them from freshly-made goodie bags available in store.

Hamish Dubh and Holly

Honey

Its Trossachs Visitor Centre  sells a wonderful collection of Scottish and Highland Cow souvenirs and gifts to a wide range of fashion options from the iconic Harris Tweed collections and some of The Edinburgh Woolen Mill’s most sought after men’s and ladies wear collections including Country Rose, Isle, Honor Millburn, James Pringle and the luxurious Lochmere Cashmere.  The coffee shop at the back serves breakfast until 11:30 AM, soups and sandwiches at lunchtime and afternoon teas.

Trossachs Visitors Centre

Outside the store, we listened to a young man playing his bagpipes (the second time I’ve heard one play, the first being in Victoria, British Columbia in Canada) and dressed in traditional Scottish Highland attire (piper waistcoat, knee socks, sporran pouch, Glengarry hat and tartan kilt).

Bagpipe player in traditional Scottish Highland attire

Mhor Bread & Store: 8 Main St, Callander FK17 8BB, United Kingdom.  Tel +44 1877 339518.  E-mail bread@mhor.net. Open daily, 8 AM to 4 PM (% PM on Saturdays and Sundays).

Trossachs Woolen Mills: Kilmahog, Callander FK17 8HD, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 1877 330178.  Website: www.trossachswoolenmill.co.uk. Open Mondays to Fridays, 9 AM to 5:30 PM; Saturdays, 9 AM to 6 PM; and Sundays, 10 AM to 6 PM

The Hairy Coo:  Suites 6 & 7, Administrative Office Only, St. John’s Studios, 46A Constitution St., Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RS, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 131 212 5026.  E-mail: contact@thehairycoo.com. Website: www.thehairycoo.com. 

How to Get There: Callander is located 85 kms. (a 1-hour and 22 min. drive via M9) from Edinburgh and  41.5 kms. (a 55-min. drive via M80) from Glasgow.

Bosphorus Strait Cruise (Istanbul, Turkey)

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Istanbul and the Bosphorus Strait

After a 12 hour, 35 min. long flight from NAIA international Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, our Turkish Airline (Flight Number TK265) arrived at Istanbul International Airport by 12:30 PM, Sunday, June 16.

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The Touristanbul counter at the Istanbul International Airport

Before visiting Turkey, we obtained an e-visa ($30 per pax) at the www.evisa.gov.tr/ website (check your country’s requirements to see if it is necessary to obtain a visa to enter Turkey). If you are eligible for an e-visa, you may obtain it from the Turkish Airlines Sales / Ticket Desks before or on the day of your departure.

Boarding our Touristanbul bus at the airport

Our connecting international flight to Edinburgh Airport, Scotland was still 18 hours and 45 minutes later so we took advantage of our complimentary Touristanbul service to discover Istanbul, the city that never sleeps, during our layover time. According to the time frame best suited to your flight arrival and departure schedule, we selected the 6:30 PM-11 PM tour, one of the eight carefully arranged and planned tours offered by Touristanbul for those with a layover between six and 24 hours.

BUDO Eminonu Pier

With such an abundance of historical sightseeing spots in Istanbul and too little time to squeeze them all into your short holiday, an unforgettable cruise, between two continents (Asia and Europe) along the 32-km. long Bosphorus Strait (not a river) is probably the most overlooked Istanbul tourist attraction. After our Turkish Airlines connecting international flight landed at İstanbul Airport, we proceeded all the way through into international arrivals (past baggage claim), turned right and walk to the end of the hall to TourIstanbul, opposite of the arrival hall of the Turkish Airlines and opposite the passport control at the Transfer Desk.

Boarding the Naral Istanbul

Upon arrival, we all signed up for the free Touristanbul tour at the Hotel Desk in the International Arrivals Terminal of İstanbul Airport (you can also sign up at the Touristanbul Desk Office in the Transfer desk area), using our ticket number issued by Turkish Airlines ticket number starting 235, and got a ticket for the queue.  Istanbul Airport only provides one-hour free wi-fi to fliers that are in the Departure Area.

Paula, Selena, Jandy and Grace on board the Naral Istanbul

The author (right) with Jandy and Grace (photo: Selena Sta. Maria)

Touristanbul is available for Turkish Airlines’ flights, including code share flights. There is no hotel offered. If a guest is unable to make their flight, in cases that are their responsibility, they will ensure that the passenger reaches their destination smoothly via the next flight.

Galata Bridge, the fifth on the same site, was built in 1994. The bridge was named after Galata (the former name for Karaköy) on the northern shore of the Golden Horn. This bascule bridge is 490 m. (1,610 ft.) long with a main span of 80 m. (260 ft.). The deck of the bridge is 42 m. (138 ft.) wide and has two vehicular lanes and one walkway in each direction. Tram tracks running down the middle of it allow the T1 tram to run from Bağcılar, in the western suburbs to Kabataş, a few blocks away from Dolmabahçe Palace.

After signing up and booking our tour, we were picked up by a friendly and well-informed guide named Eray and boarded an airconditioned tourist bus with about 40 other guests. Before joining the tour, we stored our heavy luggage at the luggage office next to the hotel desk ($18 per piece) and just brought our hand-carried bags with us which were stored in the boot of the bus.  The 42.2-km. bus ride, from the airport to the boat landing near the Golden Horn Metro Bridge, took us around 45 mins.

Bosphorus Bridge, the oldest and southernmost of the three suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait, is a gravity-anchored suspension bridge with steel towers and inclined hangers. The aerodynamic deck hangs on steel cables. The bridge is 1,560 m. (5,118 ft.) long, with a deck width of 33.40 m. (110 ft.). The distance between the towers (main span) is 1,074 m. (3,524 ft.) and the total height of the towers is 165 m. (541 ft.). The clearance of the bridge, from sea level, is 64 m. (210 ft.).

The tour covers a lot of territory.  During this unforgettable, two-hour tour experience on board the 24 m. long and 7 m. wide pleasure craft Naral Istanbul, cruising at an average speed of 7.2 knots, having a fabulous view of the legendary Bosphorus Strait and saw some of Istanbul’s most notable and iconic historical sites, structures and monuments. Its rolling hills are covered with a mix of ancient and modern architecture, all of them overlooking the water.

The Maiden’s Tower between Europe and Asia

The Maiden’s Tower (Kiz Kulesi), built in 1725 0n a small islet at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus Strait, between the European and Asian sides, is one of the landmarks and most storied structures of Istanbul.

Maiden’s Tower, a small islet at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus strait, 200 m. (220 yds.) from the coast of Üsküdar, has a café and restaurant with views of the former Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman capital at Sarayburnu. Private boats ply back and forth between the tower and the shore throughout the day. The tower appeared on the reverse of the Turkish 10 lira banknote from 1966 to 1981.

Formerly an observation terrace, a tax collection area for merchants, a hospital and a lighthouse, it now houses a café and restaurant. Recently, it was featured in the 1999 James Bond film The World is Not Enough. From 1966 t0 1981, the tower also appeared on the reverse side of the Turkish 10 lira banknote.

Hatice Sultan Mansion, a historical yalı (waterside mansion) located at Bosporus, in the Ortaköy neighborhood, was named after its original owner Hatice Sultan. It is used today as a water sports club’s building.

Naime Sultan Yalisi was given to Sultan Abdul Hamid II’s favorite daughter Naime upon her marriage to Mehmed Kemaleddin Bey in 1898.

The Bosphorus Strait is home to many beautiful and historical mansions (yalilar).  Many designed by members of the Balyan family (Armenian architects for the Ottoman court for five generations), they are considered an important cultural heritage of Istanbul.   Of the original 600 mansions, about 360 are still standing, with 150 preserved in their original form, each reflecting a particular era and architectural style.

Dolmabahce Palace was home to six Sultans from 1856, when it was first inhabited, up until the abolition of the Caliphate in 1924: The last royal to live here was Caliph Abdülmecid Efendi. A law that went into effect on March 3, 1924, transferred the ownership of the palace to the national heritage of the new Turkish Republic.

Gracing the edges of the Bosphorus Strait, on the European side, is the beautiful and elegant Dolmabahce Palace, the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire (from 1856 to 1887 and from 1909 to 1922), was built from 1843 and 1856 and was home to the Sultan up to the end of the Ottoman Empire.

Beylerbeyi Palace, an imperial Ottoman summer residence built between 1861 and 1865, is now situated immediately north of the first Bosphorus Bridge. It was the last place where Sultan Abdulhamid II was under house arrest before his death in 1918.

The Beylerbeyi Palace, at the Asian side, is an imperial Ottoman summer residence built between 1861 and 1865.  Designed in the Second Empire style by Sarkis Balyan, it is now a museum.

Ciragan Palace, built by Sultan Abdulaziz to replace the old Çırağan Palace which was at the same location, was designed by the Armenian palace architect Nigoğayos Balyan and constructed by his sons Sarkis and Hagop Balyan between 1863 and 1867. It is now a five-star hotel in the Kempinski Hotels chain.

Four Seasons Istanbul Hotel, formerly the Atik Pasha Palace, is a renovated 19th century Ottoman palace that sits on the European bank of the Bosphorus Strait. Now a hotel with 170 guestrooms and suites, it has magnificent views of the hills of Asia.

Former 19th century Ottoman palaces, on the European side of the Bosphorus, that have been renovated and converted into hotels include the five-star, 317-room Ciragan Palace Kempink and the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul. On the other hand, the Shangri-la Bosporus is a restored 1930s tobacco warehouse with a Neo-Classical façade.

Shangri-la Istanbul Hotel, located between Dolmabahce Palace and Naval Museum on the European coast of the Bosphorus, emulates a modern art museum, showcasing more than 1,000 European and Asian pieces.

The city continues its long history as the center of architecture as diverse and rich as its past, with new buildings also being built upon the ancient landscape. The 400,000 sq. m. Galataport Istanbul, a world-class, innovative underground cruise ship port stretching 1.2 kms. along the coastline, is a mixed-use development housing around 250 shops and restaurants, a Peninsula hotel and other cultural and entertainment facilities.

Galataport has space for three large cruise ships to dock side by side behind specially designed screens that rise to ensure that no one can leave the ships without passing through the Customs and Immigration facilities but that are retracted when no ships are in port. Customs and Immigration facilities are located underground, with most of the overground space taken up by shops, restaurants and offices.

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, inaugurated on December 11, 2004, it is Turkey’s first modern and contemporary art gallery. Focusing on Turkish artists, it is a private venture under the umbrella of the nonprofit Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts.

It also incorporates the Istanbul Modern Art Museum (designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano along the waterfront zone of Karaköy, it was opened last May 2023), the İstanbul State Art and Sculpture Museum of the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University and the restored Paket Postanesi (Parcel Post Office), now a symbol of Galataport.

Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, established on January 1, 1882 under the leadership of Osman Hamdi Bey, as the College of Fine Arts, the Ottoman Empire’s first educational institution for fine arts and architecture.

Parcel Post Office (Paket Postanesi), built from 1905 to 1911, was designed by engineer S. Saboureaux. It is one of the oldest structures of the port area and one of the finest in the city with its characteristic slate dome and roof, unique spaces and facades. The restored Post Office, now featuring 73 boutique stores facing the interior and exterior courtyards, has a 180-m. long coastline overlooking the historical peninsula.

Atop Little Camlica Hill in Uskudar is the futuristic, 369 m. high (221 m. of which is a 49-storey reinforced concrete structure with 18 m. below ground) Camlica TV and Radio Tower, the highest structure in Istanbul.

The Camlica Radio and TV Tower has panoramic elevators rising from the ground floor to the top floor. Located on both sides of the main building, these elevators symbolize the Bosphorus, which both separates and integrates the Asian and European continents.

Completed in 2020, this telecommunications tower has observation decks and restaurants.  Designed by Melike Altinisik Architects (MMA) firm, the building was inspired by the tulip flower, a symbol of the Turks during the Ottoman period

The 936 m. long, €146.7 million Golden Horn Metro Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge carrying the M2 line of the Istanbul Metro, is the fourth bridge across the Golden Horn. Entering service on February 15, 2014, its eventual design pays homage to the city’s maritime heritage with support towers shaped to look like horns and hull-shaped supports for the platforms..

The cruise also passed by some of the iconic bridges spanning the Bosphorus River.  The 490 meter long and 80 meter wide Galata Bridge, the fifth on the site, is a bascule bridge completed in December 1994. At the underside of the bridge are a string of restaurants.  The 1,560 meter long and 33.4 meter wide Bosphorus Bridge (officially known as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge), the oldest and southernmost of the three suspension bridges spanning the strait, was completed in 1973.  Underneath it is the Ortakoy Mosque.

The Golden Horn Metro Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge carrying the M2 line of the Istanbul Metro across the Golden Horn, connects Karaköy and Küçükpazarı on the European side of Istanbul. The bridge enables a direct connection between Hacıosman metro station in the Sarıyer district (at the northern end of the M2 line), and the Yenikapı transport hub in the Fatih district (at the southern end of the M2 line.).

Ortakoy Mosque with the Bosphorus Bridge behind it. The mosque was designed in a mixed or eclectic style incorporating contemporary European Revivalist trends such as Neoclassical, along with some details and overall design elements drawn from the earlier Ottoman Baroque style.

Completed around 1854 or 1856, it was designed by the father-and–son team of Garabet and Nikogos Bayan (who also designed the aforementioned nearby Dolmabahce Palace).  It is distinguished from other mosques of the period by its particularly ornate stone-carved decoration.

Besktas Anatolian High School, located on the European side of Istanbul, is one of the best schools in Turkey. Built for Abdulaziz in 1871, the building was an addition to the Çırağan Palace and later used as a harem room.

Another of the best known sights of Istanbul is the Suleymaniye Mosque, a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture and the largest Ottoman-era mosque in the city.  From its location on the Third Hill, it commands an extensive view of the city around the Golden Horn.

The iconic Blue Mosque and its six minarets. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1985 under the name of “Historic Areas of Istanbul,” it was constructed between 1609 and 1617 during the rule of Ahmed I and remains a functioning mosque today.

The iconic Blue Mosque, another popular monument of Ottoman architecture built between 1609 and 1617, is the second mosque in the world, after Mecca, with six minarets.

Suleymaniye Mosque, commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566), was designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan. One of the best-known sights of Istanbul, from its location on the Third Hill, it commands an extensive view of the city around the Golden Horn. Considered a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture, it is one of Mimar Sinan’s greatest works and is the largest Ottoman-era mosque in the city.

Many schools, colleges and universities are also located along the banks of the Bosphorus Strait. They include the Kabatas Boys’ High School (one of the oldest and most prominent high schools in Turkey), Galatasaray University (widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and notable universities in Turkey), Besiktas Anatolian High School (one of the best schools in Turkey), and Kuleli Military High School (the oldest military high school in Turkey).

Kabatas Boys’ High School. one of the oldest and most prominent high schools in Turkey, was established in 1908 by the Ottoman sultan Abdulhamid II.

T.C. Galatasaray University, built in 1871, during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz, was designed by Ottoman Armenian architect Sarkis Balyan. The building was used as a dormitory for the female students of the Galatasaray High School until 1992, when it was inaugurated as the Galatasaray University.

Normally, guests also experience a taste of the city by sampling a traditional and authentic Turkish and Ottoman cuisine at an elegant restaurant (depending on the time you choose, you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner but, in our case, we had dinner) but this wasn’t available so, instead, we had our dinner of a Turkish crepe (washed down with soda) on board our coach. After finishing our dinner, we were driven back to Istanbul International Airport.

Kuleli Military High School, the oldest military high school in Turkey, is located in Çengelköy, on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus strait. It was founded on September 21, 1845, by Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I.

NEWS FLASH:

There’s a new but somewhat different player in the travel and tour industry – Toujours Travel and Tours.  Aside from providing clients the usual the usual travel requirements offered by other tour agencies, it also wants to make travel available to all and that includes travelers with special requirements – the sick and those facing physical challenges or having restricted mobility but still want to travel.   Its founder, Ms. Abigail Mae Fuentes Selma  personally knows this all too well having undergone open-heart surgery, which made traveling more challenging. Check it out here,

Touristanbul: E-mail: touristanbul@thy.com. Website: www.touristanbul.com

Seoul Sky (Lotte World Tower, South Korea)

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E. Ganzon, Inc. at Seoul Sky

Part of Cebu Blue Ocean Academy-sponsored South Korea Tour

On the morning of our last day in South Korea, after breakfast at Fait Maison at Sofitel Seoul Service Residences, the seven of us all proceeded, with Injun and Frank, towards the nearby Lotte World Tower, the nation’s tallest and world’s sixth tallest (surpassing the One World Trade Center in New York City) building standing 123 storeys and 555 m. (1,821 ft.) high, where we were to visit the extremely popular Seoul Sky Observatory, one of the world’s best observation decks, located on floors 117-123.

Lotte World Tower, the 6th tallest building in the world

As the tallest building in South Korea, it is the only place where we can take in a gorgeous 360-degree view of the entire capital city which is beautiful, both day and night, and roaring with brilliant history and dynamic modern culture.  The Observatory offers a diverse range of unique experiences that can only be had at a thrilling height of nearly 500 m. in the air, including various exhibitions based on the theme “The Pride of Korea.”

Ticket office entrance

Seoul Sky, opened last April 2017, is the world’s third highest observation deck.  It is comprised of an exhibition zone gallery, observation deck, sky deck, two sky cafes (119th and 122nd floor), sky terrace, lounge, and a gift shop offering exclusive tower-themed souvenirs.

Ticket office

Visitors can see all of the different facets of Seoul Sky, ever-changing with the four seasons and time of day. Here, you can view the Han River from one side (including some of the bridges that span it), Seokchon Lake Park, Jamsil Sports Complex, Olympic Park and endless rows of apartment complexes from the other.  On a clear day, you can see as far as Songdo, Incheon and the Yellow Sea.

Exhibition Zone Gallery

Once in the main lobby area inside the Lotte World Mall, we found the entrance to the Seoul Sky Observatory. and inside is the main ticket booth and entryway,   Just a little past the ticket booth outside the doors is the Seoul Sky Gift Shop and the group ticket booth. After Frank redeemed our ticket vouchers at the ticket booth for individuals, we proceed back to the entryway, walking through a digital corridor and a security checkpoint before we took the elevator down to the second basement floor (BF2).

Oca, Mamel, Kim, Grace and the author at the Digital Corridor

The digital corridor features a ceiling that reinterpreted the beauty of Korean traditional architecture through the modern lens of Bon-Chang Ku, a world-renowned Korean photographer.  The ten photos on the ceiling depict the close up images of roof tiles, symbols, patterns and colors Deoksugung Palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace and Changgyeonggung Palace.

The ceiling of the Digital Corridor

We explored the Exhibition Zone Gallery where we saw some of the technology used during the construction of the tower such as the steel reinforcing bars and couplers, the outer covering glass and the GPS displacement gauge system as well as a sample of the excavated lithified rock.

Steel reinforcing bars and couplers

Outer covering glass

The exhibit also features several pieces of artwork displaying the history, culture, and pride of Korea’s foundation and success over the centuries, plus mesmerizing screens and light displays on your way to the Space Shuttle, the elevator that would take us to the Sky Deck at the 118th floor.

Scenery 2016 – Palace (Kim, Sang Gyun)

The Sky Shuttle is a double-deck (the world’s first and, at 496 m. tall, also the world’s tallest), extremely fast elevator that reaches a speed of 600 m. per minute (10 m. per second, the world’s fastest).

Sky Shuttle

During our quite short one-minute ride to the Sky Deck, we watched an amazing Korean-themed animated experience, playing on the ceiling and each of the three walls, showing a time-lapse construction of the tower. On our way up, our ears popped from the pressure change as we rapidly climbed the tower.

The Sky Theater

Before entering the Sky Deck, we first watched a short video (“Seoul Sky, the New World in the Sky”) at the small Sky Theater which includes important history clips of Seoul.

The view of the city unravels……

Once the video was finished, the screen receded and the first crescendo began as we were treated to sweeping views of the capital city.  On days when visibility is limited, visitors can still enjoy a clear sky through a pre-recorded video at Sky Theater.

The Sky Deck

The Sky Deck, located at 478 m., holds the Korea Record Institute and Guinness World Record as the highest glass-floored observatory in the world.  Standing or sitting above the 45 mm. thick glass floor, you can clearly see how high you are above ground.

View of whats below us from the glass floor

It’s an astounding perspective as we took pictures feeling suspended high in the sky but, if you stared too long, it can be quite disorienting, especially if you aren’t good with heights.  For an uninterrupted view, the observation deck has two storey-high glass windows.

The author on the glass floor

Going up a small escalator, to the 119th floor, we find the Sky Friends Dessert Café, a relaxing space where one can take a seat and try their one-of-a-kind menu which features some delicious ice cream (the Pasteur Milkbar) and sweets. This floor isn’t great to view around the tower but it’s still a wonderful spot to watch visitors taking selfies as well as watch their reaction to the glass floor.

The open-air Sky Terrace

The 120th floor holds the famous Sky Terrace, a stunning outdoor viewing platform which is open to the elements. Here, we had the opportunity to step outside the tower and feel the breeze 486 m. above the city. There are two open-air terraces, one facing northwest and the other facing southeast. If you are done exploring the tower, this floor is also the first floor that has access to the exit elevator.

Seoul Sky Cafe

The 121st floor, 500 m. above ground, also has access to the exit elevator and is where you can get on the elevator that takes you to the Sky Tower on the 123rd floor.  It has a gift shop (Seoul Sky Shop), where you can pick out the perfect souvenir (key chains, notebooks, photos, keepsakes, etc.) and, just above it, you can take some time to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and relax for a while before taking more pictures.  At this floor, you can also take a moment to take a picture with the “I love Seoul Sky” sign.

The Seoul Sky Café, on the 122nd floor, is coined as the highest café under the sky.  This coffeehouse, a South Korean chain owned by the Lotte Group, serves coffee, tea and desserts.

The author and James goofing off……

The Sky Tower, a cozy and spacious, dimly lit premium lounge (the highest lounge in Seoul) on the 123rd floor, has a classy restaurant and bar overlooking the city. This is the perfect spot to grab a refreshing wine drink and let the sights of the city just sink in in a relaxing ambiance.

View of the Jamsil Sports Complex.  On the left is the Jamsil Baseball Station while on the right is the Olympic Stadium

Back at the basement floor (BF1), before leaving, I purchased Seoul Sky merchandise (key chains, ref magnets and postcards) from the gift shop (Seoul Sky Shop) for my son Jandy.

View of the Han Rivers and some of the bridges that span it.  At the center is the Olympic Bridge

One of the best times to go to Seoul Sky is before sunset when you get to see the entire city covered in sunlight transition to dusk. As the sun slowly goes down, watch as the colors change over the city. During this transition, the lights in the city will be turning on, and you get to see the bright lights of the city illuminate the night sky. When planning your trip to the tower, it is important to watch the weather forecast as rain, clouds, smog, and fog limits visibility from the top.

View of Olympic Park

The thrilling Sky Bridge Tour, a new attraction launched last July 24, 2020, allows visitors to walk, safely tethered, on top of the Seoul Sky Observatory, with the bridge connecting to Lotte World Tower’s two structures at the peak.  The 11 m. long outdoor bridge is 541 m. (1,775 ft.) above the ground.  Visitors start from the Sky Station at the 117th floor where they are briefed on the safety instructions and put on jumpsuit and gear before venturing out.

View of the nearby Lotte Hotel World

Seoul Sky: Lotte World Tower, 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea.  Tel:  +82 2-1661-2000. Website: www.seoulsky.lotteworld.com.  Open Sundays to Thursdays, 10:30 AM  – 10 PM, Fridays to Saturdays & public holidays, 10:30 AM – 11 PM. Last ticketing one hour before closing. Admission (limited to date and time printed): adult (₩27,000, ages 13 years old and above) and children (₩24,000, 3 – 13 years old). The Sky Bridge Tour, 1 to 6 PM, hourly, costs ₩100,000 (including two photos).  A single price (₩50,000) is applied to all Fast Pass tickets, regardless of age, and can only be purchased at an on-site ticket office on the day of visit.

How to Get There: Get off at Jamsil Station (Line 2 or 8) and walk toward Exit 1 and 2. As you walk in the direction of Exit 1 and 2, you will see a sign “Lotte World Mall.” Enter the mall through this underground entrance and you will get to Lotte World Mall B1F.  By bus, use the Green Bus (3217, 3313, 3314, 3315, 3317, 3411, 3414 and 4319), Red Bus (1007-1, 1100, 1700, 2000, 6900, 7007 and 8001) and Blue Bus (301, 341, 360 and 362).  You can also take the Airport Shuttle (6000, 6006, 6705 and 676A).

Cebu Blue Ocean Academy: Building 5, EGI Hotel and Resort, M.L. Quezon National Highway, Looc, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu 6015, Philippines.  Tel: (032) 888-9868.  E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com.  Website: www.cebublueocean.com.  Baguio City (Benguet) Sister School: Pines International Academy, Romel Mansion, 3 Ignacio Villamor St., Brgy. Lualhati, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines. Tel: 1 754-255-9818. E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com. Website: www.pinesacademy.com.

Seoraksan Cable Car (Sokcho City, South Korea)

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Seoraksan Cable Car

Part of Cebu Blue Ocean Academy-sponsored South Korea tour

After our visit to Sinheungsa Temple, we proceeded to the Small Park in Seoraksan National Park (a UNESCO Biosphere Protection Site) where the Seorak Cable Car Boarding Station is located. The park has one of the best topographical landscapes in the country, with awesome autumn foliage.

The Lower Cable Car Station

The Seorak Cable Car, which fits 50 people, is a quick and easy way to comfortably appreciate the magnificent landscape of Seoraksan Mountain.  We were all scheduled to board at 1 PM.

Check out  “Seoraksan National Park” and “Sinheungsa Temple”

The author (left with Mamel, Kim, James and Oca

As it was a weekend and the autumn foliage season, many tourists visit the mountain so we scheduled our trip by considering the waiting time too.

Queuing for our 1 PM ride

Also called Kwon Jinseong Cable Car, it was built in 1971 by Lee Ki-sub, a mountaineering enthusiast.  The cable car, ascending at a relatively high speed, runs even when it is raining or snowing but its operation may be suspended under windy conditions.

Waiting for our cable car to arrive

Finally. It arrived ….

By cable car, it took us about 6 mins. to get to the Upper Cable Car Station constructed at the edge of the mountain which is located 700m. (2,297 ft.) above sea level.

All aboard…..

To get the best view, we all chose a spot closest to the door. From the glass window in the cable car, we enjoyed an open view of various famous attractions such as Ulsan Peak and Manmulsang Rocks.

View from our cable car

Rock formations

From the outdoor observation deck (with dining tables at the two-storey Upper Cable Car Station, we had a panoramic view of the valley, fascinating rock formations of the Gwongeumseong Fortress (also called Seoraksan Castle) Region and the Sogongwon Area, Seoraksan Mountain’s majestic scenery, downtown Sokcho to the northeast all the way to the East Sea.

View from the outdoor observation deck

Another view from the outdoor observation deck

The famous Ulsanbawi Rock, with its six granite peaks, is to the north.  Legend has it that two generals Gwon and Kim built the fortress in one day to protect their families and villages from a Mongol invasion during the Goryeo period in the 13th century. Today, the site of the fortress only remains.

L-R: James, Kim, Oca, Mamel, Engr. Loy Ganzon, Grace, the author and Imjun.

The Upper Cable Car Station has souvenir shops and a small café serving coffee, honey pancakes with peanuts and Japanese and Korean cuisine inside.  After getting off at the cable car, you can hike 300 m. to the higher part of Gwongeumseong (a 15-min. hike) where you can get a birds-eye view of Oe-Serok.  There are observation platforms such as Panshi, Lost Terrace, Bell Ringing Terrace, etc.

The Upper Cable Car Station

Despite its rough course, many hikers come up to the summit of the fortress to appreciate magnificent and mysterious scenery of strange rocks and bizarre stones at Seoraksan Mountain. When you are at the summit, you can see the landscape of not only the Outer Seorak but also the Inner Seorak. Below the Gwongeumseong Fortress are Allagam Hermitage (built during the Silla period and muhaksong (Korean red pine) existed for hundreds of years.

Cafe at the Upper Cable Car Station

Seorak Cable Car: 1085, Seoraksan-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do. Tel: +82-33-636-4300. Open daily, 9 AM – 6 PM.  Admission: 10,000 won (adults, 14 years old and above) and 6,000 won (children, 3 to 13 years old).  Children under 3 years old are free of charge.  Buying tickets in advance online is not available. A one-way ticket is also not available, so visitors need to buy a round-trip ticket.

How to Get There: the cable car station is just a 3-min. walk from the Sogonwon entrance.

Cebu Blue Ocean Academy: Building 5, EGI Hotel and Resort, M.L. Quezon National Highway, Looc, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu 6015, Philippines.  Tel: (032) 888-9868.  E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com.  Website: www.cebublueocean.com.  Baguio City (Benguet) Sister School: Pines International Academy, Romel Mansion, 3 Ignacio Villamor St., Brgy. Lualhati, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines. Tel: 1 754-255-9818. E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com. Website: www.pinesacademy.com.

 

Seoraksan National Park (Sokcho City, South Korea

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Seoraksan National Park

Part of Cebu Blue Ocean Academy-sponsored South Korea tour

After our Korean breakfast at Natural Soul Kitchen Restaurant at Lotte Resort Sokcho, we had a whole day to explore the 398.22 sq. km. (153.75 sq. mi.) Seoraksan National Park (seoraksan-gungnipgong-won), located 3 hours northeast of Seoul.  A national park in South Korea, it is listed by the South Korean government with UNESCO as a tentative World Heritage Site.

In 1965, the government designated the area as a 163.6 sq. km. (63.2 sq. mi.) nature reserve  and, in 1982, UNESCO designated it as a biosphere reserve, the first in the country. On March 24, 1970, it became the first Korean national park to be named under the National Park Law. On August 9–16, 1991, the 17th World Jamboree (the biggest event for boy/girl scouts and held every 4 years) was held in Mount Sorak.

It was a straightforward 12 km. drive from Sokcho to Seoraksan (translated as “Seorak Mountain”) National Park.  Highlights of our visit was our exploration of Sinheungsa Temple, one of two Buddhist temples and cultural landmarks within the bounds of the national park (the other is Baekdamsa), and a cable car ride, to the Upper Cable Car Station located 700 m. (2,297 ft.) above sea level, where we enjoyed an open view of various famous attractions such as Ulsan Peak (ranked as the most popular hikes at Seoraksan National Park due to the unique rock formation and the fabulous views from the Rock and Manmulsang Rocks. 

Check out “Singheungsa Temple” and “Seoraksan Cable Car”

The long queue for a bus ride …..

Located on the east-central Korean peninsula, it is divided into the eastern section or outer section (Oeseorak), western section or inner section (Naeseorak) and the southern section (Namseorak).  Te reserve includes the Dinosaur Ridge, Injegun, Yanyanggun, and Sokchosi and some 28 mountain peaks (all part of the Taebaek mountain range measuring over 1,200 m. above sea level, the tallest being the 1,708 m. (5,604 ft.) high Daecheongbong (also called Seorak meaning “snowy peak”), the third highest peak in South Korea.

The ranges are composed largely of dissected granite and gneiss. The annual precipitation is about 1,000 mm. (39 in.) in Inner Soraksan and 1,300 mm. (51 in.) in Outer Soraksan. Popular with tourists and nature enthusiasts, it is home to many rare taxa of flora (the park is valued for its floral diversity) and fauna (1,562 animal species have been classified so far).

Sogongwon

The park is home to about 1,013 species of known plants, with 822 vascular plant species. On the southern slope, pine trees such as the Siberian pine are abundant while the northern slopes of the mountain range are characterized by oaks and other deciduous trees. Thuja grow in the deep valleys while dwarf pines and yews grow on low and high slopes. Juniper, hawthorn, and Manchurian fir can also be found.

Shops near Sogongwon

Other plants include forsythias, saw-worts and rare Hanabusaya asiatica.  Local fauna include otters, Siberian flying squirrel, kestrel, Chinese sparrowhawk, lenok, Chinese minnow, spotted barbel and endangered Tristram’s woodpecker, Korean goral, and the increasingly rare Korean musk deer.

Statue of an Asian Black Bear

As our visit was during a weekend, the park was packed with local and foreign tourists.  Luckily, we were able to park the car just across the bus waiting station where Frank, James, Kim and I joined a long queue of visitors waiting for the bus (which leaves every ten minutes) bound for Seoraksan National Park.

L-R: James, Kim, the author and Frank

L-R: Mamel, Injun, Engr. Ganzon and Grace

Once on board, the bus ride took around 20 to 25 minutes and we were all dropped at the bust stop across Kensington Stars Hotel (the most convenient place to stay in the park.  We then had to walk, for about 10 mins., to get to Sogongwon (translated as “small park”), the entrance of the park with the most attractions and visitors.

The entrance of the park has gift shops, shops selling hiking gear, food and refreshment shops and small restaurants places (mostly Korean but very few Western). After we walked past the entrance, there is statue of an Asian Black Bear (the icon of the park’s residents) on top of a square structure bearing “Seoraksan National Park.”

The red, yellow and orange hues of autumn…..

Koreans love hiking and this is very evident in Seoraksan National Park. On a nearby huge board, you can find a number of amazing and different hiking and walking trails to the attractions in the park waiting to be explored, ranging from short 1-hour walks to full 2-day treks into the wilderness, each varying in length and difficulty.  In fact, past the entrance are signposts showing directions to two beautiful waterfalls – Towangseong Falls Observatory (2.9 kms.) and Biryongpokpo Falls (2.4 kms.).

Sinheungsa Temple

The 30-min., easy,1.5-km. Gwongeumseong Hike can be done after riding up the cable car. The 1.5 to 2-hour, easy Biseondae Hike features relatively flat out-and-back style trail walking alongside the water.  The 2 to 3-hour, moderate 3 Waterfalls Hike takes you past Yukdam Falls, Biryong Waterfall and to the aforementioned observatory of Towangseong Waterfall. The final section is tough as it is a series of steep stairs for 500 m.  The fairly difficult, 3 to 4-hour Ulsanbawi Rock Hike features lots of lots of stairs but the views at the top are absolutely incredible. The relatively short (3 to 4 hours) but difficult, 3.6-km. Geumganggul Cave Hike is quite the challenge, with a lot of elevation.

Seoraksan Cable Car

However, aside from the Sinheunsa Temple visit and Seorak Cable Car ride, we came to the national park for another reason. Every autumn, Seoraksan National Park, offering some of the most beautiful scenery in South Korea, is one of the first and most impressive places to see and enjoy the beautiful autumn foliage hues of red, yellow and orange which peaks in mid-October, the time of our arrival.

Unification Stupa

Seoraksan National Park: Seoraksan-dong, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea.  Tel:  +82-33-801-0900.  Fax: +82-33-801-0969.  Open daily, 6 AM to 8 PM. The cable cars operate from 9 AM to 6 PM. Admission: ₩4500 (adult, age 20 to 65), ₩2000 (youth, age 14 to 19) and ₩1000 (children, age 8 to 13). Cable car tickets cost ₩ 11000 for adult (middle school students or older) and ₩7000 for children (37 months to elementary school).  Children under 36 months can ride the cable car for free.  Coordinates:  38°07′30″N 128°24′58″E.

How to Get There: In Sokcho, take bus 7-1 or 7, which run on 30-minute intervals, at the bus stop opposite the Sokcho Express Bus Terminal, to Outer Seorak (Oeseorak).  The whole bus journey takes about 30 minutes.

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