Scotland – Loched in embrace

Grey clouds and cold winds greet us on our first day in Scotland. The dull weather we keep having is starting to frustrate me, but it adds to the mysterious aura of Loch Lomond – the largest freshwater loch or lake in mainland Britain. Located at the heart of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, the 'Queen of Scottish lochs' is 24 miles long, 5 miles across at its widest point, and 643 feet deep at its deepest point. From the pier in Luss – a picturesque little village on Loch Lomond's west bank – we gaze out at the picture-postcard scene in front of us; the black wetsuits of three stand-up paddlers drifting down the lake's peaceful waters stand out against the rolling hills, while cruise boats and bright canoes lazily go by, and dogs splash about. We wonder how anyone could be out on the water when it's freezing, but hey for the Scots, this is summer! On the eastern shore is Ben Lomond – the southernmost of Scotland's munros (mountains more than 3000 feet).

We stop by Gare Loch – a major naval base during the Second World War – and Loch Long, which was used as a testing ground for torpedoes during World War II, before we head to Glasgow for the night.

Our next destination is Edinburgh, Scotland's capital. The old buildings, cobbled streets and narrow wynds takes the history buff in me back to the Edinburgh of Mary Queen of Scots and her grandmother Margaret Tudor. So of course, a visit to Edinburgh Castle, looming over the city from a craggy, extinct volcano, is a must. The advantage of building high up on an old volcanic rock is that one could see for miles around – perfect for defence. Today, as we peer over the walls, we have a stunning view over the north of Edinburgh, the firth (estuary) of the river Forth, and across the river to another part of Scotland called Fife.

My mind goes berserk; a trip to Edinburgh Castle to me is like visiting the Manchester United Stadium for any ManU fan. We're in time for a 30-minute guided walking tour, which gives us a basic breakdown of the sprawling complex, before we explore the inside of the castle at our pace. Janice our guide tells us that Edinburgh Castle is one of Scotland's strongest fortresses. "Down the centuries it has been used for parliament, as an armoury, and a prison, but it's mainly an army base. The kings and queens of Scotland also used the castle as a royal residence, but did not enjoy staying here for long periods, as they found the castle cold, drafty and uncomfortable. The last monarch to stay here was King Charles I, just before his Scottish coronation in 1633. After that, every single building in the castle was taken over by the army," she says.

Writing pages and pages about Edinburgh Castle is easy – there's so much to see from the National War Museum and the Prisons of War to St Margaret's Chapel and the Scottish Crown Jewels. The highlight for me, though, is the Great Hall that was built to commemorate the marriage between the Scottish King James IV and Margaret Tudor (sister to Henry VIII), and the chamber in which Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to her son – King James VI of Scotland, who was also crowned King James I of England, in 1566.

Later, we go down the Royal Mile to St. Giles Cathedral, founded in the 1120s. Located between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Hollyroodhouse, this was the church of John Knox during the Reformation. We're stunned into silent admiration of this, the Mother Church of Presbyterianism, with its breathtaking stained glass, medieval carvings, marble Holy Table, and impressive Rieger organ. A must-visit is the ornate Chapel of the Order of the Thistle – Scotland's chivalric company of knights chosen by The Queen – hidden at the back of St Giles Cathedral.

My excitement about visiting the Palace of Holyroodhouse – best known as the home of Mary, Queen of Scots – is short lived. Holyroodhouse is also Her Majesty The Queen's official residence in Scotland, and since the Queen is visiting Scotland, the palace is closed to visitors. So we decide to hop across the road and trek our way to the top (or as close to the top) of Arthur's Seat, an ancient volcano. It's raining again and we literally walk with our heads in the clouds, through which we get peeks of the city, the Palace of Holyroodhouse in front of us and Edinburgh Castle to the west – the perfect spot to say our goodbyes to Scotland!

While you're here:

Edinburgh Castle is home to the Mons Meg, which was and still is the largest cannon in Britain. It weighs six tons and has stone cannon balls that weigh 330 pounds each.

While there are several cannons on display, it is the modern guns that fire today. One of the traditions that is still followed since 1861 is the firing of the 1pm gun.

The firing of the gun was done to give sailors in the nearby port of Leith the correct time, so that they could set their instruments accurately before setting sail.

The remains of the Bronze Age round houses were discovered just over 20 years ago at Edinburgh Castle. The oldest building standing today, is St Margaret's chapel, which is well over 900 years old.