Day 3 - July 9

Day 1 of touring was a runner. We started off early with a grab-n-go breakfast at Morrison's Market and headed on to Rosslyn Chapel near the town of Penicuik (just south of Edinburgh). Rosslyn is a 600+ year old example of the perfect combination of craftsmanship and persistence that took centuries to complete. Although it was expected to become a cathedral, it never made it past the village chapel (size) stage. However, the artistry and craftsmanship in this tiny package outshines many cathedrals 6-10 times its size. Of course we found a dog; it is Scotland after all. The neighbor's dog was quite entertaining for everyone and they found it hard to leave.

Next up for the day was Linlithgow Palace. It only took the observation of spiraled staircases, ominous dungeons, and 6-story high highwalls to cause the group of 12 youth to take off like a shot to explore this magnificent structure. Birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, the structure’s roof eventually succumbed to a fire in the mid 1700’s, but its pinkish stone continues to draw people from around the world to be dazzled by the hundreds of thousands of tons of stone that still stand silently in the sunlight beckoning people to investigate the countless hidden passageways it has to offer.

Onward! Our next stop was the Falkirk Wheel. A perfect example of modern engineering, this imposing steel structure allows boats to continue on the Forth and Clyde canal to the Union canal by eliminating 10 separate locks and allowing boats to change altitude by 24 meters in a short vertical ride to the top portion. We were lucky enough to be able to ride the lock system in a tour boat and experienced the change in elevation first hand.

Lastly, we were off to The Helix art installation that features The Kelpies structures. The Kelpies are two horse-shaped structures that erupt from the quiet Scottish countryside and tower 100 feet over onlookers.

We finished out the day by headind to the 2nd Torwood Scout Hall. Located on the site of a former cattle farm, their gym room was a former cattle stable. It’s a much-modernized structure that housed a space that allowed the Scouts to do indoor archery (suction-cup tips, don’t worry), invent a volleyball-like game, and play something like the cross between soccer and hockey.