My First Trip To Scotland And The North Of England - August 2018

I have never visited Scotland before and have always wanted to go.  So my family and I decided to have a quick road trip and explore Scotland and the North of England.

Of course we stopped at a few football stadiums on the way ;-).

First stop Deepdale Stadium - Home of Preston North End Football Club.

 This is one of the oldest continuously used football stadiums in the world - built in 1875.  

                                                                                  

Capacity 23,404.

Crossing the border into Scotland for the first time ever!

My first experience of Scotland just had to be a football stadium.  Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, home to Rangers F.C.
Capacity 50,817.

Every stadium I visit I try to purchase a pin.  Here's my Rangers one.

Ibrox is the third largest football stadium in Scotland.

Of course the next stop had to be Celtic Park.

Home to Celtic Football Club.

The largest Football Stadium in Scotland with a capacity of 60,411.

 Exploring a little more of Glasgow.

The River Clyde.

Glasgow Subway.

Time for a ride.

I have my ticket let's go!

 Through the ticket machine.

Here comes an underground train.

Inside the underground train.

The trains travel too fast for a good picture.

Welcome to my home for the night.

The Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Hydro, Dunblane.

I like this stag.

Time for a walk and explore.

I found Andy Murray's gold postbox from his gold medal win at the London 2012 Olympics.

Time for bed.

I had a great nights sleep.

Time for breakfast.

Traditional stag's heads on the wall in the dining hall.

Time to explore  Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

Luss on Loch Lomond.

 We  have had every season of weather today so far.  Can you see the storm coming?

It's still warm enough for an ice cream though.

Further North just entering the Highlands.

Falls of Falloch, near Crianlarich.

This is a great viewing place.

Climbing trees and exploring.

Trying not to fall in.

Enjoying more views of Loch Lomond.

Edinburgh.

This is where we are staying for the night.

Here's the view out of our hotel window.  Can you see the castle?

Time for an explore.

We are very close to the castle.

Walking the Royal Mile.

The Edinburgh Fringe is on at the moment and the Royal Tattoo.  Of which we saw some amazing fireworks and lights around the castle from our hotel window that night.

Look what I have purchased.  My favorite shortbread.

Good Morning.

 Time to explore the castle.

The view is amazing up here.

I can see Hibernian  football stadium.

I wonder whats in here?  Not a good idea William!

Fire.

Working out all the geography of the City.

This reminds me of the Great hall in Harry Potter.

Attention.

I can see you.

Time to explore more of the City.

Can you see the wheel in the Princes Street Gardens.

Sir Chris Hoy's 2012 Olympic Postbox.

Time for some lunch.

On a guitar shaped plate.

Next a ride on the Edinburgh trams.

I love trying to tram surf!

Can you guess where we are?

Murrayfield Stadium.

Home of the Scottish Rugby Union.

Capacity 67,144.

 A short walk to another stadium, this time football.

Tynecastle Stadium - Home to Heart of Midlothian.

Capacity 20,099.

Everything is heart shaped here.

Goodbye Scotland.

Hello England.

Do you recognise this famous Northern City.

Newcastle Upon Tyne - The river Tyne and  famous bridge.

The great north run crosses this bridge.

Of course I have to tick off St James Park.

Home to Newcastle United F.C.

Capacity 52,354.

Driving over the Tyne bridge.

The famous Angel of the North sculpture.

The sculpture is 20 meters tall.

54 meters across.

Next stop - The Stadium Of Light.

Home to Sunderland A.F.C.

Capacity 49,000.

The Super 6 Stadium - home of Hartlepool United FC.

Capacity - 7,865.

The Tees Transporter Bridge, Middlesbrough.

Another City another Stadium.  Riverside - home of Middlesbrough F.C.
Capacity - 34,000.

 I loved my first trip to Scotland and cannot wait to explore some more.