Scotland: The land of clouds
In life, the best things often happen unexpectedly. After a spontaneous idea in 2009, I travelled to Scotland for the first time - and many more trips were to follow. Even during my first trip, I fell in love with the land of the Highlanders, the people and especially the nature, so much so that I now count it as one of my absolute favourite countries.
Anyone travelling to Scotland will develop a love for the clouds. Nowhere else in the world have I ever seen more beautiful, more exciting cloud formations than in Scotland. Whether you are inland, in the Highlands or on the coastal regions, Scotland is the land of clouds. In the years that followed - after 2009 and many other visits - I experienced real cloud highlights and often returned from my travels with gigabytes of cloud and landscape photos.
I visited many places, met interesting people and was delighted every time I heard the beautiful rolling ‘R’ in Scottish English. Edinburgh with its castle towering over the city is a must-see, as is Balmoral Castle - I'm just saying: Albert and Victoria; a must for all the royalists among us.
Loch Ness should also be seen, but not because of its monster, rather because of the idyll and tranquillity right on the lake. Again, I saw gigantic cloud formations on the shore of the loch, but the peace and quiet and the gentle lapping of the waves as they hit the stone beach are unforgettable. Generally speaking, if you love nature and tranquillity, you will love Scotland. In the Highlands and in the north, there is a lot of space and room for silence and your own thoughts. I drove for hours and often saw few or no cars. Every now and then a few sheep or a bird of prey would call in the distance, otherwise there was a lot of silence and tranquillity.
Scotland: The singing stone
Once you've got used to this special Scottish atmosphere, meeting few people and often being on your own, you start to really get involved with the country, nature and perhaps yourself.
It must have been about a week into my stay in the Highlands when I was once again travelling by car in complete solitude towards the west coast and the Atlantic. I stopped on a beautiful, lonely gravel track to enjoy the view of the Atlantic.
I was about 200 metres up on a cliff and suddenly I heard it: a strange noise. I looked in all directions but couldn't immediately localise what this strange singing was. With all my senses sharpened like Sherlock Holmes, I went in search of it, and then I saw and understood who the noisy culprit was: it was the stone block near me. The wind made a sound that resembled a song as it travelled around the stone. I was amazed and also a little amused, as I had never heard a singing sound from a stone before. When I think back on it, however, I now have a few doubts; maybe it wasn't the wind at all, maybe it was some mythical or spiritual beings unknown to me who wanted to play a joke on me! - If you have an eye for nature, you will also find the mystical in Scotland and its nature. Many a small fern forest along the way made me suspect mystical observers in the thicket, and I often felt like I was being watched in this solitude. I have not heard the sound of a singing stone since. Perhaps it was a one-off, extraordinary event.
Poetry: Scotland - Caledonia
When I saw Scotland
I knew immediately:
This is a very special
and sacred place.
Through barren valleys I walked.
Sorrow in my heart -
pain I suffered.
The simplicity and beauty
of nature
is felt there
every creature.
Some things can only be recognised
at second glance.
Maybe it's God's
special trick.
With open eyes
to see nature,
very clearly
understand everything.
Wind and rain
fall very gently
down.
Nature is silent,
the wind sings softly
its songs here.
In the south, life pulsates
normal life pulsates.
In the Highlands
you are far away
from worldly endeavours.
Water surrounds
the holy land.
Your feet touch
the fine sandy beach.
S.
My song about the country - Song: Caledonia (Scotland)
Photo impressions: Scotland and lots of clouds
Sapere aude!
S.
The link to the original German text: https://www.ganjingworld.com/s/ja3mDg1Az7