By: Sheridan Kate Murray, foreign correspondent
It was a Wednesday afternoon, and it had been quite the week in Glasgow. I was at the gym with friends as usual, and morale was significantly painfully low. Incessant rain pounded the gym windows, as it had done every other day that week. Classes were dragging by at a glacial pace, and angst was permeating the air. It was in that moment that my friends and I looked at each other and knew there was one simple truth about this coming weekend: it had to be spent somewhere other than Glasgow.
On Friday night, I joined two friends on a Megabus as we made the trip from Glasgow to Inverness. The choice was incredibly easy. The cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness is home to lush greenery, a scenic view of the River Ness and a vibrant arts and social culture. Jess, Rowan and I dubbed this our “girls’ weekend,” determined to regain some of the charm and Scottish allure that had seemed to slip from our reach in Glasgow during the course of the week prior.
We arrived in Glasgow and were transported to our AirBnb by a charming cab driver named Michelle, who indulged us with stories of her experience watching the Outlander series for the first time. Michelle explained that the Clava Cairns were in Inverness, the mystical spot where the author of the Outlander series gleaned inspiration to write the enchanted love story. Upon arrival to our small bed and breakfast, we met our hosts Magda and Dylan.
Meeting these two quickly became one of the highlights of our weekend. Immediately welcoming and friendly, Magda and Dylan enquired about where in the United States each of us were from, and had a crack at imitating each of our accents. Our hosts were young and vibrant, with a charming love story and an incredible willingness to make sure we had the best experience possible. As we dropped off our bags and got settled in, they offered to take us out to explore the nightlife of Inverness.
We spent the night exploring various venues until we landed in Dylan’s favorite pub, called Hootenanny. Upon entering the pub, we were immediately surrounded by sweet Scottish faces. Dylan and Magda were both recognized by small groups of people who immediately made all of us feel welcome. On stage was Footerin’ Aboot, a dynamic four-person collective of young musicians that opened the night with a buzzing rendition of “Sweet Home Alabama.”
The rest of our weekend was filled with gorgeous historical sites, a visit to charming bookstores and a stop at both the Clava Cairns and the Culloden battlefield. However, the highlight for me was absolutely being with our little makeshift group in Hootenanny on that crowded Friday night. I finally felt as though we had rediscovered what makes Scotland feel so special. A place where you feel welcome even as a complete stranger. A place where everyone has their own unique story but will gladly share it with you. Hearing those young, gangly teenagers sing their own versions of country classics made me feel more at home than I have in a long time, and reassured me all the more that Scotland, and Inverness alike, were great places for me to be.
