A Weekend in the Scottish Countryside

16 people staying at one house for four days in the middle of nowhere: this was our Scottish countryside trip.

Thursday after work Aaron and I flew up to Glasgow. We arrived and took a cab 45 minutes north to an address near Loch Lomond. While on the way, our driver said "there's some beautiful mansions up here that you can rent that have like four bedrooms." Well, when we pulled up to our place, needless to say he was shocked- try nine bedrooms. Our mansion also had an indoor pool and pool table.

So how did we have this amazing place to ourselves? Unfortunately, the owner isn't a friend of a friend. We rented it with 11 of Aaron's coworkers and three other friends. Over the four days, we took turns cooking meals and making drinks only leaving to venture out to a whisky distillery and go for a walk around Lake Lomond.

Some highlights from the weekend included:

• One taxi that dropped the last person off got stuck! The driver thought the walking path to the gazebo was the driveway and instead of reversing like a logical person, he tried to turn around on the muddy grass. He got stuck and tried to drive out of that for 30 minutes before coming to get us to help, so by the time we came his wheels were stuck in the grass deep. We all pushed and tried to lift the car for about an hour before deciding he needed to call a tow truck... and the house has CCTV so the owner saw the whole thing
  
• We played a lot of games... Mafia, beam flash, pool, Jenga, games in the pool, etc. Of course, games are right up Aaron's and my alley : )
  
• On Friday we went to a whisky distillery, Glengoyne. We had an amazing tour and drank some really nice whisky! Our tour guide was also wearing some classic Scottish tartan pants/trousers.
  
• Our driver, Jerry Berry, was hilarious. Aaron learned a lot of new inappropriate jokes which he immediately called his dad and told when we got home.
  
• Saturday we went for a walk to Lake Lomond with half the group. We had to hike a ways in the mud (thank goodness for waders!) and cross a sketchy bridge but then we finally made it and it was beautiful. We saw so many rainbows because it would lightly rain for a second and then the sun would appear. Typical Scottish weather! We walked around the lake on a nature trail and then went inland to find a pub. The closest thing we found was a restaurant/shop so we stopped in for a pint. Funny enough a short while later two members of our group who hadn't been on the walk peered through the window to the table we were sitting at coincidentally! This was about a 45 minute walk from the house so the timing was crazy. We all had a pint and then walked the treacherous way back to the house (no pathway and narrow roads with fast drivers... yikes!)
  
• Saturday night dance party. No description needed : ) but we had to finish all the food and drinks before we left!

A fun weekend away with a great group of friends!