To ensure that the longest drive of our trip didn’t eat up all of our day, we took off early in the dark and started heading out of Scotland.

Great thing that we did too, because what we didn’t anticipate was the amazing sunrise that greeted us as we drove though the Highlands.

The rest of the morning’s drive was just one amazing sight after another.

And now for something completely different. The “gloom” seemed to only stick around Scotland as the moment we got near Glasgow (where this was taken) the skies became a lot brighter.

This little village was one of several peppered around Lake District. It was pretty clear that the area was friendly to hikers, as well as being unfriendly towards cars. Some of the tightest roads I’ve driven were here.

The drive to this castle was particularly nerve racking, as in addition to being a single-track, two way road, the old stone walls that squeezed at the car’s sides ensured there was zero room for moving aside as well as turning every turn into a blind one for cars shorter than a lifted Defender. Genuinely been on hiking trails better suited for traffic. To add insult to injury, we arrived only several minutes before the castle closed, so we didn’t get a chance to look inside. But at least the view from the lawn was nice.

After a genuinely full day of driving, we checked into our hotel, grabbed a quick bite, and settled in a for an early night. The following day would be the last on the road as we return the car to Heathrow and wrap up the trip in London itself.