Our plans for this trip encompassed Scotland's churches and cathedrals, many of which, unfortunately, are ruined shells of their former magnificence due to Henry VIIl's dissolution of the monasteries. We also discovered that the Scots were undertaking extensive conservation and restoration projects throughout the country, resulting in restricted access at many of the sites we hoped to visit. Nonetheless, we were captivated by many churches, particularly those in Kirkwall, Durham, Hexham, and Elgin. We decided to expand our focus from the Early Middle Ages to the Neolithic period by seeking out the standing stones and ceremonial circles that exist throughout the Scottish mainland and islands. Our third focus was on whisky.
