We just returned from an epic trip through the United Kingdom. We flew into London a couple days before Christmas staying there for 4 nights. Then drove over to Stonehenge, up through Wales and back through the Cotswold’s, central England up to Manchester.
![Stonehenge Stonehenge](https://kiwifoto.com/images/scenery/stonehenge_B13K1203.jpg)
Stonehenge
Then cut Northeast to drive along the coast in the North Umberlands into Southeast Scotland. Along the way we stopped to check off a Desert Wheatear that had spent the fall and winter hanging around the beaches just south of the Scotland border.
![Desert Wheatear Desert Wheatear](https://kiwifoto.com/images/galleryphotos/desert_wheatear/desert_wheatear_B13K1950.jpg)
Desert Wheatear
We arrived in Edinburgh just in time for their Hagmanay Festival – which is a huge celebration to roll in the New Year. It was pretty exciting marching with torches through the narrow alleys of Old Town Edinburgh and up to Edinburgh Castle.
![Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle](https://kiwifoto.com/images/scenery/uk-edinburgh-castle.jpg)
Edinburgh Castle
After the festivities, we drove up through the Scottish Highlands. It was a bit blustery with wind and snow but an absolutely beautiful drive! The rolling foothills slowly progressed into mountains with jagged canyons in between which formed many of Scotland’s Lochs.
![Loch Tay Loch Tay](https://kiwifoto.com/images/scenery/uk-snow.jpg)
Loch Tay
![Loch Lomond Loch Lomond](https://kiwifoto.com/images/scenery/uk-loch-lomond.jpg)
Loch Lomond
After 5 days in Scotland we flew over to Ireland for another 5 days where we met some of the friendliest people of the trip. We took a few day trips from Dublin to Southeast Ireland and enjoyed the magnificent rolling green hills that Ireland is famous for. Some highlights from Ireland including a wintering Bluethroat and Mediterranean Gulls.
![Mediterranean Gull Mediterranean Gull](https://kiwifoto.com/images/galleryphotos/mediterranean_gull/mediterranean_gull_B13K2760.jpg)
Mediterranean Gull
![Bluethroat Bluethroat](https://kiwifoto.com/images/galleryphotos/bluethroat/bluethroat_B13K2465.jpg)
Bluethroat