Inveraray Castle is just a 40 minute drive from Inver Restaurant (see below) located on the shores of Loch Fyne, Scotland.
This past week I attended a webinar with the European Tourism Association (ETOA). The topic of the meeting was, “When will Europe’s borders open?”
The takeaway from the meeting was: It’s anybody’s guess. At this point, I still stand behind my travel timeline here.
The challenge for the travel industry (and just about every industry, actually), is the lack of data which could help predict an end date for the pandemic. There are just too many variables, and the sporadic vaccine rollout coupled with new variants of COVID, makes any definitive end date for the pandemic a constantly moving target.
That said, there was interesting news coming out of Greece and Israel this week. The two countries signed an agreement allowing vaccinated tourists to travel between the two countries. They’re apparently discussing deals with other countries as well.
This is just my opinion, but I suspect we’ll hear more announcements like this, especially as some countries reach full (or near full) vaccination before others. As I write this, it’s being reported that two-thirds of Israel’s population already received their first shot of the COVID vaccine. We’re also going to hear a lot more discussion about the “vaccine passport” which opens up a whole can of worms.
For those of you who are trying to plan your summer travel vacation to Europe, just be flexible. And most importantly, stay healthy!
And don’t forget, we can still PLAN for future travel to Europe even if we can’t travel right at this moment. Many researchers say, in fact, that planning for travel is as equally good for your health as actually taking a vacation. Since the act of planning travel is good for you, let’s dive in and get healthy. Here are a couple of new things going on in Europe at the moment.
The Inver Restaurant in Scotland Awarded a Green MICHELIN Star
The ruins of Old Castle Lachlan, a fifteenth century fortress, are within walking distance of Inver restaurant on the shores of Loch Fyne.
The MICHELIN Green Star is a new distinction that recognizes restaurants for their focus on sustainability. To quote Michelin directly: The MICHELIN Green Star highlights the efforts of those operating at the forefront of their field with sustainable gastronomy practices and plays a role in bringing their vision to everyone by preserving natural resources, protecting ecological diversity, implementing sustainable gastronomy with a calling for the application of local food ingredients and reducing food waste.
I was overjoyed when I heard that MICHELIN awarded Inver a Green Star. Inver is a small incredibly atmospheric restaurant housed in a former crofter’s cottage on the shores of Loch Fyne on Scotland’s western coast. I love this place, and indeed, the locals call it the best loved restaurant in Argyll. Inver welcomes its guests with atmosphere, delicious food and great views of the Loch. Inver’s real focus, however, is sustainability, and I really love the integrity and authentic love of the land that Inver’s staff brings to everything they do. This team is the real deal. This is authentic Scotland. I could wax eloquent about Inver, but it’s their own words that really speak volumes. Upon receiving the distinction Inver writes, “A Green Star for ‘sustainable gastronomy’ from Michelin: this one’s not for us. It’s for all of our beloved community, near and far.”
They then proceed to name all of the food suppliers and extended community network, family and friends, that make their restaurant possible (it’s a long list). They mention the local gardeners who grow without chemicals, and the neighbor and his kids who provide buckets of fresh fish. They honor the local Fyne Ales brewery who supplies the naturally fermented beers, and they thank the 100 year old soaperie who delivers traditionally made bars. Most importantly Inver writes: “Inver is part of an ecosystem, and if all the people, plants, animals and landscape who connect it can’t thrive, then neither do we.”
Well put. Congrats Inver!
Scotland’s Castles Aim to be More Green
Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Castle are big structures and they require a lot of energy to keep them warm. Not to shy away from a challenge, however, Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which manages more than 300 properties in Scotland, announced that they aim to be “net-zero” by 2045. The plan includes creating parking hubs for visitor vehicles to reduce emissions, developing cycling infrastructure for staff and visitors, and eliminating gas heating from all HES buildings.
HES says that some properties could be warmed by “district heating” which transfers heat energy from one point to another through a complex system of highly insulated pipes.
Historic Environment Scotland manages more than 300 properties in Scotland including Edinburgh Castle, Linlithgow Palace and Stirling Castle.
*Would you like to visit the castles of Scotland? How about walking the whiskey trail?
