Today was a day of discovering what Skye has to offer. It is reputed to be the most popular part of Scotland for tourists. Skye has a population of approximately 8,000 residents. There is now a bridge to Skye, previously one had to get there by ferry, this has meant more tourists, more big motor coaches and a higher price for the real estate.
The landscape is striking, weird rock formations and dramatic waterfalls are to be ooh and ahh-ed over as we drive around the Trotternish Peninsula.
We stop to visit the museum of island life, where there are several thatched cottages, complete with peat fires burning and a domestic scene is depicted in the two room crofts. On the same site there is an important cemetery where the fashion designer Steve McQueen was laid to rest. Another famous resident of the cemetery is Flora MacDonald, a highland heroine, who was the girlfriend of Bonnie Prince Charles. Her grave is marked with a large pillar of about 10feet in height and topped with the Celtic Cross. Flora was eventually captured by the British for her association with Bonnie Prince Charlie and held in a dungeon prison for a year before they realized she played a small relatively harmless part in the Bonnie Princes escape and they released her.
Continuing on the spectacular coastal route we stop at a waterfall for photos, the drop is around 200 impressive feet. There are two artists with easels set up and I stop to chat with them both. One is painting in oils, one in watercolour. I took a few photos of both the artists and their works. I also told them about the Pearly Girls who Paint!
Next stop is the town of Portree, the Ilse of Skye capital. We have 1 1/2 hours to walk the town and have a bite of lunch. There is a bit of scotch mist in the air, nothing that required an umbrella though. Portree has a pretty and colourful waterfront. The town is built on a hill that slopes down toward the harbour. There are a lot of shops selling highland goods, scarves, kilts, art, tea towels and the like. We thought the quality was high and prices reasonable.
We were hoping to get a glimpse of the Old Man of Storr. This is a series of rugged peaks the main one being 185’ high and having a diameter of 40’ . He is often shrouded in mist, we were lucky that the mist today merely enhanced the view. Carrying on further we stopped back at the hotel very briefly then continued on to the most photographed castle in Scotland. Eilean Donan castle is surrounded by both loch and mountains. We were toured around by 3 different guides who explained the history, originally owned by the McKenzie clan, then destroyed by fire and re-built by the McRae clan. The setting is very impressive, the interior is beautifully kept and portraits of the family members are on the walls. The castle is in the National Trust and can be booked for events like weddings. Again i stress it is so beneficial to have a guide, they are so knowledgeable about their subject. We left the castle to go a few Miles down the road to the Clathan Pub for a beverage.
On our trip back to our hotel we rode by a thatched roof cottage that guide Matthew told us had recently undergone extensive repair, during the repair two guns were found in the roof , they were stamped with a date 270 years ago. True story. Another bit of info re Thatching, to become a Master Thatcher requires a 6 year apprenticeship, similar to what it takes to become skilled in building the stone walls you see criss crossing British fields everywhere. I’m so glad the old trades are still being taught and kept in practice.
Lastly, someone asked in the comments if the wealthy Duke I mentioned was married. Sadly yes, he is!
Tomorrow will be another adventure in my homeland! So much to see!
Monday, May 7, 2018
Sunday, May 6, 2018
🎶Over the Sea to Skye 🎶
We left Thurso at 10 minutes to 8 this morning, a lot of ground to cover today. We were promised breathtaking wild and unspoiled scenery. The northern coast is lined with miles of yellow sand beaches and pretty estuaries. The hills and mountains at present time are covered in brown (dormant) Heather and bright yellow gorse. One can imagine how the hills will be bursting with colours of pink, purple and shades in between by July and August.
We come upon the town of Forss which is half way between Washington DC and Moscow Russia. Nearby at Dunreay is an object that looks like a massive golf ball; it is the remains of a observation nuclear plant, which was monitored for acts of war.
The road we are travelling is known as the North Coast 500, often you see exotic sports cars, they love it’s winding way, free of Bobbys’ it is Scotland’s Route 66. Globus are the only tours that drive this route. The road is very narrow, in fact our coach takes up the whole width. There are frequent passing places, not an actual,lane but a slightly wider area where one, either you or the oncoming traffic, can pull aside to go by each other. It seemed to work really well. We saw quite a few motorbikes, bicyclists, and a few racing cars.
The weather today was mainly misty with intermittent light showers. It was me and my seatmates turn for a front of the bus seat. You would think this would be the premier seat for taking photographs.....not so, the occasional wipers, drivers mirrors inside and out get in the way, and the weather caused reflections that ended up in your photo. I am still craving lamb and heiland coo pictures! From what we have observed the lambs are most active late in the afternoon, we will see 4 or 5 of them scampering around together.
As we drive along our guide Matthew educates us about everything Scotland, including his diinteresting anecdotes. While telling us about a court case of a fellow who lived in “these” parts he explained how Scottish law was different from English in that there are 15 jurors, not 12; and the sentences are, guilty, not guilty and not proven.....in which case the tried goes free.
As we drove over a cattle guard as we approached the village of Betty Hill he said the villagers had the guard installed to prevent the free roaming sheep from constantly coming into the village, but the sheep still came. It was discovered that the sheep just lay down and rolled over the guards. Matthew! We werent falling for that one! Or was I! I’m never sure.
Some patches of Heather appeared to look like there had been a fire. The heather is burned every 40 years, which is to put carbon in the soil, after a period new shoots grow right through the burn.
The highlands are wild and population is scattered with crofts here and there, churches near the sea are painted white to provide visibility to the fishing boats. The largest landowner in these parts is the current Duke of Westminster 27 years young, he owns 120,000 acres and has a worth of £8 billion.
The Isle of Skye is where Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped to after the defeat at Culloden. The 3 months he was there the French were sending him funds (in hopes he could still make a comeback) the funds came in the form of gold nuggets stamped with the Fleur de Lis. Some of which were lost and never found. Several weeks ago (according to Matthew and Scottish newspapers) one turned up in the hoof of a cow who was in the open range, it had become wedged in his hoof, when it was removed it was identified by the Fleur de lis.
I haven’t said much if anything about my fellow travellers. We have seat rotation every day, we move forward by 2 rows, that way we all get to experience every seat. My seat mate is a lady from Toronto, we get along well. There are other Canadians from Saskatchewan, Burnaby, Ontario, .Quebec, Manitoba; Americans from Oregon, Wisconsin, New York, Iowa, Washington State, Texas and a New Zealander and 6 Auzzies.
All this happened before lunch.! Lunch was in Ullapool, population 950, one of the top fish and chip places in Scotland and it was good!! It as 6 pm when we arrived on the Isle of Skye, driving over the new road bridge. Skye is in the group of Isles known as the Inner Hebrides. There are a total of 790 isles off the Scottish coast that belong to Scotland.
We settled into our hotel the Dunollie which is the only hotel large enough to house 43 coach guests.
Dinner at 7 then tea and coffee in the lounge where a young boy of 16 entertained the guests on his squeeze box, the accordion which is an instrument still common in these parts. Scottish songs on the squeeze box sounded wonderful. Gay Gordens, waltzes, ones mum and dad and their friends, theWatson’s, Sinclair’s, Barr’s, Blaikies used to dance to. I wish I had been interested in dancing and learning with them.
Another long but amazing day.
Cherrio!
We come upon the town of Forss which is half way between Washington DC and Moscow Russia. Nearby at Dunreay is an object that looks like a massive golf ball; it is the remains of a observation nuclear plant, which was monitored for acts of war.
The road we are travelling is known as the North Coast 500, often you see exotic sports cars, they love it’s winding way, free of Bobbys’ it is Scotland’s Route 66. Globus are the only tours that drive this route. The road is very narrow, in fact our coach takes up the whole width. There are frequent passing places, not an actual,lane but a slightly wider area where one, either you or the oncoming traffic, can pull aside to go by each other. It seemed to work really well. We saw quite a few motorbikes, bicyclists, and a few racing cars.
The weather today was mainly misty with intermittent light showers. It was me and my seatmates turn for a front of the bus seat. You would think this would be the premier seat for taking photographs.....not so, the occasional wipers, drivers mirrors inside and out get in the way, and the weather caused reflections that ended up in your photo. I am still craving lamb and heiland coo pictures! From what we have observed the lambs are most active late in the afternoon, we will see 4 or 5 of them scampering around together.
As we drive along our guide Matthew educates us about everything Scotland, including his diinteresting anecdotes. While telling us about a court case of a fellow who lived in “these” parts he explained how Scottish law was different from English in that there are 15 jurors, not 12; and the sentences are, guilty, not guilty and not proven.....in which case the tried goes free.
As we drove over a cattle guard as we approached the village of Betty Hill he said the villagers had the guard installed to prevent the free roaming sheep from constantly coming into the village, but the sheep still came. It was discovered that the sheep just lay down and rolled over the guards. Matthew! We werent falling for that one! Or was I! I’m never sure.
Some patches of Heather appeared to look like there had been a fire. The heather is burned every 40 years, which is to put carbon in the soil, after a period new shoots grow right through the burn.
The highlands are wild and population is scattered with crofts here and there, churches near the sea are painted white to provide visibility to the fishing boats. The largest landowner in these parts is the current Duke of Westminster 27 years young, he owns 120,000 acres and has a worth of £8 billion.
The Isle of Skye is where Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped to after the defeat at Culloden. The 3 months he was there the French were sending him funds (in hopes he could still make a comeback) the funds came in the form of gold nuggets stamped with the Fleur de Lis. Some of which were lost and never found. Several weeks ago (according to Matthew and Scottish newspapers) one turned up in the hoof of a cow who was in the open range, it had become wedged in his hoof, when it was removed it was identified by the Fleur de lis.
I haven’t said much if anything about my fellow travellers. We have seat rotation every day, we move forward by 2 rows, that way we all get to experience every seat. My seat mate is a lady from Toronto, we get along well. There are other Canadians from Saskatchewan, Burnaby, Ontario, .Quebec, Manitoba; Americans from Oregon, Wisconsin, New York, Iowa, Washington State, Texas and a New Zealander and 6 Auzzies.
All this happened before lunch.! Lunch was in Ullapool, population 950, one of the top fish and chip places in Scotland and it was good!! It as 6 pm when we arrived on the Isle of Skye, driving over the new road bridge. Skye is in the group of Isles known as the Inner Hebrides. There are a total of 790 isles off the Scottish coast that belong to Scotland.
We settled into our hotel the Dunollie which is the only hotel large enough to house 43 coach guests.
Dinner at 7 then tea and coffee in the lounge where a young boy of 16 entertained the guests on his squeeze box, the accordion which is an instrument still common in these parts. Scottish songs on the squeeze box sounded wonderful. Gay Gordens, waltzes, ones mum and dad and their friends, theWatson’s, Sinclair’s, Barr’s, Blaikies used to dance to. I wish I had been interested in dancing and learning with them.
Another long but amazing day.
Cherrio!
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Orkney Islands May 5/2018
A full day today as we were off at 7:50 to drive to basically the northern most end of Scotland.
We arrive at John O’Groats and board the foot passenger ferry to South Ronaldsay, Orkney. The sun is shining, for which we are eternally grateful. Many visitors to the islands are not so lucky, many not some, have lashings of rain or fog where they can’t see their finger in front of their face.
The ferry ride is 45 minutes, the Atlantic is fairly calm and a stiff breeze is blowing. A local coach is waiting for us. We start our journey on narrow roads past the occasional house/cottage seen on a parcel of green, many many sheep and lambs. I swear I have taken dozens of photos and have yet to land a suitable one of the lambs!
We cross what are known as the Churchill Barriers, of which there are four. They were built to keep out enemy ships during the war years, and they join the small islands together as there is a road on top. On one barrier we overlook Scapa Flow where the German Fleet scuttled itself in World War 1, three German battleships are still sunk at Scapa Flow, many others that were sunk were removed.
As well as learning the history of the islands we are entertained with stories from both our guide Matthew and our Drivers.....today we had a relief driver for Mark, who by law had to have a day off.
Johns story today was about how back in 1952-53 they experienced some ferocious winds, 190mph to be exact! 80,000 hens were blown off the island.....all the way to Norway. They still have hens, just not so many! The way he told it, it sounded true, but I’m not really sure.
On our route the Queen Mums castle is pointed out, she used to spend the better part of August here every year. In fact, due to her presence the road was paved and maintained. Nowadays Charles and Camilla visit The Orkney Islands annually and are judges for the Island Highland games.
We pass by a few standing stones, some very shaggy Shetland ponies, black lambs and a few highland coos! A visit to the award winning Orkney Brewery where we have a guided tour and a light lunch with samples of the local ale. One of the brew was awarded best in the world, others have won silver medals.
Perhaps the most impressive visit was to Skara Brae to see the remains of a 5,000 year old Neolithic village and visit Skaill House. This site was only unearthed 160 years ago, it is believed that buried under the site is up to at least two more sites. They can’t excavate the sites underneath without damage to the top/currently excavated one. Skara Brae sits on a hill (brae) with a view of the sea and a white sand beach, water you can see through it is so pure.
As if all we had seen wasn’t enough , there was still more! There was a prisoner of war camp on the island where Italians were incarcerated,mbeing Roman Catholic they built themselves a chapel, still in use today. Another highlight was the ring of standing stones called thecaring of Brodgar, known as the Orkneys Stonehenge. The best thing about the Ring of Brodgar is that you can walk right up to and around all the stones unlike Stonehenge in England where they must be viewed from a distance.
To my surprise another sighting which I didn’t expect......driving over one of the barriers...reaching the end there was a totem pole gifted to the island by the Haisla band of British Columbia!
We made our last stop at the picturesque town of Kirkwall, the island capital, for stroll, some shopping, an ice cream.
We returned for the ferry back to mainland Scotland. The crossing was not the gentle one we had in the morning, great waves tossed the boat about.
A lovely meal was ready for us back at our hotel the St. Clair.
Tomorrow it’s Skye, and ULLAPOOL!
We arrive at John O’Groats and board the foot passenger ferry to South Ronaldsay, Orkney. The sun is shining, for which we are eternally grateful. Many visitors to the islands are not so lucky, many not some, have lashings of rain or fog where they can’t see their finger in front of their face.
The ferry ride is 45 minutes, the Atlantic is fairly calm and a stiff breeze is blowing. A local coach is waiting for us. We start our journey on narrow roads past the occasional house/cottage seen on a parcel of green, many many sheep and lambs. I swear I have taken dozens of photos and have yet to land a suitable one of the lambs!
We cross what are known as the Churchill Barriers, of which there are four. They were built to keep out enemy ships during the war years, and they join the small islands together as there is a road on top. On one barrier we overlook Scapa Flow where the German Fleet scuttled itself in World War 1, three German battleships are still sunk at Scapa Flow, many others that were sunk were removed.
As well as learning the history of the islands we are entertained with stories from both our guide Matthew and our Drivers.....today we had a relief driver for Mark, who by law had to have a day off.
Johns story today was about how back in 1952-53 they experienced some ferocious winds, 190mph to be exact! 80,000 hens were blown off the island.....all the way to Norway. They still have hens, just not so many! The way he told it, it sounded true, but I’m not really sure.
On our route the Queen Mums castle is pointed out, she used to spend the better part of August here every year. In fact, due to her presence the road was paved and maintained. Nowadays Charles and Camilla visit The Orkney Islands annually and are judges for the Island Highland games.
We pass by a few standing stones, some very shaggy Shetland ponies, black lambs and a few highland coos! A visit to the award winning Orkney Brewery where we have a guided tour and a light lunch with samples of the local ale. One of the brew was awarded best in the world, others have won silver medals.
Perhaps the most impressive visit was to Skara Brae to see the remains of a 5,000 year old Neolithic village and visit Skaill House. This site was only unearthed 160 years ago, it is believed that buried under the site is up to at least two more sites. They can’t excavate the sites underneath without damage to the top/currently excavated one. Skara Brae sits on a hill (brae) with a view of the sea and a white sand beach, water you can see through it is so pure.
As if all we had seen wasn’t enough , there was still more! There was a prisoner of war camp on the island where Italians were incarcerated,mbeing Roman Catholic they built themselves a chapel, still in use today. Another highlight was the ring of standing stones called thecaring of Brodgar, known as the Orkneys Stonehenge. The best thing about the Ring of Brodgar is that you can walk right up to and around all the stones unlike Stonehenge in England where they must be viewed from a distance.
To my surprise another sighting which I didn’t expect......driving over one of the barriers...reaching the end there was a totem pole gifted to the island by the Haisla band of British Columbia!
We made our last stop at the picturesque town of Kirkwall, the island capital, for stroll, some shopping, an ice cream.
We returned for the ferry back to mainland Scotland. The crossing was not the gentle one we had in the morning, great waves tossed the boat about.
A lovely meal was ready for us back at our hotel the St. Clair.
Tomorrow it’s Skye, and ULLAPOOL!
Friday, May 4, 2018
Whiskey, Castles and Storyteller
This morning we left Inverness and arrived at the Glenmorangie Distillery for a 9:30am tour. The setting is perfect as so many settings are in Scotland. We passed over a “burn” on a narrow road to enter the property. Birds are singing, foliage is lush and the whiskey distillery is right on the coast of the North Sea. Our tour started with a young lass who was full,of humour as well as well schooled in the steps required to make the single malt whiskey. She gave full credit to the resources of water available. We toured and SMELLED the must and various other stages, including information on the oak barrels aging process and where it all came from, the various types of barley used. She certainly brought a dull subject (To me) to life.
We moved on to Sutherland County and Dunrobin castle. It is the historic home of the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland. Family still live in apartments in the castle today (an elderly lady) and the current Earl has a modern house on the property. Dunrobin was built in 1275, and after a fire destroyed much of it, it was rebuilt in 1860 because Queen Victoria was coming to stay. The castle is not large by castle standards, the gardens are magnificent. The castle is situated sort of uphill from the gardens and walls. The area covers 1.5 million acres. The gardens are very English in style, orderly, with paths and with boxwood mazes. There is also a bird Center and show that lasts about one hour. The trainer is very engaging and full of humour! He lives in a house on the corner of the property with his family. His job is the birds, a white tailed eagle, an osprey, Harris hawks and an amazing owl. The owl was most interesting, he had found the owl when it had just been born, it weight about 3 ounces and was about 4 inches in length. By the time it was 3weeks old it was full size and weighed 5 lbs. . The story of how he trained it to fly and hunt was fascinating. Likewise with the other birds. The falcon was the other intriguing bird, wearing a leather hood. It would be an interesting subject to study. One day I will google Dunrobin Castle birds, and Owl called Cedar. The birds were all named for the trees where the bird guy found them.
We trundled further up into the highlands, narrow roads, rolling moors, More sheep and lambs, i swear some look like they were born 5 minutes ago!
We arrive in Thurso in the mid afternoon at the St Clair Hotel. Settle into our rooms and by 4:20 we were on the road again to a pub in a village close by.....The Old Smiddy Pub was our destination for a cayleigh. We were royally entertained by a Gaelic highlander who had a great sense of honour, and a lovely voice, he sang some Gaelic songs and introduced a young fellow who played the bagpipes for us. A few good laughs, some drink and back to the hotel for dinner and bed.
Tomorrow we will be on a small ferry to the Orkneys,
We moved on to Sutherland County and Dunrobin castle. It is the historic home of the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland. Family still live in apartments in the castle today (an elderly lady) and the current Earl has a modern house on the property. Dunrobin was built in 1275, and after a fire destroyed much of it, it was rebuilt in 1860 because Queen Victoria was coming to stay. The castle is not large by castle standards, the gardens are magnificent. The castle is situated sort of uphill from the gardens and walls. The area covers 1.5 million acres. The gardens are very English in style, orderly, with paths and with boxwood mazes. There is also a bird Center and show that lasts about one hour. The trainer is very engaging and full of humour! He lives in a house on the corner of the property with his family. His job is the birds, a white tailed eagle, an osprey, Harris hawks and an amazing owl. The owl was most interesting, he had found the owl when it had just been born, it weight about 3 ounces and was about 4 inches in length. By the time it was 3weeks old it was full size and weighed 5 lbs. . The story of how he trained it to fly and hunt was fascinating. Likewise with the other birds. The falcon was the other intriguing bird, wearing a leather hood. It would be an interesting subject to study. One day I will google Dunrobin Castle birds, and Owl called Cedar. The birds were all named for the trees where the bird guy found them.
We trundled further up into the highlands, narrow roads, rolling moors, More sheep and lambs, i swear some look like they were born 5 minutes ago!
We arrive in Thurso in the mid afternoon at the St Clair Hotel. Settle into our rooms and by 4:20 we were on the road again to a pub in a village close by.....The Old Smiddy Pub was our destination for a cayleigh. We were royally entertained by a Gaelic highlander who had a great sense of honour, and a lovely voice, he sang some Gaelic songs and introduced a young fellow who played the bagpipes for us. A few good laughs, some drink and back to the hotel for dinner and bed.
Tomorrow we will be on a small ferry to the Orkneys,
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands
We had an early start in order to arrive at the Culloden Museum for 9 am opening. We arrived to an Almost empty parking area, good, we have the place to ourselves. A snag, the computers were frozen and electronics necessary for operation, lights etc would hold us up. We reversed the plan and went outside to view the battlefield. It is marked with flags to denote where skirmishes took place and cairns commerating the men who died there. The clans are marked by very rugged stones, saying simply “clan Gordon”, clan Fraser, clan Mckenzie, and many more, and they are mass burials. It is quite moving to walk the paths and read the names on the wind swept moor, with few trees, just Gorsh and Heather. The story is told in the museum, known as the Highland Clearances of 1746. The Jacobites were attempting to reinstate Bonnie Prince Charlie to the throne of the British isles.
The Jacobites, were a fierce fighting group of clansmen, on foot and armed with swords and pistols they were outmatched by the English. The war with England led by the Duke of Cumberland was on horseback with muskets and bayonets. The English outnumbered the Jacobites, the bloody battle was over in less than an hour. 1500-2000 Jacobites lay dead. Prince Charlie escaped to the Heberdies and then Skye with his girl friend Flora MacDonald, but even she eventually abandoned him. He eventually returned to France then to Rome where he died an alcoholic on the street.
The English proceeded to commence with the “highland Clearances” the wearing of tartan was forbidden , Gaelic was forbidden. Many highlanders were imprisoned and or beheaded or sent to the colonies in Australia and New Zealand.
We spent the better of two hours there and then moved on to the standing stones of Outlander fame. Photo of us hiding behind the stones and standing by the burial grounds were taken by all....at least all the ladies.
Our final stop is Brodie Castle, which is a small castle as castles go. It was built in 1567, destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1824. The years of history boggle the mind when you think Vancouver is only 125 years old.! The Brodie family called it home until the late 20th century, and have been associated with the land since 1160 when they received it from King Malcolm. Though now owned by the National Trust, the Brodie Family will always retain the title to the land. Open to the public for tours sustains the upkeep of the interior, beautiful rugs, over 6,500 rare books, fine antiques, furniture and artifacts.
The estate has a beautiful garden with over 270 varieties of daffodils which were a hobby of Brodie of Brodie.
We returned to the hotel in Inverness for some free time. I did not opt to go on the late afternoon tour of Loch Lomond and Urquhart Castle. I had a wander around Inverness and visited a famous second hand bookstore housed within an old church.....it had books from ceiling to floor for two stories with a spiral staircase up the middle. I purchased a pair of fleece gloves as I think the cold on the ferry to Orkney could test my temperature tolerance!
The group returned from the Loch Lomond tour and at 7 pm Maryanne ( my seat partner) and I headed out to find some dinner. We met 10 of our group in a restaurant on the river front and joined them. Tomorrow we are to have our cases ready by 7:30, for an 8:30 departure.
Another day of exploring this beautiful country to enjoy.
The Jacobites, were a fierce fighting group of clansmen, on foot and armed with swords and pistols they were outmatched by the English. The war with England led by the Duke of Cumberland was on horseback with muskets and bayonets. The English outnumbered the Jacobites, the bloody battle was over in less than an hour. 1500-2000 Jacobites lay dead. Prince Charlie escaped to the Heberdies and then Skye with his girl friend Flora MacDonald, but even she eventually abandoned him. He eventually returned to France then to Rome where he died an alcoholic on the street.
The English proceeded to commence with the “highland Clearances” the wearing of tartan was forbidden , Gaelic was forbidden. Many highlanders were imprisoned and or beheaded or sent to the colonies in Australia and New Zealand.
We spent the better of two hours there and then moved on to the standing stones of Outlander fame. Photo of us hiding behind the stones and standing by the burial grounds were taken by all....at least all the ladies.
Our final stop is Brodie Castle, which is a small castle as castles go. It was built in 1567, destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1824. The years of history boggle the mind when you think Vancouver is only 125 years old.! The Brodie family called it home until the late 20th century, and have been associated with the land since 1160 when they received it from King Malcolm. Though now owned by the National Trust, the Brodie Family will always retain the title to the land. Open to the public for tours sustains the upkeep of the interior, beautiful rugs, over 6,500 rare books, fine antiques, furniture and artifacts.
The estate has a beautiful garden with over 270 varieties of daffodils which were a hobby of Brodie of Brodie.
We returned to the hotel in Inverness for some free time. I did not opt to go on the late afternoon tour of Loch Lomond and Urquhart Castle. I had a wander around Inverness and visited a famous second hand bookstore housed within an old church.....it had books from ceiling to floor for two stories with a spiral staircase up the middle. I purchased a pair of fleece gloves as I think the cold on the ferry to Orkney could test my temperature tolerance!
The group returned from the Loch Lomond tour and at 7 pm Maryanne ( my seat partner) and I headed out to find some dinner. We met 10 of our group in a restaurant on the river front and joined them. Tomorrow we are to have our cases ready by 7:30, for an 8:30 departure.
Another day of exploring this beautiful country to enjoy.
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Heading for the Highlands May 2/2018
We had a lot of distance to cover today so left Edinburgh at 8 am. As we were winding our way down towards Princess Street we spy an unusual sight.....a robot rumba was cutting the grass ! I had only previously seen a rumba in son Terry’s living Room! Who knew the Scottish ones could cut grass!
Our guide Matthew was entertaining us with Scottish facts as we made our way. Scotland has 30,000 Lochs! And uses less than 10% of its water. Matthew shares the occasional story with a lot of humour. The prime ministers of Britain, the Queen, royals, and others were fair game. We all knew Margaret Thatchers nick name was “the Iron Lady” but we did not know the name Matthews school friends gave her. It seemed PM Thatcher was on a mission to cut costs, she decided to discontinue the daily pint of milk each that every child in school received , this earned her....Margaret Thatcher the Milk Snatcher. ....well maybe you had to be there.
As we made our way north, a passing motorist gave our driver the thumbs down sign which means slow down, police radar ahead, sure enough a mile down the road we spot them. Mathew referred to them as “police officer with a hair dryer”. Scottish music pleasantly plays, such as Bluebell Polka by Sir Jimmy Shand, famous for his playing the Squeezebox, (accordion).
We approached Auchtermucty, which I can pronounce but the phonetics of it escapes me! The band the Proclaimers was from there.
Listening to the music I’m reminded of the music we grew up with in Kitimat, Kenneth Mckeller, Andy Stewart, mum had brought her records from Scotland, she would sing along with them. I think she was homesick then but we didn’t really know it.
We pass through the village of Couper, famous, as Sir Douglas Bader was from there. He was a Pilot who shot down more planes during the war than any other. He had lost both his legs in a plane ,accident, and wore two wooden ones! He was so valuable to the war effort that when he was shot
down and in a German prison camp, two new legs were made and air dropped near the camp, although they were 300 yds away, he received them and escaped. His skill was so renowned he was brought back in peacetime to train new recruits. Quite an incredible story.
The rain has started but is not too heavy as we approach St. Andrews , drum roll! Keen golfers who have this course on their bucket list may know that to earn the privilege of a golf time you must
request a booking 6 months in advance. The cost is £175 per round and your handicap must fall within a worthy range. The British Open is played here every 7 years. The rain and wind are blowing and we see golfers with umbrellas pulling their carts. If your six month previous date has arrived and it is raining ....you will still be golfing. St Andrews is famous for a couple of other events. The most recent, a well known fact is that Prince William and Kate Middleton attended St Andrews University, they had their first of many dates at the North Point Coffee Shop. The coffee shop was allowed to place a sign in the window stating it is where Kate and William met., increasing their business! Secondly the film Chariots of Fire was filmed here. The scene where a group of young men charge into the North Sea, dunk under the waves and race back out again was filmed here. The story is the film crew came into the hotels and asked young local lads to oblige for £50 each. While we were ,there today we saw a group of 15 or so men/boys in bathing trunks charging towards the sea, dunking in and charging back out! It seems it must be a tradition of sorts today. What a sight on a wet blustery day. ....
Of course as we are travelling further into the north of Scotland there are many more rolling Green fields with many more sheep and lambs. The sheep will be shorn in late May, this is earlier than ..,sheep further south. The highland sheep need more time to grow their coats back and will be put in indoor sheds from November to March.
We leave St Andrews and drive through Dundee, if you live in Dundeeyou are a Dundonian! The Tay River bridge is over 1 mile in length and the river is 127 miles long. Another river....The river Spey is famous for the fishing of Atlantic salmon. You may purchase a licence for salmon for £450, (not a typo) you may catch one and release it. Trout licence £50 and also it must be released. Apparently there is no shortage of people wishing to be parted from their funds.
We stop in Balmoral for lunch. Myself and a few others purchased pies from the local butcher shop. I had a delicious steak mince pie warmed up and put in a poke.
As well as the well loved sheep and lambs there were cows and calves . The farmers lose lambs to the white tailed eagle who are able to pick up the new borns and cart them away. The government gives the farmers a cheque to compensate them yearly for the loss. During mad cow disease many farmers were ruined and in 2001 , 32 young farmers committed suicide.
The road is narrow and bumpy, the hills still have snow which we can see higher up, the Heather is dormant, I can imagine the colours of pink and purple in August. There is a scattering of stone houses and a few castles along the way. AND exciting we spotted our first heiland coos!
We are at an elevation of 2100 feet, and have passed some ski areas...Glenshee. Some of the crofts have white smoke coming from their chimneys, this means they are burning peat. Peat takes 100 years to grow 1inch so it is not in much use today.
We made a short stop in the village of Tomintoul where we were treated to a taste of our choice of Scotch Whiskey. Ick. I made my first non edible tourist purchase in the gift shop.
Then it was back in the tour bus for the journey to Inverness where we will be for two nights. Dinner was at our hotel. Tomorrow is another 8 am start.
Our guide Matthew was entertaining us with Scottish facts as we made our way. Scotland has 30,000 Lochs! And uses less than 10% of its water. Matthew shares the occasional story with a lot of humour. The prime ministers of Britain, the Queen, royals, and others were fair game. We all knew Margaret Thatchers nick name was “the Iron Lady” but we did not know the name Matthews school friends gave her. It seemed PM Thatcher was on a mission to cut costs, she decided to discontinue the daily pint of milk each that every child in school received , this earned her....Margaret Thatcher the Milk Snatcher. ....well maybe you had to be there.
As we made our way north, a passing motorist gave our driver the thumbs down sign which means slow down, police radar ahead, sure enough a mile down the road we spot them. Mathew referred to them as “police officer with a hair dryer”. Scottish music pleasantly plays, such as Bluebell Polka by Sir Jimmy Shand, famous for his playing the Squeezebox, (accordion).
We approached Auchtermucty, which I can pronounce but the phonetics of it escapes me! The band the Proclaimers was from there.
Listening to the music I’m reminded of the music we grew up with in Kitimat, Kenneth Mckeller, Andy Stewart, mum had brought her records from Scotland, she would sing along with them. I think she was homesick then but we didn’t really know it.
We pass through the village of Couper, famous, as Sir Douglas Bader was from there. He was a Pilot who shot down more planes during the war than any other. He had lost both his legs in a plane ,accident, and wore two wooden ones! He was so valuable to the war effort that when he was shot
down and in a German prison camp, two new legs were made and air dropped near the camp, although they were 300 yds away, he received them and escaped. His skill was so renowned he was brought back in peacetime to train new recruits. Quite an incredible story.
The rain has started but is not too heavy as we approach St. Andrews , drum roll! Keen golfers who have this course on their bucket list may know that to earn the privilege of a golf time you must
request a booking 6 months in advance. The cost is £175 per round and your handicap must fall within a worthy range. The British Open is played here every 7 years. The rain and wind are blowing and we see golfers with umbrellas pulling their carts. If your six month previous date has arrived and it is raining ....you will still be golfing. St Andrews is famous for a couple of other events. The most recent, a well known fact is that Prince William and Kate Middleton attended St Andrews University, they had their first of many dates at the North Point Coffee Shop. The coffee shop was allowed to place a sign in the window stating it is where Kate and William met., increasing their business! Secondly the film Chariots of Fire was filmed here. The scene where a group of young men charge into the North Sea, dunk under the waves and race back out again was filmed here. The story is the film crew came into the hotels and asked young local lads to oblige for £50 each. While we were ,there today we saw a group of 15 or so men/boys in bathing trunks charging towards the sea, dunking in and charging back out! It seems it must be a tradition of sorts today. What a sight on a wet blustery day. ....
Of course as we are travelling further into the north of Scotland there are many more rolling Green fields with many more sheep and lambs. The sheep will be shorn in late May, this is earlier than ..,sheep further south. The highland sheep need more time to grow their coats back and will be put in indoor sheds from November to March.
We leave St Andrews and drive through Dundee, if you live in Dundeeyou are a Dundonian! The Tay River bridge is over 1 mile in length and the river is 127 miles long. Another river....The river Spey is famous for the fishing of Atlantic salmon. You may purchase a licence for salmon for £450, (not a typo) you may catch one and release it. Trout licence £50 and also it must be released. Apparently there is no shortage of people wishing to be parted from their funds.
We stop in Balmoral for lunch. Myself and a few others purchased pies from the local butcher shop. I had a delicious steak mince pie warmed up and put in a poke.
As well as the well loved sheep and lambs there were cows and calves . The farmers lose lambs to the white tailed eagle who are able to pick up the new borns and cart them away. The government gives the farmers a cheque to compensate them yearly for the loss. During mad cow disease many farmers were ruined and in 2001 , 32 young farmers committed suicide.
The road is narrow and bumpy, the hills still have snow which we can see higher up, the Heather is dormant, I can imagine the colours of pink and purple in August. There is a scattering of stone houses and a few castles along the way. AND exciting we spotted our first heiland coos!
We are at an elevation of 2100 feet, and have passed some ski areas...Glenshee. Some of the crofts have white smoke coming from their chimneys, this means they are burning peat. Peat takes 100 years to grow 1inch so it is not in much use today.
We made a short stop in the village of Tomintoul where we were treated to a taste of our choice of Scotch Whiskey. Ick. I made my first non edible tourist purchase in the gift shop.
Then it was back in the tour bus for the journey to Inverness where we will be for two nights. Dinner was at our hotel. Tomorrow is another 8 am start.
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Another fine day! May 1/2018
This morning started with a drive into parts of the Scottish Lowlands and Border Counties. Green rolling hills, with lots and lots of sheep, many gamboling lambs, staying right beside mum, when she moved they were not far behind. .....lots of twins and even a few triplets. Yes, I do like sheep! Because of the snow in Scotland this year only a few weeks ago during the critical lambing season, farmers lost 20,000 sheep. In some places there was over 8 feet of snow. A blow to their livelihoods.
As many know the British isles has some very unusual names for places. Also unusual is the pronunciation..... a couple of examples, Hawick is pronounced Ha-oik. Another place called Buccleugh is Ba-clue! The Duke of Buccleugh owns 299,000 acres of land, making him the largest land owner in all of the UK including Europe.
Our first stop of the day was Abbotsford House, the home of Sir Walter Scott. The setting is heart stopping, beautiful gardens, old rock walls in great repair. It is so wonderful to see these stately homes looked after. We had a guided tour, incidentally guided tours are so worth spending a few £’s on as you learn so much more than just what is in a guide book. The home contains an impressive collection of historic relics, weapons (there is one room dedicated to guns, including the first ever double barreled gun), armour, as well as an extensive library with over 9,000 rare volumes.
Sir Walter Scott was extremely intelligent and educated, he spoke many languages (more than 5, if my memory is correct) , he also wrote a great number of books. I found the stories the guide relayed regarding his French wife Charlotte to be very endearing. His parents on hearing he was in love with a French girl were horrified and tried their best to dissuade him......his reply was along the lines of “he would die otherwise” in a much more poetic fashion! . I was completely in awe of this mans love for his family but also for his fellow man. He was very philanthropic. I could go on and on if I could remember the details correctly. I will definitely be reading a biography of him. Perhaps his most well known book of which he wrote 22 I believe, is called Waverley. The only writer to have a train station named for a book.
We wrapped up our afternoon with a visit to Melrose Abbey, the burial place of Robert the Bruce’s heart. A story in itself! Melrose is a ruin, albeit a magnificent one. It was destroyed by Henry VIII and also again by Oliver Cromwell. It was partially restored with funds from Sir Walter Scott to its present state. If you are able, you can climb over 100 stairs up a spiral staircase to a viewing platform and you will be rewarded to a panoramic view of the countryside and the graveyard, garden and the Abbey below. We spent an hour wandering the small town of Melrose, getting a bite of lunch before riding back into Edinburgh.
An optional tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia was next including dinner, I decided I would make my way out to Broxburn (a Village near where we once lived) to visit my cousin Andrew who was recently moved from his own home to a care home. I caught a bus on Princes Street and approximately one hour later I was there. Andrew is a dear soul who was very kind to our son Travis and his (then) girlfriend Sian, (now wife) when they moved to Edinburgh so Sian could attend Harriot Watt University. Travis took employment with HSBC for the duration. When dad and I visited them during that year, Andrew again was a terrific tour guide for us. He is a historian for our village, Winchburgh, and compiled a book on the village and events. It was an emotional visit as we looked at old photos of family that I had brought, and I realized it would probably be the last time I would see him.
When I left I realized while I had well researched the bus routes and times on my outbound journey (which also included input from Dorothy and Billy in Canada!)I had paid no attention to the return times! It was cold, windy and threatening rain as I waited at a bus stop, no others waiting. Fortunately the wait was only 20 minutes., by the way the bus also supplies free wifi!
Tomorrow we leave Edinburgh and make our way, first stop the holy grail of golf.....St Andrews .
Cherrio!
As many know the British isles has some very unusual names for places. Also unusual is the pronunciation..... a couple of examples, Hawick is pronounced Ha-oik. Another place called Buccleugh is Ba-clue! The Duke of Buccleugh owns 299,000 acres of land, making him the largest land owner in all of the UK including Europe.
Our first stop of the day was Abbotsford House, the home of Sir Walter Scott. The setting is heart stopping, beautiful gardens, old rock walls in great repair. It is so wonderful to see these stately homes looked after. We had a guided tour, incidentally guided tours are so worth spending a few £’s on as you learn so much more than just what is in a guide book. The home contains an impressive collection of historic relics, weapons (there is one room dedicated to guns, including the first ever double barreled gun), armour, as well as an extensive library with over 9,000 rare volumes.
Sir Walter Scott was extremely intelligent and educated, he spoke many languages (more than 5, if my memory is correct) , he also wrote a great number of books. I found the stories the guide relayed regarding his French wife Charlotte to be very endearing. His parents on hearing he was in love with a French girl were horrified and tried their best to dissuade him......his reply was along the lines of “he would die otherwise” in a much more poetic fashion! . I was completely in awe of this mans love for his family but also for his fellow man. He was very philanthropic. I could go on and on if I could remember the details correctly. I will definitely be reading a biography of him. Perhaps his most well known book of which he wrote 22 I believe, is called Waverley. The only writer to have a train station named for a book.
We wrapped up our afternoon with a visit to Melrose Abbey, the burial place of Robert the Bruce’s heart. A story in itself! Melrose is a ruin, albeit a magnificent one. It was destroyed by Henry VIII and also again by Oliver Cromwell. It was partially restored with funds from Sir Walter Scott to its present state. If you are able, you can climb over 100 stairs up a spiral staircase to a viewing platform and you will be rewarded to a panoramic view of the countryside and the graveyard, garden and the Abbey below. We spent an hour wandering the small town of Melrose, getting a bite of lunch before riding back into Edinburgh.
An optional tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia was next including dinner, I decided I would make my way out to Broxburn (a Village near where we once lived) to visit my cousin Andrew who was recently moved from his own home to a care home. I caught a bus on Princes Street and approximately one hour later I was there. Andrew is a dear soul who was very kind to our son Travis and his (then) girlfriend Sian, (now wife) when they moved to Edinburgh so Sian could attend Harriot Watt University. Travis took employment with HSBC for the duration. When dad and I visited them during that year, Andrew again was a terrific tour guide for us. He is a historian for our village, Winchburgh, and compiled a book on the village and events. It was an emotional visit as we looked at old photos of family that I had brought, and I realized it would probably be the last time I would see him.
When I left I realized while I had well researched the bus routes and times on my outbound journey (which also included input from Dorothy and Billy in Canada!)I had paid no attention to the return times! It was cold, windy and threatening rain as I waited at a bus stop, no others waiting. Fortunately the wait was only 20 minutes., by the way the bus also supplies free wifi!
Tomorrow we leave Edinburgh and make our way, first stop the holy grail of golf.....St Andrews .
Cherrio!
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