Special Day (Thursday, Sept. 10)

Smoked salmon and eggs at
Dunhallin B&B.

Today was an all around special day! It started out great -- the sun was shining, the sky was filled with fluffy white clouds, the air was a perfect temperature, and a light breeze refreshed us. 

After a great breakfast at Dunhallin B&B, we headed north of Inverness. Our plan was to cross the bridge where the Moray Firth and the Beauly Firth meet, and then head northeast across the Black Isle toward Chanonry Point, where there is a lighthouse on a nice spit of land that extends into Moray Firth. Sandy, our B&B host, had told us that was a great place to see dolphins!

View across from Munlochy Bay.

So we crossed that first bridge, drove up a hill, and as the road descended toward the water, the view took our breath away! Rolling hills, neatly divided into fields, some with sheep grazing, others with hay either ready to be cut or already cut and rolled. It was a peaceful, happy scene. Just as the carriageway rejoined the water at Munlochy Bay (off Moray Firth), there was a great pull-off with an incredible view of the bay and the surrounding land. We had to soak in this energy before we continued on our journey.

The road traveled right
through the golf course!

As we made the turn to Chanonry Point, we discovered that the road goes right through the Fortrose & Rosemarkie Links Golf Course. We knew because of the sign posted beside the road warning us to beware of golf balls! At the end of the road, we joined a number of other folks who had come to the lighthouse to enjoy walking on the beach and watching for dolphins.

According to a website dedicated to the dolphins of Moray Firth, this spot is very popular for watching dolphins. Even though we were there during a descending tide (not the best time for spotting these intriguing creatures), we did see several as they traveled through the narrow part of the firth chasing fish.

Shann with Iain and Iona.

The rest of the time we walked the beautiful rocky beach. I found some lovely rocks and several pieces of sea glass. Two other people were beach combing like us, and when I noticed they had spread out their findings on the jetty, I went over to see their collection. Iain was there with his daughter Iona. They were collecting sea glass for a wall hanging they have been working on together. Iona is named after the Iona Abby, which Iain visited before he was married. He was so struck with the beauty and energy of the place that he said if he had a daughter, he wanted to name her Iona. What a lovely namesake! We chatted for quite a while with these delightful folks.

Continuing our journey, we headed on around the beautiful Black Isle, crossed the Cromarty Firth, drove up the coast, crossed the Dornoch Firth and turned down the road toward the beautiful small town called Dornoch. I've been practicing and practicing, but I still cannot pronounce the name of this town with the lovely rolling sound the way the locals do!

The old jail in Dornoch
now houses great
gift shops.

Sandy told us Dornoch was a great place to find items made in Scotland, and we had a special item in mind. In just two days comes the anniversary of our engagement. My engagement ring, a beautiful narrow band made of twisted white, yellow, and rose gold broke again before we left home. The jeweler explained that the thinnest of the wires was wearing out. It has been repaired now three times. Smoky said that he wanted to buy me a replacement engagement ring while we were in Scotland.

My new engagement ring!

We found The Jail, a great little collection of shops housed in the old community jail. Just inside the door was a case with some hand-made jewelry. I tried several before finding just the right one. It is a lovely silver band consisting of two bands shaped in a wave pattern. And they had just my size. I knew as soon as I slipped it on that this was the one!

Smoky also got an engagement present -- a small ceramic Highland cow! I would post a photograph of it, but it came already boxed for shipping, and because of its fragile horns, we don't want to unbox it.

Inside Dornoch
Cathedral.

Just across the street from The Jail was the Dornoch Cathedral, a beautiful stone building constructed in the 13th century, still an active Church of Scotland today, with regular services throughout the year. We walked into the church, awed by its beauty and the ancient energy coming from its very walls and windows. 

We renewed our vows
(quietly) in Dornoch
Cathedral.

Smoky and I made this trip to Scotland to connect with our ancestral roots. Standing here in this holy place in a lovely small town in a country we have grown to love in such a short time, we decided we wanted to renew our wedding vows. So we walked to the altar and quietly repeated to each other the vows we made almost 36 years ago. Our wedding day was memorable in so many ways; this renewal day is as well!

On the way back to Inverness, we made one last stop. Smoky spotted a pull-off on the left side of the road next to Cromarty Firth, and he thought "seals." We stopped the car, got out the binoculars, and there they were -- seals! We spotted eight on rocks scattered along the coast, enjoying the last of the day's sun.

Seal on rock in Cromarty Firth.

Here's another Cromarty Firth seal!

We could not have asked for a nicer day than this one.

--Shann 

[a few more photos]

View of the lovely town of Dornoch.

Osprey flying near the seals. Osprey populations are
increasing in Scotland, but they tend to stay away from
populated areas. We were delighted to spot this one.

A curlew looking for dinner near location of seals.

Exploring Loch Ness -- with photos! (Wednesday, Sept. 9)

Introducing Nessie (well,
an artistic conception
of her).

We had a lovely breakfast at Dunhallin B&B this morning. Our hosts, Sandy and Margaret, have been spoiling us, even to the point of washing a load of clothes for us rather than sending us to a laundromat! 

A soft ocean mist hung over Inverness this morning, so with Sandy's recommendation, we headed down A82 to Loch Ness, with our destination Urqhart Castle. We watched for signs of Nessie out the window as best we could, considering people were driving what seemed really fast to me on that fairly narrow road! A82 is considered a major roadway (or carriageway, as they are called here). Neither the traffic, the tall roadside vegetation nor the mist helped with the views!

Our view of Urqhart Castle from the information center.

Once we got to the turn for the castle, which is located right on the edge of Loch Ness, we noticed lots of cars in the car park and a very discrete visitor's center. We parked, showed our entrance passes, and walked downstairs to the theater for several hundred years of history of the castle condensed into 8 minutes! The last scene of the movie showed the fire resulting from the explosion that ripped the castle apart, an act carried out by the then current castle inhabitants to prevent it being taken over by the Jacobites. As the screen slowly withdrew from site, the curtains parted on a full wall of windows overlooking the castle remains. What a dramatic way to introduce the castle to visitors!

Urqhart Castle with its
view of Loch Ness.

Trebuchet outside castle.

From there, we exited the visitor center, which is set right into the hillside facing the castle, and walked over the bridge to the castle. Helpful signs gave us brief introductions to the various parts of the castle. Even though little of the castle remains today, it is easy to imagine what it might have been like back in the days of its glory. The location on the edge of Loch Ness is nothing short of spectacular. The mist from earlier this morning was dissipating as we walked to the castle, and from there on the day was lovely, with blue sky and cool, crisp breezes.

Scottish "coo" in pen beside battlefield.

We headed back to Inverness and over to the Culloden Battlefield by mid afternoon. I know this battle was one of the turning points in the Jacobites' efforts to overthrow British rule in Scotland, but there is a lot of history that I'm not that familiar with. At the battlefield, the Jacobites, made up of a number of different clans, numbered over 1000 men. The government forces were lined up on one side and the Jacobites on the other. Some parts of Culloden were quite marshy, which made it very difficult for the Jacobites, who were charging toward the stationary government forces. 

Lovely cottage at the edge of Culloden battlefield.

From all accounts, the battle was fierce and didn't last long, especially after some government forces attacked from the rear of the Jacobite line. Many clansmen died that day. Most were buried on the battlefield. Today flags indicate where each clan and the government stood as the fight began, and stones mark the memorials for those who fell in the battle.

Just down the road from Culloden is a fascinating set of standing stones and cairns known as "Clava cairns." This site includes three very well preserved burial cairns, built some 4000 years ago. Each of the three cairns was very precisely positioned, and the standing stones surrounding the cairns were chosen for height and color and placed to mark the setting sun. You can read more about this fascinating location at the Historic Scotland website. We took a number of photographs and also some compass readings, but the most interesting thing was to spend time feeling the energy of this very spiritual place.

One of the remarkable Clava cairns.

Flower growing
near one cairn.

Our goal today was to get back to the B&B early so we could get more rest tonight, but by the time we reluctantly left the Clava cairns, it was almost 6pm! Vacationing is hard work. But you'll be happy to know that we've figured out something that helps. In Scotland, we believe a scone (along with butter or cream and jam) a day keeps the doctor away! And, yes, we had our daily scone today!

Tomorrow we head north from Inverness.

--Shann

Pitlochry to Inverness (with photos) (Tuesday, Sept. 8)

Another early morning for us -- we were eager to get to Glenmore, just a little south of Inverness and high in the Cairngorm Mountains, to visit the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre. Fortunately driving Carriageway A9 was a lot faster than the narrow, winding roads we've been on over the last few days, so we made it to Glenmore in time for the 11am trip up to the high meadow to become acquainted with the reindeer.

Visitors follow Andi to the reindeer herd.

We learned a lot about reindeer today, including how they were reintroduced to Scotland after having been absent for about 800 years. (Read more.) Did you know reindeer are usually shorter than caribou, even though both are from the same Genus? Reindeer come in many different color combinations, from pure white to dark, and everywhere in between. They are easily domesticated and seem to do quite well both with people and on their own. Their feet are designed to function well in snow, looking almost like mini-snowshoes, and those feet work well for digging through snow, too. Even though the Cairngorm reindeer herd is fed regularly, they could easily fend for themselves, given their near ideal location and the fact that they require no shelter.

Andi feeding Fergus.

Great feet for snow walking and
digging.

A group of 30 to 40 visitors followed Andi, the herder, over a rough trail to the meadow area where the reindeer gather this time of year. Even though they are free ranging and can come and go as they please, because of the regular feeding times, a number come down to the gated area for their "treats"! We met Fergus, an orphan born in late June who has been raised by the herders after his "mum" died. He is still getting some milk from a bottle, but reindeer young learn to graze like their mom very soon after birth.

These reindeer had impressive racks; both males and females have racks this time of year. The females keep their smaller racks throughout the year; males lose theirs shortly after the rutting season is over. Andi told us today that the herd is growing its winter coat. Soon their coats will be thick enough to easily withstand the many inches of snow and the very cold temperatures on the Cairngorm mountains. And they can smell food even under lots of snow.

Cairngorm reindeer.

Something in that pocket smells good!

It was quite an experience to walk among the reindeer! One of the reindeer was very interested in Smoky.

Because today was another beautiful, warm, blue-sky day, we decided to take the funicular railway to the top of one of the higher peaks in the Cairngorm Mountains. The view from the observation tower was grand. We weren't there at the right time for a tour of the mountain beyond the observation center/restaurant complex, and therefore we had to stay within the confines of the center. This "rule" is in place to protect the fragile ecosystem at the top of the mountain when there is no snow cover. In winter, the train and additional ski lifts take skiers to the top.

Funicular railway in Cairngorm Mountains ski area.

View from observation platform at mountaintop.

We arrived in Inverness late afternoon, checked into our B&B, Dunhallin House, and did a run to the grocery store for dinner and some snacks. We were both too tired for a night out, and it was actually really nice to have dinner in our room.

Tomorrow, we have lots of options around Inverness, so stay tuned to see what happens next! We hope you like these photos. Here's one more of a lovely scene showing the changing weather.

Another lovely Scottish scene!

--Shann

Our last day in Pitlochry (Monday, Sept. 7)

Note from Smoky: Come to my Zenfolio gallery to see lots of pictures of Scotland. Some are used in this blog, but there are also lots of others.

From the conservatory where we have breakfast at Claymore Guest House we could see some fog in the hills. Graeme says "That's what they call a Scotch mist, actually a harvest mist. The dew is on all the plants. It will burn off in a while and be a beautiful day!" Graeme was right! It was a beautiful day. 

Blair Castle from road.

Off to Blair Castle after breakfast. We drove by the imposing castle yesterday. The grounds are quite large and lavish. Smoky had heard about all the weapons hanging in the entrance hall. He was drooling over all the photos he could take, but when we entered, the greeter informed us that photos were not allowed inside the castle except in the ballroom, which was the last room we visited. 

Blair Castle ballroom.

The castle was lavishly furnished with many unusual items and what looked like priceless antiques. For example, the handrail for one section of stairs was made from a narwhal tusk. Wikipedia says this tusk is an extension of a canine tooth! (See more at this website.) 

One room in the castle was dedicated to sets of dishes from all over the world. In that same room were cases holding handwork made by the wife of one of the lords of the castle. The handwork ranged from drawn lace work to embroidery to crochet with very small thread. Every piece I looked at was exquisite. 

The garden ducks loved this man (it could have been the
crackers he was feeding them!)

After the castle, we walked through the formal garden, a very large area with a pond, quite a few ducks and swans, many fruit trees and a variety of flowers. It was lovely, but it didn't hold a candle to Graeme's garden at Claymore Guest House. When I told Graeme that, he smiled and said he was not at all surprised!

Blair Castle -- imposing and grand and very well maintained!

Piper outside Blair Castle.

Before leaving the castle grounds, we wanted to find the old church. Now in ruins, St. Bride's Kirk, is still a lovely old building. One small room off the main larger room, which is called a mausoleum, has a memorial to the 6th Duke of Atholl plus one very interesting stone artifact on display. The room has an iron gate across the door to prevent entry.

St. Bride's Kirk, small alcove.

After a quick snack, we hiked to a lovely waterfall on the other side of Pitlochry. We had a very nice dinner at Drummonds Restaurant and Public Bar. Smoky had grilled salmon and I had fish and chips (again)! I may be getting hooked on fish and chips.  

After dinner we walked down to the recreation ground to hear the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band and see some Highland and Scottish dancing. This was the 50th year of the Highland Nights performance, which included singing, dancing, and piping. Jean Swanson's highland dancers performed several times, along with the Vale of Atholl Scottish Country Dancers, a group of older ladies, who showed us a traditional Highland Folk Dance. The Vale of Atholl Pipe Band was made up of members of all ages, the youngest being seven. We witnessed a lot of community enthusiasm throughout this program. The audience was encouraged to come down on the field to take photos at any time. And those folks watching from cars flashed their lights and honked horns to show appreciation.

Vale of Atholl Pipe Band performs in Pitlochry.

Vale of Atholl Scottish Country Dancers.

This couple and their dog sat in front of us at the Pipe Band 
performance. Occasionally, this dog placed its head on 
the man's shoulder. This dog obviously has an important role.

We left a little early since we needed to pack in preparation for our drive to Inverness on Tuesday.

I'll post photos as soon as I can.

--Shann

Exploring Pitlochry (Sunday, Sept 6)

Breakfast room at Claymore
Guest House has a great view of
the gardens.

First order of business: breakfast at Claymore Guest House! Graeme had already instructed us that we had to have porridge with whiskey on our first morning along with our choice of many other items on his menu. What we hadn't expected was that he was going to show us how to properly eat porridge in Scotland:

• Cook your porridge (Graeme had already done that!)
• Put a generous amount in the bowl.
• Pour just the right amount of whiskey on top (he poured for us).
• Eat!

Claymore Guest House and its
lovely gardens.

That's it. Nothing else is allowed. It was good. Smoky added a little honey to his. Tomorrow morning, we're planning to have a few fresh Scottish strawberries on top!

Today was even sunnier and warmer than yesterday, so we decided to focus on the outdoor activities first. Queen's View was nearby. Just after we crossed the River Garry, we pulled into a car park. A number of trails originate or end at this car park, and quite a few people were already there when we arrived. Behind the recycle bins, we stepped into the woods and were immediately overwhelmed with a calm, peaceful, old energy so powerful it brought tears to our eyes. Very tall Douglas fir trees filled this area, and the ground under their feet was soft and welcoming. What an experience.

This is Queen's View!

We continued on down a narrow and winding road, which followed along the edge of lovely Loch Tummel. Queen's View is just an overlook, but a really nice gift shop and cafe have been added, the latter having outdoor seating, which today was full of people enjoying homemade baked goods, coffee, and warm sunshine. We bought some sandwiches in the cafe and walked the 80 or so yards to the overlook. They view is worthy of a queen!

Speaking of queens, the sign at the overlook says that this overlook was made famous by Queen Victoria's visit in 1866, but that it was most likely named after Queen Isabella, the wife of Robert the Bruce. Of course, no one told Queen Victoria that!

If your dog goes shopping with  you,
you have a special, shaded place to park!

Our next stop was Blair Atholl, where Smoky's Clan Donnachaidh has a museum. Turns out the museum is in the back part of a nice gift shop with clan-type items (but not just for Clan Donnachaidh). We found two self-guided tours of nearby locations that are important in the history of Smoky's clan. Before we started one of those tours, we ate an early dinner in a restaurant that served buffet style. You could choose an entree and then help yourself from the vegetables, as much as you wanted. Smoky had a great chicken in wine sauce (really yummy). I decided to just have veggies -- tiny whole string beans, sautéed kale and cabbage, carrots and parsnips diced fine, and three kinds of potatoes. Every veggie tasted great! 

With our bellies full (yet again), we headed out on the first Donnachaidh tour. One of our first stops was at an old church where a number of historic Donnachaidh leaders are buried. The old cemetery was quite interesting. Unfortunately a note on the door said that monthly services at the church were cancelled indefinitely. 

By the time we returned to our guest house, it was just dark and we were weary from the busy day. Time for some rest!

--Shann

[more photos from the day below]

We would call this firepink. It is blooming now along many
roadsides!

Scottish thistle (may not be the "proper" name) is a little
smaller than ours and much brighter in color.

This geranium is smaller than ours and a brilliant color!

Bruar Falls near Blair Atholl.

Stirling to Pitlochry (Saturday, Sept 5)

Saturday, September 5

We left Stirling and the Victoria Square Guest House after a delicious breakfast of eggs and smoked Scottish salmon. Our list of places to stop between Stirling and Pitlochry, our destination, was pretty long, and the weather gods were smiling on us yet again. The sun was shining, the sky blue with occasional white clouds, the air crisp and clean. Heavenly!

If you ever have a chance to visit Stirling, check out Victoria Square. The owners completely remodeled it after they purchased it a few years ago; both the house and the grounds are lovely. And the location is great!

Hydrangea outside Victoria Square. 

Victoria Square Guest House.

On the way out of town, we drove by the old Stirling Bridge, which is located on the same spot as the earlier wooden bridge that played such an important role in the First War of Scottish Independence. You can read more about this on Wikipedia. The new bridge was built near the old one, which is now used exclusively by walkers and bicyclers. 

Old Stirling Bridge.

Our next stop, just a short distance up the road, was Doune Castle, the home of Robert Stewart, the 1st Duke of Albany, who ruled Scotland, in all but name, from 1388 until his death in 1420. The castle's impressive architecture made it a great choice for the filming of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and more recently a location in the pilot for Game of Thrones and the fictional Castle Leoch for the TV adaption of the Outlander novels.

Doune Castle, featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

We picked up the audio tour at the castle gift shop. Comparing the rich characters and entertaining information from this audio tour with the more reserved audio on the Stirling Castle tour, we decided that we really liked the one for Doune! Narrated by Python's Terry Jones, it features both the castle's real and fictional histories. 

Window at Doune Castle.

This castle, though quite plain on the outside, was filled with interesting niches, nooks, small rooms, and winding staircases in addition to some very large rooms, including a kitchen with a fireplace large enough to roast an entire venison on a spit!

Privy at Doune Castle.

King's quarters at Doune Castle.

We entered the Trossachs National Park and headed toward Killin, an interesting small town just at the intersection of the glens of Dochart and Lochay. Killin is best known for the Falls of Dochart, which tumble under the Dochart Bridge right in the heart of town. You can climb down to the water, rock hop a little, and plunge your feet into the refreshing water, or you can sit outside one of the cafes or pubs and have a bite to eat on a sunny day! Killin is definitely a place to relax and enjoy life.

Falls of Dochart, which run under the bridge at Killin.

By the time we left Killin, the afternoon was progressing, so we checked in with our host Graham at Claymore Guest House in Pitlochry. We wanted to make sure he was expecting us! That settled, we continued on toward Kenmore and the Scottish Crannog Center, which features a unique reconstruction of a loch dwelling from the early Iron Age. The Scottish Trust for Underwater Archaeology has done a lot of research in the north end of Loch Tay, which has allowed them not only to reconstruct the dwelling but to give demonstrations of tools used by these early Scottish dwellers and the clothing they made and plants they grew. It was a fascinating stop.

Cross this bridge to the Scottish Crannog Center, which shows how early
Scottish crannog dwellers lived. 

St. Mary's Church, view of this rather plain building
from outside.

Even though it was now quite late in the evening, we really wanted to see St. Mary's Church. Our friends Pat and Tom found this church on one of their previous trips, and it sounded intriguing. Smoky located the Church on Google Maps street view and Pat had sent us instructions on finding it, too, so we knew what to look for. We parked and walked up the narrow path to the building, which looks as though it was built to store tools and other agricultural supplies. We opened the gate, walked to the door, ducked under the door frame, and flipped the light switch. 

Inside view of St. Mary's Church, showing painted
ceiling.

And we were amazed! This long, narrow room had been modified so that one half held a wooden barrel-vaulted ceiling entirely covered with stunningly painted panels. You can read more about it at this website. The paintings seemed religious in nature but also incorporated a crest of the Laird of Grandtully. They were all fascinating and quite unique!

By now evening was approaching, and we wanted to arrive at Claymore Guest House before dark, so we headed down the road again. Soon we were pulling into the drive, being greeted warmly by Graeme, and shown to our lovely, large room. Unfortunately, by this time we were so tired that we forgot to photograph the room before we unloaded our luggage, so you'll just have to take our word for it that it was really nice. The best part: it overlooks the fantastic front garden, where every flower I can imagine is in bloom. Glorious!

Part of the beautiful garden at
Claymore Guest House.

We walked to town for a delicious dinner at Victoria's Restaurant. 

Some of Smoky's photos from the day are now posted in this entry; the first two and the last one are mine. Remember, you can see more of Smoky's photos at his Zenfolio site.

--Shann