Adventures in Scotland Saturday & Sunday

After another breakfast of Scots Porridge we stopped at Doune Castle to look around and shoot a few photos. Fans on Monty Python and the Holy Grail might recognize the stonework - the movie was filmed here.













Since we were going quite close by we stopped in Fortingall  to see the oldest vegetation in the world. This yew  tree is estimated to be 5000 (yes, thousand) years old!












 We arrived in Aviemore, laid in some supplies and checked in to the MacDonald Resort. These photos show a bit about the lodge and the view

The credenza in the lounge (living room in American) had loads of glassware - everything but the booze!

The only problem with kitchen was no way to sharpen the very dull knives.

Here is the view toward the south from our glassed in balcony.

Saturday, April 15

On our way to Brodie Castle we stopped to see the biggest Pictish stone known, it's near Forres and stands nearly twenty feet high. Many of these artifacts are now in protective enclosures. It protects the carvings from the elements, particularly wind erosion and acid rain, and also the occasional nut who feels he needs to carve his initials or chip off a piece to carry away.

As we drove north we stopped to see an ancient stone bridge. Later on we found out that there were a thousand stone bridges built in the highlands between 1801 and 1819. They had a profound effect on the culture of the region, making the movement  goods and people much easier.

The first of many old stone bridges we saw.

Brodie Castle ...

....was in the midst of a Daffodil Festival.

They have a very well preserved Pictish stone along the drive. It is doing so well that it has been left unprotected, although there is a beautiful windbreak of willow, constructed to replace the sheltering effect of the forest which was recently cut down.

We strolled the gardens to see not only the largest collection of daffodils in the world but also some tree specimens. This is an American redwood. I measured it  23 feet in circumference, breast-high.

These intrepid young Fochabers Fiddlers performed above and beyond the call of duty! It was bitterly cold and raw - in fact their performance was ended by a snow squall!

We got out of the cold and enjoyed a cream tea in the castle tea room.

In the afternoon the weather cleared a bit and we stopped at Findhorn Beach. Julia is looking for some stones to add to her collection.

The PERFECT stone is here --- somewhere!

Duffus Castle

On the return to Aviemore we stopped at Duffus Castle. The castle was built on an artificial mound (mott) of earth on the site of an earlier wooden hill fort. The duffus who built this big stone structure didn't realize that the ground was too soft and subsequently the corner fell off (albeit after a century or two of use)

As we drove we notice that there were hundreds of pheasants along the roads and in the fields. Here is a handsome fellow!

Hard Choices!

In the land of single malt how do you choose? We chose to go home.