We're off to Scotland. This time last year we didn't
plan to go but Loes received a birthday present
of a five night Air B&B visit based around a "Golden
Retriever Gathering" in Glen Affric.
This time last year Loes hardly appreciated
dogs . . . this year her daughter is sending her to a dog show
!!
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Welcome
to Scotland . . . but we took the smaller roads through
Gretna. |
. . . past the famous
Blacksmith's house where marriages are offered. |
Slightly more impressive however was the Toll
Bar Cafe . . . the First House (we passed) in Scotland !
We were heading off-piste to Kinkell Bridge
over the River Earn, between Crieff and Perth, for our first
overnight stay.
The beautiful Bed and Breakfast at The
Barn - Air B&B nea Kinkell Bridge.
The accommodation was beautiful but little did
Danny know,
she had booked us in to a place which was literally
five minutes "across the fields" from Loweswater friends
of ours, Martin and Shelagh.
Consequently that evening we were out for dinner
so hardly used the grand lounge here at The Barn.
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Upstairs was equally nice
with a bedroom built into the upper floor of the
old building.
Breakfast matched the quality of the rooms
and we both commented
that it was a shame we were only staying one night.
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I had heard so much about the town of Crieff
that we made a point of diverting through it when we started
our journey next day.
Crieff was a famous spa town where one came
"to take the waters". The big hotel was suitably
named the Crieff Hydro.
Our diversion took us through the delightful
agricultural valley of the River Almond,
where we took the minor roads past Stanley and
across to Murthly Village in the beautiful Valley of the Tay.
Here we were able to call on other friends of
Loes for a quick coffee and a chat. She hadn't seen Margaret
and Ron for over four years,
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As we drove up alongside the Tay to Dunkeld
we were wondering where to stop to walk the dogs
only to find the first turn off the A9
was to the visitor attraction of "The Hermitage".
That will do nicely.
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We parked
in the visitor car park and walked through the "tree
garden" . . . |
. . . alongside "waterfalls,
rapids and swirling pools". |
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No visitor
signboards can really convey the beauty . . . |
. . . which included
this bridge overlooking the Black Linn Falls. |
There you will find the "folly" that
is Ossian’s Hall . . . The Hermitage.
From its approach it looks quite small and unassuming,
but inside it is larger than expected, with glass murals on
either wall.
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It was built in 1757 as the focal point
in the extensive landscape of the valley.
Decorated with mirrors, sliding panels and paintings,
it has been refurbished to re-create the illusions
of shock,
surprise and amazement that were the aims of the
folly’s original design.
It makes a fine spot to contemplate the roaring, tumbling
falls.
We stopped a while to do just that !
Info courtesy of the National
Trust for Scotland web page.
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For those with a strong constitution only .
. .
the near vertical view down to the peaty-brown,
swollen River Braan, seemingly in flood today.
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From just a little further
upstream the folly looks more like the photos. |
This close to the river the roar was
almost deafening. |
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Dogs (and people) now suitably walked we headed
on, north up the A9.
We drove close to the Dalwhinnie
Distillery, the highest working distillery in Scotland.
Some of the lower hills of Cairngorm can be
seen behind the distillery.
We were aiming for Drumnadrochit on the western
side of Loch Ness, so needed a slight diversion from the main
road north.
This is the road to Lagan with the high tops
of the Monadhliath Mountains ahead.
The road took us almost to Fort William in the
Great Glen before we were able to turn north once again.
That junction of course is at Spean Bridge,
so we stopped off to see the Commando Memorial.
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It commemorates the members
of the Commando Forces |
The Memorial looks out on the landscape
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who lost their lives in
support of their country. |
where much of their wartime training
was done. |
We properly into the "Great Glen"
now
and after passing Lock Lochy and Loch Oich
we crossed over one of the river sections and the canal at
the Bridge of Oich.
Before long we were driving above Loch Ness
itself.
The loch is the second larges expanse of inland
water in Scotland and extends some 23 miles north towards
Inverness.
Just over half way up is the famous Urquhart
Castle sitting on the headland below the road.
Around the next bend we would enter the village
of Drumnadrochit . . . and we were nearly at our second
night's destination.
We turned towards Glen Affric and then turned
onto a side road, climbed the hillside, turned onto a gravel
road, over the cattle grid,
turned again up another steep climb in order
to emerge at Creag
Mhor our 'Bed and Breakfast' and home for the next three
nights.
After our delightful drive north we looked
out over Loch Meiklie . . . and thought about where to have
supper later this evening !
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