In the middle of April 2007 I drove down to Esbjerg, Denmark, to catch the ferry to Harwich (as the Gothenburg-Newcastle ferry not longer sails) and then north into Scotland (with my 'new' caravan, a Cabby 532 DLX, also from 1987, if you must know :-).
This trip has been split into five parts: April, May parts 1 and 2, and June parts 1 and 2.
In this first part, I travelled from Eskilstuna to Esbjerg to catch ferry to Harwich, and then headed up to Lake Distict before heading along Scotland's Southwest coast.
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Friday (1/6) and I headed up Drumtochty Glen, with an interesting church, to Cairn O'Mount and Banchory. South of Banchory is Falls of Heugh, where jumping salmons can be seen. Countinued to Millton of Crathes to look at Royal Deeside Railway, which I thought would be a commercial attempt at reviving the railway, but alas not... Headed south to Stonehaven, for a trip down memory lane, and to get a look at Dunnottar Castle in the sun (although the haar, or mist, was rolling in). Stopped off to look at Catterline and it's harbour. (Did some shopping in Inverbervie where, ironically, the builder of Cutty Sark, that burnt the week before, was born.)
Saturday (2/6) started of rainy... Used the afternoon to look for, and learn more about, some more recent history from WWII. (Learnt that I was staying on an old airfield where Polish pilots stayed and not far from a internment camp for Italians.)
Sunday (3/6) and time to head north again. This time to Alford
where Alford Valley Railway (including
it's museum) and Grampian Transport Museum is located.
(The camp site in Alford is interesting as it's reception is in
Haughton House, a massive building. And maybe I'll stop by Billy
Connolly's place as well. :-)
Monday (4/6) and time for some touring in the country side to look
for castles and old monuments. Headed for Corgaff
Castle, another castle I felt I just had to see (as I did
Hermitage Castle). Up the hill is a great modern
monument with 'viewing holes'. Heading back again in Doune
of Invernochty, a motte (mound) that's been used for a castle, a
church, and a observation point during WWII (and cold war). (No
sign of Billy... but I might have seen him on his trike...:-)
After that I found that I was lost...
or was it the recording site of Lost?...
:-) Next castle was Glenbuchat Castle,
a Z-plan castle.
(A Z-plan castle has a main building, usually with a main hall
on the first floor, with towers on opposite corners, for defence,
which makes it look like a Z from above.
And Billy, or Billy Connolly, is a pretty famous comedian that
nowadays live around Strathdon, at least according to what I have
been told. :-)
Tuesday (5/6) and yet more castles and monuments to see. First on the list was Culsh Earth-House, used for storage and not living. On the way to Kildrummy Castle, with an impressive defensive design, River Don was crossed a few times. Balvenie Castle, in Dufftown, on the other hand seems to have been designed more for comfort. Next to the castle is Glenfiddish Distillery and not far off station of Keith and Dufftown Railway. At the station I found two Pullman coaches and in town a whisky museum and 'The Flower Express'. :-) On the way back I had a quick look at Huntly Castle.
(6/6) Time to head to the whisky district... or 'old hunting grounds'... or 'holiday adventure district'. I aimed for Aberlour, then Grantown-on-Spey, but ended up in Aviemore. After Aberlour the sun came out and it was a very pleasant drive, during which I had lunch at a layby overlooking River Spey and the Cairngorms. Had a look at Boat of Garten station, where they where preparing for 'a special', and the bridge at Carrbridge. The Cairngorms are nice at sundown.
Aviemore being a bit pricy I decided (7/6) to continue south
but ended up in yet another pricy place: Aberfeldy. The drive
was done via Ruthven barracks (outside
Kingussie), which is at a confluence of via roads
through the mountains, and Drumochter Pass. Visited Scottish
Crannog Centre on Loch Tay
before heading north, where I found an old lime
kiln. Continued to Loch Rannoch,
under the supervision of Schiehallion,
and then east to Queen's View on Loch
Tummel, during which time Schiehallion decided to 'hide'. :-)
(A crannog is an stone/iron age [?] wood structure building built in
a loch, most likely for defence against wild animals. A replica
of a crannog has been built at the Crannog Centre as an experiment.
Inside the crannog, between two benches for the visitor, a duck
was nesting, visibly undisturbed of all human visitors. :-)
Time (8/6) for a tour south. It started in Dunkeld,
with it's old cathedral (part of which
is now used as a parrish church) and bridge,
in which the north end contains the old jail. Dunkeld wasn't
anything like I remember it... but then on the other hand we
mostly passed through when A9 went through. Next was Huntingtower
Castle, which I believe I've been to before, only I don't
remember the 'bridge' was a staircase...
I had planned for some roman history, but couldn't find the signs to
the signal towers. Auchterarder was given a miss, but now I can
say I've been to Gleneagles. :-) So
next I headed north (and missed one church?) to Muthill
church - not all that exiting but still some different architecture,
amoung other things the towers base being inside the church.
Crieff was not quite what I had expected, but still what I expected...
Amalree, between Crieff and Aberfeldy, is nicely situated at the
entrance of a glen. The Watermill in
Aberfeldy looks nice as does General Wade's
Bridge over River Tay. The Blach Watch
Monument is situated on the opposite side of River Tay from
where the, what was to become, the Black Watch gathered the first
time.
(For those that have missed it Gleneagles is a famous golf course...
Huntingtower Castle was originally a simple towerhouse that was
'extended' by another detached towerhouse. The two towers where
connected by an 'extension' at a later date. As the floors where
built by wood that has rotten away, they are now connected via
a 'bridge'.
General Wade was tasked with building a road network, with bridges,
across Scotland to make it easier to move troops. This, and the
building of forts like Fort William and barracks like those in
Ruthven, was done to control the Scots. The Black Watch originally
contained only local men, i.e. a form of militia.)
Sun beaming down (9/6) I decided to head up Glen Lyon, which was nice (at least halfway up the Glen). Started up at Fortingall Church and the 5000 year old yew tree. Bought lunch at Bridge of Balgie and ate it overlooking all the green fields with sheep up the glen. Turned back and headed south from Bridge of Balgie and up another glen, which was even more impressive (and with more narrow road) as was Ben Lawer. Stopped at Kenmore and looked at the bridge, village, church, Taymouth Castle, now on the grounds of the golf course, and the view of Loch Tay. Went on to see St. Mary's Chapel, with painted ceiling, and churchyard, the old chapel of Grandtully before the laird (?) built a new church elsewhere.
Time for (10-13/6) a last visit to Fife (Lower Largo) before heading south to England and the ferry...:-(
First stop was Lockerbie (13/6), about a three hour drive (i.e.
long enough) and near enough to Caerlaverock
Castle (which I missed before). It was worth the visit
- the castle looked as I expected on the outside but inside
was a pleasent suprise! Heading back I stopped off in Lockerbie
and had a look at (the back of) their townhall
(?), otherwise not much to report (except that the 'best pizza
place' made a pretty good pizza, but not as good as the Italian
in Aviemore). The Garden of Rembrance, commemorating the Lockerbie
aircrash, is a sad place where I learnt that there was Swedes
onboard...
(For those that don't know Brittish geography: Lockerbie is in
Scotland, i.e. I haven't left Scotland yet. :-)
Continued in June, part 2
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