I've had to stop writing on here as we arrived home and I just haven't had the time, so much to do including buying a new car as ours died!
I have all my notes and some stunning photos of the Scottish part of our trip, so will get on with it just as soon as I can.
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Sunday, 6 July 2014
Stopping On The Way
Before we left Stonehaven, we had to treat ourselves to Fish & Chips from The Bay, which was almost next door and they were the UK no1 Independant takeaway 2013. In Scotland, you tend not to get Cod, so I had to make do with Haddock, not my favourite, as thinner than Cod and sometimes a bit smelly. I couldn't find fault with it. It was superb, as was the crispy batter and the chips, all fried to perfection in Beef Dripping, again, the norm in Scotland. I wish it was in England!
Next door to The Bay is the oh my goodness, just hold me back, Ice Cream Parlour. Pistachio and Rose was my choice.
It's a very good job I don't live there!!
We then moved on and unusally had a one night stop, in the middle of nowhere, it was classed as Grantown-on Spey but back end of beyond described it better. On the way we stopped off for a meet up with a friend I hadn't met yet.
Jim is a Black Country chap and through our shared interests we had been 'Friends' for years. So as we were almost passing his door, we were going to call in for a cuppa.
Jim has been living in Scotland for a few years now and his wife is Scottish. They like the peace and quiet. Now, I say we were passing his door, the truth of the matter is, we were in the vicinity but he acually lives up a track about a mile from the nearest road. You go up a track to a farm and then turn up a smaller track and finally, when you think this surely is a joke, you actually come to his house. It's lovely, still a work in progress as they only moved in a few months ago but what an idyllic place to live. They've even seen a wild cat sitting on a fence post.
So we had a cuppa, had a chat, met the dogs and then moved on to our over night stop.
The Goddess parked up at Jim's, in the Menage. There's posh!!
The site for that night was peaceful and scenic and as the light started to fade, we saw a Hare, running around and shadow boxing with itself. Wish I had managed to catch that on camera.
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In the morning, we finally heard our first Cuckoo of the year. We had almost given up.
Next door to The Bay is the oh my goodness, just hold me back, Ice Cream Parlour. Pistachio and Rose was my choice.
We then moved on and unusally had a one night stop, in the middle of nowhere, it was classed as Grantown-on Spey but back end of beyond described it better. On the way we stopped off for a meet up with a friend I hadn't met yet.
Jim is a Black Country chap and through our shared interests we had been 'Friends' for years. So as we were almost passing his door, we were going to call in for a cuppa.
Jim has been living in Scotland for a few years now and his wife is Scottish. They like the peace and quiet. Now, I say we were passing his door, the truth of the matter is, we were in the vicinity but he acually lives up a track about a mile from the nearest road. You go up a track to a farm and then turn up a smaller track and finally, when you think this surely is a joke, you actually come to his house. It's lovely, still a work in progress as they only moved in a few months ago but what an idyllic place to live. They've even seen a wild cat sitting on a fence post.
So we had a cuppa, had a chat, met the dogs and then moved on to our over night stop.
The Goddess parked up at Jim's, in the Menage. There's posh!!
The site for that night was peaceful and scenic and as the light started to fade, we saw a Hare, running around and shadow boxing with itself. Wish I had managed to catch that on camera.
In the morning, we finally heard our first Cuckoo of the year. We had almost given up.
Saturday, 5 July 2014
Dunnottar Castle
The next day dawned sunny and beautiful and we decided on a long walk. I think it was my suggestion. Not sure why I do these things, I usually regret it after about an hour.
I wanted to walk to the ruined castle that we could see way beyond the village. It was getting quite warm and the walk inevitably meant some steep hill climbs. We realised we had forgotten to bring any shorts with us and I'm not sure but I think this was the day I cut off some jeans for us to take advantage of the sun and keep cool.
It was a lovely walk but tinged with sadness. A Grandfather and Grandson had gone missing out fishing near to where we were and the Search and Rescue Helicopter made some dramatic low passes by us during our walk.
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I wanted to walk to the ruined castle that we could see way beyond the village. It was getting quite warm and the walk inevitably meant some steep hill climbs. We realised we had forgotten to bring any shorts with us and I'm not sure but I think this was the day I cut off some jeans for us to take advantage of the sun and keep cool.
It was a lovely walk but tinged with sadness. A Grandfather and Grandson had gone missing out fishing near to where we were and the Search and Rescue Helicopter made some dramatic low passes by us during our walk.
The search for the two fisherman was called off at the end of the day.
But happily and it did cause me to applaud while driving the next day, they were found by a passing boat, safe and unharmed.
Aberdeen. The Granite City
We walked up to the train station, about a mile away and caught the train into Aberdeen on our first full day at Stonehaven.
I was disappointed, there was no real centre of old buildings. Maybe we didn't know where to look but it seemed a bit of a hotch potch and where the nicer buildings were, it had traffic passing though. I hadn't realised how I have come to appreciate pedestrianised town centres.
We tried to have a look at the harbour but there were security gates everywhere as it is more of a commercial dock than just a harbour.
The best bit of our trip was a Jamie Oliver lunch and wine. Better than I'd hoped.
Nice sea views from the train though.
I was disappointed, there was no real centre of old buildings. Maybe we didn't know where to look but it seemed a bit of a hotch potch and where the nicer buildings were, it had traffic passing though. I hadn't realised how I have come to appreciate pedestrianised town centres.
We tried to have a look at the harbour but there were security gates everywhere as it is more of a commercial dock than just a harbour.
The best bit of our trip was a Jamie Oliver lunch and wine. Better than I'd hoped.
Nice sea views from the train though.
Stonehaven
70 miles from Perth is the pretty, former Herring Fishing, village of Stonehaven, our next stop on our journey up the East Coast of Scotland.
Not the prettiest of sites, a bit car park-ish, on the edge of the village, just across the road from the sea front. However, lovely walks in either direction, which we took advantage of.
On our first afternoon we walked down to the Harbour and as luck would have it the Reaper, a beautifully restored Herring Drifter, with masts I could never have imagined, made from Douglas Firs, was there and open for free tours around above and below decks.
In the evening we took a pre-dinner stroll, which turned into quite a long cliff-top walk, in the opposite direction. Lovely views and we saw an Eider Duck, which always amuses us, as Simon Mayo uses a recording of their call on his programme, often, as the make the campest noise of surprise ever. We walked as far as the local ruined church, the churchyard alive with rabbits, amongst the long dead residents.
Yet another sad tale of the incredible bravery of our Lifeboat men, the work they do has always touched my heart and I shed a tear reading this, of their long ago sacrifice in their attempt to save others.
Not the prettiest of sites, a bit car park-ish, on the edge of the village, just across the road from the sea front. However, lovely walks in either direction, which we took advantage of.
On our first afternoon we walked down to the Harbour and as luck would have it the Reaper, a beautifully restored Herring Drifter, with masts I could never have imagined, made from Douglas Firs, was there and open for free tours around above and below decks.
In the evening we took a pre-dinner stroll, which turned into quite a long cliff-top walk, in the opposite direction. Lovely views and we saw an Eider Duck, which always amuses us, as Simon Mayo uses a recording of their call on his programme, often, as the make the campest noise of surprise ever. We walked as far as the local ruined church, the churchyard alive with rabbits, amongst the long dead residents.
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