12 September - Pitlochry to Edinburgh

Today we left our temporary home in Ballater and made our way back to Edinburgh via Pitlochry.  Before we left I had to say goodbye to my little mushroom friend.  I guess it didn't matter....it was dead anyway.  Here's a three day progression of it's life:

Day one....looking good and tasty.

Day two....probably should have picked it yesterday.

Day three....not gonna eat that.

After we packed the vehicles, we had breakfast and took off for Pitlochery, driving through Glen Shee along the way on the A93.  Glen Shee, is located in eastern Perthshire, Scotland.  The Spittal of Glenshee where Glen Beag and Glen Lochsie meet marks the northern head of the glen.  It then runs southeast to the Bridge of Cally and it merges with Strathardle to form Glen Ericht.  Glen Shee takes it's name from the Gaelic "sith" meaning fairy, this was once known as the Glen of the Fairies.  We didn't see any fairies.

There's me taking photos.....again.

View of Glen Shee

and another....

I wanted to drive this, but Annette said no.  I think she thought I might hit a fairy.

After a fairly "interesting" ride through Glen Shee, bouncing around in the car....not due to Annette's driving, but due to the condition of the road, we made it to the village of Pitlochery and had lunch at the Moulin Hotel.  Next to the hotel was the Moulin Brewery which wasn't really much larger than the operation that I run at home.  Seriously.  I think I need to invest in a little bit of equipment and I'll be able to start an operation in the garage....maybe start supplying Cooper's with some "locally crafted beer" instead of that Miller Light stuff they so often serve!

The Moulin Hotel and Pub

The Moulin Brewery

The Moulin Hotel and Pub was established in 1695....yes....1695!  According to the signs and plaques on the wall, the pub is quite a popular place.  Voted Pub of the Year in 1696 (and also 2006 and 2007....not sure why the long stretch between wins), there were many important events that took place there.

Proof that it was "Pub of the Year" in 1696.

Really.

Inside the pub....very cozy

Yes....many important events took place here.

During lunch outside, we had guests.

After lunch, we walked around town a bit and did a bit of shopping.  Pitlochry is somewhat centrally located between Braemar, Loch Ness, St. Andrews and Edinburgh.  It's a friendly tourist destination with plenty of shopping, entertainment, and outdoor activities.  

Comedy Club

The local Barber Shop

Jeff and Freddy

The Old Mill Inn

Macnaughtons - where Alan first met Jette (I think)

Me, Gin, Jeff, Annette, Jette and Alan

After this photo, we headed off to Blair Athol....yes....another distillery!  We didn't do a full tour, but did a tasting and had our Classic Malts Distillery Passport stamped again.  Blair Athol Distillery is one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland.  It makes it's distinctive 12 year old single malt, and is also used to create Bell's Blended Scotch whisky.

I would like a cask this big....filled with whisky.

The flowers on the way in....

The Welcome Center and Shop

Map of the distillation process....

The Distillery Shop

Blair Athol Distillery - sample a dram sometime.

Our next stop was the Pitlochry Hydro-power Station and Fish Ladder.  What the heck is a fish ladder you say?  Built in 1943, the Pitlochry Fish Ladder is a series of 34 separate pools, each 50cm higher than the last and covering a distance of 310 meters.  Each pool has a one meter opening below the water level that allows fish (mostly salmon) to pass to the next pool; a continuous flow of water maintains the water level in the pools.  There are three larger pools within this series of pools....areas which allow the fish to rest during their ascent to the top and beyond the damn.  One of these larger pools contains both underwater cameras and a glass viewing wall that allows public to observe the fish as they make their journey during the breeding season.  The ladder is also equipped with a fish counter which allows the recording of the number of fish passing through each year.

Pitlochry Hydro-power and Fish Ladder.  The areas in the lower front of the photo are the individual pools that the fish enter and climb.

5212 fish have gone through so far this year

The Pitlochry Fish Ladder....it goes down the river, across the road to the left and then back up the other side until the fish are beyond and on the other side of the dam.

Shortly after our stop at the Fish Ladder, those gray skies above the river began to drop rain upon us.  We made a quick exit and found along the river an ice cream shop....we HAD to have some for the drive home!  We picked up our ice cream, Jeff picked up a chocolate Flake for Annette and we were off.  Dinner tonight will be at home....haggis balls and sausages from the Ballater Butcher!!

11 September - Rainy Day to Braemar

The plan today was to do some hiking around the area, but alas....we woke to clouds and rain.  Considering this was really only the second day of our trip where we couldn't do as we had planned, that's not too bad.  Instead we took a trip into Braemar for a look at the town.  From Ballater, over The Bridge of Gairn, through Crathie, past the Balmoral Castle grounds and past the Invercauld Estate, and then past Braemar Castle....it was a nice drive even in the rain.

The Bridge of Gairn (again)

Invercauld Estate (photo from the Internet)

Braemar Castle (photo from the Internet - this was covered with scaffolding when we drove by)

The first building we walked by in Braemar was the Butcher Shop.  I REALLY wanted to stop in, order a brace of haggis and ship it home....unfortunately, that's not allowed.  Someday I'll figure out a way to get some shipped over her instead of smuggling a tin of it home (not the same as fresh haggis).

The Butcher Shop

"Locally Caught"....that cracks me up!

We spent the next hour or so just walking around town, doing a bit of window shopping and such.  It was a nice little town (and I do mean little).  I came across a WWII war memorial while walking around.  In January of 1942, an RAF trainer crashed in the Cairngorm Mountains....all eight crewmembers lost their lives that day.  One of the engines from the wreckage was salvaged and turned into this memorial.

The Vickers Wellington R1646 Memorial

The River Dee....it was quite low.  Normally it looks like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKzOT4z6FD0

The Streets of Braemar

The pipes...where do they go and what are they

for?

It was a busy day in Braemar

The weather was improving so we made our way back to Ballater for lunch at the golf club.  After lunch Annette, Jeff, Gin and I did a walk around the the outskirts of th golf course along the River Dee.  After the walk we stopped in town for some quick shopping (Annette was looking for a specific Scottish Thistle pillow) and of course, a pint or two.

Socts seem to be very serious about picking up poop....

This is the River Dee.  I should be able to fly fish here....where's the water??

The Queen's Royal Guard resides here....Jeff thought he could sneak in.  A nearby neighbor thought otherwise.

Again with the poop....I came across these at a shop in town.

Refreshments were needed after that long hike!

"The Brew Crew"

On the way home we decided to take a "short cut" up and over

the hill

Up, up, and up....

A moss cover stone wall nearby our cottage...I want to build one of these around our property at home.

After a long hike home, we rested a bit and then got ready for dinner.  Dinner tonight was at the Glen Lui Hotel.  Dinner tonight was on us....a thank you to Alan and Jette for allowing us to stay with them for the time that we were in Scotland.  It really didn't seem like enough of a thank you, but it was a start.  The Lui Restaurant enjoys views over the Ballater Golf Course and the Cairngorm mountain range, and this was a fancy affair.  We began our evening by being escorted to a back sitting room where we enjoyed a pre-dinner cocktail (not really, they couldn't make a proper martini so I had to settle for a pint).  Our waiter then took our order and when our starters were ready, we were take to our table for the evening.  

Dinner was incredible....I started with a Smoked Duck with Pomegranate and Honey Salad, followed by a Roasted Venison loin with caramelised Red Cabbage and a Parsnip Puree, served on a rich Red Wine and Vanilla Jus.  And for dessert (which I normally don't do) I FINALLY had my Sticky Toffee Pudding.  Oh....My....God....it was so incredibly good!

Alan and Jette after dinner

After dinner we were taken back to the sitting room where we enjoyed a coffee and some homemade shortbread cookies.  Jeff and I walked back while the others all drove.  Back at the club we sat and listened to a local Scottish musician and had a nightcap (I had an IronBru) and then it was off to bed.  Tomorrow we'll be making our way back to Edinburgh via Pitlochery.

Irn Bru - the local Scottish soda.  It kind of tastes like bubblegum. Weird.