which houses an interesting local museum. Rather than take the main north/south A90, we stuck to the small roads and were rewarded with good photo opportunities
and a bowl of Smokie Chowder (smoked fish, veg, and just the right spice) at Lunan Farm Shop & Cafe
in the dunes by Lunan Bay. Our main objective for the day was Dunnottar Castle just south of Stonehaven. The castle, one of the most photographed in Scotland, was the setting for Zeffrelli’s Hamlet (1990).
It’s a short hike out to see the castle, then a dramatic hike down and back up if you want to visit the castle. We had been there before and this time just wanted pictures from various vantage points around the castle peninsula. From the castle it’s only two miles to Stonehaven
and our B&B (24 Shore Road) on the harbour.
Dinner was just along the harbour at the Ship Inn (a different Ship Inn than the one in Elie--there are numerous Ship Inns and many are nowhere near the sea).
I had a delicious dish of Argyll Mussels and Crab Claws (brown crab from the west coast).
Later we walked back to the Ship Inn from the B&B for an after dinner drink in the bar and some night photos.
Sunday we had scheduled golf at Braemar GC near Balmoral Castle where the Royals take up fall residence--the flag was up on the castle which means the Queen is there. Before we got to Braemar we stopped at the Falls of Feugh in Banchory
to watch the salmon leap. Golf at Braemar was a race to stay ahead of a men’s competition--we completed the 18 holes on Scotland’s highest golf course in two hours forty minutes,
and finished two holes ahead of the first men’s group. Surprisingly, we both played fairly well, but had very tired legs that evening. It was okay to be tired because our timeshare unit at Craigendorrach Hilton in Ballater was a Five Star place to rest--
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| Our living room at Craigendorrach Hilton. |
two bedrooms on the main floor and kitchen, dining room, living room, and deck upstairs.
Our Monday golf was at the Alford GC in Alford about 45 minutes from Ballater. This was a working day--revising our second Scotland golf guide and adding more courses--so we took notes, photos, and analyzed the course for writing about later.
After golf we made one of the “finds” of the trip when we visited the Muir of Dinnet Nature Reserve. We took a short trail to the Burn O‘ Vat: a small waterfall hidden behind a tunnel of rocks.
The Vat is the area hollowed out by thousands of years water cascading through the gorge. I tried to get photos, but was never fully satisfied with my efforts and kept returning to try to get better photos.
After golf we made one of the “finds” of the trip when we visited the Muir of Dinnet Nature Reserve. We took a short trail to the Burn O‘ Vat: a small waterfall hidden behind a tunnel of rocks.
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| The crawl space into the Vat. |
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| The Vat. |
The Vat is the area hollowed out by thousands of years water cascading through the gorge. I tried to get photos, but was never fully satisfied with my efforts and kept returning to try to get better photos.
Our next golf was probably our best of the trip. The big courses we play (Crail, Strathmore, Lundin, Scotscraig, Crieff Ferntower) are all great, but the 9-hole Tarland GC was a true hidden gem.
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| Anne's bundled up against the cold. It was about 40° F. |
The tree-lined course is lovely as its plays over rolling hills with a local church dominating the views on the 1st and the 9th holes. The only drawback was the zombie barman/starter who spoke in monotone grunts and seemed not to understand the simplest concepts, like we had a letter from the golf manager which said we were to play for free. If his ear had fallen off in the middle of a series of grunts I wouldn’t have been surprised.
Thursday was a day of driving. It was a little more than an hour to get to Fraser Castle and its gardens, but it was worth the effort.
When we had visited before much of the castle was closed as a wedding venue, so we saw much new to us. Next was a return look at Loanhead stone circle in Daviot--
an ancient double circle used either for astronomical or religious purposes or both. It was a serious lot of driving for these two sites, plus one small Pictish carved stone,
but much of the drive was lovely even on a gray day.
When we had visited before much of the castle was closed as a wedding venue, so we saw much new to us. Next was a return look at Loanhead stone circle in Daviot--
an ancient double circle used either for astronomical or religious purposes or both. It was a serious lot of driving for these two sites, plus one small Pictish carved stone,
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| One of numerous tree tunnels we drove through. |
Friday, after golf at Aboyne GC, we had lunch at the Falls of Feugh Restaurant and again visited the falls. The difference in a week with only one day of rain was dramatic.
The river was quite full, heavy in peat (makes the water's color brown), and the salmon had no chance to make the leap.
The river was quite full, heavy in peat (makes the water's color brown), and the salmon had no chance to make the leap.
After a little shopping on Saturday in Braemar and a six mile drive out a single track road to see the Linn of Dee
(a small gorge on the upper River Dee), we played a late round of golf at the Ballater GC.
We were the last two out on the course and had to walk in the last two holes--it was too dark to see where we hit our balls. It was a great week of sightseeing and golf in fantastic autumn weather in the Highlands, but it was a hurried drive home to Crieff on Sunday for an afternoon choir concert in the 15th Century Innerpeffray Chapel.
(a small gorge on the upper River Dee), we played a late round of golf at the Ballater GC.
We were the last two out on the course and had to walk in the last two holes--it was too dark to see where we hit our balls. It was a great week of sightseeing and golf in fantastic autumn weather in the Highlands, but it was a hurried drive home to Crieff on Sunday for an afternoon choir concert in the 15th Century Innerpeffray Chapel.
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