Bits 'n Bobs Author Blog
After talks about opening scenes, and one-on-one critique sessions, we escaped to the Dewar Distillary for a tour of Scotland's national drink. Of interest to a historical author such as myself, it is noted that the distillation process was thought to have arrived in Scotland in the 11th century, though some records show even the ancient Celts distilled what was known as uisge beatha, or the 'water of life'. No photos were allowed inside the distillery, but this link, Dewar's Aberfeldy Distillery from Visit Aberfeldy is a great one for a peek at the beautiful copper kettles and even a virtual tour.
As you can see from the photos, the gardens around the distillery were spectacular. Even the manager's house perched on the hill just above the distillery made this gardener's heart sigh. We were allowed a tasting at the end of the tour, and I chose the white label, a lovely, light whisky from the nose to the finish. I also brought a bottle home with me :-) One of our hosts, Jim Malcolm, is quite the whisky connoisseur, and he graciously shared a few of his favorites with us throughout our trip. My favorite was a 21 yr old Scotch aged in a Chateau Lafite cask. It is, unfortunately, of a limited quantity, and I doubt I will ever taste it again. Thank you, Jim, for the lovely memory!
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About halfway between Edinburgh and Perth lies Lochleven Castle, a tower house built in the 1300s. It has the dubious honor of imprisoning Mary, Queen of Scots in 1567. Though she eventually escaped, she never saw Scotland again. We left Edinburgh on Day 3 of the trip, via the Forth Road Bridge. There are three bridges spanning the Forth. The bridge to our left is a cable-stayed bridge called Queensferry Crossing, scheduled to open May 2017. The one to our right is a railway bridge which has been in use since 1890, and you can see the lovely rock at its northern end in the last photo. The landscape began to change. We were entering the Highlands. After a stop at Lochleven Castle for tea, we continued to Farleyer Lodge where we would spend the remainder of our trip--with jaunts from this lovely rallying point. Enjoy the photos of the lodge below. It is nestled in the woods with beautiful gardens spilling from its front doors. I spent many peaceful moments soaking in the scenery most mornings.
As we left Edinburgh for our lodge in Perthshire where we would spend the remainder of our trip, we stopped at Abbotsford Estate, home of Sir Walter Scott. Here along the River Tweed, he penned his novels. Sir Walter Scott was born in 1771 in Edinburgh. At three years of age he contracted polio, and was sent to live with an uncle on the Borders. He was intrigued with the region and returned to live here later. In 1806 he became Sherriff of Selkirk. He decided he wished to live in a castle, and built Abbotsford in the Scottish Baronial Style which is also known as the imitation castle style of the Victorian period. But home boasted gas lighting, under-floor heating and indoor toilets. Sir Walter Scott's descendants continued to live in the house until 2004. Today, part of it is available for rent. The gardens of Abbotsford: The house is breath-taking. We were allowed to take non-flash photos inside. This is the great hall. In the first photo, the breastplate on teh right is French, the one on the left is Polish. Sir Walter Scott's study. The library. The oil painting is of Sir Walter's son. The drawing room with its lovely chandelier and imported green wallpaper. Images from his armory. His collection was vast, with weapons from all over the world, and these are only a few items. You'll just have to visit Abbotsford for yourself to see the entire room. An interesting note: The Brown Bess rifle was accurate to about 50 feet and the primary weapon in the Napoleonic Wars. The dining room, which was originally quite dark, was later painted white. During restoration, it was decided to keep the brighter look, though there are places on the ceiling where the paint was removed to show the original wood. The dishes are not original to Sir Walter Scott's table. They are, however, designed with Abbotsford in mind. I will leave you with a few more images of Abbotsford. What do you think of the estate?
Edinburgh has its iconic images. From Greyfriar's Bobby, a wee dog credited with grieving his master long years after the man died, Edinburgh Castle on the upper end of High Street, The Elephant House where JK Rawlings spent many hours writing the Harry Potter series, to the more unusual sightings of the invisible man, Yoda, and a three-person balancing act, and places named after famous people such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (of whom I am a fan). Enjoy the gallery below! As I was leaving Gladstone Land, I came across a falconer on the street. He was answering questions about his lovely owl (named Hazel), and for a wee fee, I was able to hold Hazel. Surprisingly, this bird does not hunt mere rodents and hares, but is also known to dine on pheasants, foxes and small deer. Her body beneath the thick, soft feathers, was quite sturdy, and her talons and beak were more than capable of tearing into prey. (I kept careful watch on my nose and fingers, though Hazel was very unconcerned about my delicate appendages and quite tame as she perched on my arm). As we were expected at Edinburgh Castle in time for the one o'clock firing of the canon and a slightly late lunch, I did not spend as much time with the owl as I would have liked, but this was a fascinating experience. How close have you ever been to a bird of prey? |
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