Scotland Revisted - Part Four
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“There should be no honors for the artist he has already in the practice of his art, more than his share of the rewards of life.” Robert Louis Stevenson 1842 – 1904.
One can never get enough of Scotland! There is so much to see and do. For ideas on how to make the most of your trip to Scotland go to the Visit Scotland Information Centre, where they will be happy to provide you with tickets for events across this beautiful country. In Dundee go to the Discovery Point, (just look for the ship) at Discovery Quay, tel.: 01382-527527, and they will be able to give you friendly advice for accommodations and your travel needs.
You can enjoy breathtaking scenery with panoramic views, visit dramatic historical places of Dundee, Perthshire and Edinburgh. Not to mention play in the championship golf courses, and go back in time in the romantic castles, and shop ‘til you drop in Edinburgh, and participate in an incredible range of outdoor activities such as fishing and windsurfing off a spectacular coastline.
Dundee Airport is just a five minute drive from the city centre on A85 ring road. Direct flights are available from London. For more information: hial.co.uk/dundee-airport/ and londoncityairport.com
And while in my native Dundee do not fail to visit the McManus Art Gallery & Museum, where the entire family can enjoy a day full of art, history, and nature. It highlights Dundee’s many years of involvement with overseas trade. Admission is free. Later, you can enjoy a varied menu at their café. It is located in Albert Square, Meadowside, Dundee. For further information: themcmanus-dundee.gov.uk
Castles are a must see on your to do list while touring Scotland.
Broughty Ferry Castle sits imposingly at the mouth of the River Tay. Built in 1496 on a rocky promontory it faced many sieges and battles. There are still holes in the walls made from cannon shots. Admission is free.
Blair Castle is the ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl, it is located in Pitlochry, Perthshire. Also, while on the Perth Road, do not fail to visit the Bell’s Blair Athol Distillery home of the world famous Bell’s whisky.
Glamis Castle is worthwhile as the ancestral home of the Earls of Strathmore. Then there is Scone Palace, the crowning place of Scottish kings, where Macbeth, Robert the Bruce, and Charles II were crowned. It is the family home of the Earls of Mansfield, and was immortalized in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Don’t miss Lochleven Castle on Castle Island, Loch Leven. For more information about Perthshire, Dundee and Angus, go to: perthshire.co.uk Have fun discovering a rich and intriguing past.
If driving from Glasgow go about 60 miles, and visit Inverary Castle which is near Loch Lomond, and the filming location for Downton Abbey, the beautiful home of the Dukes of Argyll. Visitors can enjoy a lovely walk in the fantastic gardens or taste some fabulous food: soups, quiches, scones, etc., made daily in the castle. Fees are about 10.00 pounds for adults. For further information: inverary-castle, orcall: 01499 302203.
Then there is the seaside town of Montrose in Angus, near Britain’s first operational military airfield, established by the Royal Flying Corps in 1913, and find out about the major role it played in WWII.
For writers a must, JM Barrie’s birthplace in Kirriemuir where the creator of Peter Pan was born in 1860. Also, while in Edinburgh don’t hesitate to visit the Writer’s Museum situated in Lady Stair’s House, built in 1622 for Sir William Grey of Pittendrum. This house had many subsequent owners, including Elizabeth, Dowager Countess of Stair. In 1895 the house was purchased by the 5th Earl of Rosebery, who presented it to the City of Edinburgh in 1907 for use as a museum.
This museum is dedicated to the lives and works of Scotland’s best-known writers: Robert Burns, 1759-1796; Sir Walter Scott 1771-1832; and Robert Louis Stevenson 1850-1894. Outside the museum you will find Makars’ Court, a series of inscribed stones celebrating the achievements of Scottish writers.
Also for the book lover, see Innerpeffray Library, Scotland’s oldest free public lending library and browse hundreds of antique books.
See where the Lowlands of Scotland collide with the spectacular scenery of the Highlands in Auchterarder, Glenagles and the Ochil Hills.
Kinross-shire is located about 25 miles north of Edinburgh. You can visit the county town of Kinross, and follow the Loch Leven Heritage Trail.
In Crieff and Strathern you can explore rugged landscape if you are a walker, on the Highland Boundary Fault, and enter the whisky distilleries or take a boat ride out on Loch Earn.
If you like wilderness, take a train ride to Rannoch station and experience one of the last remaining wildernesses in Europe.
For the sportsminded, a strenuous walk with great views of the gorge and falls at Bruar Falls, near Blair Atholl. Then there is also the Falls of Drumly Harry in Angus, a cascade on the Noran Water south of Glen Ogil, and to the north of Tannadice. The most impressive waterfall would be Reekie Linn, in the Angus Glens. If you want to windsurf or canoe, go to Monikie Country Park, with placid waters of the North Reservoir.
For those with a green thumb, don’t miss the Branklyn Garden, a former orchard on Perth’s Kinnoull Hill displaying plants from all over the world.
Attention golfers: St. Andrews is obviously a must on your list. You can visit the 5 star British Golf Museum which sits at the heart of the Home of Golf, a few yards away from the world-famous Old Course. It displays 500 years of golf history, housing the largest collection of golf memorabilia in Europe. Admission fee is about 6.50 pounds per adult. Find out how many feathers it took to stuff a ball, watch rare footage of 1898, learn out about the origins of the Open.
Admire the Silver Club, the earliest prize in golf. Visit the ladies’ exhibition on golf. Discover golf’s royal connections. If you are a golfer, don’t miss this museum! britishgolfmuseum.co.uk tel. 01334 460046.
Don’t forget Glenisla Golf Club in Alyth, Perthshire. Aberfeldy 18 hole Putting Green, tel.: 01738-476476 on Taybridge Road, Aberfeldy. Carnoustie Championship course, or tee-off on a choice of any of the 30 golf courses in Carnoustie Country. carnoustiecountry.com
I could go on and on but why not discover some places on your own, for every time I go to Scotland I end up having an adventure as when I bumped in to Ernie Els at St. Andrews Golf course, he smiled nicely for my camera.
Another impish smile for my camera was from Darren in Dundee, wearing his favorite clothes to go to a football match in his kilt tartan “East of Scotland Tartan Army.” This time it was to see Scotland vs. Belgium, but Belgium won. Maybe if he wears the Lindsay tartan for the next match he’d have better luck. Go Scotland!
Bonnie Dundee
Edinburgh
