John and Lynn Kelly arrived yesterday after-noon. It will be a short visit--just two overnights and one full day, but we are enjoying ourselves. After a tour of the house, followed by a cup of tea and a bickie, we all walked into Comrie so we could show them the centre of the village, from one end of it to the other. We ended up at The Royal Hotel Bar-Lounge for a taste of Earthquake Ale, made especially for The Royal. (Why the name? Comrie is on the fault line which forms the actual Highland line separating the Highlands from the Lowlands. In the distant past, there was some rather mild seismic activity, just enough to give Comrie the nickname of "Shaky Toon". Ergo, The Royal Hotel serves Earthquake Ale which is delicious. You must try it when you come.)
Despite dire predictions of heavy rain, we awoke to a beautiful bright morning and a fair amount of sun. We had our breakfast and left at just a little after 9 for today's outing to Balquhidder which is west and south of Comrie. Our first stop was to see the graves of Rob Roy MacGregor, his wife, and two sons in the Balquhidder Kirk (church) graveyard.
The single track road leads alongside the Braes (hills) of Balquhidder on one side and Loch Voil on the other. Our second stop was at the Dhanakosa Buddhist Retreat Centre which we were all curious about (John and Lynn are students of Buddhism as well as pracitioners of Buddhist meditation). Unfortunately, a meeting was in progress at the retreat centre and there was no one to show us about. It certainly is in a lovely setting overlooking the loch and it's nice to know there is a meditation retreat centre so close by.
We continued just a little way along the track to Monachyle Mhor Hotel where we stopped for morning coffee and scones. They made the scones fresh to order for us so there was a bit of a wait, but well worth it. They were delicious with fresh strawberry jam and real fresh whipped cream. The weather began to get cloudier and cloudier so that by the time we left the hotel, we emerged under a totally overcast sky. At least it remained dry.
At the end of Loch Voil, a strand of trees stretches from one side of the strath (or valley) to the other. On the other side of the trees is the smaller Loch Doine. Beyond that, a stream meanders through the valley. We parked the car and followed a dirt track on foot past several farms and between the hills, past flocks of sheep, Highland cows, a couple of lovely horses, and an enormous bull. After we had walked a while, we could see what looked like mist or, possibly, rain in the hills ahead of us. We were concerned we'd be caught in a downpour and so returned to the car for the journey home.
Driving single track roads, which I love to do, can be a real trial--especially if, like me, you aren't expert at reversing. Three different times I had to reverse into a passing place (or try to, that is) to let another car go by. (The other three times, the other driver stopped for us.) With three back-seat drivers to tell me what not to do (Don't turn the steering wheel!), I managed, but only just. Crivvens! What a humbling experience!
On the way back into Comrie we stopped at the Dalchonzie Strawberry farm for more fresh strawberries, some peaches from Spain, and some bananas. We have now had lunch and have gone over the map with John and Lynn for their journey into the Northern Highlands tomorrow. Right now, we are having either a nap or an otherwise "free period" to read the paper, a book, or whatever.
Tonight we are booked into the Thai restaurant in Crieff for our evening meal. In the last hour or so it has gotten progressively darker and it looks like the rain is coming on for sure. Still, I must get out there and see if any of the newly planted flowers need watering, especially those that are under the eaves of the house.
No comments:
Post a Comment