Glamis Castle ** and this week's walk update **

Friday 14^th May.  This week we headed to Glamis Castle to walk round the estate and the village. It was sunny and quite warm, a lovely spring day.

After coffee in the castle kitchen we headed off to meander round the grounds. The Walled Garden, the Pinetum and the Pet Cemetery were all stops on our route. The Italian Garden was a delight with spring flowers.

 

We headed down the Nature Trail by the side of the Glamis Burn and up steps by St Fergus Well to reach the village.  

Our next stop was lunch at the Strathmore Arms. The soup was delicious.  

We walked on though the village and down the long drive with the splendid view of the castle and back to the cars.  

                                                    

It was a relaxing day enjoying the weather, the fresh air and company, walking through the estate and village.

Jacquelin


**UPDATE** for this week's walk;
The walk this Friday is to Glenfernate.  We will leave the village shop at 9.45am and drive the relatively short distance to the estate and hopefully start the walk at 10.  Plan is to walk for 2 hours round trip and back to the village for lunch/coffee.  It was suggested that we try either the Kirkie or Strathardle this time.  - Jeanette

Edradour Walk

Hi folks, we had a lovely walk on a lovely day at the Black Spout in Pitlochry. There were 6 of us today - Jacqueline, Susan , Gillian, Sylvia, Nicola and Jean D. We set off from the tourist info but there is a parking place at the start of the walk so next time we will know to go there.  Anyway we walked down past the Bells distillery and under the bridge till we came to a signpost saying the Black Spout, turned up there and it was an uphill climb so we had a welcome seat on the first perching bench we came to and took a photo.

It was all rather beautiful with the wood anemones in full bloom spreading all over the forest floor with little lilac violas and oxalis too. Then on and up till we came to a view point over the waterfall. It falls over 60m and was quite spectacular. We spotted some tree creepers there. Another welcome rest and then up some more till we eventually came out at the Edradour Distillery. "Great" - we all said together. Then we saw that it would cost us all a fiver to go in and see round the smallest distillery so me being an Aberdonian said "I'm nae paying that!" So Nicola went over to the kiosk and bought her beloved a wee miniature "Cos he is worth it" she said and we continued on our walk and once off the road and on to the track it was downhill all the way. As we got to the end of the track we looked down over a japanese garden in the Palace Hotel grounds which looked very nice and worth a closer look sometime.

We then headed for the Victoria Restaurant and had a lovely lunch - 5 bacon and lentil soups and 1 baked potato. Sylvia said that she thought there was a half pound of bacon in each bowl of soup. It was very nice with plenty of bread with it and all served very quickly.

Jean D
** Next week's walk is to be around Glamis and we'll meet as usual at the shop at 9.30 am on Friday **

The Falls of Bruar

Sheila, Jean D, Lavender, Dawn, Jean I, Karen, Marian, Petrina, Nicola (at back and in disguise), Susan, Silvia and Gill

Last Friday's walk up to the Falls of Bruar was, for me a first timer, both exciting and stunning!  The walk meandered around the hill with beautiful waterfalls around nearly every corner.  At one point there was a large rock pool that, if we were in the Caribbean or had their weather, you could just pop into and have a swim around.  However, the rain kept us moving along the way, and away from the edges where there were treacherous sheer drops to be wary of.

Marian and Susan by an up-turned tree

Silvia and Sheila on the first bridge

Some of the group looking at the first waterfall, Jeanette on the left

Ta da! Jeanette's photo of the Waterfall

Jean I and Karen getting out cameras and Petrina taking in the view

Taking a photo of Jean D, taking a photo of us!

... and, here we are, on the bridge!

Dawn and Lavender enjoying the scenery and part of the walk 

Jean I, Petrina, Nicola, Marian and Karen smiling through the rain

Susan, Gill and Dawn in the forefront, you can see the slopes here, and the smiles!

The beautiful rock pool, but unfortunately, no sun to go with it

Now, as the Falls of Bruar are right beside the House of Bruar on the A9, there was lunch to be had.  It was very busy in the restaurant, but service was quick and the food delicious.

And then, Shopping!  We all had a scan of the Food hall, Ladies and Men's wear, and then the Sale room.  On the way home, Sheila, who had come along for the first time, remarked 'I hope these walks are not going to be this expensive, every week!'

Next Friday's walk will be at the Black Spout at Edradour with everyone meeting at the shop at 10 am, as usual. This walk will start and finish at the Edradour Distillery - with the possibility of a taster or two of their main produce, apparently! 

Please note: you can click on any of the photos or links, to have a closer look, and back space to return to the blog.  I have to put up smaller photos onto this page, or we wouldn't be able to fit them in.  Also, for those with a slower broadband, it would take more than the 'forever' it currently takes to open up the blog at the moment.

Hello, hello, hello!

I am a bit late in posting up about our walk last Friday - not for anything exciting, I'm afraid, but just because life got a tad busy.  But, here we are on a lovely balmy Monday morning, a respite from all the rain we have had since we got a soaking, last Friday.

Yes, we had a smashing walk around Faskally loch, at Pitlochry. * We started off from the Pitlochry Festival Theatre car park, where we met a new friend, David.  He initially asked us directions for over the hill, crossing the A9, but later joined us on our walk. And, what lovely, interesting company he was!

This was just over three miles of a fairly easy walk, though there were many more steps than we were expecting, with added mud from the rain (did I mention that already?)  Luckily, there was a bench in one place and a lovely tea stop half-way around, at the cafe, where the promised hungry ducks were in evidence and enjoying the very drippy wet rain!  We had a giggle at the table, with conversation ranging from 'knickers' (US speak for short pants ie trousers) philosophy, theology and ending on the guilt from what a person would like to sin at!

However, we continued back to the theatre and quickly made a decision for next Friday's walk at the Falls of Bruar  We will meet, as usual, at the shop at 10.00 am  UPDATE:: It will now be 9.30 am as there is a coffee morning at the Kirkmichael shop 10 - 12 noon, in aid of the MS Society.  We are asked to bring a cake and partake of a coffee before setting off on our walk - see you there!

*  I am awaiting the one photo we took, but I gave out a wrong address for my email - doh!  When I have that I shall post it up here.

Den of Alyth

Well, our walk today was really lovely!  The sun was out, but it wasn't too hot, as eleven of us, including my bezzy mate from Cambridgeshire, Flick, set off into the woods.  Where, I might add, there was a surprise for us at the end of it.

This was the 'crew' for today

Gill, Susan, Karen behind Theresa, Kate Jean I, Rhoda, Jean D, Jeanette, and Charles

with the photo being taken by Flick

I would just like to say that one of the beauties of this group is there are no 'leaders' as such - we make up our mind where we'll go and then we turn up, and, well, go there!

                                                                           

  

However, when it comes to height discrepancies, we tend to tackle it head on and just see how we measure up.  I couldn't find any photos of the two shorter bodies from the group, suffice it to say that there was not much between them.

But, at the end of the walk, we got on like children in a playground, all playing together.  

Did I say playground?  

Well, when one of the group said she would love to play on the swings, more especially, slide down the slide, like fairy godmothers, ping!  

One appeared, and we had a ball!

So, Jean got her wish!

Another Jean, another slide

Kate and Jeanette on the See-Saw

Karen, not sure about this sliding lark

Theresa and Jean taking a turn on the See-Saw

Gill and Kate busy on the swings

Rhoda braving the Slide

Flick reaches the end of the slide, and Kate is waiting to follow her

I don't think we would actually be allowed to go onto the apparatus at the park, but who cares?  We enjoyed it so much, had a laugh and as Theresa said 'I felt like a 5 year old again!'

We were definitely ready for our lunch as we reached the Strathmore Golf Centre who made us more than welcome, by quickly putting two tables together, and bringing our lovely soup or sandwiches, soon after they were ordered, despite being fairly busy.

Next week, folks .....

It's likely to be Faskally Loch, at Pitlochry - Map Here

Jean D says it's best to start at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre car park

but, we'll meet at the Kirkmichael Shop at 10.00 am

and we can travel in fewer cars

UPDATE::::

I found it!  The picture of Charles going down the slide - a classic!

We did it!

Hello folks

Just reporting in after our lovely walk, starting at Fingask loch, this morning.  We had a convoy of about six cars, two meeting places and ten women all jollying along.

It was a really lovely morning, bright and warm, but not really sunny, and no rain at all.

We walked for about an hour or so, supposing to be about two miles ..... but, we all reckoned that it was more like four!  We were really pleased to espy a swan on the loch, and then we saw some ducks and a coot on there as well.

We walked through the Bluebell Wood, but though there was greenery, alas no bluebells.  We decided that we should go again in a month or so, when they are out.

Some Ducks

A Coot

Valerie, Jean D, Gillian, Susan, Jean I, Kate, Rhoda, Theresa and Marian, with Karen taking the photo

Here is the group, or should I say, here are the culprits? 

Apparently, we should not have parked where we did, as there was a notice to say that only farm and fishing vehicles are allowed down this track, oops!

Sorry, officer, we promise not to do it again ..... 

We did, however, high tail outta there and off to Dalmore Hotel for a very welcome cuppa and some had the pea and ham soup.  We were made welcome by the friendly staff, who put together two tables to accommodate us, and were quick to bring our order.  You can tell there is a 'but' coming along, can't you?  Well, it was just a little off-putting that only what was ordered was brought - it would have felt warmer is a basket of bread and several dishes of butter were laid on the table, instead of the exact amount of bread and pat of butter ..... I don't know, it might have just been me!

Next week we are going to the Den of Alyth and, if you can't click on the map on that information, it is here.  In the meantime, Jean D has the route map, and unless otherwise arranged - we should meet in Alyth town square at 10.30 am next Friday 16 April.   See you there.

We have a plan!

Yes!  This Friday's walk will be near to Blairgowrie.  It is the Bluebell Wood Walk, highlighted in Yellow on the map in this link to Blairgowrie Path Network  Jean and I have gotten our heads together and decided to suggest we meet at the Fingask Loch and I have found Driving Directions from the Wellmeadow, Blairgowrie Here   which, I hope works!  See you at Kirkmichael shop at 10.00 and Fingask Loch at 10.35 am.

If you have any questions, please do get in touch with either me or Jean D.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Friday.

Karen x