Day 13 Driving Along the Coast on the Fife Peninsula

Left the Dukeside Lodge B&B around 9:30 and headed south hugging the east coast of Fife as long as we could.  Our destination for the day was Sterling Castle.  We ended up driving just over 100 miles stopping frequently to check out the views and snap photos.  Once we got to the city of Kircaldy, we headed inland toward Sterling, and driving through the village of Dunning, the home of my Scottish girlfriend in '69 & '70.  Nothing looked that familiar beyond the beautiful rolling hills and farms in Perthshire.

The Dukeside Lodge

Yes, another golf course, Kingbarns Golf Links

Village of Crail

Crail Harbour

Sterling Castle, and yes, it was raining!

The weather was great until we arrived at the castle around 1:30 PM.  We grabbed a pub lunch just outside the castle, paninis and a beer.  As soon as we got out of the pub, the rained started and continued for about an hour, but eventually the sun came out and we saw blue skies once again.

Sterling Castle is considered on of the most significant castles in Great Britain.  Earliest records date back to 1100.  In 1542 Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned there, and Bonnie Prince Charlie unsuccessfully tried to take the castle in 1746.  

The 360° views from the castle were incredible, making it very clear why it's location was such a good one.

The pattern in the grass is known as the King's Knot

We left the castle around 4 pm and had a very short drive to our B&B for tonight, the Victoria Square Guest House.  

The Victoria Square Guest House

Day 12 A Pilgrimage to the Home of Golf

After another large and tasty breakfast, we left the Tigh Na Leigh B&B in Alyth and headed for St. Andrews.  Along the way we made a few detours stopping for photos in the village of Glamis (home of the Queen Mother and birthplace of Princess Margaret), the village of Kirriemuir (birthplace of Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie and actor David Niven), and the coastal town of Carnoustie (whose golf course regularly hosts the British Open).

The side yard at the Tigh Na Leigh B&B

looking back at the village of Alyth

grazing on the grounds of Glamis Castle

thatched roof in Glamis

Peter Pan

beach along the Carnoustie golf course

We arrived in St. Andrews around 11:30 and immediately took a walking tour of the Olde Course, the  Home of Golf as many say.  Although my passion for golf is no longer what it was back in the days at Bellerive, I still appreciate seeing this special golf course, the Royal and Ancient club house, and the iconic Swilcan Bridge that spans the  famous burn by the same name on the 18th hole.  I guess it's like a non-believer visiting Notre Dame in Paris.  I've done that too.

Looking down the fairway from the tee on the 18th

This guy sunk his put for a par on the 18th.

Our walking tour of St. Andrews continued.  We stopped for delicious lunch at the St. Andrews Brewing Co,  and then walked the main streets enjoying the architecture of this old town that hosts Scotland's oldest university.

 

What's left of St. Andrews Cathedral

Good example of the British "close" on the far left.

Will & Kate both attended St. Andrews University

St. Andrews practice putting green

Eventually we made it back to the golf course and finished our afternoon at the Golf Museum before checking in at tonight's B&B, the Dukeside Lodge.

For dinner we went to a steak place.  Outstanding sirloins and ribeyes, complimented by a bottle of red wine, Cote du Rhone.  Finished the meal with a chocolate pudding and then walked it all off in downtown St. Andrews as the sun set.

St. Andrews Castle

I need 11 more.

Day 11-Cairngorms National Park and Balmoral Castle

Today we covered the extremes, going through Scotland's largest and extremely desolate national park and visiting Balmoral Castle, Queen Elizabeths's summer home.

In between these extremes we did pass through a few charming little villages and managed a quick stop at the Glenlivet Distillery.

This bull was huge, the camera angle doesn't show it, but I think my expression does.

This Triumph TR6 belonged to one of the guests at the Tweed Mill B&B.  It was actually a rental.  Had a known such cars were available I would have been very tempted to rent one.  It would take me right back to the summer of '69 when I drove many of these same roads in my Triumph Spitfire.  

The terrace at our B&B

The moors in the national park

 

That's a lot of whisky bottles

More of the moors

Balmoral Castle, built by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the mid 1800's

Needless to say the grounds around Balmoral were immaculately groomed.  If you look closely the shot below you may notice they are using a John Deere lawnmower.  Since the Queen arrives at Balmoral in August and leaves in mid October, most of the flowering plants and trees are targeted for her enjoyment, and why not, she is the Queen.

The public is only allowed to tour the ballroom inside Balmoral,which was disappointing, but by chatting with the guides inside the ballroom you can learn as much as you wish about the castle and the Royal families activities there.

Our B&B in Alyth, Perthshire