Aberdeen to Kirkcaldy

 Monday 31st August, 1981                     cold a.m. fine pm

The first touch of autumn this morning.  All looked for warmer clothes.  After a leisurely breakfast we turned towards Aberdeen.  We took a B road to Carrbridge where we lunched after a tree walk.  The walk took you through the forest - you walked along a ramp and as you entered the forest the ramp rose gradually until you found yourself as high as the tree tops.  Clinging desperately to the long long sides and stepping gingerly on the walk I eventually completed the walk.  I had to!  I couldn't go backwards as there were dogs, children and adults behind.

Before we left Inverness we went to the laundromat where we met so many other travellers.  This time it was full of Americans, one Scot said "here I am in middle of Scotland and can't find one countryman".  Another Australian couple were there going the way we came.  Had our leaking gas jet fixed.  Stopped at Grant-on-Spey, a pretty village where we met an Adelaide girl living here in Scotland.  Marvellous the way people call us up and ask "what part of Australia do you come from?"  We drove into the countryside where the scenery is the nearest to Australian rural.  Scotland has more forest planted than England.

John and Sean visited Grants Distillery at Dufftown whilst Sandra, Rae and I walked just around the corner.  Well 3 miles up the road to the village to buy some necessary items.  One long street with a roundabout at the top with the Guildhall.  This is usually the beginning of the marketplace.  This is fairly commonplace in most small towns and villages.

On to Aberdeen.

About 6 p.m. dined and then went in to view city, a lovely city in its unusual way.  Very straight streets and large concrete uniform buildings, very wide streets are definite-planned third largest city in Scotland it is rich in history too This city is situated where the rivers Dee and Don meet.  A 48 Bell Carillion is rung daily.  St Nicholas Church, Carillion.  It is a city that cares.  Rose gardens divided the streets and line nature strips.  Skateboard parks and bicycle lanes cut hills apart.  The fish market is quite long.  We saw semi trailers with the boxes of fish along the highway.  Here too we see all dogs on leads as in England.  Have not seen one dog running free.  People take them with their children in caravans & cars.

To bed.

Tuesday, 1st September, 1981                       cold and chippy

Breakfast, showered and off towards Dundee.  Went for a drive first to see the North Sea and the port.  Cobblestones line the shore at low tide - very little sand.  Drove to Stonehaven 1 1/2 miles south of Aberdeen.  Stopped at Dunnotar castle, the last castle to be held by the royalists.  It is a spectacular fortress on a rock by the sea.  Much of the castle is 14th century and well preserved.

Dunnotar Castle, Stonehaven, Scotland

The view is breathtaking - very stimulating walk up and down to the castle.  Sir Walter Scott wrote "Old Mortality" about the castle -  the character being a real-life stonemason "Paterson"

Stopped at Arbroath, a small town that was celebrating the pageant of its abbey, where Scotland's "Declaration of Independence" was signed in 1320.  The village of Auchmithie nearby is the scene of Scots "Antiquary" the musselcrag.

John was keen to see St Andrews, the oldest golf course in the world.  It was cold and windy so we drove through the castle and headed for Falkland Castle - a mediaeval town we wanted to see but we missed the turnoff so continued on to Kirkcaldy an industrial large town on the Forth of Firth.  We are staying here over night and then on to Edinburgh. 

Inverness to Kirkcaldy, Scotland

Loch Lomond to Inverness

Friday the 28th August, 1981                       Fine hot & sunny

Breakfast, showered and walked through town again to browse through antique shops.  Had coffee and began our trek to Loch Lomond.  I love the lyrical voices of the Scot - can't understand him but we managed to communicate.  The land and houses are different.  Land is more barren and far more forestry, houses are symmetrical and uninteresting.  Radio Scotland brings a giggle from us with it's staid programs, but Scotland promises to be interesting as we head north. 

Along the highway (A86) with heavy trucks and fast cars passing us rapidly, we trundled into Glasgow - an industrial, drab city, old buildings without character, acres and acres of housing.  Homes are great grey stone buildings.  We found American Express, collected a much looked forward to letter from Karen - our first contact with home - and continued on our way to Loch Lomond.  We had lunch on the A86 with heather all around us.

At Dumbarton we pulled into a garage to have the battery checked, the little redheaded mechanic was most obliging but we couldn't understand a word he said, we all looked at each other and somewhere in Sandra's brain a word clicked and we all vacated van which was what he wanted us to do.

With acid added to the cells we were on the road again to Loch Lomond.  Five minutes later we saw the Loch. 

Words can hardly describe this place.  A light mist lay over the whole of the lake given a blue hue.  The water is so still it is the reflection from the hills pictured in the still waters.

So here we are in Loch Lomond-caravan park ₤3 with the beautiful scenery around and horrible little midges eating us alive.  We had one awful 10 minutes at dusk when we couldn't find the repellent.  The weather continues to be beautiful and fine.

Sunday, 29th of August, 1981                  fine & misty

On the road early this a.m.  The Loch is still covered in the blue mist; it’s peculiar because the mist is only on the water and above it.  Ben Lomond's outline could be seen in the mist it is very mystical and awesome feeling being here early morn, no wonder the Scots can define their feelings in the bagpipe.

Loch Lomond is 23 miles long and 1.5 miles wide with 30 isles dotting the loch.  On the high lands we noticed pipers selling their wares and playing the bagpipes high above the high lands with only the passing cars to keep them company.

Cataracts poured their crystal clear ice cold water down the hill sides as we passed by.  Over the high lands and through to Glencoe.  

Here we stopped for morning tea to visit the Glencoe Museum.  Here in 1750 the posse of Campbell’s massacred the MacDonald clan after being given rest and food for 12 days.  I love the names we are now coming upon.  “Allt –Nan- Ros” hotel - “Inchree-tick a nick” all Scottish flavours.

We paused at Ft William - they were having a tarbundy (a carnival) on Loch Linnie.  It is a small town with the largest mountain in Scotland shading it.  Ben Nevis is 1343 feet above sea level.  Ski lifts dotted the side of all mountains and we passed.  We saw so many hikers and cyclists.  The Scots people are very health-conscious - they have such lovely places to go.  Travelled along Loch Lochy - all the lochs were like glass - not a breath of air disturbed the surface. On to Ft Augusta - there is an ancient abbey here.  We walked over to see if the lochs were working but all the boats had passed down for the day.

About another hours motoring brought us to Loch Ness - here all eyes were out to find the illusive monster but no luck.  We saw Castle Urquhart and Loch Ness Museum plus the camp at Inverness but nothing else here.

Sunday, the 30th of August

Here we are for a day's break from travelling.  We are in Inverness camping area - the nicest we have been in.  Plenty of entertainment around for all.  All I wanted to do is sleep and read but have so much to do with writing, sending cards, cleaning van and washing.  Last night Sandra took Sean and Rae across the road to a pleasure fair; prices were cheaper; prizes mean but the kids had a great time - came home laden with posters and gonks.  Sandra came home tired.  John went to the Ice Rink hotel next door.  As we settled to sleep a riot developed in the streets nearby - police quickly broke it up.  Besides the fair is a go-kart-minigolf and ice skating rink.

The ice cream van called Mr Softice plays William Tell to attract attention.  You can find them and T-bar bands anywhere from the top of the highlands to the shores of the lochs, down small lanes, on highways, anywhere tourists may pass.

After cleanup we drove out to Culloden, where in 1746 Bonnie Prince Charles fought his last fight against the English Hanoverians under Lord Cumberland.  Hundreds fell and Charles was hunted till he flew Gaelic shores and went to France.  The Jacobites built a cairn in memory of the fallen ones.

We had lunch there after seeing a movie on Scots history.  Now I know why I had an adverse reaction to "have you any books on kings and queens of England?"

We returned to camp, children hired bikes for £1.5 for 5 hours.  We all went for a walk along the river Ness whilst children rode bikes without worrying pedestrians.  We crossed a suspension bridge to isles in the middle of the river which brought us out into town.  Strolled round town then came home to bacon and scrambled eggs tea.  We are having leakage with the gas so it was a nervous cook and assistant.  After tea we strolled across and had a game of minigolf.  A laugh a minute.  Set in a beautiful rose garden - the tees were made of fibro.  We noticed so much here and in England, are cheaply made but attract many visitors in summer.

Sean came home with a piece of white heather - very scarce, but he had picked it from a museum's garden.  Wonder we didn't end up in jail.

 Written on a memorial in Inverness

 Fear not that I have for nought

The torch ye through to us is caught by

10,000 hands

And freedoms light shall ever be high

We’ve learned the lesson that ye have taught

In Flanders field

Loch Lomond to Inverness