The actual name of the small fishing port where we stayed for the last two nights is Findochty. It lies 3 miles east of Buckie. We stayed in a small campsite right on the sea front. I adored it. After I wrote the blog last night Debbie and I took the dog for a walk around the small harbour. I was reprimanded by Debbie for pointing out that one of the fishing boats we looked at moored to the harbour wall had a liferaft overdue for service. I know I know!
Sat on the harbour edge looking out to sea was this fellow.
I have no idea who the artist is or what it represents. But I love it. The facial expression is one of longing for the sea or perhaps waiting for someone to return from sea. Either way it really made an impression on me.
Sunset over Findochty harbour.
As we were walking back to the van I saw a lady collecting sticks off the pebble beach. She chose each piece of wood carefully. When she was finished I asked her what she was up to. Sandy who had moved here from Yorkshire makes knitted birds and perches them on the sticks she collects. She already had ideas for each stick. The dog thought the sticks were for her.
We awoke to full sun beaming into the van at 5am. I forgot to draw the blind over the sunroof window. We packed up and set off South to Stirling. Why Stirling you may ask. You will see tomorrow.
We took the scenic route as we had all day. Taking mainly B roads, (short for bloody terrible!), we made for Huntly in the middle of nowhere. This is serious farm country. Up and over hills on single track roads not often used by loons in camper vans. The road surface tested the vans springs and the ability of the fridge to keep its contents within. We had to stop as this little beastie was staring at us.
The road continued into the Cairngorm National park. We had travelled north up the west side of the park on our way to Buckie. Now we travelled south down the east side, passing Balmoral Castle. The car park was mobbed so we kept going until we reached Braemar. Again all the car parks were full so we found a spot in the car park at the Braemar highland games park. Photos on a big notice board nearby attest to the fact that the Royal Family are frequent visitors. I had been through this town before when I did a tour on my motorcycle. To me it is quintessentially Scottish. I particularly loved the look of the Fife Arms Hotel. A peek inside revealed what I would call a proper old hotel that has stood the test of time and stayed true to its traditional values.
The road south from Braemar rises up to pass the Glen Shee mountain resort, passes the most wonderfully named settlement of Spittal of Glenshee (where four Glens meet), drops down into Blairgowrie and Rattray before skirting Perth and dropping into Stirling. This stretch of road is like Arthurs Pass back in New Zealand. Beautiful, twisty and scenic with still remnants of snow on the higher peaks. You have to concentrate when driving this stretch of road.
We are here for two reasons which will become clear tomorrow. But here is a clue.
Not the caravan!
It has been another day of fabulous roads, amazing scenery and meeting lovely people. Well most of them. The roads for the most part have been reasonable. Like a lot of roads in the UK they need repairing in a lot of places. But they snake through some of the most lovely pastoral scenery around. I had no idea how remote some parts of Scotland really are.
Todays distance: 175 miles
Total distance: 2274 miles.
Woodend Wanderer 