Got home late last night from our 2 day tour with Lynn's friend Agnes. Our motivation behind the trip was to meet up with Lynn and her group of students and staff during their activities week. They are doing an "Across Scotland" trek ... hiking, biking, kayaking from Mallaig, ending up at Spey Bay ... camping along the way. Ugh. Tux, Agnes and I were happy in our little Pine Bank Chalet in Aviemore. Ironically Lynn's group ended up in the camp ground just across the main road from us - they were supposed to be at a camp site about 5 miles away but they got to Loch Insh a bit early so they decided to bike a bit further. Lynn "sneaked" over and spent the night with us.
Wednesday Agnes toured Tux and I through some of the area. We did an hour and a half walk around Loch Eilean - there was an island on the loch with old castle ruins on it (photo). We grabbed lunch at Ballindalloch Castle (photo - a tiny figure of Agnes in the doorway) and then played 9 holes of golf at the Ballindalloch Golf Course (photo of entrance with sheep keeping watch). Boy, you could sure tell you weren't playing golf in OC ... there was an "honor" system where you paid for your round by slipping the money through a slot in an envelope and then you just walked on the course. We were the only ones on the course - wild!!
Stretched our legs again in a small fishing village, Aberlour, walking along the River Spey - the river Lynn's group is kayaking down. During our drive we were in the heart land of whisky distilleries - every couple miles you saw another one. The scenery was amazing, rolling green hills with sheep, cattle and crops scattered as far as the eye could see.
A wonderful 2 day trip thanks to Agnes! What a tour guide!
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