06-07-2022
We only have two items on our agenda for today, so it's a leisurely morning. Ginger makes scrambled eggs, using up all our leftovers in anticipation of an early departure tomorrow morning. We're off to visit Cawdor Castle, one of the few castles in which the owner actually resides! It has been continuously occupied by the same family for six hundred years! The Dowager Countess Cawdor is now 78 and lives in the castle during the off season. When the tourists are around she lives in another home that she has on the estate.
Before arriving at the castle we stop for gas where a "gentleman" mansplains how to fill a gas tank. I wasn't impressed. I told him I was waiting to be sure the gas was paid for and he told me that you don't have to do that in Scotland. Well, yes you do because we had to do that at the last fill up! Then he showed me how to remove the nozzle and stuck it in the car and told me I had to squeeze the handle. He's pretty lucky I didn't squeeze him!
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| The yellow virburnum is outrageous and the aroma surrounds you! |
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| A picture-perfect castle! |
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The motto of the Thane of Cawdor (yes, of MacBeth fame!) But the castle wasn't
built until 300 years after Shakespeare wrote the Scottish play. |
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The symbols of both houses in the family lineage are prominent; but the gremlin at the bottom
represents the Campbell clan! |
The castle grounds are perfectly manicured, with enormous trees and magnificent gardens. The Lady of the Manse adores geraniums and there are some in EVERY room! There is an audio guide with snippets of information about every room that is open to the public. They are told by two different people and are short enough to keep your attention, and filled with interesting history and fun stories. In addition, there are guides who know all there is to know about the family and the castle. They are a charming addition to the tour.
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| The musicians' balcony |
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| The family symbol, the stag, over the fireplace |
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| Geraniums everywhere |
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| Stunning tapestries to keep the castle warm |
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The Tapestry Room, although the staff called it Room Number Seven because
that's the number of the bell that would be rung for service. |
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| Everywhere! |
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| Such an unusual chair! |
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The Countess was born a princess in Prague! At nineteen she owned her own PR
firm and she also was a professional model! |
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| Detail of a bedspread |
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| Everywhere |
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| I love the fire buckets above the modern fire extinguishers. |
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| EVERYWHERE! |
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| a Charles Addams cartoon! She collects modern art! |
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The castle was built at this location because the earl turned loose his
donkey so he would choose a location and the donkey fell asleep under this tree. The castle surrounds the tree, although it has been dead for centuries. It's a holly tree. |
And there is a gift shop. We are told that Countess Cawdor is actively involved in selecting the unusual stock!
After touring the castle we are free to explore the amazing gardens in full bloom! Exquisite!
We are feeling a bit hungry and think perhaps we'll try the Cheese and Tomatin that Gaven recommended yesterday. We tell Gwyneth where we want to go; but she takes us into Inverness! I guess there are two of them and the one in Tomatin doesn't show up on her list. She drops us at a dead-end in the middle of town. It's the first time she's let us down! We decide to head to the distillery and hope for a restaurant along the way. Well, that doesn't work and so we go straight to the Tomatin Distillery. And we're too late for a tour, as they are all filled up. We really didn't care about the tour, just the tasting! Another surprise, Marilyn isn't allowed to taste because she is driving! The amounts we are given are barely visible. On the plus side, the little girl feels badly for us and doesn't charge us! And she teaches us how to get just one drop of water to add to the liquor, by pouring some water into a glass, then pouring it out. That leaves just one drop of water! And it really makes a difference!! What was a surprise! And another was that I really liked their peaty one; But a bottle of Cu Bocan single malt costs 145 pounds! Guess I won't be doing that!
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| The Pedro Ximenez is pretty wonderful, too! It should be!! |
We get directions to the Three Bridges Cafe which is down the road. It's also closed! Drat! We just go home and visit our friendly neighborhood store once again! We have pizza and chicken (not pot) pie and a big salad for dinner. It's delicious and much cheaper and it lets us get finished early. We have to have everything packed and in the car tomorrow morning by FOUR and that includes stripping all the linens and leaving the apartment in tip-top condition.
We take the big suitcases down today so we only have what's necessary for getting dressed to put in the car in the morning. Google maps had said the trip was two and a half hours; but Gwyneth says it is three and a half and in case she's right, we're leaving an hour earlier than we had planned originally. It will be a really early night for everyone!!
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