Jim and Hamish's "Scotland 2008" Tour

[Hamish]

Leaving Aberfeldy by General Wade's bridge, we took a quiet and probably more picturesque road to Kenmore, a delightfully unspoiled village with an exceptionally wide main street:



The village church being at one end and the imposing gateway to Taymouth Castle, once home to the Campbells of Breadalbane, at the other.



The castle was long since sold - its Deer Park is now a Golf Club and its buildings now converted to holiday apartments and cottages!
Having revived some of his early memories of Kenmore, we then drove along the northern banks of Loch Tay to Fearnan, a small hamlet with many new houses built since Jim's family moved south to Somerset over 50 years ago. In spite of the changes, he found the house in which he was born and spent his very early years, but he chose not to knock on the door. A few minutes of mixed emotions and we were on our way again. We stopped at Killin to look at the famous Falls of Dochart, and to savour a cool drink at the nearby pub, but the doors were locked (at 11.40am)!! In disgust, we drove on through Glen Ogle to Lochearnhead and along the banks of Loch Earn to Comrie, where we bought sandwiches and very welcome freshly squezed Orange juice.

Approximately 25 miles later we reached Crieff, an unimpressive wee town that had obviously known better times! However, on its southern outskirts we came across a modern development with a large Waterford/Stuart Crystal retail outlet (from which I could not emerge empty-handed!), and across the road, the headquarters of The Scottish Tartans Authority of which I am a Life Member. Several weeks earlier, I had been in touch with Brian Wilton there to check that he might be 'in residence' should we drop in. He was and we did, and what a very pleasant and welcoming man he is. Jim and I were surprised to find him not in a kilt, but casual t------s! His excuse being that he spends all day sitting at a desk, meeting very few people unless he is on official business elsewhere, and so finds t------s more practical - an explanation we reluctantly accepted! Brian is a busy man who seems to run the day-to-day administration and, I suspect more than that, virtually single-handed. He told us that he is hopeful that the new Scottish Government's involvement with the creation of an official tartans register, will provide funding for Brian to have assistance in his work, and I hope that comes soon - he deserves it. A quick photo:



and we were once again on our way. This time, at Brian's suggestion, heading north from Crieff through the spectacular Small Glen and then taking a seldom used, single-track road cross country back to Kenmore. What a treat to the eye this proved to be; wild, open mountainsides with sheep roaming everywhere, amazing views and the narrow road which plunged and climbed at every turn. It might hve been a bit of a challenge for the driver (poor Jim) but he managed it all with his usual behind-the-wheel talent. From Kenmore, we retraced our morning route back to Pitlochry where we were just in time to catch MacNaughton's rather well-known shop before they closed for the day. Jim resisted some of the temptations with greater strength than did I, who came away with four pairs of kilt hose, a pair of flashes, a new CD by Ally Bain and Phil Cunningham (my favourite Scottish musicians) - oh, and a classy Clan fridge magnet! We eat that evening at a popular restaurant in the town, having to wait about 45 minutes for a table - The Auld Smiddy Inn.

To be continued.