Scotland part three - Pitlochry (pit-lock-ree)   

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The hotel owner Jim suggested during breakfast that we take the walk along the River Trummel and then River Garry, to Killiecrankie, about five-miles west, since it was going to be a light rain day. 

He said to ask the tea shop person at the end of the walking trail to call us a cab to get back, which we did. 

note - you can enlarge any part of a picture by left-clicking in and then out again.

ped bridge over River Trummel River Trummel fall color Scotland Hydro
  pioneering fish ladders there's a big pipe connecting each section seasonal salmon counter
fish & eggs in the rain   fireweed is everywhere  
    in the woods native red squirrel (web photo) 
a leisurely two hour walk bridge at a waterfall   a curious trail walker
  clever erosion control River Garry rainy day walk
Scottish National Railway        
  Soldier's Leap overlook & end of the trail Killiecrankie      

Once back at Pitlochry, Paul and I returned by car to Killiecrankie to visit Blair Castle, while Doris stayed in Pitlochry to do some shopping. 

The self-guided tour was very informative, but photos were not allowed inside the Castle. 

A lot of old military kit (like swords and lances and early rifles and pistols) was on display inside. 

Outside afterwards, Paul and I checked out the walled garden. 

Blair Castle driveway  splendid architecture   portrait of legendary Scottish fiddler Neil Gow
  fall color on overcast & rainy day   the royal harem of a red deer  
  walled garden    
  yellow flowers on a grey day   a sense of history
espalier fruit tree method pears photos of past garden keepers  
formal gardens require generations of gardeners photography goes back to the mid 1800s a royal view

That night we found great food in an old Pub just up the hill, and, a little later we found good music in a pub just down the hill, on the main road. 

Pitlochry has a pleasant small-town feel.   

   

We enjoyed our few chats with Jim, the B&B owner, shown below, during our stay. Both mornings we slept in a little and had breakfast near the end of the serving time, which meant we dined with the husband & wife owners & their small staff, who were all pleasant Polish women, with blond hair & pale blue eyes. They work in the service sector here, sending money back home to support their families.  

They reside in third floor dormer rooms, in this attractive stone building. The owners, guests, and workers thus create a small upstairs-downstairs community, making this an interesting place to stay.   

Because we took his advice to go on yesterday's walk, Jim was friendly on the second morning and he complimented the three of us for being "relaxed Americans", taking it as it comes, compared to so many younger Americans he sees who try to maximize the # of things seen every day, often driving way too much.

In the second photo he's holding a photo of his grandmother which has just been given to him by a town resident who knew her.  It was completely unexpected, he said, that someone you barely knew would just walk up and hand you this.  

Before we left Pitlochry, we stopped at the old railway station. 

Jim   railway station
Paul older station newer one

Then it was two hours on the freeway to Edinburgh, and we had our first ever freeway traffic circle experience, a mix of cars & tractor-trailers, and it was pretty interesting, politeness being the norm here. 

Fortunately we were there mid-day during a low traffic period.  

go to next page - Scotland part 4, Edinburgh

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