Day 31 August 11 we visit Blair Castle.
We set of for Blair Castle in light rain; the future outlook was for the weather to clear. After entering the gates we drove through a beautiful avenue of mature trees for about ¾km before reaching the car park. We walked about 400meters through manicured gardens crossing a small footbridge over a rocky stream before reaching the castle. The castle did not have the usual stone look being painted white all over. Small artillery guns were at the ready to the right of the main entrance. The walls of the entry hall were decorated with many old style flintlock rifles, all with fixed bayonets as well as the occasional sword and deer antler; we moved on to a long hall of about 100metres (my estimate ) it was adorned with many stag antlers. All the carpets were red. In the many beautiful rooms displays told of the history of the castle, the land, the ruling monarchy and the Clan Murray family. We spent three hours of interest before we reached the huge ballroom at the end of our tour. We lunched at the castle cafe.
We next set off for a new shopping complex we should visit we had been told about; on the way we stopped to view a water wheel attached to a bakery in a stone building; the wheel turned the mill to make the flour for the bakery.
The shopping centre was built in the traditional style of the towns in the area; not the modern styles we see in New Zealand. We did not buy any goods; just window shopped.
Our next visit was to a scenic viewing point high in a beautiful forest. We overlooked a lovely lake bounded by forest and farmland with small white dots in the paddocks; these were sheep a long way down below us. In the distance could be seen the mountains around Glencoe, an area we had visited several days ago. I bought a small book of Scottish jokes at the locality shop. Rain was still falling from the skies; it did not clear ‘til we were back at our B&B around 4pm.
At 5:30pm we went for a short walk and found a restaurant; we dined well.
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