Visiting Friends in Scotland
In September 2013 we went to see our friends, John and Julie.
They live in a coastal town just outside of Edinburgh.
You’ve met them before during some of our ski trips and in Dublin.
John and Julie always take us on the best walks!
It’s fun to hike and catch up on life.
When we arrived, we went to Roslin Glen Country Park.
It is a wooded park in the North Esk Valley, near the village of Roslin and where you will find Rosslyn Chapel.
Rosslyn Chapel was founded in 1446 and weekly services are still held there.
The Chapel is also the setting for part of Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code.
That night, we went to Delhi’s Winter in Linlithgow for Indian food.
They serve authentic Indian cuisine in a modern setting.
John and Julie eat there several times a month and I quickly figured out why.
What a delicious meal!
Thank you, Raj.
We loved every bite and we’ll see you again soon!
Hopefully.
The next day was a full day of exploring and it all started at The Hermitage and Braan Walk, near Dunkeld.
The woodland path led us through majestic trees and over bridges showcasing dramatic waterfalls.
If you look closely, you can see salmon jumping:
See him?
We followed a narrow path up a small hill and all of a sudden it opened up into a large field with stunning views.
From there we headed to the charming town of Dunkeld for a bite to eat.
Spill The Beans Cafe serves homemade soups and cakes as well as sandwiches on homemade bread.
Be sure to look them up if your travels take you to Dunkeld.
Also in Dunkeld is Dunkeld Cathedral, built from 1318 – 1501.
It is partially in ruins from the Reformation in the 16th Century, but it is still a working church with services every Sunday.
The cathedral is located where the River Braan joins the River Tay.
Our next stop was The Queen’s View in Highland Perthshire.
It is called ‘Queen’s View’ after Queen Isabella who visited the site in the early 14th century.
I read that Queen Victoria believed it was named after her when she visited the area in 1866.
It seems they just let her believe that.
Regardless, the view is phenomenal and definitely worth a visit.
Our last walk of the day was in Killiecrankie at Garry Bridge.
The scenery was beautiful!
And so were the cows:
Isn’t he incredibly adorable?!
This guy gave John his best sad face:
And it worked!
We hiked to Soldier’s Leap where a government soldier, Donald MacBean, jumped 18.5 feet across the river to avoid being captured after the Battle of Killiecrankie on July 27, 1689.
We didn’t attempt the jump, but we watched loads of leaping salmon fighting to get upriver.
There were so many of them!
They rarely made it on their first attempt:
But we cheered every time one of them succeeded.
Such a fun day of sightseeing!
That night John made Braised Pork Belly for us.
W O W !
It was melt-in-my-mouth fantastic!
You can find the recipe HERE.
The next day we went for an early lunch at The Park Bistro in Linlithgow.
And then walked it off at Muiravonside Country Park.
The park covers 170 acres of field and forest.
We followed the River Avon Heritage Trail to the historic Avon Aqueduct.
It is the longest and tallest aqueduct in Scotland and the second longest in Britain.
That night we went to Edinburgh for dinner at The Witchery.
It is located at the top of Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile.
I love the vibe and beauty of Edinburgh.
Especially Edinburgh Castle, the iconic fortress that dominates the skyline of the city.
Before that terrible thing called saying goodbye, we went to Taste Cafe for one last meal together.
Our friends frequent their cafe for a good reason.
So good!
What an amazing couple of days.
Thank you for everything, John and Julie!
Whether it’s at your house, our house, a random city, or on the slopes… we’ll see you again soon!