ADVENTURES IN SCOTLAND
Saturday - Day No. 10 - Arrive in Aberdeen
Our short flight from France to Scotland was over in a blur. We arrived as it poured down rain and the green rolling hills of Scotland mid to late morning. My friend and her husband had already arrived from the south of England. We discovered that our rental car was a smaller sedan and with a car seat in the back, it was going to be a tight squeeze. It was so tight, we had to lay the umbrella stroller on our laps in the backseat. Even so, the pack ’n play my friend was nice enough to let us borrow simply would not fit in the car. We asked the rental counter if we could leave it there. The lady at the counter didn’t seem to be too perplexed over the matter and graciously took the pack ’n play and placed it behind the counter. My husband and I were all the more happy not to have to lug that thing around anymore.
Not wanting to waste time, my husband encouraged us to stop by the Glenfiddich Distillery. It was still raining a bit, but that did not stop my husband from wanting to look around the estate. Soon though the rain started to pick up and we had to take shelter in the gift shop. This was not a problem for my husband either. He was in awe of all the bottles of whisky and had the largest smile on his face as he pursued the high-price, old-age bottles. I just wish we could have purchased a whole slew of whisky for my husband to take home, but, alas, whisky is not cheap and we had a bag weight limit for our journey back to England. Although my husband was still very happy, I had to hide my disappointment that we only bought two bottles.
We were all famished so the restaurant at Glenfiddich seemed like a good idea for some lunch and to start our journey of whisky tasting. The lodge was delightful and warm and provided a nice respite after our somewhat short but tedious journey through winding roads and heavy rain. We enjoyed our warm meal, pleasant company, and delicious whisky and we all were able to catch our breath a little.
We then traveled to find our Airbnb lodgings in the Glenlivet region of Speyside. The rich green hillsides were a lovely sight after a long hot California summer. The region looked nothing like the Pacific Northwest being that there were more fields than trees in the Scottish countryside, but the greenery was still a sight for sore eyes. We arrived at The Mill slightly after our allowed check-in time and we were all blown away with the house. The Mill was indeed a mill until the 1940s, but nothing was left out in the remodel of turning the old mill into a vacation house. The view from the living room was breathtaking and the old exterior balanced well with the modern interior and was just what I was looking for during our stay in Scotland.
We all found our rooms and took a moment to unpack a few things. Since we ditched the pack ’n play at the car rental counter, I was glad to see not only a bed set up for my son but also blankets. Downstairs was a whole basket of toys and books that my son immediately found and emptied. After our initial entrance to the house, we were introduced to the owners and were given more information about the house and the lay of the grounds. Megan kept a very organized house and the slight touches of making sure we had little food and even a pitcher of milk in the fridge was splendid. I don’t think we will ever visit the same area in Scotland again, but if we do, I would return to The Mill for another stay.
Having arrived and found that things were in order, we all decided to take a jaunt into town for food and dinner. We were hoping to catch part of a football game and if we were lucky we were hoping to see my friend’s husband’s favorite team. Some tried the bangers and mash, of course, while I tried a burger with a gluten-free bun and fries. My son ate a little but was more interested in the gambling machines that were in the pub. Bless her heart, my friend spent a lot of time with my son “playing” with machines while my son’s eyes were brightened by all the lights and noises. Worn out from our travels and excited for our time with friends, my husband and I encouraged the group to go back to The Mill for a glass of wine and an early night. Thankfully, my friend and her husband agreed and we all made our way back to our temporary home in the Scottish Highlands.
Sunday - Day No. 11 - Huntly Castle, Lunch at the Castle Hotel
The next morning we woke refreshed and replenished. We had a lovely breakfast of toast and jam, cereal and fruit, and, of course, coffee. I was bound and determined to see at least one Scottish Castle while in the area and thankfully Peter quickly helped me with my search. I was disappointed to discover that it was not possible to visit Balmoral Castle being that, typically, the Royal Family is in residence during the early autumn months. Nevertheless, I pushed on. We ventured first to a castle nearby. For the life of me, I can’t remember the name. We could not even drive up close enough to be sure if it was a castle or just a few stone ruins. I decided to go hiking in the mud and drizzle to move on to another castle; the castle at Huntly.
Thankfully, there was a small town that welcomed us rather than a dirt road. Even the road that led to the castle had a lovely archway way that seemed to give a sense of grandeur to the avenue. As we pulled up to the castle I noticed immediately that it was a castle ruin, but with the sun rays peeking through trees, the castle looked like a place out of a fantasy novel. My son had fallen asleep in the car and my husband was unbelievably kind to stay with him while my friend, her husband and I explored the 12th century castle.
At first, I was impressed by the amount of structure that had survived for so long a period. There were a couple of levels near the walls of the castle still intact and some details adorning the entry and a fireplace. The narrow, dank hallway led to a sort of dungeon and farther down it was possible to see different rooms associated with the masters of the castle. The more stately room was nearly nonexistent except for the ornate fireplace mantle and the wall structures that would have surrounded the grand room. It is hard to put into words, but I will do my best. There was something quintessential about the ruined castle surrounded by lush, green fields and even down to the bright green moss that invaded the structure. It all felt so very much like Scotland. The Scotland I had imagined, yet different, maybe even special somehow. Needless to say, I found the Scottish air to be most agreeable.
After our perusal of the 800-year-old castle and grounds, we found my husband with a wide-awake toddler. Thinking that my son would like to run around and stretch his legs, I directed us toward a path behind the castle. There was an old stone bridge and a fast-flowing river below. We stopped for a moment to take some photos, but also to remark on how strange the river looked. The River Deveron had a brown hue, but not a color that looked like mud. It resembled more of the rich amber-to-chocolate shades that could be found at the surrounding whisky distilleries. Even the smell was something of a mixture of peat, grains, and greenery. The scent was strange at first, but I started to take a liking to it as we continued on our walk.
After the bridge came an extensive path that led to some sort of large estate or place in the distance. I swear the scene looked like a setting out of a Jane Austen novel. I was overwhelmed with excitement by the thought and also of the adventure of finding out what the place in the distance was. The large house turned out to be the Castle Hotel. As we approached the front of the hotel the mist that had begun during our castle tour had turned into a fairly steady drizzle. We found shelter in the side lobby and discovered that it was the perfect time for lunch. We were seated directly and we had a lovely meal of tarts, goat cheese soufflé, lamb, sole, and a little dessert. We took our time eating the exquisite meal and relaxed under the sound of soft rain beating against the six-pane windows. With the comfort of the room, the deliciousness of the meal, and a couple of whisky samples, we were all wishing that our final destination was the luxurious hotel. Sadly, we departed and started the long walk back to our car. Thankfully the rain had dissipated and the cool stroll was a welcome activity after our rich meal.
Monday - Day No. 12 - Dufftown and Departure
The next morning we relaxed for a bit at The Mill and I let my son play as much as he could before departing from our temporary home. Thankfully our morning breakfast and a tranquil ambiance, we cleaned, packed, and made room in our bags for all the whisky that my husband had purchased. I returned the house key to Megan and thanked her over and over again for the hospitality we received. Finally, we squeezed into our small rented sedan and ventured out of the Glenlivet Estate and towards Dufftown.
The air was a bit chilly as we entered the small town of Dufftown. Thankfully, the weather was not supposed to include rain so our travels went pretty smoothly. We all semi-fell out of the small rental car and took in some of the cool, clean Scottish air. Not famished, but wanting to eat before our hour-long drive to Aberdeen and the airport, we stopped at The Stuart Arms Bar and Restaurant for our slightly early lunch. None of us were brave enough to try the haggis on our trip, but we were satisfied with our comfort food choices.
My son was a little fidgety at the table after his meal and being done with my food, I took him outside for some fresh air and exercise. There was a slight drizzle, but neither of us seemed to mind. I covered my son’s head with his hoodie and then he was off and running. We explored some of the streets near the main street of town. I loved walking along the quiet streets and seeing the lovely architecture of stone houses.
My son and I rejoined our group back at the car near the restaurant and squeezed back into the small sedan. I knew that my husband and I were asking a lot of my son with an hour-long car ride and a late flight. With that in mind, I was so glad that we both had the opportunity for some fresh air and stretch our legs. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time, which allowed my son more time to run around. I hope that he was not too obnoxious at the small airport, but I was bound and determined for my son to get out as much energy as he could. Thankfully, we boarded our flight without much hassle and then we were on our way to Gatwick and a couple of days in Hastings. I was starting to get a little weary of travel at this point, but I hoped a couple of days by the seaside would provide some calm and rejuvenation.
Lessons Learned
Again, if traveling with little ones, book with Airbnb places that have things for kids like a pack-n’ play, toys, books, and strollers, or rent them.
Research the different distilleries to check on age requirements if traveling with young kids.
Be open to exploring and not following a strict schedule. Sometimes it’s nice to stumble across things like our finding the Castle Hotel.