In search of Nessie

We had a lovely night in a 300 year old inn at Bankfoot and headed off to explore Scotland and find Nessie (the Loch Ness monster).

First stop for the day was Blair Castle. It is unlike other castles we have visited in that it is very bright an light inside but once again photography wasn't allowed except

for the ballroom. It is fair to say that the family like deer hunting. There were antlers everywhere, not only here in the ballroom but they lined the passages as well. There was a chair and light fittings made from a antlers, taxidermy heads here and there and a whole deer laying in the entrance hall. I know a certain boyfriend who would've been in heaven. There was also a massive gun collection. Blair Castle has its own regiment though we didn't see them.

The castle grounds are a huge parkland planted with so many beautiful trees.

In centre of it is this enormous walled garden which is both productive, lots of fruit trees, and decorative.

Long wide paths go all the way around the garden, great for the daily constitutional. Running a few laps around here everyday would do me.

A lake in the centre with lots of birds making their home here including.....

this lovely lady and her three babies, what a treat. In the previous photo, the white spect on the other side of the lake is her mate out stretching his legs, saying hello to Ross.

Heading further north we were greeted by snow on the mountains. There aren't a lot of places to stop and take photos (though Scotland is better than England) so sometimes you have to share the view with some cheeky bikers who took great delight in being part of my photo.

When we got to Loch Ness the weather wasn't great, drizzling and really cold, but we made the most of it with a drive along the less travelled and narrower road on the eastern side. 

At Fort Augustus, which at the bottom of the Loch Ness, not something you see everyday. It is one of the lake cruise boats holding up traffic as it passes through town.

We travelled half way along the other side of the lake (no sight of Nessie) to our castle accommodation at Dingwell.

TOODLES