Today, our short & scenic drive from Bridge of Allen to Pitlochry started with Laurrie & I being locked in the Muthill cemetery. We stopped to look at a ruined church. While we were wandering through the graves; someone padlocked the gate. With a great deal of dignity, on a very busy street, we climbed over a 6' stone/picket fence. Strange experience! Picture here is of Muthill's high street.
Resuming our journey we followed an old Roman road. As we entered the central highlands, we were again amazed at how extensive the range of heather. It covers everything from the moorlands to the tops of the highlands. It becomes so dense & woody, controlled burns are required to keep the fields open for sheep & hunters.
From the highlands we would dip down into stands of magnificent spruces, their blue green coloring occasionally broken up by brilliant giant red beeches.
Besides the million sheep, some highland cattle; there are lots of brillant colored pheasant. Philip is the only one among us to see a black pheasant. No amount of explaining about the sun being behind the bird, making it appear black has dimmed his enthusiasm for spotting the rare & unknown black pheasant.
Whoops-you can't get there from here. Our Roman Road suddenly ended due to modern day construction. (Scotland signage leaves much to be desired.) After backtracking we finally arrive at our destination (with the driver still relative calm) only to find ourselves in the middle of a bike rally with most of the streets closed.
By sheer dumb luck, we find our goal, Edradour, Scotland's smallest distillery.The tour was interesting. The making of whiskey is almost identical to Kentucky bourbon. Barley is used instead of corn.Their fermenting barrels are made from Oregon wood & aging barrels come from Kentucky bourbon.
Heading back to Sterling, we pass mile after mile of stone fences. Some of the fences go straight up incredibly steep hills seemingly to disappear into the clouds.
Diesel is expensive,about $12 a gallon.
Our last stop of the day is the Drummond Castle Gardens. Very formal & a bit bizarre unless you crave oddly shaped trees & shrubs. (given the trimming the deer are giving my gardens; I gazed a 2nd time at the Drummond Gardens with renewed interest). Some more pictures of these incredible gardens are below:
And here's one of the two castle heaps at Drummond:
Well we're back to our temporary home. Time to sign off.
