Well, these unprecedented times put paid to our planned USA roadtrip, but coming to Scotland, although different in these circumstances has at least been possible, maybe poshmumsjourneys can start a little sooner – without the usual travel lag or indeed getting over cheap in-flight wine alongside the dehydration. Follow our Scottish alternative road roam………..
Have you heard of The Kelpies, monstrous metallic equine structures, the largest of their type in the world. Set amidst a space for nature lovers, think canal life, a lagoon and wetlands, see how many beautiful marsh bird species you can spot!
The scenery here is so breathtaking, one can almost taste delicious fresh water fish as we gaze into rushing currents….and happily no masks required as we greedily indulge ourselves in moments of rare tranquil normality! The local ales are quite something too, Devon Ales does a decent range, I loved the 90 shillings, but said driver relished a 70 shillings shandy…….
A few nice places to stay in Scotland:
Dakota Hotel Edinburgh https://www.dakotahotels.co.uk/edinburgh/ think dark glass and chic decor, with a smart grill restaurant. Well located for Edinburgh and surrounding area. Look out for the deals which include breakfast and a dinner allowance.
Rumbling Bridge Loft, Kinross. https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/34914046?source_impression_id=p3_1600362592_RgPeD7oTEYCXr0e6 cool, clean and comfortable loft apartment, extremely well-equipped and a thoughtful and very generous breakfast hamper is provided. Do the Rumbling Bridge Gorge walk nearby, bring your boots as it can be muddy. Well worth the effort! Dining at the Inn at Muckhart is your nearest option if you don’t plan to cook, the steak pie (with sausage of course!) Is recommended, alongside Devon Brewery ale.
Blackaddie Country House, South West Scotland in Sanquhar. See https://www.blackaddiehotel.co.uk/ this hidden gem is well situated for visits to Dumfries and surrounding areas, but its crowning glory is the amazing food, both for dinner and breakfast, lovingly cooked by a renowned chef who has written several books – look out for autumn deals coming up and splash out on high end fine dining right on the river Nith. Can recommend the amazing hogmanay package too, complete with a capable piper, just bring your walking boots to work up an appetite as you won’t want to miss a morsel!
Merlindale bed and breakfast Crieff see https://www.merlindale.co.uk/ prepare to be blown away by such outstanding hospitality, and a huge clawfoot bath extremely welcome after walks in the Crieff area. Very good value too. Breakfast is exceptional and there are several decent options nearby for dinner within walking distance.
Never tire of fantastic scenery, helps to kind of belie these challenging times somewhat. Whatever remains after all this there will always be nature. Here are a couple of images from the Trossachs national park:
Our knowledgeable and helpful host at the https://www.merlindale.co.uk/ suggested the scenic drive below, we were so glad he did, enabling us to snatch the above scenes en route:
Moving on to the Ayrshire coast, we visit Seamill, a tiny village close to Largs, known as the Craft Town because of the individual craft studios. The beach is beautiful, unspoilt and tranquil.
Largs is quite something and is extremely busy on sunny autumn days. It’s still possible though to find a secluded spot away from the main bay.
Sadly, as lockdown was eased in June 2020, the British weather seemed to become a perpetual wet season. We have been so fortunate then to make our visit to Scotland in mid September, when the amazing scenery and beautiful sunshine belied the world’s ongoing international Covid 19 crisis. 2020 teaches us to appreciate what we have whilst we can, and to remain strong and positive as we continue to face new challenges.
