Eastern Scotland

From Stirling to Fife

Breakfast shortly after 7 am, and we set off with a decidedly clear sky. We decided to revisit the center of Stirling with sunlight. The view was wonderful, plain below and of wind-battered castle It is one of the most interesting Scottish castles, built in the 14th century but expanded and modified in the 17th century.
Culross: a walk to the partially destroyed church on the hill, where the parish church is located in the choir. We also visit the interior. narrow and steep streets, with high walls surrounding it. The town, it's just around 8:30 AM, is starting to wake up on this holiday morning, while the sun shines but doesn't get very warm due to the cool breeze. The houses are attractively colored and well-decorated with flowers.
Dunfermline: We can park in the city center and only stay for ten minutes. Let's go see the exterior of this beautiful Benedictine abbey, you cannot enter as there are ongoing Sunday ceremonies where six Scottish kings are buried. It was also the capital of the Scottish kingdom on several occasions. The city center also deserves a much longer visit.
Kinross, on Loch Leven, which has an island in its center where the ruins of a castle are located. The island seems very far away and we don't think it's worth taking a boat to see just a few stones, whose history we don't even know. It also doesn't have much aesthetic appeal.

East Neuk, Falkland and St Andrews

Falkland: parish church, when the Sunday service has just ended and the pastor is chatting with the parishioners, it creates a nostalgic image. The whole scene is further enhanced by the presence of an elderly gentleman returning home in a kilt. It's interesting to note how churches dedicate separate spaces at the back for socializing, complete with cups and teapots. This is something that Catholic churches normally integrate into their parish halls. Outside, the wind is strong but not unpleasant. We take a walk around this country where everything is well-maintained and the residents pay great attention to detail in their homes. Few cars are seen circulating. narrow alleyways and along the Falkland Palace.
East Neuk: Earlsferry, St Monans and Crail. We stop to see the church surrounded by from a green as old cemetery, located on the coast of the North Sea, in the area where the Firth of Forth flows into it. In Crail, we have lunch by the picturesque harbor, where... a fisherman is repairing his boat patiently, the boat and the lobster traps They are waiting under the sun for the next dive.

From Dundee to the Highlands

There is a path that connects the various villages of the East Neuk. It feels like being in the Cinque Terre.
We are surprised by how little there is going on, despite the beautiful weather, the still warm season, and the holiday. Following the coast, we reach St Andrews: it's the city where the game of golf was invented, but we dedicate our attention to what remains of the magnificent cathedral and... castle nearby The first one is particularly interesting: imagining it in its original state, it must have been something impressive. The side walls, columns and rose windows remain, as well as the central tower, but there is no longer any trace of the coverage. The stones were stolen after the destruction to build the houses of the city. Large nearby cemetery It is believed that St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, is buried beneath the cathedral, whose cross symbolizes the national flag. According to tradition, the relics were brought here by a Greek monk, while construction of the cathedral began in 1160. The streets of the town are also worth visiting.
Dundee: We cross the long bridge over the Tay River, along which an old railway bridge runs, now destroyed by the elements. We only see the Unicorn ship... the oldest British warship, and the three-masted ship Discovery. It is a city that was once the main center for the production of jute, as well as where citrus marmalade was invented.
Glamis Castle We only see it from a distance, surrounded by greenery; it's located in a charming and well-maintained village. Nearby is the birthplace of the writer who created Peter Pan.
Blairgowrie, which we reach by driving along beautiful country roads, and then continue to Dunkeld, a town on the Tay River banks. Here too, you can find an interesting cathedral skeleton. A section has been closed, again for the purpose of obtaining the parish church. Many tourists are strolling and enjoying the pleasant late summer weather. We are now on the A9 heading towards Inverness, ascending towards Pitlochry and the Killiecrankie pass, almost without noticing it due to its low altitude, which is already devoid of tall vegetation but with vast expanses of heather. As we continue, we encounter long queues of cars returning from a horse riding event. There are also countless trucks for transporting horses: it must have been a major event.
Blair Castle, residence of the dukes of Atholl: it is a completely white castle with beautiful surrounding meadows. The sun is already setting, but we continue on the same path of Dalwhinnie, where we also see the exterior of a typical Highland whisky distillery, namely Newtonmore and Kingussie, where we find a lovely hotel with a richly decorated room. Dinner consisted of haddock, prawns, and steak pie, cooked in beer with a bread crust on top, while drinking local beer, Nessie. The temperature was almost always around 15 degrees, so we were happy to be able to turn on the electric heating in our room at night.