Life at Willis Creek Ranch: Highland Folk Museum to home

Friday, July 1, 2016

Highland Folk Museum to home

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

(Part 2 of this day - too much for one post!)

After our brief stop at the Inverlochy Castle Hotel (and our 'Hairy Coo' sighting!) we headed north on the A86 toward Aviemore. This took us into Cairngorms National Park on our way to the Highland Folk Museum.

As Anna notes, our family can find a dam to visit anywhere... turns out, even in Scotland! We stopped at the Laggan Dam on the River Spean in the highlands. It did not disappoint! We smiled when two tour vans stopped and joined us there at the overlook. I guess visiting dams isn't just our own strange family tradition. :D ha!

beautiful flowers growing out of the rocks across the road

Laggan Dam

Yay for Jennifer driving!!

We saw lots of 'crossing' signs...

this one made me think of Marvin. :)

and this one just made us laugh out loud!

in Cairngorms National Park

And the weather was intriguing, like most places in Scotland! :D We literally went from freezing cold with hoods up as we entered the place, to sweating in shirt sleeves at one point... then back to chilly again. So funny... but you learn to never put layers away, just carry them in piles on your arm. :)

Highland Folk Museum -
outdoor living history museum in the highlands

the Highland Cottage

in front of the Highland Cottage

Jennifer found this digger and decided to try it out...

they are well prepared for rambunctious school groups!

they have fun activities like this throughout the museum

the 1700's township

baby had a hard night?? :D

the Newtonmore curling club hut and pond is there
at the Highland Folk Museum

Made me think of Alyssa! :D

We walked into the Knockbain School in the main section of the museum. It reminded us so much of American schools from this same era. Mama said it reminded her of her own 6th grade classroom. :D

In the Knockbain one room schoolhouse

We ate lunch in the museum cafe; I had a smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich. Not bad for the location.

We got back in the car to head south toward Pitlochry and the Edradour Distillery. Pitlochry is a lovely, picturesque town and, like Dunblane, would be a great place to come and stay awhile. They have apparently won numerous prestigious flower show awards.

Julie recognizing the flower show awards :)

Once again, we were later than we had intended to be so were too late for the distillery tour. However, Heather was kind enough to take us around the shop and provide us with quite a lot of information about the process and the different types of whiskey. We had chosen this distillery for two reasons, and a third presented itself during the trip. First, it is the smallest traditional distillery in all of Scotland with only 3 full time employees making the whiskey. They are actually the last distillery to hand make single malt production. Second, they have a Nepal connection! They have a whiskey bottled specifically in honor of Nepal with all proceeds from the sale of that whiskey donated to Nepal Earthquake Relief. We were quite impressed by that! And finally, they sponsor the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra! Another lovely 'coincidence' that caught our attention. We let Heather know all the reasons we had chosen them as encouragement to continue those efforts.

We had hoped to purchase some of their whiskey and have it shipped home, but they were unable to ship to the States. So, we bought one small bottle just to try. Ironically, I discovered while on this trip that a little dram of whiskey helps my cough when just about nothing else will! :D I told Marvin I went to Scotland and came home a whiskey drinker! Ha! (although I think I drink about 3 Tbsp. at a time!)

Poor Jennifer - having to try to 'raise' us women while on the trip. I got into a huge coughing fit in the car and Julie decided to try to give me a little whiskey in the lid of my water bottle. Problem was we all got so tickled about it that we were in danger of spilling the whole lot. Finally Jennifer hollered in her best 'parent on a road trip' voice, "If we get pulled over and this car smells like whiskey...!!" :D Ha! Just made us laugh harder!

Julie laughing too hard to pour
the whiskey in my bottle cap. :D

Then it was home to Edinburgh with a quick stop at Sainsburys to pick up items for dinner. Chicken Korma tonight. :)

Links of Interest -

Scotland Accommodations -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/07/scotland-accommodations.html

The many faces of Arthurs Seat -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-many-faces-of-arthurs-seat.html

Life at Willis Creek Ranch

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Friday, July 1, 2016

Highland Folk Museum to home

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