Dunblane to Dunkeld

The fastest way to get from Dunblane to Dunkeld in Perthshire, Scotland, is along the A9. The distance is 38.8 miles and the time about 50 minutes. It is 0.4 miles shorter to go along the A822 through Muthill, Braco and Crieff but takes an extra 11 minutes. Few eleven minutes are better spent. The A822 is a most wonderful road and a more attractive hour's travelling it would be hard to find. Here are no great mountains, no magnificent lakes, no sea views or deep woodlands. But the open vistas of the rolling countryside on a sunny early evening are beyond words.
I took about fifty photos out of the car window as GB drove along and another four when we stopped briefly in Glen Almond. Discarding 18 as of too poor a quality I was left with 36 photos from which I chose the following in the hope of showing you what people miss if they zoom up the A9.
















 

Dunblane Cathedral

On the way up to the Isle of Lewis we stopped for a walk around Dunblane and its cathedral. Here is a black and white photo essay. Most of the pictures are self-explanator but I must mention that this first one is a 10th or 11th century Christian cross. It's amazing to think that a cross made of sandstone has been around for a millennium and is still in such good condition.















 

Ambling from Ambleside

On Friday GB and I ambled around Ambleside (in the Lake District of North West England) for part of the morning. I was delighted to get a pair of boots of a type which I have been seeking for a couple of years - and at an incredibly cheap price.


We then went over Dunmail Raise and around the 'back' of Thirlmere up to Keswick for coffee. It rained en route but stopped by the time we got to Keswick.



In Keswick we looked in our favourite art gallery where the paintings of Edward Hersey very much attracted me.


Our next break was at Dunblane where we had some lettuce, pea and herb soup at the Beech Tree Cafe. It was as tasty as it sounded (though I would have preferred it slightly hotter). Of course, it doesn't help if you take time off to do crossword clues and take photos! We had a walk around the cathedral - all of which will be blogged at some stage in the future.



In the meantime here are a couple of pictures of figures on the rood (or should it be rude?) screen.


I added to my collection of inn signs with the Tappit Hen - but what was a Tappit Hen??? It seems that the expression is Scots and means both a crested hen and a large mug with a knobbed lid.



Our next stage included the very attractive road from Crieff to Dunkeld. We ended up staying at the Royal Dunkeld in Perthshire - the gateway to the Highlands. A most enjoyable day's rambling. And now, bed calls!