Scotland: East Neuk and The Highlands in August
Aug 28th, 2022 | 07:47 PM
#1
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Scotland: East Neuk and The Highlands in August
We had a wonderful trip to Scotland at the beginning of August. Thanks to those who provided suggestions, especially janisj.
This was a family trip that started with me and my 18-year-old son; his dad joined us after four days, and my 24-year-old son joined us two days later.
Day 1: We arrived in Glasgow, picked up a rental car, and headed for St. Andrews. The rental car had very low mileage but was already quite a bit the worse for wear - probably the most dinged-up I've ever seen. We photographed it in addition to going over the checklist of pre-existing damage with the rental agent. Apart from the condition of the car (it was clean and comfortable inside - we rented a small SUV because my older son is 6'3") we had a good experience with the rental - Avis - the people at the counters in Glasgow and Inverness airports were extremely helpful. Getting anyone on the phone was impossible, though.
The drive to St. Andrews was easy. I would not have wanted to drive any further on the first day. I stalled in stop-and-go traffic a couple of times (haven't driven a stick for several years) but quickly got the hang of it again. I find when I drive a stick in the UK my biggest problem is that my right hand keeps wanting to shift. My son was deputized to remind me "drive on the left" every time I made a turn. I adjusted pretty quickly.
We had reservations at a B&B outside St. Andrews, but a few days before the trip they had to cancel our reservation for unspecified construction difficulties. They were very helpful about finding an alternative, however, and I was able to book a two-bedroom flat through airbnb. The flat was modest but clean and comfortable, and the owner was very accommodating. It was about a 10-15 minute walk from downtown and very quiet at night, which was nice. We were lucky to be able to check in as soon as we arrived (I had asked about dropping off our luggage and learned the cleaners were coming 1st thing that morning, so we didn't have to wait until the normal check-in time) so we took a short nap and then walked downtown. We walked up and down South and Market Streets and then down to West Sands (the beach that appears in the Chariots of Fire credits) so I could stick my feet in the water (no, I didn't run down the beach).
Our stomachs were still not on local time so we walked back through town, picked up some food at the Tesco, and had a light dinner back at the apartment.
Day 2: We spent the morning exploring St. Andrews a little more, including the cathedral ruins and museum, and St. Mary's college (I have friends who met there). Then we drove down to Crail. We bought sandwiches from a shop on the main street - I neglected to keep a receipt, so I can't remember the name - and ate on a bench overlooking the water. Then we walked along the coastal path for about an hour and a half. It was a beautiful, sunny, windy day. The picture is looking north towards Crail from the coastal path.
We hadn't completely planned for a long walk so we returned to the car and drove down the coast through several other villages, stopping at the Elie Ness Lighthouse, where we got out and walked for a while again. Then we drove back up to Anstruther, were we had dinner at The Waterfront. It was the first of several fish and chips dinners for me and was delicious. After dinner we drove back to St. Andrews.
Day 3: We checked out, grabbed a quick breakfast at a cafe on Market Street, and headed north towards our next destination, Grantown-on-Spey. We stopped at Dunnottar Castle and enjoyed it immensely. As we headed further on and approached the Cairngorms the weather became a bit more threatening, but we were extremely lucky and the showers always seemed to be just over a hill from where we were. The driving was challenging; our GPS steered us into a very scenic single-track road. It was like a roller coaster in places. I did pull over a couple of times to let people go around me - I was not going to drive the same speed as the locals! We stopped in Ballater to see the station built there for Queen Victoria because my son loves trains.(He was very disappointed in the gift shop - it didn't sell any train-related items; he thought that was a lost marketing opportunity.) Then we stopped in Tomintoul for tea. We already had dinner reservations for 7:30 in Grantown-on-Spey so we were not in a hurry. We continued on our way and arrived at RossMor B&B with time to relax and change before dinner.
I cannot say enough about RossMor. The proprietor was extremely helpful and personable; breakfast was great; the room was comfortable. We loved everything about it.
Our dinner the first night was at the Wee Puffin. For a small restaurant they have an extensive menu; I had a vegetable lasagna that was very tasty. Several people were turned away as we were sitting there - reservations are a must at most of the smaller restaurants in the area.
Day 4: On the spur of the moment we decided to visit the Highland Wildlife Park, a little over half an hour away from Grantown-on-Spey. It is in a beautiful location and they seem to do a good job of educating people about endangered local wildlife (although one of the biggest draws, the polar bears, are imports). The park offers a combination of a drive-through section and a walking section. We spent about two and a half hours there. For lunch we had "wee frankies" from a food truck in the parking lot. Then we drove to the Highland Folk Museum, an open-air museum and heritage center, and spent a few more hours there. We returned to Grantown-on-Spey and had an adequate dinner at the Grant Arms Hotel.
Day 5: My sons' dad was arriving in Inverness in the early afternoon, so we visited Cawdor Castle and Culloden in the morning, then headed to Inverness. I wouldn't have minded a little more time to walk around the town. We had a late lunch at the Black Isle Brewing Co., which has a good selection of beer and pizzas. We returned to Grantown-on-Spey; we had reservations at No. 7 Bistro, again at 7:30. Before dinner we spent an hour or so at the Claymore Bar (all of these establishments were on the main street or within a block of it, and all within walking distance of the B&B). No. 7 Bistro has a much more limited menu than the Wee Puffin but the seafood is wonderful. We had a chowder that was delicious and full of all kinds of seafood, not just filler. Again we saw people being turned away who didn't have reservations.
Day 6: We had planned a hike and were lucky to have a beautiful, sunny day. We hiked near the Cairngorm Reindeer Center. Our original destination was the peak of a hill called Meall a' Bhuachaille, but we took a wrong turn and spent some time on a trail that did not go through. It was still a beautiful walk. We found our way to the trail we were looking for (these are well-used paths) and went about 2/3 of the way up the hill. The views of the Cairngorms were spectacular, with the hills covered in purple heather.
We didn't miss lunch because breakfast was so filling and we had some granola bars and nuts with us. After the hike we stopped in Aviemore for snacks and then returned to the B&B to clean up. We had dinner in Grantown-on-Spey at Craig's Pies. All they do is pies, but they have a good selection; between the three of us we had a vegetable, a steak, and a chicken pie, and all three were delicious.Day 7: We regretfully checked out of RossMor. My older son was flying into Inverness and arriving at lunchtime, so we drove up to FIndhorn, a little town on the coast, to spend the morning, and walked along the beach there. We grabbed a hot chocolate in town and then picked up my son in Inverness. Our next destination was near Thurso so we could be close to the ferry to Orkney. On the way we visited Dunrobin Castle. We checked into the Auld Post Office B&B in Spittal-by-Mybster, a few minutes from Thurso, which is a lovely B&B with two rooms in the house and a cottage "annex." Dinner was at the Ulbster Arms Hotel, about a 10 minute drive from the B&B; I had fish and chips, and the others had a burgers or breaded haddock. Everything was good. Then we returned to the Auld Post Office for a gin tasting. The proprietors have an extensive gin collection and will do tasting evenings by reservation. It was a lot of fun - I would highly recommend it.
When we checked out of the Auld Post Office we headed to Orkney. I'll put those notes in a separate post.
I would love to return to the East Neuk Villages and spend more time there, perhaps walking the whole coastal path. And I would love to spend a week in the Cairngorms. But honestly, I've never been to a part of Scotland yet that left me feeling "OK, I don't need to go back there." I would gladly return to any of the areas we've visited.
This was a family trip that started with me and my 18-year-old son; his dad joined us after four days, and my 24-year-old son joined us two days later.
Day 1: We arrived in Glasgow, picked up a rental car, and headed for St. Andrews. The rental car had very low mileage but was already quite a bit the worse for wear - probably the most dinged-up I've ever seen. We photographed it in addition to going over the checklist of pre-existing damage with the rental agent. Apart from the condition of the car (it was clean and comfortable inside - we rented a small SUV because my older son is 6'3") we had a good experience with the rental - Avis - the people at the counters in Glasgow and Inverness airports were extremely helpful. Getting anyone on the phone was impossible, though.
The drive to St. Andrews was easy. I would not have wanted to drive any further on the first day. I stalled in stop-and-go traffic a couple of times (haven't driven a stick for several years) but quickly got the hang of it again. I find when I drive a stick in the UK my biggest problem is that my right hand keeps wanting to shift. My son was deputized to remind me "drive on the left" every time I made a turn. I adjusted pretty quickly.
We had reservations at a B&B outside St. Andrews, but a few days before the trip they had to cancel our reservation for unspecified construction difficulties. They were very helpful about finding an alternative, however, and I was able to book a two-bedroom flat through airbnb. The flat was modest but clean and comfortable, and the owner was very accommodating. It was about a 10-15 minute walk from downtown and very quiet at night, which was nice. We were lucky to be able to check in as soon as we arrived (I had asked about dropping off our luggage and learned the cleaners were coming 1st thing that morning, so we didn't have to wait until the normal check-in time) so we took a short nap and then walked downtown. We walked up and down South and Market Streets and then down to West Sands (the beach that appears in the Chariots of Fire credits) so I could stick my feet in the water (no, I didn't run down the beach).
Our stomachs were still not on local time so we walked back through town, picked up some food at the Tesco, and had a light dinner back at the apartment.
Day 2: We spent the morning exploring St. Andrews a little more, including the cathedral ruins and museum, and St. Mary's college (I have friends who met there). Then we drove down to Crail. We bought sandwiches from a shop on the main street - I neglected to keep a receipt, so I can't remember the name - and ate on a bench overlooking the water. Then we walked along the coastal path for about an hour and a half. It was a beautiful, sunny, windy day. The picture is looking north towards Crail from the coastal path.
We hadn't completely planned for a long walk so we returned to the car and drove down the coast through several other villages, stopping at the Elie Ness Lighthouse, where we got out and walked for a while again. Then we drove back up to Anstruther, were we had dinner at The Waterfront. It was the first of several fish and chips dinners for me and was delicious. After dinner we drove back to St. Andrews.
Day 3: We checked out, grabbed a quick breakfast at a cafe on Market Street, and headed north towards our next destination, Grantown-on-Spey. We stopped at Dunnottar Castle and enjoyed it immensely. As we headed further on and approached the Cairngorms the weather became a bit more threatening, but we were extremely lucky and the showers always seemed to be just over a hill from where we were. The driving was challenging; our GPS steered us into a very scenic single-track road. It was like a roller coaster in places. I did pull over a couple of times to let people go around me - I was not going to drive the same speed as the locals! We stopped in Ballater to see the station built there for Queen Victoria because my son loves trains.(He was very disappointed in the gift shop - it didn't sell any train-related items; he thought that was a lost marketing opportunity.) Then we stopped in Tomintoul for tea. We already had dinner reservations for 7:30 in Grantown-on-Spey so we were not in a hurry. We continued on our way and arrived at RossMor B&B with time to relax and change before dinner.
I cannot say enough about RossMor. The proprietor was extremely helpful and personable; breakfast was great; the room was comfortable. We loved everything about it.
Our dinner the first night was at the Wee Puffin. For a small restaurant they have an extensive menu; I had a vegetable lasagna that was very tasty. Several people were turned away as we were sitting there - reservations are a must at most of the smaller restaurants in the area.
Day 4: On the spur of the moment we decided to visit the Highland Wildlife Park, a little over half an hour away from Grantown-on-Spey. It is in a beautiful location and they seem to do a good job of educating people about endangered local wildlife (although one of the biggest draws, the polar bears, are imports). The park offers a combination of a drive-through section and a walking section. We spent about two and a half hours there. For lunch we had "wee frankies" from a food truck in the parking lot. Then we drove to the Highland Folk Museum, an open-air museum and heritage center, and spent a few more hours there. We returned to Grantown-on-Spey and had an adequate dinner at the Grant Arms Hotel.
Day 5: My sons' dad was arriving in Inverness in the early afternoon, so we visited Cawdor Castle and Culloden in the morning, then headed to Inverness. I wouldn't have minded a little more time to walk around the town. We had a late lunch at the Black Isle Brewing Co., which has a good selection of beer and pizzas. We returned to Grantown-on-Spey; we had reservations at No. 7 Bistro, again at 7:30. Before dinner we spent an hour or so at the Claymore Bar (all of these establishments were on the main street or within a block of it, and all within walking distance of the B&B). No. 7 Bistro has a much more limited menu than the Wee Puffin but the seafood is wonderful. We had a chowder that was delicious and full of all kinds of seafood, not just filler. Again we saw people being turned away who didn't have reservations.
Day 6: We had planned a hike and were lucky to have a beautiful, sunny day. We hiked near the Cairngorm Reindeer Center. Our original destination was the peak of a hill called Meall a' Bhuachaille, but we took a wrong turn and spent some time on a trail that did not go through. It was still a beautiful walk. We found our way to the trail we were looking for (these are well-used paths) and went about 2/3 of the way up the hill. The views of the Cairngorms were spectacular, with the hills covered in purple heather.
We didn't miss lunch because breakfast was so filling and we had some granola bars and nuts with us. After the hike we stopped in Aviemore for snacks and then returned to the B&B to clean up. We had dinner in Grantown-on-Spey at Craig's Pies. All they do is pies, but they have a good selection; between the three of us we had a vegetable, a steak, and a chicken pie, and all three were delicious.Day 7: We regretfully checked out of RossMor. My older son was flying into Inverness and arriving at lunchtime, so we drove up to FIndhorn, a little town on the coast, to spend the morning, and walked along the beach there. We grabbed a hot chocolate in town and then picked up my son in Inverness. Our next destination was near Thurso so we could be close to the ferry to Orkney. On the way we visited Dunrobin Castle. We checked into the Auld Post Office B&B in Spittal-by-Mybster, a few minutes from Thurso, which is a lovely B&B with two rooms in the house and a cottage "annex." Dinner was at the Ulbster Arms Hotel, about a 10 minute drive from the B&B; I had fish and chips, and the others had a burgers or breaded haddock. Everything was good. Then we returned to the Auld Post Office for a gin tasting. The proprietors have an extensive gin collection and will do tasting evenings by reservation. It was a lot of fun - I would highly recommend it.
When we checked out of the Auld Post Office we headed to Orkney. I'll put those notes in a separate post.
I would love to return to the East Neuk Villages and spend more time there, perhaps walking the whole coastal path. And I would love to spend a week in the Cairngorms. But honestly, I've never been to a part of Scotland yet that left me feeling "OK, I don't need to go back there." I would gladly return to any of the areas we've visited.
Last edited by Barbara_in_FL; Aug 28th, 2022 at 07:50 PM.
Aug 28th, 2022 | 10:32 PM
#2
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 75,010
Likes: 50
Sounds like you had a great trip and had some nice accommodations. Looking forward to the Orkney leg . . . Oh I see you already posted it -- headed there now 
I have photos taken from that exact same view point in Crail . . .
I have photos taken from that exact same view point in Crail . . .
Aug 29th, 2022 | 07:15 AM
#4
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Our reservations in Grantown-on-Spey were made about a week in advance. At other places, like the Ulbster Arms hotel during our second week, we called the same day - I got the impression the biggest reason to call ahead was to make sure someone was still in the kitchen. People mentioned staffing issues everywhere we went.
Aug 29th, 2022 | 07:25 AM
#5
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St. Andrews
The coastal path south of Crail
Elie Ness Lighthouse
Dunnottar Castle ruins (how in the heck did they get horses up there?)
My travel buddy
View from Dunnottar
Approaching the Cairngorms
The view from our window at RossMor
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