Thursday, October 10, 2019

MENU's UK Adventure 4. From Edinburgh to Rothes in Speyside

The next part of our journey was to go North, through the Cairngorm National Park to Rothes in Speyside,
a small town in the centre of the Speyside whisky area, where we were to stay in an old Inn for four nights

First we had to collect our hire car, a Vauxhall (Opel) Crossland X, from near Waverley station in Edinburgh
We made sure this one had SatNav

We packed the car and said a fond farewell to Edinburgh, planning to come back some day soon; it's a lovely city

The road north is very, very beautiful. You travel though small villages and lots of forests

We stopped for a short break next to this old hotel to eat our sandwiches

It is on a very pretty river, calm below the bridge

Above, it was quite turbulent as it rushed over a weir

Herb Robert, a plant found all over the British Isles, especially in late summer

The SatNav, irritatingly, kept trying to take us the long way round. We wanted to drive through the Cairngorm National Park. We had to ignore the GPS which made us detour for quite a long way. But it was so worth it. High hills and mountains covered in purple heather. In the winter, this is where you can come and ski in Britain; there is a lot of snow. The posts alongside the road show the position of the road when the hills are covered in deep snow and the snow ploughs have to come out to clear the road

Our amateur botanist looking at what is growing alongside the road

and, in the grass, a rain kissed blue Harebell

The road continues through Braemar where the famous Highland games are held in September every year
We could not get a photograph of nearby Balmoral Castle, where the Queen lives for part of the year
and during the games, as it is hidden behind trees
This is the smaller Braemar castle. You can visit both
Sadly, we arrived at 5pm, just as they were closing. Onward!

The dark purple patches are the heather on the hill

These ancient narrow stone bridges are quite daunting to cross as they are very steep,
so you cannot see what is on the other side until you reach the top. They are only one lane wide

The Eastbank Hotel, where were we were to stay for four nights

Our room was the two windows on the left of the first floor of the stone building, with good triple glazing

Rothes High Street, where we could park

The courtyard at the back

It was very comfortable with a huge bed. We needed it as we had both come down with a very bad flu and cough
(it appears that it was Covid, long before anyone heard about it!)
and spent one entire day in bed, trying to recover

Space to sit with our laptops

And a comfy sofa which can become a sofa bed if you have children. We booked this on Booking.com
A large bathroom with shower  is through the door on the left

Downstairs in the bar and the restaurant, where we ate breakfast most mornings

Our first experience of a full Scottish breakfast. John started with muesli, orange juice and coffee
and then had the full cooked breakfast

This was on day two when Lynne asked just for just one egg, no black pudding, half a slice of haggis and no baked beans
It is a huge feast and we just couldn't manage it all

Glen Rothes distillery is in the town and was a previous owner of the hotel

The whisky bar in our hotel. They say they have 108 whiskies to try
Sadly, the staff was not very clued up or available, as they were busy chatting to friends in the other bar,
so we only went to taste there once
Which was a great pity and a missed opportunity as this is where you can taste some whiskies without driving anywhere

The owners' dog who was very unhappy with his collar which prevented him licking his wound

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