Built for the Armstrong family, as in heavy engineer. First a few statistics, I know stats are boring, bear with me. The idea is to give you a flavour of the size of the estate. 6 miles of roads. 40 miles of footpaths. 7 car parks. Yes its a big area, so big that they have an on site shuttle bus service.
With the Armstrong background in engineering the house is fitted with many innovative labour saving devices, great for the boys who like toys. The house and grounds are well worth a visit. Make sure you allow plenty of time to visit the various sites around the estate, the pump house, power house, water wheel, iron bridge and formal gardens. Ho, and on the way around play with the interactive toys. Keith did. See if you can find the flutterbys in the pictures, no prizes.
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Phil, you are right, what a wonderful piece of engineering. We took a boat ride which takes from the lower basin on to the wheel and up to the higher level. From there you travel a short distance along the upper canal, turn around and return to the lower lock via the wheel. We recomend it, see the pictures.
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I would hope that most of us are aware of the history relating to this site. I have heard people say that places at which brutal events happened have a certain feeling about them, we can confirm that. To appreciate the level of violence, the associated deaths and the aftermath you have to visit this site. No photo that I could take would convey the raw beauty of the location. The National Trust for Scotland have done a magnificent job in creating a visitor experience.
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Although these are some distance apart I will include them in one blog as they are both managed by historic Scotland.
Fort George is on the shore of the Murray forth and was constructed following the Jacobite uprising. It is still use as an army garrison. We enjoyed our visit, it helps that you do not have to explore it in any particular direction, the audio tour guide is designed to allow this. An interesting place complemented by the scenery.
Stanley mill, located on the river Tay about seven miles north east of Perth. The first buildings were started about the same time as the fort to process raw cotton using water wheels to provide power. It was in use, with some gaps, for around two hundred years under different owners. In that time it was extended and modernised. It finally closed in 1988. In 1995 it came into the ownership of historic Scotland. Part of it is now open to the public the rest of it as been converted for housing.
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You will have to see the pictures to appreciate this. While we were at Dingwall we fed the birds with seeds and sultanas. One blackbird became very brave, to the extent that he would stand in the doorway if there was no food out. We left the jar containing the sultanas outside, so what did he do, help himself? When he could no longer reach them, he tipped the jar over.
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I have seen an Osprey on two consecutive days at the same place. The first day I witnessed it catch a fish.
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www.ecoventures.co.uk A trip out to see the dolphins. It was good fun and we saw some dolphins. Have a look at the photos, there are some dolphins in there, honest. The pictures of us in waterproofs are worth a laugh.
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Thought about listing beers I have tried, three problems:
- One, I cannot remember them all.
- Two, there are to many.
- Three, it is a matter of taste.
Breweries. The Black isle, Cairngorm, Isle of Skye, Orkney brewery, Kinlochleven, and others.
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I suspect, like many others, we have seen images of the Italian Chapel at Lamb Holm, Orkney. You have to see it in the flesh to appreciate the skill of its creators.
Lyness, Isle of Hoy. This is the site of the Scapa Flow museum which is housed in some of the buildings which formed part of a massive military base. The main exhibition is housed in the pump house. The pumps were steam driven and were installed to pump heavy fuel oil to and from the ships. The original boilers, pumps and associated equipment are worth preserving in its own right. The remaining oil tank contains other exhibits and is used to show a film.
Signs of the logistics and infrastructure associated with this base are evident. Its own railway, standard and narrow gauge Accommodation for up to 40,000 service personnel, a cinema, laundry, etc. 11,000 tons of fuel oil. Vast amounts of stores. Workshops to manufacture boom nets.
The first enemy plane shot down. First bomb dropped. First civilian death as the result of an air attack.
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Albert took us to see a pair of the above birds. These are very attractive, shy birds so, to see a pair with a chick was a real pleasure. Like lots of people Albert expressed his concern about the decline of bird populations and the low breeding rates.
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