20140427 From Glen Esk to Arboyne

My cooking lesson at the House of Mark in Glen Esk may have been my downfall, or perhaps it was something else.  At any rate, me up all night with ptomaine left us unable to leave as planned Sunday morning. Instead, Allen read in our room, checking the bountiful bird life out the window, while I slept.  Our host couldn't have been nicer about it (after all, what else was he to do - throw us out?).

But we finally headed out in the early afternoon for a short hike so I could get my sea legs before we got in the car.

Moss and lichen grown on anything that doesn't move. Really.

Who knew there were daffodil farms in Scotland?

A sign we'll see often in the days to come.  Our drive today takes us along the edges of Cairngorms National Park and we see just a bit of the majestic and splendid hills as a teaser.

And as we are also to learn in the days to come, indescribably beautiful scenery abounds in the Cairngorms.

Our destination for two nights - alas, not longer because they were booked - is Struan Hall in Aboyne, our favorite B&B place to stay in all of Scotland.  The owners simply did absolutely everything right.

Our trip map so far:

Aboyne is right on the fabled River Dee, an area also known as Royal Deeside because of its proximity to Balmoral Castle, the Queen's summer home originally built by Queen Victoria.  Dinner restaurant was also right on the Dee, which is also a world-renowned salmon and trout fishing river.

Mushy, but I like the photo, so there.

Arboyne is a fancy town, first built for wealthy folks who wanted to hang around Balmoral, then as a retirement town for the rich, and is now full of young families with oil money. It's got a lot going on for a town you've probably never heard of before.