Home -> Europe -> Scotland -> Travelogue 2001 -> Sunday 23 September

To the north east coast

We eat away the liquor of the night before at breakfast, though we are quite late. Today we want to see the north coast, east of Inverness. Well, to be honest, this area attracts us less than other parts of Scotland. That is also the reason we don't make many pictures this day.

We have to pay a visit to Cullen, a town on the coast where Cathy was born and raised. Then we drive on to Gardenstown and Crovie.

This is the best part of the day. Both villages are build against steep cliffs and Crovie is so narrow that even the locals have to park their car outside the village. It has the potential of becoming a ghost-village since not even all 40 houses are inhabited anymore.

There used to be a path at the bottom of the cliffs between Gardenstown and Crovie, but it is partly destroyed by storms. The cliffs are quite high above the sea and the roads towards the villages are very steep.

In Fraserburgh we take a coffee break and have a conversation with the waitress about fashion. She is very interested in fashion, she tells us, but her clothes are probably out of fashion for 30 years or so. But she is very friendly and that is much more important. Not many people in Scotland wear clothes dictated by fashion and why should they, for whom?

From Fraserburgh we take small byways to the south and pass Fyvie Castle, a big country house with 5 strange turrets which symbolize the 5 different families who have lived in this castle from the 13th century until now.

The weather is suddenly getting worse. Teije has a few prehistoric sites on his list he wants to visit, but since the heater of the car doesn't work, we decide to go straight back to Beauly from Inverurie. No, of the whole of Scotland, this part doesn't appeal to us, at least the north coastal area. More to the south is Aberdeenshire, with lots of prehistoric sites and castles which we find very interesting.

It is warm and cosy in the pub of the hotel, unlike our car. The heater of the car doesn't work from the beginning and sometimes Teije's fingers are numb with cold after a long drive. But we don't want to lose time by changing the car or have it repaired, it will cost us at least half a day.
And again, we go to bed late: it is just too enjoyable sitting and talking with Iain, the grumbling, but very warmhearted bear and the nice and gentle Cathy. They really are a fine couple. The hotel, the Caledonian, is simple and clean. The pub needs redecoration for years already, but we like it the way it is. A great place to be when you get along with the people. And just because of them, we have chosen to stay the whole week here.

Travel through Europe and Africa

with Elisabeth and Teije