Sunnday — A Rest Day in the Highlands

Sunday morning turned into another rest day. My legs were feeling pretty heavy after fishing and then walking 18 holes of golf the day before — roughly 15,000 steps all told. The good news is that my hip seems to be getting stronger. Each day it requires a little less effort as I work my way around these links courses.

I stopped by the Co-op to pick up a couple bottles of wine and had an encounter that felt straight out of central casting for an English gentleman of a certain generation.

Around the corner came a very proper fellow — starched shirt, necktie, blue blazer, pressed slacks, and leaning on a walking stick. As he approached, he called out to the shop worker,

“You there, young man — have you any Guinness?”

The clerk replied in a thick Highland accent,
“Aye, we have Guinness draught in the can.”

The gentleman paused for a moment and replied with mild disappointment,
“That will not do… I must then explore the brandy.”

He scanned the shelf, spotted a bottle and announced with satisfaction,
“Oh — the Martell at twenty-eight quid. You have saved the day. Well done, young man.”

It was a small moment, but exactly what you might expect from an Englishman of that era — proper, theatrical, and entirely sincere.

I arrived at David and Linda’s home around 1:30 in the afternoon and was greeted by them along with their son Robert. Linda had laid out a lovely spread — warm quiche, slices of salami and chorizo, fresh melon, and an assortment of sweet treats. I enjoyed it with a very fine cup of coffee before David and I set off for a bit of sightseeing.

We drove through their small town of Muir of Ord, where just outside the village sits the Glen Ord Distillery, home of the Singleton whisky. The visitor center was beautifully done. I sampled a wee dram of one of their featured bottles, then walked away with a sweatshirt, a hat, and a small lapel pin before we moved on.

A short drive up the road brought us to Rogie Falls, where a network of woodland trails leads to a suspension bridge spanning the river. From the center of the bridge you get a spectacular view of the falls and the rushing water below. We snapped a few photos and a bit of video before continuing west into the Highlands.

The landscape gradually opened up into a wide and rugged country — lochs connected by rivers and streams, large stretches of regenerating forest, and the occasional croft or the stone ruins of homes abandoned long ago. Another forty minutes would have taken us all the way to Scotland’s west coast, where the country becomes even wilder.

Back at the house I was treated to a four-course meal that was hands-down the best food I’ve had on either of my trips to Scotland.

The meal began with a beautiful carrot soup, followed by shrimp cocktail. The main course was a Flemish dish called “birds without heads.” It’s a seasoned ground beef mixture wrapped inside a thin slice of steak and slowly braised in a rich gravy.

Dessert was a light layered cake with berry jam and a crumble of meringue on the outside — served with yet another excellent cup of coffee.

As we finished dinner, David stepped outside and placed a few chicken wings in the yard overlooking the River Conon valley. For several years they have been feeding a group of red kite birds, which have now become accustomed to visiting the yard.

It didn’t take long.

The kites are magnificent birds with wingspans approaching six feet and a distinctive forked, fan-shaped tail. A few buzzards circled nearby as well, and together they made short work of the offering before we made it outdoors to observe. We did see them briefly circling above. It was quite a sight and something I had never seen before.

Eventually I said my goodbyes and made the forty-minute drive back to Nairn, settling in for the evening.

All in all, it was a much-needed rest day and a real pleasure spending time with David, Linda, and Robert. They have a beautiful home and a wonderful family. I very much hope to see them again on a future trip.