Scotland ~ Dunrobin Castle

September in Scotland, the first rain of our visit began falling this morning making it a perfect day for wandering the halls of a great castle. We drove up the eastern coastal road north from Dornoch to a small village called Golspie. The main street is much like many other Scottish towns with ancient buildings lining both sides of the main routes, local business catering to tourists along with authentic shops, pubs and the necessities remaining in place for the local residents and their daily lives. it is an interesting blend, somehow it seems to work.

Roughly a mile beyond Golspie the stone entrance to Dunrobin appears on the right, a long driveway flows downhill toward the grand facade. Through the portico and inside the reception hall a warm fire casts its heat, warming the stone floor at the base of the grand stairway leading to the rest of the castle. The woodsmoke drifts faintly throughout the building and one could easily imagine an iron pot of venison stew simmering in the scullery awaiting delivery to the family dining room whete the Earl of Sutherland and his family are seated.

Room upon room are made available for exploration, most are furnished properly for the time and it is no great effort to picture life as it was during the mid 1800’s through the turn of the century.

The gardens lie between the castles east facade and the sea, formal lines define the design and a variety of mature trees, shrubs and flowers make up the geometric shapes and lush lawns fill in the space between.

The falconry exhibition was a delight. The Harris Hawk and Gyrfalcon kept the small rain soaked crowd entertained with their precision flight and hunting skills.

As happens when a person sees something truly remarkable, all future examples somehow seem dim and washed out by comparison. For me, Dunrobin held the authenticity and grandeur by which all future castles will be measured.