The gardens at Ballindalloch Castle. They are maintained
by only one man, seen at center at 0:21. (30-second clip)

Thursday, 9 May: a formal dinner
on the train, but much more

the compartment

Our compartment, just ignore the unmade bed (big image, small).

Observation car

In the observation car, looking rearward (big image, small).

looking out the window

Typical view out the window this morning (big image, small).

MTK in the observation car

Taking picture of the sights (big image, small).

The train began to move before I rose, and I guess I was showering when Mark left our room to go take pictures from the observation platform in the last car.

train tracks from the observation car

Seen from the observation car’s platform (big image, small).

I did finally get to the dining room for breakfast—there were actually two dining cars, with open seating, but we generally sat with folks that we had gotten to know on our walks. So Mark and I did not make the acquaintance of many of the members of the other walking group. My journal says nothing about the breakfast, so I can only assume that I was once again pleased by the presence of kippers on the menu. They are so much better than the pathetic shadow of a kipper that we get at home from those long shallow cans.

The walk begins, I

Starting out on a beautiful day
(big image, small).

The walk begins, II

Old house with new satellite antenna (big image, small).

The walk begins

Crowded roadway (big image, small).

Woods not yet in leaf, figures in distance

Lonely roadway (big image, small).

Most trees are without leaves as yet

It’s still early Spring
(big image, small).

MTK from the rear

Where were they again?
(big image, small).

Small white flower amongst lots of foliage

Wood anemone
(big image, small).

Apparently empty path ahead of me

Tamdhu Station up
ahead (big image, small).

After some distance by rail, we got off the train at Elgin, and onto a bus large enough for all thirty-some of us. Our trail started along a country road, but before too long we were on a disused railroad right of way (the tracks had even been taken up), thus very flat. And it was mostly well drained, no muddy boots for us today.

In the distance in the image at bottom right, in the block to the left, is the rail­road station for the Tamdhu Distillery in the town of Knockando. It’s where we would stop for lunch.

Lunch was al fresco, from bags as I recall, and you see some of us there in the image to the right, sitting dining.

We walked a couple of miles after lunch, and for some reason I took relatively few pictures then, hardly any of them interesting to anyone at all, except for the two of lichens that are below, and which I find interesting, at least.

Lichen, I Lichen, II we eat in the shade
Lichen (big image, small). More lichen (big image, small). Lunch at Tamdhu Station
(big image, small).

After that two-mile stretch, we could take a bus directly to Bal­lin­dal­loch Castle, or choose to walk another stretch, of two more miles’ length, I think; Mark and I chose to go directly to the castle.

Lovely garden
The garden at Ballindalloch Castle; you can get an even larger view as well.
MTK amongst the daffodils

Big image, small.

The castle is beautiful on the outside, and elegant within. It’s surrounded by a gem of a smaller garden, which you see above (and can see a video of up top) and, more extensively, broad expanses of plantings of daffodils (Nar­cis­sus pseudonarcissus). I think I’ve mentioned before that this is a wildflower in this part of Europe.

Doorway to Castle heraldic cartouche
The entrance to the castle
(big image, small).
The heraldic cartouche above the doorway—
I really like the wild men standing
on the family motto.
Room, I

Big image, small.

Room, I

Big image, small.

Room, II

Big image, small.

Room, II

Boss! (big image, small).

We entered the castle by the doorway you see at the left. If you’re a Macpherson-Grant, this is your home, and I’m sure you enjoy it very much.

On the inside, there is the ex­pec­ted excess of display of wealth, much of it even in good taste. I know that my mother the an­tique dealer would have been in ecstasy over the fine oriental porcelains in showcases su­perb­ly lit. The rooms were filled with marble statues, the walls covered with paintings of royalty and family. I suppose that many of the subjects were both royalty and family. For myself, I was more in­ter­est­ed in the arch­i­tec­tur­al details, and I confess that I flirted with the sin of envy at the ceilings.

Rhododendron

Big image, small.

There were many dimly-lit hallways lined with pho­to­graphs of family, framed certificates, and documents that would be of interest to only the family, and with these I quickly got bored. We went back out where I spent some time admiring the wonderful little garden, but I got few pictures beyond the lovely red rho­do­den­dron to the right.

We went from there to the castle’s gift shop, where we were treated to High Tea. It was a pleasant opportunity to relax and chat, and rest our eyes after a bit of sensory overload. I bought some Walker’s Shortbread, but I fear that it wasn’t as good as the home-made item that we had at the youth center of Columba 1400 in Staffin, Monday.

Before leaving, the whole group of us, thirty-odd in number, stood still for Richard Koegl, the professional photographer on the tour, to take a group picture. I’m sure it’ll show up in Country Walkers’ brochures. From there it was back to the train, waiting for us in Keith.

MTK in kilt in train compartment

Bekilted and besporraned
(big image, small).

Two members of the other group chatting

Big image, small.

Linnea and her grandmother chatting

Linnea and Barbara
(big image, small).

Good-looking couple

Judyann and Joe
(big image, small).

Once we were back in our compartment, we got dressed for our seven-o’clock dinner. Mark’s kilt and all its associated kit were waiting for him there, and I helped him on with it all, taking a few pictures after the process was done.

In the observation car, there was a lot of talk and camaraderie, not all of it lubricated by the free-flowing alcohol. Good before-dinner relaxation. Mark got a lot of compliments and questions on his kilt, and there was general surprise at the low rental fee that Kinloch Anderson charged. I had worried that my dark-blue sport-coat and my dark pants would be too informal for the evening, but I think that the only man in the whole group to be more spiffily dressed than I was was Mark himself.

MTK sitting, I

Big image, small.

Martha

Martha
(big image, small).

MTK sitting, II

Big image, small.

MTK in full glory

Big image, small.

Another attractive couple

Cari and Bill
(big image, small).

Timo Shaw

Timo
(big image, small).

Linnea was one of the members of our walking group, but I guess I was only dimly aware that her grandmother, Barbara, was in the other. It turned out that Barbara had taken a huge number of Country Walk­ers tours before this one, and tonight she announced that this would be her last. All of us were im­pressed by her ex­ten­sive experience with the company.

Jamen and Bill

Jamen and Bill
(big image, small).

Dinner was very pleasant; Mark has a menu on his page, but here’s something the menu doesn’t show. I had said on the form we returned to CW before the tour that I couldn’t eat celery root. When I saw it on the menu, I thought, oh, I’ll just push it aside, no problem. But when everyone else’s salad came, I got a special version with no celeriac. This, I thought, was real service.

After dinner, there was wonderful entertainment with electronic keyboard and violin. But I wanted to enjoy myself in an uncomplicated and unencumbered fashion, so left my camera in our room. As a result, no more pictures till tomorrow.