Carnine Clifford Tour of Scotland, May 15th 2004

A 4 person small group tour which commenced on May 15th, 2004 at Edinburgh International Airport. This group brought excellent weather with them to Scotland, in fact it never rained once during their visit.

Saturday, Day 1:
Group arrived at Edinburgh Airport at 12.40pm, and travelled North West over the Kincardine Bridge into the Kingdom of Fife for a lunch break in the ancient and bonny village of Culross with its old Mercat Cross. After a lunch of Fish and Chips at the Red Lion in Culross we headed out of Fife, and North into Perthshire, stopping first at Muthill Post Office before visiting Muthill Church and Muthill Churchyard. A few miles from Muthill we stopped for a short visit in Crieff High Street. From Crieff we travelled through the Sma Glen and onwards to the Falls at Rumbling Bridge before completing our first days drive in Dunkeld where we settled into our base location at The Royal Dunkeld Hotel.

Sunday, Day 2:
After a full Scottish Breakfast we drove South to Perth to rummage at a Sunday Morning Car Boot Sale, followed by a visit to Branklyn Garden which sits on the side of a hill overlooking Perth. Here is a small but magnificent garden with an impressive collection of rare and unusual plants. From Perth we drove North East to Meikleour which is noted for its tall beech hedge which screens Meikleour House from the main road. The hedge was planted in 1746 and is now 85 feet high and 0.3 miles long. It is said the hedge grows towards the heavens because the men who planted it were killed at Culloden. From Meikleour we headed North to lunch in Blairgowrie, and then West to travel along the South Banks of Loch Tummel to the visit the village Blacksmith and Sculptor at Keltneyburn. From Keltneyburn we drove the short distance to Aberfeldy and then onto Kenmore on Loch Tay to have dinner at the Kenmore Hotel, Scotland's Oldest Inn. After dinner we drove up over the mountains and South through the beautiful Glen Quaich before returning to Dunkeld.

Monday, Day 3:
An early start today as we drove South at 6.30am to The Kingdom of Fife and to the Ancient city of St Andrews. The two men in the group played a game of golf with two locals from St Andrews at the famed Old Golf Course we then travelled South to the East Neuk of Fife and my hometown of Anstruther to have an excellent lunch of local Pittenweem Haddock at The Craws Nest Hotel. After lunch we visited the village of Crail and Crail Pottery. From Crail we returned to St Andrews then back to Perthshire via the South Bank of the River Tay, stopping briefly at the village of Abernethy to view the Abernethy Pictish Tower. Returning to Dunkeld we dined at the Atholl Arms Hotel followed by an evening of live Traditional Scottish Music in the Tap Inn in Birnam.

Tuesday, Day 4:
After a full Scottish Breakfast we drove North to Pitlochry for a few hours of shopping before a brief stop at the visitor centre at Killiecrankie. After Killiecrankie we visited The Queens View at Loch Tummel. From Loch Tummel we drove North over the moors to visit Blair Castle. After Blair Castle we returned South to Dunkeld to visit the Dunkeld Hermitage before dining at the Royal Dunkeld Hotel.

Wednesday, Day 5:
After a full Scottish Breakfast we drove to the Capital City of Edinburgh. After visiting Edinburgh Castle, the group spent a few hours shopping and discovering The Royal Mile and St Giles Cathedral. Returning to Dunkeld over the Forth Road Bridge the group ate dinner at the Birnam Hotel before attending a Highland Night in the same location.

Thursday, Day 6:
After a full Scottish Breakfast we drove to Edinburgh Airport where the group left for London.

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