Brilliant

Gorgeous day…and I certainly made up for staying in all yesterday. Collected LE fairly early and we drove north. Stopped off at Loch Leven larder for a bit of browsing in their excellent farm shop and picked up coffees (and a fudge doughnut for me!) then on to the Hermitage to surprise her with the view at Ossian’s Hall. We dodged a huge walking group to get up to the hall and let her discover the view of the waterfalls in relative peace, only to find the hall closed, but we went round and scrambled down to the water to see the amazing rushing water, surrounded by ice on most of the rocks. Truly spectacular (extra). We walked on through the woods, chatting all the while and enjoying the sun slanting through the trees. From there, up to St Mary’s church at Grandtully to give her another surprise with the painted ceiling (extra), and admire the beautiful views of the rolling hills around there (and, less so, the ripe smells as the farmer was spreading something all over the nearby field!). Surprisingly no snow except on some fairly far distant hills…I’d thought we would see quite a lot of it up here.
Further on to Aberfeldy for a wander and mooch in the galleries and shops then a very tasty soup and a sandwich in the Watermill Bookshop cafe.
Reinvigorated, we fair raced up one side of the Birks walk to dawdle a bit more on the walk down the other side, admiring the many waterfalls. So lucky to see them with so much ice around, and we broke off some icicles to eat them and spent ages taking photos and just soaking in the views of them.
A brief stop off in Dunkeld to give her a taster for another time….quickly seeing the cathedral and the start of the tall trees walk (although two huge ones had been felled recently).
Home….we had a lovely day, chatting about anything and everything and planning some future trips - such good company..
In the evening I nearly just stayed in but stirred myself to go along to Summerhall to see the Glasgow Dreamers do an anniversary gig for 100yrs since Ivor Cutler’s birth. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was actually brilliant….playing from the album they made with lots of stars to commemorate Ivor a couple of years ago (extra)
Home, tired, but it’s been a perfect day