Carron to Auchterarder

Friday July 12, 2019

A very full day! We headed south for what was supposed to be a two hour drive, but ended up taking three. More amazing scenery and roller coaster like roads as we took the Highland Heritage Trail through the Cairngorm mountains. After 2 1/2 hours, Dave was starting to feel the weariness of the trip. It takes a lot of concentration to drive the roads we were on. Things like sheep standing in the middle of the road as you round a corner keeps you on your toes. We were able to see a “moor” with heather. This comes up in books a lot so it was great to actually see it.

Our first stop was the Stanley Mill. It’s had a long history - opening in 1729 and closing in the 1990s. During that time it made a lot of different things including cotton, webbing for military equipment, tapes for rolling cigarettes (still not sure what that means), and thread. It actually began by milling corn. The conditions were dangerous and loud right up until the 1960s. When cotton fell out of fashion in the 1970s, the mill switched to synthetic fabric. We all know how long those polyester suits lasted. Most of the buildings now have luxury flats in them.

About 30 minutes down the road was the access to Lochleven Castle. This was an interesting castle for a number of reasons - some of which will be mentioned below in the “new thing experienced section”. Robert the Bruce was at the castle at one time. It’s interesting how we keep “bumping into him” when we go to different historical places. Mary Queen of Scots also spent some time there. During a lengthy stay, she used one of the windows as an alter/chapel.

As we headed back to the car, it started to rain. We can’t go a whole day without rain! It was a brief shower, but adding that to all the rain that’s come down lately is resulting in flooding. Some of the roads we’ve been on have had far too much water on them. A safety hazard. For the first time since we arrived, the temperature got into the 70s. It actually felt hot at one point.

St. Serf’s Church was only a few miles away so we hopped in the car in order to get there before it closed. The draw to the church was the Dupplin Cross. Up until just a few years ago, the cross was in the countryside. The cross is another example of Pictish stone carving - and it’s incredible. It dates back to 800. The church itself had its first building early in the 1200s. It was added onto as the population grew. After the Reformation (1560), the appearance of this once Catholic church changed a lot. Inside, on the wall, is a tombstone from 1612. The rich were allowed to have their tombstone inside. The oldest tombstone in the graveyard is from 1623.

We weren’t scheduled to get to our B&B until 8 or so, so we had a couple of hours to fill. We wanted to pick up a few things at the grocery store so headed to a town where we knew we could find one. Checking out different food is always fun. The main street had a lot of shops and old homes on it so we went for a walk. Between businesses was a beautiful house with lovely gardens. Back in the car, we entered the info for the B&B into the GPS. Unbelievably, we were one minute away! We didn’t even realize the town we were in was where the B&B was located. And, get this, the lovely house with the gardens was the B&B! The hosts were amazing. They greeted us warmly, showed us the nicest room/bathroom we’ve had yet, and made us a coffee/tea. What service! Dave spent a couple of hours chatting with them while I relaxed.

Another great day.

One thing I learned today: In the Stanley Mill of the 1880s, most of the 885 workers were children who worked 16 hour days - 6 days a week. Adults were too big for most of the work and women were “unreliable” due to having to take care of their families. Kids started working at 9 years old and they were the ones who usually earned the money for the whole family.
One new thing I experienced today: Having to take a boat visit a castle - Lochleven Castle where Marg Queen of Scots was both a visitor and a prisoner (at different times) in the 1560s.
Most powerful moment of the day: Standing in front of a monument (pile of rocks) noting the place where Maggie Wall died. It read, “Maggie Wall burnt here as a witch. 1657.” Horrific!
One pleasureable experience: Lending one of our umbrellas to two young Scottish boys who were just thrilled with it as it was raining on the boat ride back from the castle. The smiles on their faces were delightful!