Outlandish Spirits

Meet the McRaes

2012-01-18T15:46:00.002Z

Scot blogging here.

Some of our Followers might be aware that we have been developing the tour Journey to the Western Isles.

It's an amazing place, unique unto itself, and while politically part of Scotland, it is quite remote from the mainland and has its own culture.

It's the long chain of islands that runs down the north west coast of Scotland.

We went there in 2010 with Mare and Care (aka The Sisters), just as a wee extension to the Jamie and Claire Tour.

This year we are going twice (or at least I am going twice, Sam is a bit miffed that she's only going to get there once). The August tour is open to all while the first, in June, is a private tour, so

Da Daaa!

Meet the McRaes.

My favourite photo of them - hiking in remote Skye in 2008

John and Sally did a genealogy tour with me in 2008 and are coming back to see these amazing isles, that lie on the very edge of Europe.
I'll be blogging in the run up to this great pilgrimage to whet the appetites of all concerned.

Because it's a private tour, I've tailored it to their requests. We'll be spending some time in Glencoe on the way back. I'll let the photos tell the story.


Big Hills. Wear a hard hat.

In the next months' blogs: Food, cute cottages, beaches...

Journey to the Western Isles.

Solstice and Christmas on Loch Ness

2011-12-25T16:31:00.000Z

Feasgar math, good evening Outlandish Bloggers,
Scot here, hailing you from the shores of Loch Ness where Sam and I are staying in a Victorian hunting lodge over the Christmas / Solstice period. Log fires, good food, good company, no snow, driving rain... It's Scotland.

We're cabinned-up in The Inch na Cardoch Hotel. That's Alan Clayton, the owner in the kilt below.

We've been having a we break and also performing the role of MC for the few days here, bringing Scottish traditions to the proceedings.

We've just been making Brides Crosses with the 19 or so guests.

Sam gathering Luachar for the crosses

Loch Ness from the lodge

Bridget's Crosses proudly displayed.

Bridget is a Celtic diety who was the Goddess of hearth fire, home, the plough, poetry, wisdom and blacksmithing. She was taken into the Christian cannon of saints. Making of her crosses for the home is a blessing. We do it in the winter dark hours. Here, the guests have given them as gifts to the staff, Marian, Ali, Michelle and Rab the chef have been working hard to look after us in this fine old homely home.

Winter blessings with you. The sin is returning!
Scot

May 2012 - Happy Thoughts of a Spring Tour

2011-12-14T22:24:00.000Z

I'd really like to know if there's something happening out there that I'm not aware of, because there's been a run on the Jamie & Claire May 2012 Tour! There are now only 4 spaces left. Usually we get people signing on throughout the months, but this time it's been almost all at once..... interesting (as Mr. Spock would say).

It's a nice diversion after the two wind storms we've just had here in Scotland where winds of 100 to 150 mph were lifting trees out of the ground and roofs off the houses. Scot and I lost power for two days just after a huge grocery shopping trip, so we scrambled to friend's for freezer space. Then our roads flooded into our yard leaving us without clean water until we had our water tank emptied and cleaned. But if that's all life is challenging us with, then life is pretty good and we have no complaints!

Mind you, we had quite a wind storm in May this year. This has all been a bit unprecedented. Climate change anyone? I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to the spring and to meeting more lovely faces on our adventures following the trail of those two famous and much loved Outlandish Spirits, Claire & Jamie. We really enjoyed our travels with all our other OSs and hope you're all doing well and keeping warm. Cheers Dears! Sam

And here are some sheep... blue spotted sheep... a rare breed.... ahem.

Getting the Harvest in

2011-10-02T19:40:00.000+01:00

This wee post is not a tour blog. Tour season has ended, big sigh, sore feet, what day is it?

Now it's time to get the white board out and make the long list of winter projects to do. One of which is to finish the harvest and get the garden put to bed.

Scot has been mowing the meadow and making hay stacks. There's still a few wee beasites and bees around (unusually warm over 3 days) so he's been leaving some flowers up for them.

For tour guest Monique and other city dwellers: a haystack

I have become "smoothie girl", blending bulk spinach for fruit-smoothies that I will freeze for eeking out over winter. There is a lot of eeking done here in the winter - Gabaldon and other books to read and make last; currently, "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Firewood to eek out, sanity to make last a winter of snow. (You've seen The Shining, aye?)

I have been keeping us healthy with nutritious blends of vegetables and fruit, much from the garden, to make smoothies. (Scot: "canny eat that. I's got froot init." ). I'm running out of room in the freezer. I grew my own spinach this year with great success, but the season is over and now I've gone to our local green grocer for a crate.

Scot has a cottage to thatch next week in Argyll and then it's down to book writing again. He's set himself the target of 20,000 words to add to the book this winter.
Another note for city dwellers: A thatched house that Scot's repairing. This is only slightly smaller than our last wee house.

On the tour front, I am playing with the idea of an Ireland tour for next year (amazing country and people). Some of my Outlandish Spirits from previous J&C tours are interested.
Scot will be doing a "Journey to the Western Isles" tour for some previous old-tour-friends. That one's private, but again, some interest from the Outlandish Spirits in the public one. (See Scot's website for pics of that tour from last year Journey to the Western Isles)
Himself is also thinking of a dude tour called Grain and Stone. It's just a "what if" at the moment, but the idea would be to visit a few clan chiefs in their castles, share a dram and experience the lives of highland chieftains. That's the Stone part. The Grain is to visit a couple of breweries and a few distilleries. Throw all that on to the back of highland ponies and head into the wilderness hawking and hunting for their daily rations for a few days.
All a bit dudish for me (and perhaps you, the blog followers) but it might be a good way to get rid of your husbands for week, perhaps permanently if they can't keep up. Visions of City Slickers (1991) come to mind.

Line em up day 8

2011-09-13T15:22:00.000+01:00

The Last Day, sob sob.

We won't have any words from our Outlandish Spirits directly for the final day, because we didn't carry the blog machine around Edinburgh today.

Gale force winds buffeted the Western Isles and we felt just the tail of it on the Royal Mile. Bracing! Very authentic for Claire-returns-to-Edinburgh-1768.

We did all the wee side streets and closes that feature in the book, testing the guests along the way to see if they knew which scene was played out in the place they now stood. Julia was, and has been through the tour, the most.. erm... devoted reader (there's always one on the Jamie and Claire tour whom we suspect has a box of cross-referenced indexed cards with every character and scene cataloged -lol- that would be Julia on this tour. Hello Danelle from last year to name but one.) Which of you was it on the Grain Tour?

Debie has not stopped grinning throughout the trip (see yesterday's picture of her with a gnome friend). Today was no exception. She kept saying that she was just going to stay in Scotland and not go back. I'm sure her family can come up with a story about Stones and Gems and being lost in time.

Line em up one more time - Jacobite Glasses

Sam gave "a few wee gifties" as she calls them to our guests (above). A rare 18th Century style of glass, traditionally engraved with a Jacobite symbol. Line em up! Just sayin'.

Sam went running about some local shops and discovered some that specialize in proper Scotland items, made in Scotland and not some foreign land and came back with the locations for our Outlandish Spirits to visit later. She also ran into and had a good chat with Mike Katz and Alasdair White of "The Battlefield Band". Alas, they were not playing in town this day. But she recommends that you buy one of their cd's and enjoy some good Scottish music. She has seen them in concert in the past.

After most everyone said goodbye, I decided that we should do a pub crawl for some local ales and 'convinced' Julia, Monique and Glenda to join in. Luckily it was on their way to their accommodation (complete with swimming pool and spa - another J&C Tour first) so the lasses didnae have far to stagger, I mean walk. Then more goodbyes and aye fond farewells as the song goes.

We shall truly miss this group of haggis eat'n, whisky, ale and sambuka drink'n, bunny chasin', and most important Jamie chasin' (except for Ron, who kinda likes Loighaire) Outlandish Spirits ... Just sayin'.

Line em up - day 6 and 7

2011-09-11T21:29:00.000+01:00

DAY 6

Monique: Last night we got to stay the night in the castle. It was my first experience in a castle and it was awesome. I don't even know how to describe it. We had a three course meal with bagpipers, and then I encountered my second favorite dessert (next to the thick hot chocolate, of course)...sticky toffee pudding. It was the most sinful thing ever. To our surprise Robert the Bruce and a Templar Knight came to visit. We had to make a decision on whether or not to help the scottish war against Edward of England. How to make such a decision was hard but ended up helping anyway. We got to try on the armor and play with the weapons. Boy, that was fun!!! Overall, the people were great, the food was wonderful, and the company was grand! Also there was the cutest gnome garden in the front of the castle. Any type of gnome you could think of probably exist in that garden. There were a few gnomes being very "cheeky" in the garden but they were too cute to be upset with.

Cindy: We arrived last night at Castle Stuart to spend the night; another first for me. The meal was fantastic as was the bagpiper and Robert the Bruce. Yes this was somewhat of a fairy tale night. This was another favorite day and night for me. I'm yet undecided if climbing up the mountain with sheep all around and the bubbling creek was my favorite day or was it the castle stay. It doesn't matter. It is all such a real wonderful dream. Who would have thought I would be waking up in a Castle in Scotland.

Nancy & Ron: We enjoyed a magical night and day in the Castle Stuart. [They had the big king size bed chamber... I'm just saying... Sam)

Debie: Oh Brothers of mine grab your walking sticks and join me in the enchanted forests of Scotland! Green moss covers the trees, mushrooms of every color cover the ground orange with polka dots, white and green, wild flowers blue, pink, yellow and orange [we took a walk along the hills around Loch Ness]. The castle was outstanding, the piper calling us to dine. It was a dream come true. Fireplaces so big you could stand in them, you could feel the history!

Tales by the walk-in fireplace

Not sure how to add to this image by words?

Debie makes a friend


A porter goes to fetch a bag

Tomorrow... we walk the Royal Mile and search out the haunts of A.Malcolm seditious printer. It is forecast to be gale-force tomorrow and raining heavily, just like in Claire's return to Edinburgh and the run to the World's End. Ah, the authentic Scottish experience. Can't wait!

Line em up day 5

2011-09-10T09:04:00.000+01:00

DAY 5

Scot: What a day! We have just come back from the Julie Fowlis concert this evening (this being the Celtic Music themed Jamie and Claire Tour). I know Julie Fowlis's folk music but this was a commissioned piece called Heisgeir. It was a short film, backed with her live band of Celtic instruments, documenting an abandoned island near where she comes from just off the west of Uibhist. I was really touched by the piece. It was the premier and possibly the only performance so Sam did well to find us tickets. The musicians spoke in Gaelic and English and the islanders in the film told tales and their life experiences on the outer isles in Gaelic. Our Outlandish Spirits had the full experience of what Claire would have heard a majority of the time, 200 years back from her own time.
I had a grand we natter with a man called Jamie who had traveled 10 hours to come to this gig and was camping in a midge-infested river location.

Yesterday I ran into a man for whom I had done a storytelling session last year, way up in a hunting lodge. He now works at the Black Isle Brewery, near to Inverness and he said they were having an Oktoberfest. I told the Line-m-up crew and this afternoon we went over and joined the festivities and sampled the ales and listened to some great music from local blues and folk musicians. (A Festival being another 'First' of new experiences on the J&C Tour). It's handy when we have a smallish group of enthusiasts (as opposed to a large coach tour) because we can take advantage of such fortuitous deviations in the planned itinerary.

The ale was grand as was the Bratwurst (it is an oktoberfest afterall). The cook was another of my storytelling acquiantances named Ricky. Tall, red haired, wears a kilt, AND COOKS. Oh the lasses of the posse had a wee bit o fun at his expense. He made the Bratwurst himself from "Gloucester Old Spot and The White Sow" pigs on Monday. Fresh!

All this and we still managed to do the planned visit of the day. A very special burial place that will remain secret. The posse found it to be moving, from all accounts.

Photos:
The Line-m-up posse in fluid form, Mr Reid, sings in the background.

Sista joins in the straw throwing with the under 5s.

Debie and Sistas read to us from the UK copy of Outlander - note the alternative artwork and name of 'Crosstitch'. Note also the pint pots. These lasses are all "blondes".

The final scene of Heisgeir - the band play behind the video footage and interviews.

Rainbow Chasers - day 4

2011-09-09T10:25:00.000+01:00

DAY 4
Monique: So, today was beyond anything i could of expected. First we went to a castle that could have been castle Leoch. it was beautiful, magestic and everything i thought it would be, but it was not what had the lasting impression; This came at Culloden and to be honest i was anxious about the whole experience. Initially the exhibit was very informative up until the movie; the battle reenactment! how could anything top that? Well I ventured to the battlefield with Debie and I started seeing the clans stones. Even as I think about it, I get teary eyed; it was just too much. Then I saw the stone for the clan Fraser and I lost it. How could lives be lost so senselessly? As I sit here after all i have seen i still don't know what to say, feel, or think; all i can do is cry. It is a part of history that can't be changed but can be learned from. it was a hard experience, but it was one that i will never forget!

Nancy: Today we started out with a guid stretch & walked through the Castle with the lovely gardens and woods and we ate lunch in the castle. We enjoyed song while we strolled through the woods. Hieland Cows were a highlight before the battle of Culloden. We enjoyed a beautiful rain free day!!

Sam: Another first: A nice walk through the woodlands surrounding the castle. I started teaching the group a wee song that we'll all sing later. I was amazed at how the castle gardens have as many flowers in the early autumn as they do in the spring. Absolutely beautiful.

The Tai Chi of Castle

Is that a castle in the distance?

The Rainbow Chasers Tour - day 3

2011-09-08T00:07:00.000+01:00

DAY 3

Sam:
Rainbows are showing up all over in our travels and they've inspired each of us in our own way, so I duly dub this tour "The Rainbow Chasers" tour. As well, we're in the height of the bloom'n Heather season and the surrounding hills are patterned with purple and greens. It's as if I forget every year how beautiful the autumn colors are here and am only reminded when I come up north; a treat every time.

At our wee Claire & Jamie marriage chapel today, we had a special treat as several in the group sang together to test the acoustics - well done. A couple of Rainbows later on the road we enjoyed our Afternoon Tea, complete with cakes and lots of tea and coffee. Monique was... err pleased?

We took a drive up the other side of Loch Ness and enjoyed the beauty of the smaller lochs and the never ending purple hued hills. Quite surreal.

Scot: Aye, weel the blog is by me and Herself today as we've given them nae chance to write. Besides, bha i beagan fliuch an-diugh - twas a wee bitty wet and I've noticed that the wee computery thing doesna much care for water drapped on it.

Maybe we should rename this tour the Heather on the Hills tour. We've been marveling at it every few miles as we climbed higher into the hills today. It's a strong show of the wee Calluna Vulgaris this year. Them hills is Pink I tell ye! Pink! Shtunning!

We went to the Ardsmuir / Wentwork / FortWilliam barracks lookalike this morning and recreated the bleakness of the Scottish prisoner experience of cold, gray stone and driving rain in the face. Aye, well, they wanted the real thing.

We also made the very instructional visit to the cottars house to give the Hugh Munro experience. We met with a cailleach who showed us her weaving and explained the loom, the drop spindle, the rake, the shuttle and all. If none of that made any sense tae ye, then look it up on Mr and Mrs Google. It takes her 25 hours to set the loom up for a new bolt of cloth, and that's before she's woven a single thread.

The new Yorkers build a barn

It's a family affair.

September Tour - The Line-m-up Tour

2011-09-06T17:18:00.000+01:00

DAY 1
Monique: " So, this tour rocks!!! I have learned so much. Now i can see the things in my head in reference to the books and apply them to real life. I cant wait to go home and read the books all over again and experience all the drama, emotions, craziness that Claire and Jaime go through. Thanks to Samantha and Scott, I have been saturated in the the Scottish culture, and i feel that this will be an experience of a lifetime. "

Julia
I enjoyed seeing, "Crainesmuir" today. The gardens were beautiful. My mom enjoyed sampling the huge assortment of herbs. Nancy was great with mimicking the chickens and sheep [where's Aven when we need her?] . I enjoyed the wee post office. I purchased stamps and post cards to send home. Lunch was great at the village pub. I had the Ploughman's platter; Stilton cheese, bread and pickled chutney, potato leek soup, salad. It has been a wonderful day.

Debie
WOW OH WOW! Such beautiful flowers [in the Crainsmuir gardens]!
I feel like Ive gone herb hunting with Claire and Gellis. I Tasted Haggis, not bad. Saw a kilted band playing bagpipes, I am really in Scotland!

Cindy
What a wonderful place!!! The mountains are so beautiful and the book becomes so much more vivid and clear once you are here.

Nancy
Lovely, the trip has been wonderful so far Scotland has been great such a great country and 'guid crack'.

Glenda aka Julia's MOM
Great day! Wonderful hosts and such lovely people to travel with. Having dinner just now and Julia, Monique, Debie, Scot and I had haggis, very intersting food, every thing has been good but then again when you are walking and traveling with fun people, everything tastes better.

Sam
This was another tour of 'firsts' - It was the first time that while at our Lallybroch we met with the current REAL Laird and Lady of the 'big hoosie' and the estate for a wonderful tour around the interior of their home. Upon our arrival, we were shown into a huge room with many of the family's ancestral paintings surrounding us and we were treated to refreshments including lovely home baked carrot cake. Some of the paintings were from our Outlander time with names of ancestors who had helped shaped the history of the Jacobites. The Laird spoke candidly about his family tree and life now, versus life on a full working estate over the past few hundred years. The room in which we sat has been restored to how it would have looked around 1720 - so that's right in the Lallybroch style.

The estate has it's own chapel, farm fields, working farmers and of course sheep. In the words of some of our Outlandish Spirits on this adventure, "They were such gracious and down to earth hosts and she (our Hostess) was stunning and beautiful." We have met and shared a wee tipple with real folk from this part of the world spanning the ages.

Our other 'first' for these Jamie & Claire journeys was a discovery I made this evening; if you want to clear a restaurant of Americans and New Yorkers (in a league of their own LoL) don't yell out "Fire!" Yell, "Bagpipes!" as a pipe band marches past the window. I've never seen a table empty so quickly in my life.... this is already proving to be a lively group.....ahem. We later marched up the street with the same band into the night and back to our B&B.

Though not the first time, Scot was able to finally stop at his favorite brewery on the way up and has already started sharing the different bottled brews with the others...one bottle at a time. One of our prior travelers, 'Badlands Scot' (not to be confused with our own 'Highland Scot'), would appreciate some of the new ales.

A phrase that came up after dinner a few times as we enjoyed various sips, compliments of our New York OS's was "Line 'em up!" Do I detect a possible name for this tour? The 'Line 'em Up' tour group. Me thinks the 'Grain Tour' group have new rivals....time will tell.
Hello to all our past Outlandish Spirits and a special Feasgar math to Carolyn & Marilyn!

DAY 2

Cindy. What a wonderful and inspring day for me, Walking along mountain tops of Scotland and seeing the sheep running through the fields, rainbows everywhere and of course the secret. My inspiration to start the Outlander books again.

Debie Well, I'm still here [stone reference]. That said the spot was lovely, the standing stones didn't speak to me or invite me in, maybe it was the time of year... Hard to express how I feel, a little disappointed but I do like my reality.

Monique "I dont have any words to describe how i feel today. after an hour hike of tracking in "muck" and getting my pants and hiking boots filthy, i was able to view the world that Claire and Jaime experienced in a new light. It is a surreal experience. i really dont know how i feel. i have so many emotions right now the only thing i can think to do is list them: happy, inspired, overwhelmed, excited, exhausted, and totally in awe of this country. Then at lunch i figured out the reason i was here...Thick Hot Chocolate! I would hop plane at any time and go to any place to get it. I think i just feel in love!!!!!

Scot: we made a "new" stop at a VERY rare place. I think it is the ONLY remaining painted wooden church ceiling from the 17th Century.

The Glorious 12th - Scottish trivia

2011-08-12T19:17:00.000+01:00

Scot here, blog and FB followers.

Today is "The Glorious 12th" of August. For those NOT from Scotland I can inform you it is, or at least was, an eagerly awaited date in the year of Gentlemen who fanciend themselves as the Great White Hunter.

It is the opening of the Grouse Season in Highlands. Millions of sweet, comical, beautiful, laughing grouse are currently daubing themselves in mud and moss in an attempt to evade the keen eyes of "the guns" and the associated shot.

Most of these Gentlemen came, in Victorian times, to "their estate in the Highland" to rid the place of birds, deer, otters, and sometimes with a bit of luck, any other "guns" who stood down wind of the buckshot.

Sam and I have headed south into Sassenach land, well, Yorkshire actually ( a people very like Highlanders in many ways but with all the humour wrung out) having left behind Pop Pop and her boyfriend (our tame partridges) in the hope that they will not get shot. They being also in the grouse family.

We'll head into York tomorrow. A fine city, nay the finest city in England, if not Britain. She has posed the question as to whether it may be a future tour location. MacKenzie Adventures conquers England?

For myself, I can't see it. I break out in a hive of sweaty boils and expletives when I come to England. A reaction against all the... well Englishness.

That said, we are yet in Yorkshire, which is hardly England. It is Yorkshireland! And they are our cousins in dourness and general disdain of "saft Southerns".

Scot

2012 is open for business

2011-08-05T16:54:00.000+01:00

.
Just updated the website so that 2012 tours are listed and bookable.
www.jamieandclairetour.co.uk

(Fixed the broken Terms and Conditions check box too. Who's clever boy then Scot? Scot good boy! Yap! Yap!)

A September tour will follow in a few weeks when you've all decided whether we should go to the Outer Hebrides as well.

Comment away on that last one.

Scot

July Tour

2011-07-28T11:33:00.000+01:00

A few blog followers have been asking about the lack of a July Tour blog, as just past.

There's a good reason for that.

You might have noticed that the website billed it as "tour filled" early on. It was booked exclusively as a private tour for someone very much in the public eye. We are sworn to secrecy and have no intention of letting that secret out.

The tour went wonderfully well.

I left the tour on the website for reference because there will be a tour with similar dates and "specials" in July 2012 tour (I've had enquiries).

I do have a photo to post, not of the tour of course, but of our wee house and wildflower meadow, taken on our return.

And here are some photos of the wild, red legged partridges that have become comical residents in our garden.

See y'all in September for the tour. Oh what delights await! Mwa! Mwa!

To The Future ~ To Ireland

2011-05-27T10:25:00.006+01:00

An Ireland Tour

in the planning......

NO, Jamie and Claire didnae go there (so far), but then we ARE Outlandish Spirits; going far and wide and exploring strange new worlds and new cilivizations ... but I digress. Some of our recent and prior Outlandish Spirits are already interested in coming along. We've just had a recent chat on our FB page:

Outlandish Spirit - whoa. Wait a minute. There's an Ireland tour?

Sam - Yes, Ireland. Stay tuned!

Vicki - What?? Do tell... Girl's trip????

Sam - Girl's trip? Well that depends if any Guys sign up :) Guys are more than welcome!

Aina - Giant's Causeway perhaps.... share some Irish hot chocolate.

Sam - I'll buy you two of your own..... I want every last drop of mine...mmmm. an' me own pint! :p .

We're taking your requests for your preferred month to travel and places to go in the Emerald Isles. Want to come along? Help us choose the destinations now.

IRELAND ~ Land of Celtic legends: the Tuathaa De Danann, Children of Lir. Land of magical song: the music of the fiddle can make you dance with wild abandon and can make you cry. Have you ever heard the Uilleann pipes? Eerily enchanting. Land of green rolling hills rising up to form sheared, steep cliffs over white foamed waves rolling and crashing onto the shore.... but I wax lyrical.

Scot and I have been to Ireland several times as travelers and as tour guides and Scot used to live there as well. The people are absolutely lovely and have a great sense of humor and though the streets aren't paved in gold - green being the preferred color, most paths lead to a pint of Guinness; a tasty alternative. Besides, if you catch the rainbow, you'll find your own pot of gold.

Fancy coming along? Tell us what you want to experience: seashore, ceilidh session, stone circle, a specific village or county? Let us know while we are still in the planning stages.

The wee tune "Song for Ireland" pretty much says it all:

The link, in case http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PInNrFZQEwk

Cheers, Scot and Sam

Droch Isean, Day 8, the denoument

2011-05-24T12:06:00.000+01:00

The Last Day.

We leave Lallybroch and head to Edinburgh.

Rebecca here and we have been giving the last adventure today through the streets of Edinburgh. Scot spent some time reading from our bible and gave me a chill as he read of the reunion of Jamie and Claire, total goosebumps. This has been an experience of a life time not only have we been mesmerized by the sights that Scotland holds but we have developed a bond with each other that will stand forever. So I guess we have created our own history in this historic Land. We separate today and a tear wells in my eye, but this will not be the last time we meet. A BIG thank you to Samantha and Scot for taking the time to create this tour and giving us the experience of a life time. Girls I will never forget you, you too Scot. This is me saying good bye for now....

Scot: And so another piece of history is written - The Droch Isean May Tour 2011. Fair ye weel a while ladies. We have enjoyed yer company just fine. We await to see the photos of your reunion at the Highland Games and we look forward to seeing some of you on the coming Ireland tour. Remember, you're part of the tours club now - you can never leave.

And on a final note. The catch-phrase of the tour seems to have been

"Also, here are some sheep"

Day 7 - I am come home

2011-05-22T23:09:00.000+01:00

Today is all about Lallybroch.

Scot here, blogging from a window seat in a fine tall sash and case window overlooking the lawn surrounded by trees in Lallybroch. The lasses are all away exploring and are ecstatic.


From the far window I blog to you

Is that a Gabaldon I see on the dresser?

She has become accustomed

I've just spent WAY TOO LONG creating something for you - the Blood Oath that Jamie says to Claire as they marry, translated into Gàidhlig and in a sound clip, so you can hear it.

"Ye are Blood of my Blood and Bone of my Bone.
I give ye my Body, that we two might be one.
I give ye my spirit, till our Life shall be Done." (Copyright Gabaldon)

"Blood of My Blood" in Gàidhlig

Sali, here. We're east of Edinburgh and the Bard has a nose-bleed because he's so far from the Highlands. The rest of us are experiencing significant withdrawl. The Highlands are behind us? After months of anticipation, weeks of excitement and days of reveling in the rarified air, haunting ruins, and pervasive history of the Scottish Highlands - it's over?

Okay - enough whining for now. Day 7 brought us Lallybroch - no, really! White washed and three storied, glowing in the post-storm sun, it was everything our imaginations conjour up when ever Jamie and Claire go home. Complete with out-buildings, grazing sheep, game birds, and fields that go on forever!

After Lallybroch, the group climbed Monument Hill and got a bird's eye view of Prestonpans. Then a deli lunch in Haddington. While my tour-mates were fed and watered, I wrapped myself in my new wool cape and wandered off to explore the town. I ended at Tyne River and spent my lunch-time photographing a family of swans feeding at the river. And then the piece d'resistence - our rooms at "Lallybroch". I wonder what the poor people are doing right now?

Scot - This evening, back at the House, I had the pleasure of sending them to sleep one by one with tales, told in the room in the top picture above. A fine place to tell fine Tales to fine ladies.
It's at the end of this post.

"Also, here are some sheep."

Day 6 of Droch Iseanan

2011-05-21T21:19:00.000+01:00

We didn't find time the other day to keep you up to date with the Blog and our visit to Culloden. Here's Kelly's words.

Kelly - The afternoon brought us to Culloden. Some time was spent experiencing the interactive exhibits and then touring the battlefield; very difficult in such a peaceful place to remember the horror and sacrifice that took place. I believe that we all left with a sense of compassion for both sides and their pain, suffering and losses.

DAY 6
Today we follow in the coach tracks of Claire a-la Inverness to Edinburgh in search of A.Malcolm. We are doing the two day coach journey in four hours over two days. It's a long way, you realise, when you travel in the Highlands.

Dannelle: We survived our guideless afternoon and evening in Inverness, last night, without the assistance (or interference) of the local authorities, though we did manage to irritate the security guards at the pub that we (ahem) raised a bit of hell at far into the wee hours. I loved being asked where my accent was from, and hearing all the local Scots use everyday language that is totally different than what we hear at home. And, of course, the accents are fantastic. I was happily surprised to find that folks around town (and Scotland in general, so far) were really friendly and helpful - gave directions and were very chatty and a lot of fun! I can totally see myself living here!

Scot - There are consequences, kids, to such late night behaviour:

Rebecca meditates upon the error of her ways

Dannelle: I CAN'T see myself living in the wee 18th century village we visited this morning! The tacksman's house, thatch-roofed and windowless, filled with peat smoke and dirt floors, with space for the beasts in an adjoining room(!!) was considered wealthy for the development....Claire, more power to you! I'll stay happily in the 21st century, dreaming of adventures past!

Scot - because we have tours that are a bit more responsive to the changing needs of our friends, we made a wee stop this afternoon, not on the list, in order to pick up a few bottles of Uisge Beatha for Rebecca's man, Pat. There's a fine shop in Pit Chloich Aridh that has about 400 different bottlings. I chose the newest Distillery in Scotland for one - Kilchomain; the smallest for another - Edradour and the lady of the shop chose a third - Ben Romach. Pat is perhaps reading this blog ahead of the delivered gifts. Enjoy, your research into what's in store and I'd like to hear your tasting notes.
That led us to lunch and a bit of locating a grave that contains an almost unknown local story about the descendants of the Royal Stuart lineage. Who'd have thunk it... but you had to be there. I'm not giving that one away, guests only!

Sam - I noticed the terrain changing from the north as we traveled south today; the heather shrub in the more southern areas has already turned a deep plush green. I love watching the subtle and also vibrant changes to the foliage. Over the past few days, we've seen quite a few Red Deer and though our Hens didn't realize it, an amazing number of Red Kite sitings; an endangered and beautiful bird of prey up here. Spring is wonderful.

Tomorrow, I can tell you, is Lallybroch day.

Day 5 of really bad ass hens

2011-05-20T21:21:00.000+01:00

We thought we'd do something different on this tour (indeed, there are many "firsts" on this one. More of that later). We've given the lasses a day of two halves. In the morning we stopped in to pay our respects to the Clan Chief - Lord John MacKenzie, Earl of Cromarty. He furnished us with the traditional mark of hospitality - a wee dram - before showing us around his home. I've not spoken to the lasses this afternoon about the visit but the looks of wonder on their faces as Lord John described some "new part" of the castle from 500 years ago were priceless. I'd say they got a real sense of the historical details found in the Outlander books. After all they touched them, sat on them and smelled them. We'll perhaps find out tomorrow what they thought.

Did we mention the Wild Hyacinth (bluebells) in the May tour?

Which leads us to the new idea of the tour. We've given them the afternoon off. They are unchaperoned in the town of Inverness. Lord John doubted they could find any "hell" to raise. WE are of a different opinion. Not so concerned with FINDING mischief, but of MAKING it. We've left our contact phone number with the local constabulary.

What can you do? Kids eh.

Day 4 of Bad (Ass) hens

2011-05-19T18:43:00.000+01:00

DAY 4

Sali here - (Hi, Boo!) It may be Day 4, but three of us are still giggling over last night's hunt for Isabella, the resident ghost of the baronial mansion where we passed the night. (Remind me to tell you about our utterly decadent four-posters!) The evening began with fluets of champagne toasting an utterly marvelous day - a day that saw us at the top of the world as well as beneath the earth. After dinner, our personal Bard regaled us with tales of Silkies and light-houses, his audience in rapt attention not interferring with sips of wine, coffee, tea - and the inevitable Pims & Lemonade. As midnight approached, Samantha and Scot floated off to their romantic plaid in the heather, and Dannelle and Rebecca to their sumptious suites. And that left three . . . night-caps anyone?

A Baronni and a couple of Pims & Lemonade had Kelly, Courtney and me following Simon and the keys to the mansion through one locked door after another, examining paintings and searching shadowy corners for a trace of Isabella. A drapery twitched, the eyes of a painting followed our movements, a door swung closed without human touch. Had Isabella found us?

Sam here - Scotland is full of some wonderful castles and ours provided an added highlight as the Lady of the castle came gracefully strolling up to the front. We enjoyed some lovely gardens today with beautiful fragrant flowers adorning our paths. I talked Sali into coming into seeing some special features and she was snapping photos of some lovely blue Icelandic Poppies for her hubby. On to a traditional pub to fortify ourselves before taking a good hard look at some Scottish Jacobite history and our hero, Jamie's involvement in it all.

"And also, here are some sheep."

Droch Isean - day 3

2011-05-18T22:32:00.000+01:00

DAY 3 - a day of surprises

Firstly, here's the tweed jacket. Fine aye?

Hiking in the wilderness

Rebecca- Today I experience a wilderness that called my name. We walked around a beautiful park that exposed trees and water rushes, a place God must look down and smile at his amazing work. We had a reading to remind us of the times Jamie and Claire spent romping throught the wilderness and slept in the heather (which was to my surprise, very comfy). Imagine a time when the sky was you roof and the wind dried your hair, amazing. I am truly having an experience that has exceeded my expections. This is me logging off for now.....

Scot: we laid the surprises on thick today. We're not telling YOU, of course, but here's the faces when the lasses found out where they were staying.

That's all your getting Followers!
Scot

Droch Isean - Day 2

2011-05-17T23:32:00.000+01:00

DAY2

Pip - ready for adventure in the Spirits Tour Van

Hello all. This is Courtney and Kelly blogging for day 2 of the tour. After a lovely evening and delectable breakfast at a B & B we took a short drive to see an Ardsmuir-like prison Barracks. It was amazing to see how impressive it was to build a 4 story stone fortress without the aid of [modern] tools, and also how an individual could survive there once the task was completed. The view was breath-taking!

The second stop brought us to Wedding Chapel; one can just imagine the ceremony of Jamie and Claire! Did we mention BREATH TAKING VIEWS!

We certainly worked up our appetites to enjoy a spot of tea and sandwiches with some quite delightful desserts! The atmosphere was perfect and just what you would expect when having a proper afternoon tea. We are loving the tour, our tour companions, and our guides and having the time of our lives!

GREETINGS, ALL - Sali here. Is it still Day 2? We are packing so much into the days, it feels like Day 5 at least! At another B&B - bed looks so inviting, but dinner with the gang first. Dannelle and I actually have separate beds tonite! Haven't slept in the same bed with her this much since her 6-year-old nightmare phase!

I absolutely LOVE Scotland - the Highlands thus far are magnificent! I'm already wondering how I'll tear myself away to go home. Best part of the day? Certainly not just one thing! Loved joking about with Nigel Nicol in the wool-tweed shop! My daughter's face was memorable as she tried on a stunning Harris Tweed jacket that neither of us can afford, but I bought anyway. (What the heck - her look was priceless!) Buildings and ruins hundreds of years old. The rarefied air of history. Laughter with new friends. Could you choose?

Scot - aye she looks braw, does Dannelle in her new green tweed jacket, with silk lining. Like a Highland lassie - fit for crawling around in the heather then off to the ball without needing to change. That's Harris tweed for you.
Myself, I bought a pocket watch. I have "time issues" as Sam is always telling me. I haven't owned a watch for years - I tend to test things to a quick destruction. Besides, I'm a storyteller - we have a special relationship with time in my profession only understood by A.Einstein. Time is relative. I can make a story last a year. Ask my wife.

The May Tour - Droch Isean

2011-05-16T18:45:00.010+01:00

It's here again! The May Tour.

Let me introduce the ladies. Left to right
That's Courtney and her mother, Kelly. Hiding in the back is Dannelle and her mother Sally. In the front is Rebecca.

As followers of the Tour blogs will know. The first thing to do is establish the name for this particular, unique adventure.

Somewhere in the run up to the tour, Ducks were mentioned, so The Odd Duck Tour, is a possibility. If you'd met the ladies you'd know why that is appropriate. Then we found out how "witty" the ladies are (that's sarcastic) so Scot suggested "Droch Isean". It's a term used for badly behaved children, roughly meaning, "little brat". It's literal translation is "bad chicken".

So An Turas Dhroch Isean it is. The Tour of Bad Hens.

And here's some of Geillis Duncan's hens - we were in her herb garden this morning.

Musical accompaniment to this photo: "I see a bad moon risin'. I see trouble on the way..."

Hi all, it's Dannelle sharing the trouble of the day....and there wasn't any! We had a very nifty picnic lunch, after which some of us hiked up a Scottish hillside to a Big Surprise. Others went to visit a wee kirk and indulge in some hot chocolate. The view from the hike was AMAZING...even with the sheep dung sprinkled about for authenticity....we even got a bit of a Scottish sprinkle to keep us cool on the way up. We had a blast - at least I did - especially following Scot in his kilt and his walking stick and hiking hat - a piece of the 18th century here in the 21st! We all seem to have the same sense of humor and are having FUN.....

Sally isn't blogging this evening : "give the world my regards".

Tomorrow - oh you'll just have to tune in.

P.S. Sam here - it's been an early spring, so the Bluebells are carpeting the woodlands beautifully. Some of us took an alternate trip from the tall hill path to visit an old Kirk in the form of a small chapel and enjoy some moderate walking and views along a beautiful flowing river before stopping for a very tall cup of fluffy hot chocolate.

I've become the 'unofficial' hot chocolate connoisseur in Scotland, scoping out the best places to enjoy that ancient Aztec & Mayan creation. This particular concoction today was very good. And the Outlandish Spirit siting next to me was great fun. We sat in a small Post Office / Country Store / Cafe and chatted with some local Highland folk, a visitor from England having a cup of tea (of course) and the shop owner and her young daughter who had just come home from school and was having a piece of carrot cake - ah, the perks of your family owning a cafe!

Our Outlandish Spirits came through 'Clair's Stone' safely yesterday and were in awe of the experience. They've now traveled back in time, but alas they are all scantly dressed for this time period. It brings to mind Brianna and her trousers!

A special note to Carolyn, Aven & Marilyn, you are spoken of with great fondness to our Hens and have become part of our tour - we miss you all!

Squirrels Up A Tree

2011-04-15T16:53:00.013+01:00

Scot is over in Brittany regaling folk at the Mythos Festival with tales of the Celts. He has taken our wee computer with him, so I'm now writing after returning home. The flowers and trees have been beautiful throughout the Highlands in April and I'm inspired to offer a tour this time next year.....

The last day of our trip brought us to a beautiful woodland; a much anticipated stop by Jamie and Claire as a special side trip - easy enough to do on a custom, private tour!

This day saw our family climbing up tall trees and swinging from zip wires in an adventure that even the squirrels must envy.

I think back to some of the books and I do believe that Brianna would have had fun designing something like this and wee Iain Murray would have had a blast gliding through the forests. Our 'Awesome Four' (as that is what I've dubbed them) enjoyed climbing, swinging, maneuvering through a very high, difficult course; definitely not a course for land lovers or wimps. In fact, I'd say that this is one of the best examples of Outlandish Spirits I've seen in person!

What is an Outlandish Spirit? It's many things to many people. But perhaps it's also someone who goes beyond what they normally do - they step outside of their own box and challenge themselves - they get up that extra bit of confidence and say "To heck with what everyone else thinks, this is something I want to do!" Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser lived her life outside of the box and stepped outside of her own comfort zone and her own world to do what she wanted to do. I see this same outlook in Vicki & Jim and admire their courage and dedication in their life together.

I bade a sad farewell in Edinburgh to our new friends........ ah but it is just farewell and not goodbye - or - as we like to say "Mar sin leibh en-drasta." So, what is an Outlandish Spirit to you? What you've done that's been Outlandish (keep it clean :) ...ahem) and we'll share it here. What inspired you or influenced your life from the Outlander series?

Adieu, mes amis

From War to Peace

2011-04-13T09:42:00.007+01:00

DAY 4 part 2
Jim - After touring through the visitor's center at Culloden and the actual battle field, I have a much better understanding of the actual event. There are many lessons to be learned about preparing for battle, taking care of your troops, and basic soldiering. Of course, these are my thoughts as a military member. It was excellent! This afternoon, we got to tour a cottars house, which I found very interesting. I have a much better understanding of what it would have been like to live in a thatched roofed house that is heated by a peat moss fire. It is not a life I would like to live, but it is a dry place to sleep. This tour is a great way to see Scotland. We would have never seen or experienced Scotland like we have this week had we tried to do this on our own. Thanks Scot and Samantha!

Claire- Hello!! Touring today was partialy exiting. I say this because we visited Culloden... I found it very interesting, but very sad. After seeing the battle field and museum thing we visited the standing stones...sorry, some standing stones. It was really cool to see what it was like with the cairn and all that stuff. Then, finally we went to Cottars house. It was realy cool to see the thatched houses with the actual things inside.

Oh... yes, I almost forgot, big... no, HUGE thanks to Scot and Samantha for the AWESOMELY AWESOME sheep stuffed animal, I love it!!!! (^@^)~

Scot - Aven suggests "Rupert" fort the sheep. Or perhaps "Serta the Mattress Sheep", which she will no doubt explain the meaning of. I'm for "rainbow socks" which you'd have tae see it's feet to understand.
We gave Jamie beag a book about the last battle on British soil - Culloden. He likes his military and is a lad of detail, so the book seems to serve.

This evening we had ale, the new Kilchomain malt, which was sgoinnel gu dearbh. There was a plaid demonstration which is best pictured through the lady of the house - her expression on seeing her menfolk clad in plaid and not a lot else. (Sorry, no photos of that. The ladies amongst you will just have to imagine or come on a tour. Beats a youtube video, I'd say.)

I told a Tale of the Silkie folk and then it was time for me to say good bye. I'm off to Breizh (Brittany) in the morning to tell some Scottish Tales at a festival. Sam meanwhile takes the crew to their doom - Go Ape. Lots of high wires, zip lines and clambering around in the tops of trees. I've been there. I can say that the longest zip line in the UK is REALLY long. You hook on and you can't even see the far end of it, almost half a km away. That's where you're supposed to land, some good time later... at speed. It's nothing to do with the J&C Tour of course, but this is a private one and Sam's put in something for the bairns. They've been looking forward to it all week.
There will be photos, if they are not too bloody.

I've enjoyed the company of our mad wee crew. I will miss them. It's been a short tour, made shorter by my departure. No doubt we'll be meeting our new friends on the net and maybe we'll meet again in Germany. There is a plan.

Sam is thinking of offering a shorter J&C tour soon. It's likely to be described as "No frills but all the thrills" and be 5 days.

Declare your preferences and interest through email.

Mar sin leibh an-drasta, luchd-leanntainn
Good by for now, followers
Scot AnSgeulaiche

One morning

2011-04-12T12:51:00.003+01:00

DAY 4
Culloden. The day started cold, with a wind and a hint of sleet in the air. A shadow of the weather faced here in another April day, some time ago. Followers of the musings of the tour over the years will know that I duna much care to go out on to the field, so here I am again, sat in the visitor centre, committing thoughts to type.
It is interesting to overhear the conversations of the visitors to this place. Accents from America, Spain, England. Something happens to almost all the people who come here. They take on an inward look, pensive, conversations turn to "I don't understand why they... can you imagine being there and... it's strange how..." and the like. This place still has the power to move people, people who as you look at them don't appear as if they have anything in common with the history of the place - garishly dressed, tanned tourists from Florida, little old ladies with walking canes. All of them hide a secrete fact of themselves beneath some 'other' covering - the secret is that they all relate to this place. It touches them.

jamie- culloden was very depressing. the scottish were slaughtered it was very sad. we walked about the museaum and watched a movie about the battle then met a weapons expert who let us hold a shield, dagger,musket and a sword, that was cool and fun. then we walked the battle field and got in the car to see some standing stones. the stones were interesting. now were at a pub having lunch. by for now B):) :D

Vicki-So, the day to view Culloden finally arrived. I don't mean finally, as in this week, I mean finally as in...........20 years in the imagining. When you stand on the field in the rain and cold wind you can't really fathom how it must have felt that day. Standing there facing an enemy who was well rested, well fed, and well armed. The Scots on the other hand were tired, hungry, and lacking good leadership. It's always easy to stand in a beautiful visitor center and arm chair quarter back if you will, but from here in the future, you can see clearly how horrible the outcome would be. It is a very moving, somber experience. I really thought the Fraser stone would move me more than the others, but it did not. All lying under the stones were equal to me. Brave, valiant warriors.
On to some standing stones and cairns. Very interesting. They are over 4,000 years old. Too bad it's the wrong time of the year to time travel. Samantha and Scot rock!! They can answer any silly question that comes up. A super tour!!

Wee sheep gifties. Claire canny think of a name for the wee fella. Can anyone help? "Comments" welcome, Except from Aven who will come up with something daft. Only kidding love, suggest away.

Wolves and Heroes... and a cat

2011-04-11T21:11:00.003+01:00

DAY 3

Claire- Today has very fun so far. We have been hiking around again. Scot told me some tips about hiking such as where to step and certain things to look out for. I got about an inch away from quite a few birds. I think they spotted my cookie crumbs. Right now I am blogging in a restaurant. I'm hoping our food comes soon... I seem to be hungrier than I thought I was. Oh well... Ciao 4 now!! :-) (^@^)~

That's fresh air and a hike through the highlands for you.

We've had such a full day that there's been little time to write. We'll give it in pictures.

If you're wanting to know, that's reading about Jamie and Claire's honeymoon and meeting the wolves; a couple of heroes; in the wilderness; and visiting Lord John at The Castle.

Dafties

2011-04-10T23:05:00.006+01:00

Ach, What a day!

I blog from Hootenanny's. There's a great wee three piece on the stage of the pub doing traditional songs; we have heather honey ale in the glass (ooh too easy on the pallet, but dangerous tae yer feet).

Anyway. To the adventures of the day. In picture format, for those who like graphic novels.

This is what she calls a "stable moment". They are in a stable, a "hay loft" if you get the inference. These are apparently, a major part of the plot of Ms Gabaldon's novels for Vicki

This morning we have been to a place that myself and Sam argue about. I say it's like Ardsmuir, she says it's more like Wentworth. Of course, my interpretation is the more accurate.

The kids have a different kind of stable moment. Kids will climb,... and fall

Tales at the Chapel. A wedding Tale of course.

Jim - Day two continued to be an exciting day. We got to see an old church just up a hill and do a reading from the book about Jamie and Claire's wedding. it was really nice and then Scott played his harp and told us a story that was really excellent. We had tea and snacks today at a castle as well, which was a real experience. To wrap up our tour for the day we went by Loch Ness. Vicki, the kids and I had to put our feet in the Loch, it was cold and refreshing. As hard as I looked, I did not see Nessy! Now we are settling into our B and B for the night and then we will head out to dinner. The weather has been sunny and wonderful again today. I feel like we are very lucky to have such wonderful weather!!! I forgot to mention our stop by the old barracks. As a military man I found the barracks interesting. Even in the 1700s, the barracks were built with what we now call a quad, it is where the formations would be held, etc. I was impressed with the kitchen, and bathrooms. As with many things from this erra, I like to imagine what it must have been like to live then. Also, in keeping with the books, what must Claire must have thought to find herself back 200 yrs!

Scot - Bathrooms are not awfly common in the rural Highlands. Mother Nature has plenty of opportunity. Vicky: "It's not a great claim to fame, but I have peed in many countries but I have to say that Scotland is my favourite."
Aye, well, Vicky's a wheen o' fun. I relate to Jim. We men have learnt to be undemanding.

Scot - Picture the scene, I've got the camera and Jim is stood ankle deep in the water. He's the only one not squeeling with the cold. The others won't stay in long enough, all together, for me to get a photo of them, so Jim's getting colder and crotchety as he's the only one freezin' his toes off.

This is the one called "Dafties"

A mother and daughter moment

Sam - April in the Highlands has been even better than we expected. We know the weather is usually quite good during this month, but we're in a heat wave; fantastic! The Daffs are up everywhere and the cherry blossoms are just coming into full bloom. The sky is so clear, that we could see the top of Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Britain, beyond the chapel. I really think I'd like to start an annual tour in April....hmmmmmm. It's been great fun traveling with our Outlandish Spirits and their enthusiasm is catchy. We're teaching them Gaelic words and the local Scottish lingo and they love trying all the local fayre!

Vicki- What a wonderful day! Old barracks, high tea at castles, wee chapels, fabulous B&B,but really, if you're going to Scotland, you must sit on the side of a hill, in a very old cememtary, overlooking a wee old chapel. BUT, to add to the already overwhelming experience, while you sit there you must have a storyteller with a harp telling a good old story that relates to one of the headstones you are looking at. A bit surreal. Scott tells an enchanting tale. My cup runeth over today. Clotted cream, scones, and a Ragnald MacDonald love story. As I type I am having a beer in Hootanany's listening to great music with great company.

Scot - here's a couple of video clips of the trio we're listening to as we blog. Sent to you by bluetooth, mobile phone and carrier eagle. How cool is that? Let me know in the comments if they don't come through.

Jame and Claire on the Jamie and Claire Tour

2011-04-09T21:58:00.000+01:00

DAY 1

Scot here. We're outlandishing a private tour for an American family from Italy.
You'll like this. Vicky and Jim's bairns are called Jamie and Claire. Aye, really.
What's more, wee Jamie has red hair and his current stature promises great height as an adult.
Cò-dhùi, anyway, I'll hand yeez over to them as they are prolific writers.

Claire- Today we visited to a very hilly place, not a mountain though. I am not exactly sure where we went. I found it very enjoyable. We hiked all around there, and we saw lots of sheep. Jamie ran all around trying to "catch" some sheep. [Aye, a true MacKenzie at heart : "I was just Borrowing them".] It was sort of funny. We stopped at a spot where standing stones used to be. We read a little bit of one of the Outlander books describing Claire's journey through the stones. It was very descriptive, and I liked it a lot. The men hiked all the way up to the top of the hill, but they did not bag a monroe... too bad. On the way to our hotel, we saw lots of little baby sheep, they were sooooooooooooo cute!! I am very exited to see what tomorrow brings. :-D

Jim, he "went up a mountain and came down a hill"

Jim - Well today began the tour! I didn't know what to suspect but it has really turned out to be more than I had expected. After getting sandwiches for the day, we were off. It was as if Scot and Samatha and our family had known each other for quite some time. After eating our picnic lunch at the edge of a field, we took a hike into the hills. I learned that even the hills were very wet and bog like. I just thought that it would only be like that in the lower areas. Scot decided to take a hike to the top of the hill over looking valley and I decided to join him on this adventure. It was quite a hike to the top, but it was incredible. The view was worth the effort. After a day of hiking, we drove to our B and B for the night. It too is very nice and we are sitting down at dinner this evening at the restaurant, the food is very good and the conversations are great. I am anxious to see what tomorrow will bring!

Vicki-After many many sleepless nights or nights filled with strange Samantha dreams.........the day finally arrived. Sam and Scott picked us up in Edinburgh. We stopped at a busy store to pick up sandwiches etc for the day. We headed out driving and getting to know each other. We stopped at their beautiful house. What a lovely place to spend your time. We headed out to places unknown to me. We arrived a the most Scottish looking place you can imagine. We sat on a pile of stones for lunch. We gathered ourselves and headed up a large hill although not a Monroe. There will be no "bagging" a monroe as they are a minimum of 3,000 feet. I feel the hill Jim and Scott climbed should count as a monroe. The kids Samantha and I hiked up to a large clefted stone. It was so perfect. As Sam read the excerpt from the book I could "feel" myself checking out of this reality and into 18th century Scotland. You could see the grove of trees that Claire stumbled into after coming through the stones. I could imagine the small battle between the Highlanders and the Dragoons. If you sat on the side of this hill, and kept yourself very still......you really could place yourself in the story. Besides the clefted stone, I could imagine how Claire must have felt sitting next to Jamie looking out over the beinns and trying to get a sense of how her life was going to be. Just spectacular!!! We reluctently left the quiet peace of that place and headed to our b&b. Cozy, beautiful, perfect. now we are sitting at wonderful restaurant awaiting our dinner. YES, we have already had our hagus. It was a big hit with my Jamie the red!!

Red Jamie, guddling a trout? Na, washing the mud off his feet

Jamie- well today we were picked up mr.Scott and Mrs. Samantha, and they took us us on a long car ride to a "secret location" that was very hilly and rocky. it was very very pretty. shortly after arriving we sat on rocks and had a wonderful picnic, then we began the hike up the hill, there was a beautiful stream going down the hill, I tried wading in it but i decided not to get frostbite. We then got to the "jamie and claire" rock were claire is sent back in time. after reading a bit of the book i saw some sheep and decided to chase them. I had chased them quite far down the hill until I realized I couldn't get them. I started to run up the hill until I stepped in a sinking bog, my shoe came off and I got really muddy and wet. All in good fun though. shortly after we headed back down the hill to the car and drove off to our hotel and currently I'm having hagus and salmon... I cant wait until tomorrow.

Scot - it was good to loosen the winter cobwebs (and the leg muscles) with a climb today with Jim. NOW it feels like the touring season has begun. I'll get a bit fitter so that I can look forward to punishing, I mean meeting, a few of yerselves when ye come adventuring. It'll be a pleasure.

Scot

The New Western Isles Tour

2011-03-24T22:05:00.000Z

I'm a wee bit cock a hoop. I'm just after uploading my new website www.ansgeulaiche.co.uk which contains the new tour

"Journey to the Western Isles"

This is the tour we took The Sisters on last year, with a few tweeks.

The Western Isles are a real pilgrimage for the traveler - it takes a couple of days to get there - so they don't get much visited. This is why we're looking forward to sharing their beauty with visitors who don't have the time to hire the camels, find an interpreter guide...

Eileanan na Siar, are still verra Gàidhlig in their outlook. Hard living people in my experience. Reserved, sharp witted. Grand sorts.

The scenery is beyond words (and photos). Imagine standing on the windy driven shores looking west out over the slate blue Atlantic, knowing that the next parish is America. Nothing but gulls, storms and the cluster of rocks called St Kilda between you and the lands that many of these hardy folk were forced to emigrate to in the 19th Century.

I expound too much. Go see the website and let me know it's all working well.
Moran Taing, many thanks, Scot
www.ansgeulaiche.co.uk

To Lallybroch We Go

2011-03-22T10:43:00.000Z

So the May Tour Outlandish Spirits are going to be in for a treat. Amongst a surprise here or there we've told them that they're staying in their own Scottish Lallybroch.

With a 5 star reputation and lovely décor and everything in ship-shape order (Jenny would approve), our group will experience their own wee Estate lifestyle. They'll have time to walk the corridors, now carpeted, to sleep in the luxurious beds (probably no longer feathers and horsehair), to sit in the parlor with the fire and to gaze from the large sash windows out onto the great Scottish outdoors. They'll have first class dining experience around a big family table and a fantastic Scottish breakfast in the morning (if they have any room left). The stay is a new location and is a wee extra that Sam has been working on for the May tour guests. It'll be unique to them as it's probably a one time visit this year.

I've just checked with Herself, and she can make room for an eager one or two, but the tour closes very soon.

We have spring here today. Herself was working on her flower bed and I was making sure we'll be warm in the coming winter - chopping logs.

Scratch pad

2011-03-10T10:31:00.000Z

Luchd-leanntain (followers).
I now declare this blogspot "a place where we journal the tours as they are happening and also a public scratch-pad where we invite you to play with new tour ideas that we are considering".

That work for you?

General:

As you might have understood, the way Sam's J&C tours work is that each one is a little different, based on the personalities that emerge as the guests sign on. We like them to be a bit bespoke /tailored, without charging a custom tour rate. It's more work for Sam, but we think it's worth it.

So, here's something we'd like the Outlandish Club to muse on.

LOWER MOBILITY
Sam is looking into a lower-mobility Jamie and Claire Tour. We're thinking it would run in a second vehicle, in parallel to the usual tour, perhaps this September if there are enough takers. The walks would be shorter, flatter, etc.

We're even looking into hiring mobility scooters for those who need that kind of support to be Outlandish.

The two parties of the tour (two vehicles) would meet for lunch or dinner, sharing different adventures from the day, and people could swap between these two slightly different itineraries as needed. Both vans would cover pretty much the same tour locations and itinerary.

What say you lot to a lower mobility option in September?

Scot, inveterate curmudgeon and blog stealer.

Wee Folk in Big Hills

2011-03-03T10:26:00.000Z

DAY 6,

Castling – an obscure move in chess.

Our first adventure today was the lasses playing at The Falls of Dochart, a shallow, wide cascade that drops through the village. A light frost last night left rock-pools with a paper thin layer of ice for them to play with.

A stunning drive in the sun over the Sacred Hill of The Caledon Tribe (Shiehallion) took us along a single track road that is a favourite of mine for the birch trees and the loch. I took a picture from the viewpoint (at last, I hear the cry, some scenery). Here, the girls began to play on a rock amidst the trees. Charlie reflected that he can usually tell the quality of a place by his daughters' behaviour, especially Ella. They were playing a fairy princesses I think; the spot has a really comfortable and open feel to it.

The view point, Shiehallion snow-covered in the back left

Enjoying the feel of Scotland

A bit of shopping followed once we got to Pitlochry, during which Cee Cee got a new hat to match her overall love of pink. Note the spangley boots. If they'd fit me, I'd have them off her feet.

We arrived an hour ago in the domicile of choice, Dalmunzie, to go a' castling. We've been lauding it as a castle to the party, but it's really a hunting lodge. Many were built in the Victorian period in remote parts of Scotland. This one is suitably antiquated. The corridors are wood panelled and narrow (for servants), the plumbing antiquated, the floors slope, lots of quirky charm and the rooms have been done out nicely in a period style. There's a distinct lack of modernisation to this place, which is to its credit. If you want a hotel with a pool, mobile phone reception and a lift that goes to the top (there is actually a lift, surprisingly) then go to a hotel that has these things. This place is about last century charm. The dinner this evening was fantastic. The “Kitchen Brigade” did a fine job.

It's been grand to have Aven blogging along with us, and of course the Silent Majority. Share the adventure one and all! Speaking of sharing adventure, the current idea is that the next May Jamie and Claire tour will cover new book territory. Sam is lining up a stay in Lallybroch, which is new, but that also puts us in a different park of Scotland that would allow us to do the whole Claire Fraser, Army surgeon in the battle of Gladsmuir; Jamie et al sneaking through the bog in the dawn fog to surprise General Cope's sleeping army. Looking forward to that one.

So, luchd-leanntain (that's gaidhlig for “followers”), today is the last day of the tour for the Barr-Welles family. They will probably do a bit of yomping on the hills around the castle afore we leave for Glasgow. I've put in a few pics of the locale for your benefit.

Big Folk - tour day 5

2011-03-01T22:55:00.000Z

Today, in the lost glens of the Highlands, the sun shone. It was even warm. The whole place had a beautiful glow about it as the low light brought a vibrancy to the greens and rusts of grass and braken. The Birch twigs were especially beautiful in the muted purple, colonising the hillside.

Sam took our family up a big hill to experience a major marker on a ley-line of earth energy. It's a place that never fails to impress. Grandeur oozes, light moves, the sky opens and closes, breezes caress, time moves and doesn't. I'm sure you know the kind of place. I'd say that it worked for our guests.

Jenn: “The sun was shining. The time was spacious.”

Assata: "There were lots of rocks that were really fun to climb on. The rushing stream was loud and pretty. We saw the Fairy Circle. There was no wind. There were sheep with orange spots. One on each sheep.”

Ella (7): "It was rocky. There were some swamps. Bog country. There were two bones. It was lots of fun.”

To misquote Pushing Tin:"Big Sky, lots of hills."

This area of the Highlands is particularly noted for both its human remoteness and the large number of markers on the energy lines of the earth.
If you are not familiar with these lines, ley-lines, then think of them as a cobweb of energy flows covering the globe, like the tiny veins in the human body. Although not well understood, they seem to be generated in part from the fault lines and geological anomalies below the surface. They are then diverted and focused by things like natural boulders, water, standing stones, pylons etc. They are often felt by humans simply as a place that has a nice, or otherwise, atmosphere, for no obvious reason. In Celtic lands, we tend to mark junctions and other notables along them with churches, standing stones, burial grounds as well as naturally occurring markers. It's a big topic, indeed some have spent years measuring, explaining, interpreting them, applying feel and science alike to the endeavour. It's one of the few areas where science and spiritual understanding re-converge across the divide created just 400 years ago.

I, Scot, did not partake in this adventure. I stayed in the glen floor looking for a stone that I have searched for often. It's associated with the Fiana, an ancient standing army of semi godlike warriors from my Celtic past. Yet again, I could not find it. I hear rumour that it has been taken away by a local farmer and locked in a barn. I'm not sure if for protection or spite. Either way it's a pity. It is like removing the stained glass window of Notre Dame for fear that the glass might crack. Precautions can be taken.

Still, I told a Tale after dinner of a member of the Fianna, so maybe that will make up for it, bring back their essence.

Who knows what adventures Jenn, Charles and Les Angels will be thrust into tomorrow.
Actually, I do. Mwha Mwha Mwha!

On another note, things are geting awfy busy with the Jamie and Claire Tour. Sam is hosting a private tour for Vicky and family in April, tailored to their wants and timings. Then the May tour will come along just as quick. Currently there is a waiting list for it. Donas (9 seater van) is full, but she can hire a Gideon (a second van, similarly bad tempered) if there are 3-4 more Outlandish Spirits. I expect I'll be given the most bitey beast to control: "Scot, van whisperer". Sounds better than Aven's Cow Wisperering from the Grain Tour last year, maybe.

As I understand it, the variation on this May's tour is we'll be staying in Lallybroch (subject to confirmation from Jemmy and family).
Co-dhiu, anyway, it is late; the family are abed, the water still rushes down the falls outside and I have a magical adventure to co-create tomorrow.

Mar sin leibh, a h-uile duine.

Wee Folk - many folk

2011-02-28T22:19:00.001Z

The tour begins again for Jennifer, Charles and their daughters.

Jenn has been at a workshop in Glasgow for the last few days, Living in the Heart, and the family have been experiencing the city.

We picked them up this morning and traveled east to Rosslyn Chapel. There we met with the workshop friends and the host, Ron Laplace. A grand bunch of people with big hearts and bigger smiles.

I had not been to the chapel for many years. It now sits under its own roof, not the temporary one that was in place, like a big steel gazebo, for 14 years.

A photo would have been good, but tour guided-error left the camera in the van. I've noticed the camera doesn't work very well under such conditions. Sorry about that.

The place is much changed. We were blessed to be present when a prayer ceremony took place. The pews were full with visitors amidst red and white barriers to keep people falling into the open holes left by the workmen who are still working away on the fabric. They could be heard outside banging lumps of metal together and shuffling quietly through the seated throng sporting hi-viz vests and tool boxes. Quite an incongruous energy at first glance until the little old lady reading out the prayer requests calls for healing for a family, whose father is one of the workmen on the chapel. Brought it all together.

The new lead roof on the chapel is very fine and apparently a lot better than the original one that leaked, so the curator says, since the beginning in the 13-14th century. Our guests enjoyed it, more so for being able to share it with friends. Perhaps we'll hear from them in their own words later.

From there we headed down into the Glenn that the chapel sits above. Ron Laplace's guests and all.

It's more of a gorge than a glen, with shear sandstone cliffs at some points. The place is full of native trees and today had warm sunlight dappling the river over a hundred feet below the rim. There is an ancient quality, a human quality even, to the glen. Perhaps the presence of hand cut caves into the sandstone and old monastic walls in the fields above give the impression of a place of much sacred daily life, only recently grown over.

I led us down and then along the river finally coming up beneath the Rosslyn Castle. From this angle it looks more like a castle in Transalvania or Wallachia, perched on the gorge face, trees encroaching.

The imposing stone was softened by the wild garlic that is just coming into leaf all around the castle on the slopes below. Their bright green blade-like leaves shone in the sun beneath the leafless trees. The smell was clear and refreshing.

This evening the girls were awed by having late lunch /dinner in another castle. "It's like, a real castle", said Assata. "It is a real castle", came the reply.
"So how old is it?" she asked. "Well bits in the middle are about 700 years old, but this bit here by the door is quite young, maybe only three or four hundred."
"Yeh," she said, looking a bit non-plussed, "only three or four hundred."

I have performed a couple of weddings here and I told the story over dinner of the couple who wanted their rings delivered to the altar by an owl. I raised an eyebrow at this one when they sprung it on me half an hour before the ceremony.

As we called for the rings in the wedding, I wasn't much surprised when the owl did not fly down the isle as trained but veered off and crashed into the pews. A long minute of self containment passed before the poor bird finally hopped up onto the best man's gauntlet and the rings were retrieved.

Tonight we are sleeping in an old smiddy, deep in the Highlands. Water rushes by, courtesy of the falls outside the house. The place is surrounded by trees and it's below freezing. Math gu dearbh! (Good indeed!)

Scot

Day 3 in search of ... silkies

2011-02-24T18:01:00.000Z

I thought some images of the house we have been staying in would be of interest.

First flowers of the year - Snowdrops

Birch Owl - every home should have one to catch the wooden mice

Now, some words from yesterday from those who were there.

Assata (eldest daughter): “its been fun here in Scotland,we've done a lot..We've gone to lots of places and seen lots of things."

Jenn: "A highlight for me in Kilmarten was the sacred well near the remains of a settlement. We were all (children and adults alike) entranced by the water – its taste, its marking stone with the Middle Eastern cross and pagan symbols, its reflection, its temperature, and all of the life bubbling up inside it. We encircled the tiny well pool for some time, gazing into it. To me, it felt connected to the heavens."

Investigating the holy well

The place engages the attention

So, that was a little more on yesterday. Today we are in search of Wee Folk for wee folk - it's off to the aquarium. Shy octopus, seals, sea stars. We are all in our little child mode, gazing upon beautiful things with awe and wonder.

Here endeth part one of the tour. Jenn is taking part in a workshop in Glasgow for a few days. The children and Charles will have play a plenty in the big city.

I'm off to a conference of thespians. Could be hell in a bottle...

Bidh sinn gur faicinn a-rithist. We'll be seeing you again, next week for a trip into the Highlands in search of earth energies.

Tour Day 2 of the Wee Folk

2011-02-23T00:22:00.001Z

Meeting Stones and Water
Might be a good title for the day. The guests are all in bed. We wore them out, so there will be no words from them. I sit by the fire (as seen in yestere'en's post) and recount the Tale of the day.

Aven has been joining us on our tour - in the blogosphere. Nice to hear from you and know that you are with us, lass. As many will know, our tours are a bit like a select club of followers, guests, friends. Like the Cosa Nostra, anyone can join but they can never leave, so you are welcome with us Aven. Send my regards to your quiet man, John.

To the day...

The posse, ready for mischief

We've been finding out about our guests. That's Cee Cee in the front in pink. She's too cute to be trifled with. She sits in the middle seat of honour in the van, surveying the road ahead and bursting into song and great volume and enthusiasm. "Dingle beh, Dingle beh, dingle aw duh ay!"

We went today to a place who's name I won't publish here, for the downside of the internet is that search engines can soon rack up a huge amount of publicity for a place, much more than the fragile beauty can cope with. I'm thinking that if you're meant to find the place, you will. It's one of Britain's gems and constitutes a huge collection of ancient sites in a fertile glen of Mid Argyll, named after a Celtic-Christian community of the 6th and 7th century founded on the teachings of Martin de Tour. Nuf said? You can work it out.

Samantha and I lived in this Glen for 5 years and I spent most of my time guiding visitors around it or with my nose in the archives researching it's history, so I know it quite well. There are a large number of ancient burial chambers, amongst the many, many attractions.

Cee Cee and Charles make their own ceremony to raise the dead. They sit in a burial ciste 4000 years old. The ceremony involved Cee Cee singing, of course. "Dingo beh, dingo beh..."

The stone circle with it's flooring of cairn stones

We went then to an even less visited place where the roofless dwellings of the families from the 1600s still stand, surrounding and caring for a sacred well that produces the most sweet water. We spent much time drinking and getting close to this soothing elixir, playing with lampreys and tiny fresh water shrimps ("caterpillars" to Cee Cee) that inhabit the well, like water spirits.
Towering over a byre in the clachan (hamlet) is a most beautiful larch tree, and my favourite image of the day, below.

"Number 3, The Larch"

The final stop of the day was a castle, burnt out 350 years ago. It's not in bad shape. We climbed two of its towers and gazed the length of the great hall. Tonight after a wonderful meal from our host, I told the Tale of the man that built it and published the first book in the Gaidhlig language from the castle, to the grandson that lost the place to a bloody feud and vengeful MacLeans bearing torches and daggers.

Worthy of mention is our meal this night. We are staying in a rather sumptuous estate house with Mathew and Yvonne. It is a "Dinner B&B" which is a title that does it no justice. We are staying in the home of two fine people, which we share with them. Mathew is a most excellent cook. He prepared a fresh four course meal which was enjoyed in his regal dining room. Not bad for a man who left of pouring the concrete floor of his new shed not two hours before. Busy and varied people are highlanders.

Tomorrow? Oh I don't know, castles? the ocean? the repository of wonderful creatures? the capital of an ancient kingdom?
You'll have to follow follow follow...

Tour - In Search of Wee Folk

2011-02-21T20:59:00.003Z

Also known as The Adventures of Charlie's Angels.

So, blog followers, Scot writes to you from a fine mansion house on the West Coast of Scotland. We are guiding a private tour for Jennifer, Charles and their three lassies. A grand bunch of explorers in the Outlandish Spirit.

It's a private tour request and the focus is "the sacred sites and haunts of the Wee Folk" to paraphrase Jennifer. We have many of these to choose from and we know more than enough to keep our braw guests happy and satiated for a week.

We picked them up from the airport this morning and they are very tired, so we'll be gentle with them - just a wee hill hike, or two.

The first adventure for the girls is a ferry ride Doon the Watter, as the Glaswegians say. We're over to green and luscious Cowal to a strange wee ravine where as the water pours down and the trees block out the light, the moss and mist drip into the fast clear water and you might think that every lump of rock, buttress of root and branch is sentient. The place is more than alive, where eyes watch you, eyes that sit secretively in beings that are part animal, part mineral and mostly tree. There's a good reason that they call this place Puck's Glen.

Wee Folk in Puck's Glen

Jennifer's description "a magically alive glen that was somehow brought even more to life by the snow falling. The light coming through the canopy... I saw more in the periphery than simply by looking up."
Yup, that's Puck's Glen.

So, upon settling into our B&B, they are looking much better after a picnic dinner we brought along. We're now sat in the comfortable drawing room in front of the open fire playing cards amidst the silken curtains and brocaded armchairs.

An antiquated photo of our wee mansion.

A bit of Luxury - Like walking into a Country Home magazine!

So, Outlandish Followers, a bit of luxury on this private tour to ease the jet lag out of the body and nurture the soul with beautiful surroundings, a warm fire, fantastic cuisine being prepared for us tomorrow and welcoming, friendly hosts . Tomorrow we will be visiting some of the greatest ancient places, standing stones and folk where the wee-folk live. Want your name spoken into a sacred tree? A stone placed in the earth with your name on it? Live vicariously this week. Perhaps next time it will be you.

Scot AnSgeulaiche, storyteller, regaler of history, stealer of blogs.

It's all happening again!

2011-01-29T22:37:00.001Z

Scot AnSgeulache here,
I have ambushed the Outlandish Blog. For why? Well, Sam is too busy to write it. It's that season when the Outlandish Spirits of this world (you) are frequent in their emails, wanting to join this year's Jamie and Claire tours, asking questions about them, and Herself is busy booking accommodation (always a lengthy process).
She has some interesting variations on this May tour. The guests will be staying in one place for a wee while. Think of it like our own Castle Leoch, from out of which forays will be happening. It gives the guests a chance to be out of the saddle for a few days, to have the run of the place, to BE.

That's where we'll be staying for 5 nights of the 8. Now that I come to think on it, it's more like staying at the Reverend Wakefield / Fiona Graham's place, don't you think? It's actually quite close to that as well. I trust the hot water is delivered by something more modern than a match-lit gas geizer (although if the Outlandish Spirits are looking for authenticity...)

So, Blog followers, share your comments on that, so that I know yer there.

Here's a favourite photo of mine from last May's tour - The Grain Tour - that I think gives that sense. It's John looking over Loch Ness.

Other winter news. We have our own Cheety. He has adopted us, forceably at claw point. We don't want a cheety, but he for reasons best known to his wee feline brain, has chosen to starve himself on the doorstep (and in the wood shed) rather than go home to where he gets fed, at our neighbours over the field.

He has been staking us out for almost two years, pushing his way into our house and generally being a craitur bochd.

We have cried him Faing. He has long fang like teeth and Faing (pronounced Fank) is old Scots for a pen to hold sheep in, derived from the Norse word Fange, to imprison, take hold of, not let go. Aye, that'll be him.

See the fangs?

That's him after food, again.

Le meas, with respect, Scot

Jamie and Claire Tour returns

2010-07-06T19:40:00.043+01:00

DAY 10 - Return of the Natives

We leave the islands today. The ferry will take us to Eilean a'Cheò, Scotland's biggest island, from where we will drive to the mainland. Yesterday Scot bought some Harris tweed socks. It was in a wee 10 x 6 foot shed where Sandra has her workshop – she is one of the many cottage industry crafters here and one of the few that actually makes Harris Tweed bags on the island. She asked with a concerned look on her face “you do know to wash Harris tweed socks?” We misunderstood the question and began replying “yes, wool-wash programme...”
No. She meant that they were actually be washed, just checking. So unfolded the story of the man that bought three pairs from her. Sometime later she got a package in the post thinking that someone had sent her a present. She opened the bag to be greeted by a stench and three pairs of her own knitted socks. There was a note explaining that he had been told he could not wash tweed socks so here they were back again, having been worn extensively but never washed, and he'd like a refund. Some choice words were spoken about the, let's say level of knowledge of life-basics held by this customer. We never got the end of the story as to what she did in response. We'll email her and keep you posted.

This morning was spent in the tweed storehouse, pictured yesterday, trying to make a tweed choice in just two hours before the ferry sails. We were left running for the boat, bags in hand. The Sisters have bought tweed-leather holdall bags to augment their carrying capacity for the journey home. Scot has a new feilieadh beag (looks like a kilt) and I have a bent, warm credit card.

Tonight we dine on the side of Loch Linne. The mist is about, the place looks fantastic as ever.

DAY 11 - Hiking Hills and visiting Lallybroch

So, back to the mainland and back "on book" to complete the Jamie and Claire Tour Cross, Bones and Island Stones. The islands have been, of course, Amazing, and we've only done three out of about 800. As ever, the sisters stayed in good form walking up and down wee mountains and hills - the best way to get yer land legs back!

Mare: "And we found Lallybroch this morning, strolling about the grounds with its gardens, fields and outbuildings including its own chapel. Sweet.."

The mountains and hills around Glencoe are spectacular, lush and green. So many trees in this part of Scotland. Loved that it was a sunny morning after yesterday's all day soaking. [Sam: It's raining in July... Oh, we must be in Scotland!] Our B&B hostess begged us not to take the sunshine away from Glencoe, but we did anyway. Scotland has an amazing variety of terrain, weather and scenery. [Sam: We call it atmosphere].

Sam: Glencoe, for all it's history is still one of my favorite places. Being enveloped in lush green from all sides and making the rest of the world disappear; perhaps its own little Brigadoon.

Care: "Glencoe is a marvel, so very panoramic, I could barely take it all in as much as I would've liked... Actually, all of Scotland, so very different wherever you go, has been a thrill, especially seeing it with our own special tour guides!"

We drove the length of Skye, stopping for some 'hill walking' aka hiking and discovering new sun bleached bones along the way; perhaps just one more for our collection? Then on to a famous castle to see how the west was won.

We stopped in at The Storyteller's Cottage (our home). PIC: The Sisters in situ, proving that our house exists and is not in Brigadoon.

Mare: "Ah well...here we are [back] in Edinburgh to see what there is about, and with all the bustling, it should be an entertaining afternoon. Great view from our top floor flat in the middle of town and really fine to know what is behind those nondescript doors along the street. Away from the wind swept Isles now in sunny Edinburgh, happy to not be blown off our very feet. Uh oh. Sam said I HAD to order Turkish food at this Edinburgh restaurant, so I reluctantly acquiesced and ordered chicken couscous. Of course the lady at the next table had some for me to examine first and of course, it looked pretty good."

Sam: Oy! Through the whole tour we're told about middle eastern and other exotic places the sisters love to eat at back home. So I take them to my favorite Turkish restaurant and Care attempts to order a basic British chicken and bacon wrap.....what!? No, no, no, you may as well order a burger! New country - new experiences - that's my motto!

DAY 12 - Edinburgh ~ Claire Returns

Edinburgh. Today we walked the closes and haunts of old Edninburgh. In one of those great coincidences that we seem to happen upon quite a lot when on tour, we were stood in Carfax Close, reading the passage about Claire's arrival in search of A. Malcolm and the passage about dodging the “gardez loo!”, when a little old lady came out in cap and pinny and emptied a bucket of slop down the street, running between my feet. Being the 21st century, though, it was just bleach-water, thankfully. Perfect timing though. It looked like we'd set it up for the Sisters. These things seem to happen a lot on the tour and really add to the authenticity.

We dined in Moubray's Tavern. OK it's been closed for more than a century so we didn't get oyster stew and “take a room” afterwards, but we did dine on the steps of the old tavern.

Mare: "Yes, the last day of the tour has arrived and then after our 3 day extension of Edinburgh on our own when the tour is complete, we will board the Big Blue Bus to the airport, kicking and screaming. Edinburgh is a fitting way to finish up (where we started), and we made the most of our morning. Ate a different cuisine provided by Scot on the steps of Moubray's Tavern and listening to the appropriate readings from Voyager. Then to the closes, the World's End, the tea shop in a close complete with a cafe owner swabbing down the pavement. So much to see and it's been wonderful to identify places that could have been the real thing had the book been non-fiction instead of a great story."

Sam: Fiction?! Fye! I'd say those were fighting words!

Mare: "Thanks, Sam and Scot – it's been great and an experience we'll not forget, ever!"

Our Outlandish Spirits proved to be a joy to be around. We enjoyed the humor and camaraderie of Marilyn and Carolyn and they will be truly missed.
PIC: our final time together.

PIC: Scot's favourite tour picture:

The Islands - Day 5-9

2010-07-03T09:18:00.024+01:00

DAY 5
The tour is running thick and fast and we are not getting enough time to blog our adventures. Later... Culloden, Leoch... four poster beds.... a saw-bones..

Mare: “Days are going too fast. Our stop at the split standing stones was awesome. Had to be pulled back before I disappeared all the way into 1773. Weather has been spectacular, only a smidgen of rain. Are we really in Scotland? On our way to the islands this afternoon with an important stop for a twelvesy at a coffee shop for a piece of cake and a brew. Everyone's enjoying the silent movies to go along with the coffee. Life is good and we are having one terrific time. I think we will sign up for two more weeks, please.”

Carolyn: “Oh dear. It's been a couple of days of great touring all over – out in the forests, along the streams, munching on a picnic lunch out in the quiet woods where Jamie and Claire would've wandered, perhaps on their honeymoon and on to 'Leoch' and Culloden. So much sadness on that moor, can feel it even now, not to mention the visual presentations on posters and in a short movie. Couldn't keep out the tears... Then, lucky us – we spent the night in the castle last night waaay up at the top in an elegant room with, alas, no ghosties or bumps in the night to disturb our sleep. Can't say that bothered me so awfully much. Treated to a devoted Jacobite presenting his story of the battle, dressed in his tartan, complete with the weapons, targe and sporran. He took a lot of time answering our many questions after his presentation which was quite fine. Now, on to another day of travelling surprises that keep us on our toes and delightedly guessing. We are so enjoying every moment of this trip.”

I returned to our tent tonight to find we had a new friend – our very own wee Cheety has moved in. Cat hair everywhere. Tonight the sun goes down on the Beauly Firth and it doesna look half bad. PIC

DAY 6
Today we went to Castle Leod. Lord John is not at home today, but like us, he's on his way to the Outer Isles, so we might see him there. So, instead of going into the castle, we sat below it on the sward and had Tales in the sun of the MacKenzies, namely Coinneach Obhar, the Bràthain Seer, upon whom the Seer of Lord Lovat is based in Dragonfly. PIC: Tales at Castle Leod.

To the Isles we go today. Our Islands adventure begins. To remote Leodhais we go, “The Edge of the World” as some would have it.

After waiting in a sunny blowy Ullapool for a late ferry and some stevedores who seemed in no rush to load us, we made the three hour journey on a fairly calm sea. There was even a hint of a porpoise or dolphin pod.
The sea was as bright as a mirror in the sun and after a couple of hours the islands began to appear out of the clouds and rain showers.
Our host this night is a Leodhasach crofter, who keeps pigs, geese chickens and three crofts. The house sits with a view of Tursachan Calanais, the largest of the many stone circles and alignments in this amazing collection.

DAY 7
Phrase of the day: “Could ye no do with a bit maer wind here!?”

It's nice to see that Aven and others are following the blog of this tour. Who else is lurking out there? Make a comment below and share a thought.

Carolyn: Anything left of me after being blown three sheets to the wind up to the broch? People who lived here in Lewis must've been/are hardy folk, and precious few with the lack of arable land and plenty of rock all over the hills! OK, compared to Ohio, this is another planet, which of course is why I'm loving this side trip to the island. Our B and B hosts treating us to their droll sense of humor complete with the eye twinkles added a touch of fun to our beautiful breakfast.”
PIC: Broch.

Mare: I don't remember a fiercer wind than the one on the top of the hill at the broch. 'Twas once a strategic defense site as well as a family home and barn. Amazing how these resourceful people managed to survive and thrive in these rugged conditions. Shared the pathway with some vocal sheep on the way down. Don't see THAT in Michigan.

Just had a most unique and delightful stop at the local weaver of Harris tweeds. Norman MacKenzie was in his wee loom shed, working on a gray design on a 60-year old single width loom. His business was out in the countryside near our B&B and we just happened on it. Mr. MacKenzie demonstrated how his loom worked and gave us a running commentary. We picked out our favorite tweed to purchase from his wee wall of bolts he had woven. All this going on in a workroom of about 10 by 14 feet! Mr. MacKenzie – a new friend on the island of Lewis for all of us. Next time we're here we coming back!”
PIC: Norman MacKenzie, Weaver, at his 60 year old loom.
PIC: Norman with our cloth. “The Looms Norman! The Looms!”

Scot: “It's raining in Leodhais, at the minute, mainly from the side. It will be bright and bidh grian ann a-rithist air a'mhionaid (the sun will be out again in a minute) but I am waiting in the car, while the women of the party visit a Harris tweed handbag shop.”
PIC: The Norse Mill and Kiln.
PIC: Eaglas Moluag. 900 year old church

Carolyn: “Learning about Black Houses up here in the windy seaside hills, and what better way than to see a well kept historical one (I should think most of them are truly historic!) than to be guided by a 14 year old young man with knowledge and confidence, not to mention a cute smile and the perspective of youth!”
PIC: Donald, our guide

PIC: the range in the new house.

To be honest, there were too many pictures to put on this page from today. Even more will no doubt be taken tomorrow.

DAY8 – gu Na Hearradh – To Harris

Sam: Well it is Scotland in July and here's the rain right on schedule! We've be dodging huge drops yesterday and today and outrunning clouds around the isles only to experience winds strong enough to blow a person over the craggy edges of the Today has been a little cliffs down to the sea. The color of the water near the shore is Caribbean blue-green with the waves creating clouds of foam over the rocks below. We see many ruins along the way of the old Black Houses which used to stand against the long green crofts. It's amazing to think how all these people survived back then. Though a brutal move from their land, was this actually a good move in the long run as many people were cleared and left the Motherland for the new world. Many people survived, some even prospered. The ones who remain and developed into the faces of the young that we see now are still a hardy bunch and still have to find many ways to survive, physically and financially on these islands off an island. There are grandchildren who return to their family lands now and there are 'incomers' who were enchanted by the land and peaceful way of life. Still, the small schools are being closed year after year for lack of new generations to fill them.

Yesterday was a very full day. The Sisters tell me they counted 11 places that we visited. Today has been a little easier to keep track of. We headed south to Na Hearadh – Harris – which probably is Norse for “really big hills”. First though, we went west to the Isle of Bearnaraigh where Scot and Mare braved the horizontal rain to be in the presence of a strange stone alignment that is a half moon right on the edge of the cliff above the narrows between the islands. From there we went to a very special place, an iron age village in the dunes that has one house rebuilt. The other five are still under the sand. There is so much to see out here that we have had to pick just a few things otherwise we'll be too full of experiences, worn out and never get to Harris.
PICS: windswept buildings.

We have had a guess as to the identity of the mystery “thing” picture from a few days ago. Conny from the tour last year thought it was a Haggis. Well, I can reveal that it is not, but it was a fair suggestion. Wrong plumage, dear. Watch out for the comments below the post. Place your own. Prize to be won.
PIC: mystery thing.

Later: The ferry off the island had been cancelled today due to the wind. As it reached gale force, we ran (were blown) to the hotel where panacotta awaited us, gently followed by Scot's harp and Silkie Tales of Lighthouses and Storms, to fit the mood. We were joined in ceilidh by a Dutch couple – always nice to find friends that we haven't met yet. The savage temper of the Atlantic beast must have been soothed by having its spirit called in the Tales, for the wind dropped as we made our way home in the dusk at 11pm. Oidhche mhath, cadal gu math. Good night, sleep well.

DAY 9
What shall we title the day ? Na Hearadh – traighean agus clò mòr – Harris – beaches and tweed.
Mare: “Ah yes, TWEED. Must needs find a Harris Tweed carpetbag to help schlep my purchases home.

The beaches on Harris are spectacular – white, clean, and even today in the cold and rain, little kids were frolicking in the water. Looking for Puff the Magic Dragon I think.”

Care: “Then along came some wild and woolly sheep dog, galloping along the sand, hoping to make friends. Loving dogs, that made the beach for me, even though they themselves were startlingly white and quite decorative (patterns from what? Assorted minerals, wave action...whatever). I think I have never seen so much rock in one place as here on Harris, not even counting the Grand Canyon. Would think that the presence of so much rock might be somewhat depressive should I live here for any number of years. But today, they were beautiful.”
PIC: Tweed Heaven. It's where all the plaid goes when it dies. Scot has gone to heaven too, buying it back.

GOTO the last posting in this tour blog

Cross, Bones and Island Stones Tour, Day 1 to 4

2010-06-28T09:08:00.051+01:00

DAY 1 (scroll down to jump to later days)

So the fill-in-the-name tour has begun with The Sisters, Marilyn and Carolyn.

The Sisters arrived early in Edn., having been forewarned that storms might delay flights, they changed and flew in ahead. Good thinking, Batman. They were going to just stay at the airport and take taxis back and forward. No no no! I moved quick and got them a great deal on the George Hotel in the centre of the New Town, Edn., as it's nice to look after my guests and get them the little extra. (Polishing the medal on my chest gesture. Erm.)

We have begun the discussion as to what the name of this tour should be. The roses are looking gorgeous at the moment, so that might be a contender – The Rose Tour – with hints of Jacobite reference there.

Mare (Marilyn) : “First treat was to meet Sam and Scot, our delightful and brilliant tour guides. First stop, the Holyrood Palace, before the Queen makes an appearance next week (and closes the place). How smart was that? The ruins of the chapel are actually stunningly beautiful and reminiscent of the visit Claire made there to discuss business with Black Randall.”

Sam, in the car as we drive along: “We should get another bodhran [drum] so that you could teach the guests how to play while we tour.”
Scot “It's an idea. It's definitely an idea. It's no a hellish good one, but it's an idea.”

Carolyn: “Scot and Samantha, what wonderful new friends! After much excited anticipation for our Jamie and Claire tour, it finally began! Already making connections of places and events in our Outlander books, which is the whole idea! I am greatly looking forward to the next days, seeing Scotland, learning about this beautiful country, and becoming fast friends with Scot and Sam.”

Scot: “We've been hearing some of the things that the sisters have noticed as a bit odd, coming from America. Which way to look when crossing the roads? Both ways. Roundabouts. Then there was the long discussion of cultural reference points – TV, food, sayings – which mean not much to me, but it's interesting to see my lassie so at home. Ahh, the American Abroad. Alfalfa and Pankie, Crispy Creams and Boston Beans.

DAY 2
As followers of the tour will know, we like to do the tour in roughly chronological order, as close to the way Claire found Scotland. This morning, we make our passage through the stones. The Special Place. We have a fine day to climb the hill. We too are spotting herbs as we walk the “1000 yards to the top”. We have what might be Wild Mountain Thyme (a quick burst of song to celebrate). We have Blood Root, Bog Cotton, Thistle and tiny Orchids.

Mare: “This morning we hiked up the hill at breakneck speed (well, okay, some of us slogged along, but up we went). We found the standing stone and touched it, but we're still here to tell of it. Truly an awesome sight! Along the road we were met by a welcoming committee of kine and a few sheep. They were curious but not a bit impressed by the two-legged intruders.”

And from Carolyn: “Who can imagine the beauty and serenity of a summer morning climbing, climbing up the “wee hill” to the clefted stone, such like the stone Claire stepped through. We had interrupted the cows along the path, stepped through sheep traces, and enjoyed the Scottish breezes on this sunny summer day.”

Those who have been to the stones with us will remember the special atmosphere of this place. As we sat at the stones, each in our own quietness, I had Scot make a Brigit's cross from Luachar for the lasses, to confer the protection of Our Lady upon their homes. Our descent involved the now ritual finding of sheep parts – a thigh bone this time (blog followers will recall Donas the skull from May2009 tour and the spine and innards from Grain tour. It may be a Make Your Own Sheep kit and we have yet to yet the message. PIC: Cross and Bones. Possibly the name for the tour, or perhaps a new Outlander novel.

Carolyn:” How lucky we are with this weather, and with our lovely guides who patiently give us so much attention (and stories!) in response to all our questions. We are having such a wonderful time, seeing scenes, places, and images that will give new life to rereading our Outlander stories. This tour is a fantastic way to really “live” the history of these Outlander books.”

Mare: “The beautiful scenery is a close second to group singing in the car!”

This evening, it was Free Night. The Ladies are amusing themselves. Scot and I drove high up into the hills to a remote place he wanted to visit, Truidh. A single stone marks the site where the Marquis of Montrose raised the King's Standard in 1644 to call the Royalist clans to the cause of the Civil War. Oh, my hubby is so romantic in where he takes me for a date! Still, the view was pretty fantastic.

PIC: What is that? I am offering a prize of 50 pounds off the next tour to the first person who can identify this thing.

DAY 3
We began our day with a visit to Ardsmuir, or at least a place very like the small prison that Jamie spent a few years in. PIC: Ardsmuir No More.

PIC: Escaping Ardsmuir.

Carolyn: “Another sunny day, so off we went to visit a cottar's house in the Highlands.

One of the best parts of touring like this is that you can see not only the beauty of the landscapes as we roll along, but also the tree-lined narrow back roads, not to mention the music Sam plays to add to the ambience! Having lunch in a local coffee house – real Scotland with very sweet service people. We have found that the waitresses here in Scotland have all been very cordial and kind. Sam and Scot continue to be very patient with all our questions, mercifully! We are so enjoying their company.”

We also came across the rare Scottish Wildcat, proudly wearing his tartan. PIC: Wildcat in his usual haunt.

PIC: a really wild cat.

Along the way, we met Mrs Fitzgibbons. Stalwart as ever. PIC Mrs Fitz.

Mare: “Just when I think there is nothing more beautiful to see, voila, there it is. The countryside is magnificent and still green in spite of the drought here.

DAY 4
Over breakfast this morning The Sisters are reading. Jacobites and Bonnie Prince Charlie and the '45. They are becoming knowledgeable and will be critiquing Ms Gabaldon's works later today.

Mare: “Reading more about the Jacobites and Bonnie Prince Charlie just made me feel as sad as ever about the whole situation in the Highlands in the 1700s.”

Today the Ladies have a choice as to what they will do. Onto Loch Ness in a wee wee boat, or off to Wentworth for a jolly romp around the prison. Hard choice. What is it to be?
It's to be the boat. We'll send them off with a Binocular and a wee net on a stick.

Mare: “It WAS a hard choice, but the search for Nessie won out this morning. A wee boat ride with Cap'n Gordon at the wheel giving us the scoop on where we should find the sweet beast swimming around was informative, but Nessie was paying no mind. Maybe next time.

This afternoon Scot escorted us to a burial cairn of – guess who? Sorry, can't tell, otherwise it would be a spoiler. We then went on to a vigorous hike and a picnic lunch by the water. Last night's leftovers made terrific sandwiches, plus toffee yoghurt, mature cheddar crisps (with a picture of three old cronies on the front!) and a bit of ale – yum!”

We spent a peaceful afternoon in the hot stillness of the pine woods like those found across the Highlands for hundred of years. While we did indeed read passages from book one where Jamie and Claire rode, sat, walked, ate picnics and made love in places that have not changed from then till now, we mostly just sat, looked, contemplated and ate our picnic of roast beef sandwiches. I've noticed that the essence of a place like this comes back to you in those remote times, far away. The power of the Scots Pine and Heather is subtle and not fully realised until long after you're back at home or in the office. Scott on the last trip said something similar. The gift arrived early for him. He was blessed to be in the moment.

Scot: “Following a story I heard from a man I met a year back, I pulled the steering wheel hard left for a wee detour and unscheduled stop this afternoon. We were soon hunting around a wee village for a church. Having found this beautiful, ancient Kirk, we knocked on doors around the village until we finally found the key to the church and to the great heavy oak door in the floor that led down to the crypt. PICS.

It took two of us to lift the door (echoes of Hector Cameron's Mausoleum). There they lay, in their lead coffins, bones visible through the tears in the lead, Lord Lovat, The Old Fox, and his son, Simon Fraser. Wow!

Of course, The Old Fox is short by one head, which is still in the Tower of London, but his body lies here, in a quiet village church, forgotten by all but the locals who guard the place. You'll notice that I've not mentioned where this Kirk is. It's verra beautiful and verra fragile. Wouldn't do too well to have a lot of visitors here, drying the air of the crypt out and the like. The same applies to quite a few places we visit on the Jamie and Claire Tour, so we don't like to publicise them too much."

The tour finally has its name CROSS, BONES & ISLAND STONES TOUR

Goto the next post from this tour

End

THE JAMIE & CLAIRE "GRAIN TOUR" - MAY 2010

2010-05-25T18:16:00.001+01:00

We have duly named this adventure “The Grain Tour” because of the well versed, educated and appreciative pallets of our Outlandish Spirits on this trip. Some of them had even been to serious whisky tastings prior to the arrival in Scotland. As well, there was a great appreciation of the incredible ales brewed all over this country. Ah, the two combined would have made James Fraser a proud man indeed of this group! We had guys and girls; some who've read through one book and some through all the books in the series. Each person taking in their surroundings in simple and awe inspiring moments.

The weather on the May Tour was lovely....as always!

Following is a synopsis of different experiences of our traveling companions as we followed the trail into the Highlands of Scotland in the first three books of the Outlander Series and trace the steps of Jamie & Claire. Our next adventure in June will be taking us on a extended 4 day tour of the islands and we have two of our guests, Carolyn & Marily eagerly waiting in the wings and counting the days.

For clarity, we have nicknamed my husband, “Highland Scot” and Erin's husband, “Badlands Scott” since they both have the same name (different spelling).

DAY1

AVEN speaks of the “pilgrimage to the stone”:

It started with a drizzle, but soon enough the sun was out and we were shedding our layers. I really enjoyed going off the path to walk along the many rocks that jut out from the ground.

After reading a passage from Outlander, we walked up a hill and were met by stones with a large stone, complete with a cleft. The view was breathtaking; every cloud that passed overhead gave new shades of green and brown. My only wish is that I'd been in better shape for the walk. Fortunately (or unfortunately), we had plenty of resting stops due to two orthopaedic issues, one bronchitis, and one blister.

On our way back down, we stumbled upon a lamb carcass. Only bones and a little fur left, but too fresh to take along as a mascot. Donas (the skull) may be disappointed that we couldn't find him a companion. [Ed: Donas was the sheep skull that Hannah found on this trip last year. It now protects our greenhouse.]

Brenda:

The peacefulness was all around as we walked up the steep slope. The serenity of the Scotland land side was all around us. The tranquillity of it all was awe inspiring to me as I felt the hustle and bustle of my normal life fall away. Scotland was not as I expected...it is more than I expected. Having only read Outlander and most of Dragonfly in Amber I am behind the power curve of knowing what to expect from some of the comments made by my travelling companions but I am sure to catch up quickly after this inspiring trip. It was a rare moment as one by one each of us laid our hand upon the stone in hopes of being swept back in time to an era where individuals such as Jamie and Claire and the others that Diana wrote about existed if only in our hopes. I myself have envisioned the world created by Diana many times but to have this experience on our first day that we did was awe inspiring and breathtaking all in one.

DAY 2

Jennifer didn't know she was coming to Scotland until she and Brenda arrived at their departure airport. Jenn:

The winding roads of Scotland lead to a hilly climb up to a small stone church overlooking a valley. After reading a passage, from Outlander, we see the steeple peeking over the rise. We entered and the peace of the old church embraced us. We listened to another passage from Outlander, in which, Jamie and Claire were married. It was so easy to picture our favorite Highlander and Sassenach standing at the front, all nerves, clutching hands, and giving each other the strength to make it through the moment. The small chapel seemed to come to life with each word. Putting a picture to a place, until now only imagined, was wonderful.

Leaving the church, after seeing the historic village, the view from the Church afforded a view of a ruined croft across the valley. My mind's eye filled in the pieces that time had erased. What a peaceful, serene, and powerful place.

Brenda:

The township was an extremely eye opening experience. We were brought back in time to what would resemble an authentic Scottish village with true homes made of sod, wood and thatch roofs made traditionally of heather. The fires in the middle of the home expressed a great deal of peat smoke that we smelled for the remainder of our day on our clothing. Aven related it to the smell of a good Islay whisky [as Aven would...:)] The most unique thing to me was the fact the homes had coble areas for the cattle to reside within and they were used as a source of heat for the families through the winter as well. The “modern” plumbing installed for removing the cattle waste was identified as a the best way for the families to utilize as well. I finally got to learn how raw wool is spun into yarn for use in the looms. All in all...it really brought the view of a standard village in Diana's books.

DAY 3

Highland Scot on a night of whisky sampling:

Last night I think there were 18 malts. Yes, 16 at least, and one was Japanese malt. I really liked Brenda's Scapa malt choice and Aven's Bowmore, but what was that nasty wee concoction that Jon tried to get us to drink? Mr. Muscle? Mr. Clean? Oh mo chreach! A Jamie Fraser Special Reserve that one; barely old enough to be allowed out of its baby cot. It was only 3 months and still in nappies. The food was good too, I think.”

Jenn:

While most of the group went adventuring on horses, Sam and I took the opportunity to go for a walk. We parked at a home that we've dubbed Lallybroch. And ventured down the hill to a ruin of a manse. The imagination could quickly erase the damage caused by time. A walk around the manse showed fireplaces still in tact and slats still clinging to the walls. A bit down the path is the manse's stable which has been converted into a home. Again the imagination could easily undo the current renovation. When Sam and I made it back to the farm we got a quick tour from our Highland lad, Iain. What a lovely, peaceful place. Again Scotland does not disappoint. We were blessed with the most beautiful Spring day, as well!

Aven:

The pony trekking was followed by a picnic lunch. Our hike to the river was beautiful with plenty of photo opportunities (which gave us time to catch our breath). Our “Jamie and Claire” style lunch consisted of a variety of meats, cheeses, crackers, fruit, and of course ale. There was a perfectly placed flat rock that served as our table, and another slightly slanted rock off to the side that provided a sun lounge. After stuffing our faces and washing it down with ale (Goliath for John, Erin, Scott, and myself) we beached ourselves like silkies in the sun. I think we're the first tourists to get sunburned in Scotland. [May has some of the best weather here].

Brenda:

Pony trekking was an adventure in Scotland. We began our day by travelling to a Highland farm (referred to as a small croft) where our Highland ponies were gathered. With our ponies saddled we headed out with both Aven and Erin's ponies vying for the lead. The dense forests of trees had been felled to allow repopulation by Scots Pine. As we headed up the road we continued to hear our Highland host yell out “move on Rogie...move on” and “Bru!” loudly as the shepphard dog that tagged along ran under the pony bellies. We moved along in a slow moving gaggle until we reached a small creek. As we came up to the creek we noticed a small bridge made of two 2x6s laid side by side just wide enough for a small vehicle to cross. Easily looking as if the pony's hooves would fall through the cracks or at best the pony would easily veer into the water some two – three feet below. As Aven called back over her shoulder “Which way?”, she was assured that the ponies know the way... and sure enough they veered into the water just before we got to the bridge. Prior to our turn around spot at the top of the summit, we took a hard right turn and climbed a small rocky area to overlook the landscape. It was a very peaceful and meditative place to be at that moment. My crowning moment came when I had to dismount my “beast” for the first time at this spot and was told to take both feet out of the stirrups. For someone who only rides Western style saddles I had a rather shocked look on my face and slid off my pony in a very un-ladylike fashion! I was much more ready for the dismount when I got back to the barn at the end of our ride. Still not ladylike at all but I didn't end up in the dirt. All in all the pony trekking was another lovely experience in the visit to Scotland.

DAY 4

Erin:

After a hearty Scottish breakfast (one of many) at our B&B, complete with black pudding, we headed out for a day of castles. The first castle was the one Scot and Sam felt most accurately represented Castle Leoch from Outlander. Scot guided us through the castle while we discussed the intracasies of Outlander along the way. The rooms were spectacular. Decorated with a mixture of antique furniture, portraits and tapestries to more modern pieces added by the Owner. A walk through the gardens finished the tour before many £ were spent in the gift shop. I will definitely be using the extra empty bag we packed in our suitcase for purchases!

Our next journey was to Castle Leod, which Diana Gabaldon proclaimed to be most like Castle Leoch. We were given a personal private tour by the Laird of the castle, Lord John. He was a witty guide who gave us the history of Clan MacKenzie as well as the castle from the time of the Jacobite rebellion to more recent history, with a few unexpected interruptions from the talking sporran! [modern technology has reached the Highlands and the Earl has a mobile phone – though reception is not guaranteed!] With a shrug of the shoulders each of his stories ended with an amusing statement resembling “Hundreds of people died, but whatever” or “He was quite important to the Jacobite cause, but whatever.” As the Laird was careful not to go too deep into the past and lose his guests – obviously an excellent orator.

On now to the Black Isle brewery for a sampling of ales to keep us entertained tonight. I hope the B&B is ready for us! Each day of this trip has been more incredible than the last. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Walk on Rogey!!

PIC: The hills are alive... with the sound of Tulloch Ard!

DAY 5

When asked about how they found the battlefield of Drumossy Muir, a pensive silence descends. “It had a weird feel to it,” suggests John. “Yes, but peaceful too,” adds Aven. Skylarks sang in the sun-warmed air above the heather this day.

Highland Scot: We finally have a name for our tour: “The Jamie and Claire Grain Tour, 2010”. Why? In honour of the Hebridean quantities of Ales and Uisge Beatha that The Outlandish Spirits have consumed on this adventure. All except Jenn who's a sober lass of principles and responsible behaviour. Badlands Scott and John were found to be carrying their “cary oot” boxes of ales around upon their arrival at The Castle accommodation as we were toured aboot, having left non-essential baggage.....ahem........ (everything else) in the stairwell. They were persuaded to leave the carry-oot in the withdrawing room for later. Sensible Jenn shares a full tower with the others in The Castle tonight. They have it to themselves. The only constraint on their behaviour after the staff have gone home are the Ghosts.

It was good to see Caroline (keeper of the castle) again. As ever, she shows the guests around the place upon arrival. They are soon lost, looking for hidden doors and trying to keep up with Caroline who dashes ahead like some mischievous kin of the Wee Folk. She seems real enough, but I have to wonder how long Caroline has been charmingly haunting the castle herself...

Aven:

We strolled through the grounds and met a small herd of curious cattle. Lucky for Erin that I was able to charm them away from her. After our interlude with the feral cows, we walked on to the Moray firth to see the tide slowly come in. This is such a beautiful country, and I fear our photos won't do it justice.

Upon returning to the castle, we enjoyed our ales which had been cooling to room temperature in this warm May weather, while we walked through the cemetery. Dinner was in the dining hall, and we stuffed ourselves to the point of bursting. After we drank all their wine we adjourned to the Drawing room for a story about the Stuarts and MacGregors from Scot. To our delight, the boys got a lesson in proper kilt wearing.

After Sam and Highland Scot retired for the evening we moved on to the Billiards room for a game of Snooker (Jenn & Brenda versus John & Badlands Scott). Erin and I tried our hand at darts, but quickly realized we were out of practice. All the while, I wore a blonde braided wig, crow feather, and a pink cone-shaped hat which transformed me into Sacagewea the Viking Princess. Our night finally ended around two o'clock in the morning. We had a royally good time that night, and I doubt any of us will forget it. [Neither will the other castle guests, Ed.]

DAY 6

We head south today, winding our gentle way out of the Highlands by tomorrow. The weather is still hot and today it is humid. Our Outlandish Spirits are in good fettle, despite the depravities of the night before. Even “good girl Jenn” darkened her reputation last night and partook in the blessings of the white grape. I blame Aven and Erin for their Fergus-esque influence. In her own words she “did some damage to a grape”. Still, all good things must pass, even a good reputation.

A new visit for this tour was a site very like Ardsmuir prison (we already included Wentworth – euch!). A small, garrison fort built at the same time as Ardsmuir and quite similar in feel.

We also had the chance to include a distillery today – a very beautiful one. A long walk through the woods to the inn finished the day's adventures. As the guests took their evening meal it actually rained for the first time on our adventure and was quite welcome.

Back at our accommodation Scot spun tales of the Silkies in the drawing room as the sun went down, the sleepy-strings of the harp working their way into the minds and hearts of the listeners.

DAY 7

Lallybroch and into Edinburgh today. Perhaps our group will describe how Lallybroch matched up to their own personal visions of the house, because we have had no time to blog along the way, it's as if the pace is intensifiying. We all have our own vision of the house of Lallybroch, do we not? Even when we have a copy of the Companion, with a line drawing in it.

We met the laird of “Lallybroch” (an old friend of ours) and he stopped mowing his grass and gave us an impromptu history of the place. It is amazing how the modern version, so closely matches the book.

Today we have been doing some serious listening in the van to CDs. John and Highland Scot have been comparing mutual recommendations on singer-songwriters. Off-book, but still a memorable part of the tour.

DAY 8

Highland Scot: “Claire returns to Edinburgh”. Another hot day as we meet our guests at the Palace of Holyrood. We had booked in for a tour of the palace so that we could call to mind visions of Bonnie Prince Charlie shmoozing the “High Heid Yins” at a celebration ball and remember Jamie and Dougal sparring in the courtyard to the entertainment of the guests. We HAD planned all this, but yon Lizzie Windsor (aka Queen) made an unannounced visit to “her royal residence”, so it was closed to the public. [The group caught a quick glimpse of her being driven out of Holyrood Palace as they stood by the gates. I swear I saw her walking along the street in Leith just before we came to the palace. Leith? Haunt of smugglers, loose women and dockers? But we did see her cars drive by us as we drove to meet our group.

Cò-dhùi, anyway. We walked the Royal Mile as planned, looking into the closes and wynds of the book.

Erin said something lovely and touching as we walked the secret places of the book. She was so pleased and impressed at how much research and effort we had put into finding just the right places, be they the actual ones in Voyager or good facsimiles of Diana's fictional places, like Carfax Close. Nice to be appreciated! Sam and I checked 500 very dry government monument records, traveled throughout Scotland and looked up numerous web sites to locate brochs and stone circles suitable for the tour, only to find there was nothing better than the places we already knew. Still, it was worth it just to see the look in Erin's eyes as the book came alive for her.

We did not have the guests write the blog today as we are on foot and without the laptop. They have promised to add “comments” to the blog when it is posted live. Look at the “Comments” link over the next couple weeks below.

Also in the tour today was some Ale (verra nice), some shopping for Harris Tweed bags and purses (verra cute), some Cask Ale (verra verra nice) and lots of noisy traders, hawkers and performers on the Royal Mile. OK, so none of that was actually IN the book as such, but we diverted from our serious purpose of tracking down A. Malcolm every now and again. We tried to find him in a third dram hoose, but we only found more Ale, oddly enough.

It was a tearful farewell after our final meal together. We shall miss our friends from the US, but we have new music to listen to, ridiculous quotes about Norse Princesses to use at inappropriate times, memories of laughter, smiles and more in-jokes than is even remotely healthy. Aven will have her new tattoo, courtesy of an Edinburgh ink-needler. I picture Brenda's quirky smiles, Scott's patient, rolling eyes, John's quiet pensivity, Jenn's bright, youthful and expectant smile - I think Jenn still thinks she's going to Germany... sorry Jenn, no men in kilts there and lederhosen with shorts just don't have the same affect.

Sam: I think between everyone we have taken over 4000 photos, had several bottles of wine, 20 different whiskies, as many different ales, one portion of haggis and more sunshine than is allowed even in Camelot.

Aye fond farewell to our Outlandish Spirits of May 2010.

The Grain Tour - in passing

2010-05-21T18:20:00.000+01:00

We are all still touring on the Jamie and Claire Tour May 2010, aka "The Grain Tour", so this blog will be brief. Here's a few sentences from our Outlandish Spirts to give a flavour of what is to come; some words to get you wondering what we're up to.

"we walked up a hill and were met by a large standing stone, complete with a cleft."

"...every cloud that passed overhead gave new shades of green and brown..."

"...two orthopedic issues, one bronchitis, and one blister..."

"I myself have envisioned the world created by Diana many times but to have this experience on our first day that we did was awe inspiring and breathtaking all in one."

"Decorated with a mixture of antique furniture, portraits and tapestries"

Pic: Getting to know one another.

Jamie & Claire Bluebell Tour Surprise Comes Real For Lass

2010-05-15T09:49:00.001+01:00

Our first two Outlandish Spirits have landed in Edinburgh for the Jamie & Claire May 2010 Tour featuring Bluebells if the wee folk are kind! Brenda and Jennifer have spent their first night in the B&B. Jennifer didn't know that she was coming to Scotland, though I'm sure she figured it out by the time they got on the plane:) Here's their first contact:
Hi Sam, We are in Edinburgh. We have checked into the B&B...all is well. We had our first meal and our first pint in a pub named Footlight...nice place. Beers are stronger here than home! :) Ms. Burns [our B&B lady] is awesome. See you on Sunday morning. Look forward to seeing you. Brenda

P.S. Jenn was very surprised when I broke the news to her about the trip. She is still in shock...!

These two life time friends are very lucky to have each other! Well done Brenda for making this surprise happen! I understand that Jenn's mom and even her boss were in on the secret and helping to plan the surprise.

So, we're looking forward to the rest of the group arriving. We're all very excited. We have an almost even mix of guys and gals coming from the north and the south of the states. We'll let you know how the trip is going over the next week with photos and experiences! Mar sin leibh en drasta, Sam & Scot Note: Photo is of a baby reindeer in bluebells.

Emulating Claire To The (Curly) Enth Degree

2010-04-05T17:48:00.001+01:00

As we run up to the May tour, I thought I'd share a wee email exchange that has been going around my tour guests (we're all very friendly pre-tour here). You'll recall Ina last year bringing along a USA voltage hairdryer and wondering why it made her hair fuzzy. After that I included electrical devices in the "NOT" to bring list.

QUESTION FROM CURLY TOP: You mentioned that we should not bring hair dryers or straighteners because they would be confiscated until the end of the trip. I must admit a small gasp of horror escaped my mouth at that point! I completely understand the issue with appliances causing damage to the circuits. I do, however, have very curly hair and while I usually love any opportunity to be compared to Claire, in this instance I'd rather not! I have checked at amazon.uk and found that I could order a straightener/flat iron that would already be in european voltage. I could have it shipped to my house here, or to your house so you could verify it's compatibility. I wanted to check with you before ordering anything, to make sure it was ok. (this was sent in good humor)

ANSWER FROM SAM: I am bringing a brand new ( 3 months old and used once a week at most) Hair Straightener (which also curls) which anyone can use. If you absolutely have to have your own, you may ship it to my address - no problem - OR - just buy one when you get here - believe me they're EVERYWHERE in Edinburgh Shops!

VOLTAGE: If you order one line - we are on U.K. OR BRITISH VOLTAGE. Europe plugs will not fit into our sockets!

NOTE: Remember, Hair Dryers are in every room accommodation - don't bring one.

Sorry to cause any fleeting moments of stress - our hair is important to us! I think I would have done the same thing - gasped, that is. Though I think we should all chose the same day on the trip and have a 'bad hair day' together.... I bet the style catches in Scotland....snicker :).

Cheers and thanks for that bit of humor in your follow up - I laugh because my hair turns into the 'post-wind storm' look when I wash it, so I can relate! Though mine is more like Claire putting the wrong voltage in the socket rather than curly!

Sam

Comment from another Outlandish Spirit:

Ah the joy of a good “bad hair day” among friends will be a truly special picture for the blog. My hair is bone straight so I believe a majority of my pictures will revert to my pony tail days. Thanks again Sam for letting us know. My friend who is coming with me that has no idea where we are going…I already told her I would pack the hair dryer and such…so luckily I don’t even have to bridge the subject with her.

Scotland Winter Storm - Or Why We Lost Electricity For 2 Days

2010-02-27T13:18:00.002Z

So what's the big deal about losing power in a winter storm. Well, if you live out in the country and your nearest village is 2.5 miles away and the snow plows come up your road last, then you learn to go back to basics.

Left - our garden in May. Notice the stone wall at the back. Right - during the storm the wall is hidden - you can just make out the hedged across the road.

Below - Scot collecting snow to melt on the wood stove. That's right, because

we get our water supply from nature -

not pipes, it goes through a filter which is powered by electricity.

Cooking on the wood stove, dinner by candlelight, no internet, no outside news and lots of reading before the sun went down!

Is it the Colorado Rockies? Nope, it's our wee corner of Perthshire and me taking a walk.

Surprise!

2010-02-15T08:48:00.008Z

Question: What's better than coming to Scotland?
Answer: Having it as a complete surprise! One of our Outlandish Spirit's is bringing their travel partner on one of our Jamie & Claire Tours this year as a surprise.... how great is that! I imagine that stepping off the plane will be like waking from a good dream, only to find that reality is even better! It will be like coming through the stones unexpectedly but without all that stone screeching noise! I'm absolutely thrilled, so I can't even begin to imagine how the surprised recipient will feel. Scot will be there of course to bring us all back in time through the portal of ancient tales.
From Edinburgh up to the Highlands an adventure to be had by each of our traveling groups with good camaraderie. The May tour date will close soon to new add-ons and the June/July adventure is revving up with some space left. Don't be left sitting at home as an Armchair Traveler! If you can't come along, get out into your own wee bit o' heaven and enjoy your local scenery. Whatever you do, enjoy the coming spring!

Highland Castles, Ghosts and Spirits

2010-01-12T12:47:00.007Z

What have Highland Castles, Ghosts and Spirits got in common? Well, everything. Though the Spirits in this case will be our 'Outlandish Spirits' who will be Ghost hunting while staying in a Castle on our Jamie & Claire Tour in May. Or, perhaps the Ghost will be watching for them. This remains to be seen. We've got almost a full compliment and with just TWO BED CHAMBERS REMAINING at the Castle as of this writing, this special tour should be a crowd pleaser, or possibly a hair raiser?
This is no ordinary Ghost or castle, this is a 5 Star experience that promises to wine and dine and wrap each guest in a blanket of coziness that they may not want to come out of. Do you remember when you were a kid and you went to Disney? You felt it was so enchanting that you begged your parents to bring you back the next day. Well, prepare to be a kid again!

BE THANKFUL & SPREAD THE CHEER!

2009-12-01T07:53:00.008Z

Hi Everyone! I've jumped on the bandwagon to cut my (negative) impact on this fantastically beautiful planet! So I'm asking each of you to do the same, since it is the season to BE THANKFUL & SPREAD THE CHEER. I will try to be creative and I will try to make it as easy as possible for each of you. So here is my first idea for you. Click on the 3/50 Project: www.the350project.net
(not to be confused with 350.org - which is great too!)
The premise of the 3/50 Project is this:
A. PURCHASE LOCALLY AT INDEPENDENTLY OWNED RETAIL SHOPS.
B. SPEND $50. A MONTH AMONG INDEPENDENTLY OWNED SHOPS.
Since it's the gift giving season, what better time to do this?
HAVE YOU PURCHASED YOUR GIFTS, DECORATIONS, TURKEY, ROAST, MATZA, OR SPECIAL RICE AND ALL THE FIXINGS LOCALLY AT AN INDEPENDENT RETAILER?

As the 3/50 site says:
3: What three INDEPENDENTLY OWNED BUSINESSES would you miss if they disappeared? Stop in. Say Hello. Pick up something that brings a smile (and is hopefully useful). Your purchases are what keeps these businesses around. And if you think about it, they're really very pleasant atmospheres to shop in!
50: If half the employed population spent $50 a month in locally independent businesses, it would generate $42.6 billion in revenue.
Note: For every $100. spent in locally owned independent stores (not chains and franchises), $68. returns to the community through taxes, payrolls and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, $43. stays locally and if you spend it on line, ZERO stays locally.

BENEFITS TO THE PLANET: How does this help our beautiful planet?
1. Many stores are closer than malls - LESS FUEL.
2. Have you seen the lights that are on inside a huge shopping center? - LESS UNNECESSARY LIGHTING - LESS NUCLEAR, COLE, HYDRO POWER NEEDED.
3. Independent shop keepers/retailers usually live in the community where they have their shops. NO LONG FREEWAY DRIVES IF THEY HAVE TO WORK FOR SOMEONE ELSE IN A HUGE CHAIN - LESS FUEL AGAIN.

BENEFITS TO PEOPLE: Keep this in mind - if you've saved lots of money on an item, that means someone out there who put in their time to help create the item is losing out! This is especially true in big supermarkets and other state-wide and national chains! When you see a 2-for-1 at the supermarket, it is the producer of the product that has to foot the cost - not the big store who is 'insisting' on it or cutting the producer's contract......hmmph! This means someone who works for the producer is making minimum wage at best in this country or .50 cents an hour internationally, if they're lucky.
Happy Holidays from Sam and Scot

Happy Halloween & Celtic New Year Blessings

2009-11-01T08:22:00.007Z

Thanks to Hamish Burgess of Maui Celtic for the following:
The Celtic New Year on the eve of November 1st, SAMHAIN (pronounced 'sha-ven' or 'sow-en' depending where you were), the Celtic Feast of the Dead, or the feast to the dying sun, marked the beginning of Winter, with the harvesting finished and the (photo of my three pumkins, sam)
start of stockpiling fuel and produce. Bonfires were lit, and household fires extinguished to be rekindled later from the ceremonial fires, to welcome returning souls of the dead. The ancient Druids believed the Lord of Death, Saman, gathered together evil souls, and so the Irish called this evening Oiche Samhna (The Vigil of Saman). The goddess Bride or Brigit, ended her ruling season, and her straw crosses were put up to proect family and livestock. In Scotland, Cailleach Bheur, goddess of winter, began her reign. (3 pumpkins gazing up at the moon)
For myself, Samantha, the celebration is extra special, because my mom and dad met at a dance on Halloween. It wasn't until I was a bit older that I realized why he liked the celebration so much, besides the fact that he loved entertaining, telling stories and making people laugh. So, in a sense, you might say that I exist because of this celebration...cool. So in honor of my father and mother, I carved three pumpkins and no....that is not me in the middle!
The Celts believed on that night between the passing of the old year, and the arrival of the new, that the veil between our world and the Otherworld (or spirit world) was thinnest, and that spirits and faerie folk could visit the human world, and vice versa, and that you could contact your passed ancestors. That belief has continued with today's Halloween traditions of witches and ghosts, etc.
The Christian church took a festival they moved from a different time of year to Samhain, which they called 'The Feast of all Saints', on 'All Saints' Eve' or 'All Hallows' Eve', hence the term "Hallowe'en".
The tradition of children 'trick or treating' possibly came from the ancient practise of 'soul caking', when children went round collecting cakes in return for saying prayers for the dead. In later times, children wore masks and carried turnip or pumpkin lanterns, going door to door asking for apples, nuts or money, the disguises originally to stop them being recognised and taken by spirits.
The tradition of a turnip lantern, or more popular today, the "Jack O' Lantern" carved pumpkin, actually comes from the ancient Celtic practice of placing skulls of the dead on poles around the encampment, to drive away evil spirits.
More info at http://mauiceltic.com/celtic-beliefs.htm

Hamish is starting the New Year how he means to continue, immersed in creating Celtic art - the results so far are on the Gallery page at http://mauiceltic.com/gallery.htm

Celts in the New World

2009-10-26T06:46:00.017Z

Feasgar math and Aloha! If you followed the blog, you'll have seen bits about Hamish Burgess whom we met up with at Crainesmuir one day. Hamish is a Celt, living in Hawaii. He is a piper, an artist, an historian and basically a Renaissance Celtic Man - or would that be a Celtic Renaissance Man? Here's a bit of his work and his Maui Celtic web site:
http://mauiceltic.com/gallery.htm

He has everything from designed t-shirts to beautiful pieces like this:
You can also hear him every Sunday morning as a host for great Celtic music on Mana'o Radio at 8am Hawaii Time:

http://manaoradio.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
This is public radio with no commercials - please do donate even just a couple of dollars to the station if you can - it really is supported by people and is so much nicer than stations playing 'corporate list pop music' and trying to sell things to teenagers!

So you can take the boy out of the motherland, but..........

Mahalo Hamish! We look forward to seeing you on your next trip back to Scotland.

We grew a....POTATO or two!

2009-10-12T22:08:00.004+01:00

Things to inspire: Harvest time. As blog followers will perhaps know, we have only lived a year in our house. This is the first time we have had land and time to grow things. Yesterday we lifted the last of our massive potato harvest.
Pictured is my husband, who is INORDINATELY proud of a few spuds that HE grew. (What no pladdie laddie?!)
Few things satisfy a Highlander more than the prospect of a winter of eating potatoes, self grown.

Also starring in the picture are Arran Victory 1918, a heritage variety. They are shown to their fullest effect, outshining the lad, only just, from top to bottom as, "just harvested", "stored" and "washed". The latter displaying their luscious pinky purple hew.
The Arrans were just one of five varieties, amounting to some 100lb / 50kg that we will be making our way through this winter and spring.
Now where did I put that potato recipe book....?

Ina - loanspirit

2009-10-10T22:55:00.026+01:00

Ina's Return and the Starship "Outlandish"
This last week has been spent in the company of my Sunshine sista, Ina. As I write, she wings her way back to Hawai'i. Under the heading of "Things to Inspire", which is after all a main focus of this blog, Ina left the comfort of 80+ degrees to make her second visit to Scotland! We are mustering all of 45-55 degrees currently in mid-October. (Pic: Ina & Scot basking in a sunny window during high tea in a castle hotel).

She came to enjoy Scotland in perhaps its most "grand" season, the Autumn. As blog followers might recall, we had intended to make Ina's trip into a reconnaissance for a tour of the amazing Outer Isles, but time was limited, so we went as far as a remote area of the west coast which we hope to take our traveling companions to in the future on our way to the outer isles - the Hebrides.

This is a land of mountains where the colors of autumn were painted in grandness from top to bottom and yet also in the smallest of places where the lichen and fern surround small mushrooms and autumn flowers. It is where the sea and its inlets merge and fill the base of the land with slate grays and brilliant blues.
You can still find Gaelic speakers in the homes and deer on the front lawns.
What's not to love about those warm colours, those misty days, the chill of autumn just arriving? Who can fail to be touched by the solitude, the grandeur, the power of the natural world? We cant wait to see it in the spring as well, with all the small flowers budding from rocks and earth and the light greens giving a velvet touch to the views.
Watch the post below in the Comments link for perspectives Ina Sunshine may share. Ina, pray tell the Spirits of the places we went to and things you saw. You warmed up yet, Girl?

The Inspiration For New Travels
Scotland, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship "Outlandish". Its continuing mission to explore strange old worlds; to seek out old life and old civilizations; to boldly go where few human beings (or other species) have gone before!
Many times during this trip I have turned to Scot and said "We HAVE to take our friends here! Let's organise a tour." He, being a dour Highland Scotsman, mumbles things about "market research, customer led tour design, " yada yada.
As you might have gathered from the Jamie and Claire Tour website, the tours develop from a wish list, building each tour to our inspired travel dreams and desires. So what I'm putting out there now is a question, nay a Challenge! Who would like to come to Scotland's more remote and most beautiful places, and have a hand in the creation of a unique adventure? Outlandish Spirits step forward!
Some basic ideas, many from Ina, to begin with:
~The tour would need to be about 8 days long, so we have time to reach these remote places.
~It can be for a regular budget, staying in 3-4 star B&B's or or limited budget, staying in hostel / bunkhouse accommodation.
~The tour would NOT take place in the summer (the least interesting season in Scotland, as Scot calls it), but rather spring or autumn, depending on the choices of those involved.
~The vibe of this tour would be Solitude, Contemplation, Awe, Connection to the Land, W-i-i-i-i-i-i-de Vistas, ancient sacred sites, BIG skyes, Mist.

Want to create and be a part?
Email me through the J&C website, link above, and we'll start to create it. (Only those wishing to make the journey please.)

Welcome to Scotland

2009-10-10T10:36:00.001+01:00

As an American living in Scotland, as a tour guide for other visitors, married to a Scot... Billy Connolly - "Welcome to Scotland". An Eejit's guide to Scotland. Brilliant! Contains Strong language. Also explains why all my rented kitchens prior to this one were carpeted (?!)

Jamie and Claire Tour September 2009

2009-09-13T22:03:00.021+01:00

September is the time to see the purple on the heather, but this year, it has been outshone by the rich crop of Rowan berries. I have named this tour “The Rowan tour”.

On it, we have Glenn and Jeana, a couple from New England, and Denise and Debbie, two friends since their childhood, coming to Scotland for the first time. They are also celebrating their birthdays.

(Pic: Debbie, Denise, Samantha, Glenn, Jeana)

We set off from Edinburgh this morning and an exclusive little, hidden accommodation that our guests have been mightly impressed with. As we travel along we have been practicing our Gàidhlig. We started with the word Fraoch. The name for Heather Ale. Which led us onto ale at lunch. Our pronunciations are varying from Fraych to Frach, but generally getting in the right vacinity (which of course, cannot be rendered here in English). Looks like we'll have to practice with a bottle or two to aid the vocal chords. Jeana, a natural linguist, cannot apparently get her tongue around Fraoch. She later confesses her failure is deliberate and to wind Scot up.

We 'began' our tour with the journey through / to The Stones. Here are some impressions:

Denise and Debbie: “very picturesque, very intriguing, how did they come to be there? The hike was arduous and invigorating. The falls were amazing. I wish we could let our husbands see.”

Jeana “They brought me to tears. I heard the buzzing. I had to run out of there.”

“Very powerful” says Glenn, “gave me vertigo”. There's a special place we can sit by the stones to get the most amazing view, sat right on the energy flow. I encourage our guests to sit in this place for a few minutes, in silence, alone in their thoughts.

Jeana “You should tell them that you came down with one less guest”. (She'd gone ahead, people, not lost to time.)

DAY 2

The day of the Handfasting. Jeana and Glenn asked if they could renew their marriage vows while on the tour. It took some planning, but we think we got it right: they are to be married (again) in the chapel that Claire married both Frank and Jamie in.

In our tradition, a renewal of vows first involves dissolving the bonds that tie a couple together.

Glenn: “Spectacular. Between what was said and where we were, it was almost like going back in time. I felt closer, the two of us, because there is nothing else like it.”

“Very moving.” Denise and Debbie (temporarily known as Murtagh and Dougal). They played their part in the ceremony, giving readings and calling in the Four Airts, as well as watching the door should someone steal away the bride.

Denise: “The chapel was awe inspiring. It's 500 years old.”

Bride and Groom are going for the record of being hand-fasted, as in bound. They are going to stay bound till breakfast tomorrow morning, so they say. Photos will be taken. By the way, Jeana and Glenn are wearing traditional highland garb. Don't they look Gorgeous? Remind you of anyone?

We planned this tour to coincide with an evening of live Celtic music in Drumnadrochit. We enjoyed everything from fiddles to pipes to Gaelic singing. Much to our surprise, the BBC were filming the event! Who knows, maybe the group will be able to catch the performance again.

DAY 3

Alas Jeana and Glenn managed only to 11:03 pm being bound. That said, they do still have the record of about 11 hours. Helping each other to enjoy lunch while tied was perhaps the cutest (Pic).

Today is our into-the-wilderness day. We are firm believers that Scotland can not be really experienced through the window of a motor vehicle. If that was the case, it would be cheaper to just buy the DVD. We're spending the morning on horses and the afternoon on foot in some of the most remote lands in Scotland. Most importantly for the tour, the places are the closest in feel to those described in Outlander / Cross Stitch that Claire first experiences with Jamie, the men, on her honey-moon and at other times traipsing across the hills and through the glens, wind, rain and all. I hope that we get opportunity for the guests to write a fuller impression of their experiences for the blog as their expressions regarding the beauty of the remote glens cannot be captured by my good self.

Debbie writes: “Our pony trek began at the [Highland] home of Ian and Sasha. Let's just point out here that it was a pretty steady rain at this point, the rain falling somewhat horizontally due to the brisk winds. Denise and I had wondered, on waking that morning to find it raining, if we would still be doing the pony trek. Denise had said 'It's one thing to get caught in the rain, but entirely another to set off in the rain!' On asking Scot if we would still ride, he replied 'The horses are waterproof!' Hmm....that's not exactly what we had been worried about. As I was saying, our trek actually began in the home of Ian and Sasha, a delightful couple with four children, who live a very simple life in the Scottish Highlands. He provides for his family by working the land, she by running the pony trek business. Ian kept us entertained in the house (they don't bother closing the windows or doors in the rain, it all dries out later) with stories of his children riding around the kitchen table on their scooters, and by showing us the enormous mushroom he had found the day before. At one point, Ian was asked the ages of his children, to which he replied 'Oh, somewhere around 14 or 15, something like that....' (etc.) and then, 'Sasha could tell you how old they are exactly.' We also enjoyed his use of the purely Scottish noise 'Och!' While we were inside talking to Ian, Sasha chased down the horses in the rain. That accomplished, we helmeted up and set off, in the driving rain. [Pic of a Scottish Eskimo, by Denise] We quickly discovered that the horses pretty much knew the way, and really weren't going to go faster than a slow walk, so it was a very mellow ride, punctuated here and there with Sasha riding up behind us and yelling (bellowing is perhaps a more appropriate word) 'WALK ON PONIES!!' while slapping the rump of the horses with a riding crop. That would speed the horses up for about two strides, after which they would slow back down again. What the horses lacked in spunk though, was made up for by the scenery. It was breathtaking and I don't think we could have seen anything like it without having gone on the trek. We eventually rode up to the top of a high ridge, at which point we could look down over the glens and lochs and see for what must have been miles. I hope we will get some pictures of the view posted, although they can't possibly do it justice. By the time we reached the top of the ridge, the wind had picked up considerably. Glenn, ever the sailor, estimated that the winds were coming in at about 40 knots. Personally, I felt like we had been washed by the rain, and then stuck in a hand dryer. Like one of those dryers that blows so hard, it makes the skin on your hands move around. The up side of this was that we were no longer soaking wet, in fact we were dry at this point, but I was actually worried that one of us might get blown from our horse. As it turns out, Scot did take a tumble while dismounting his horse on the ridge. I believe his foot had gotten caught in the stirrup. It took a little doing, but he was eventually righted and all was well. We stayed at the top for a while and took in the scenery, and then we turned the horses around and headed back. In all, we were gone about two hours, and it was a very enjoyable ride. We were all a little sore on dismounting (some of us more than others!) but within a few minutes of walking around the property (getting to see the future site of Ian's barn, and his deer carcases hanging in the back of the yard) we were well enough for the hikes we would be going on a little later. Jeana and Samantha had opted out of the trek, and so got to spend some quality time together in the house and later, when it had stopped raining, taking pictures of the scenery. We left the Highland homestead, and headed into town for American cheeseburgers and fries at the local cafe. Delicious!”

Samantha Writes: Yes, the rain in Scotland comes and goes with the wind. Ian knew it wouldn't last and besides, as he put it, if you wait for the weather to get better in Scotland, you would either never go anywhere or you'd be running in and out all day long. As Ian predicted, the rain stopped and only about 15 minutes after our Highland Cowboys and girls set off. Part of being a highlander is 'just getting on with it'. So I'd have to say that our pony trekkers passed a kind of initiation and can now be considered Honorary Highlanders. Good on ya, ladds and lassies!

Scot writes: Our evening meal was awash in Scottish Ales and Uisge Beatha. Fraoch seems to be a hit with the ladies. Amongst the very fine single malts we tried were two oddities. One would have classed as a James Fraser special reserve. It was the spirit straight from the still, never having seen an oak cask. Raw is not the word. “Well, I guess I had to try it,” concedes Glenn. The 25 year old, rare, Port Ellen hit the mark though. Glenn has been in a daze, trying to make his choices. There are so many Malts that he can't get in New England.

Cò-dhùi, anyway, dragging our attention and heads out of the cask, back at the lodgings, another dram in the low light (for some) and the harp comes out: Tales of the Each Uisge agus Tairbh Uisge, the water horse and the water bull; tales of Big Malcolm MacGilvain courting his unworthy sweetheart; Tales of Oban and it's whisky (do I always come back to that? I do when Glenn is around).

DAY 4

A visit to Leoch. This morning Lord John MacKenzie of Leod is showing our Outlandish Spirits around his castle home. Sam and I are catching up on tour matters elsewhere, so it will be good to hear from the guests in their own words how they felt about the castle. For those who are less obsessed about Diana's novels than some of us, a few words about this castle and it's inclusion in the tour are given. Remember that Diana had not visited Scotland when she wrote the first two books. While her research on Scotland is impeccable, she had neither desire nor ability to match the fiction to the reality of Scotland exactly. It is interesting therefore that often she has placed a fictitious location where there is actually a real facsimile, without intending to perhaps. So it is with castle Leoch. There is a real castle, pretty much exactly where she describes Leoch as being. It is castle Leod, owned by the chief of MacKenzie to boot.

Having learned this several years later, Diana suggests that the castle is also like the one in the book. On that point we diverge. The real Leod of today is much smaller than Dougal and Colum's castle. Also, the fictitious castle is actually quite a-typical of Highland castles, to wit, “The Hall” that Jamie avoids pledging fealty in, and later takes blows for Loaghaire. Such a large hall with a gallery is not common in Scottish castles. This is why, depending on our mood and whether Leod is open, we sometimes take guests to another castle not far away which has many more of the required features for Leoch (like the hall, the gardens and so on). It's a coin toss: go to the castle Diana likes, of MacKenzie, in the right location; or go to the castle most like Leoch in body and feel. Which would you choose, given that your short week allows perhaps only one? Your comments below are welcome.

Glenn writes, “It's going to be hard to beat a visit to a 15^th century castle, led by the Laird of Clan Mackenzie, Lord Cromarty himself. Our tour began as the castle's heavy door closed behind us, bolted and latched with a 16^th century key (that one won't fit in a Sporan). The laird led us up the stairs and into the drawing room encircled with centuries-old family paintings (layered with Victorian varnish), the swan card table (designed by the laird's grandmother), and an impressive array of 18^th and 19^th century furnishings. We enjoyed a glass of Spanish Amontillado as we chatted about the history of Clan Mackenzie. One story in particular was very entertaining – that of the capture of the future General John Mackenzie following the defeat at Culloden as he attempted to hide beneath the voluminous skirts of the countess of Sutherland (apparently he neglected to pull his feet in far enough). The lord redeemed himself by proving his skill as a general as leader of the Norwegian army. He did well enough to be invited back to Britain to re-claim Castle Leod and its lands.

“When the glasses of sherry were drained, we stepped into the dining room, lined in varnished oak. The original sash windows are apparently the earliest in Britain. After a fascinating story of lands and titles lost and won back, we stepped into the cavernous billiards room and studied one of the remarkably accurate 18^th century maps drawn by Mackenzie cartographers prior to subduing the lands surrounding the castle. Lord John led us down a stone spiral to the servant's room and dungeon. The servant's call bells still hang in the corridor connected to each room of the castle by the original wires. We stepped into the tiny dungeon and heard tales of the human leg found shackled to the floor when the room was renovated in the 20^th century. Lord John is puzzled by a bit written in the family history about a cow kept in the dungeon. The room is maybe 12 feet by 6 feet with a tiny doorway. Scratching his head and squinting his eyes he says “why ever someone would do that... I have no idea.” After bidding farewell to the lord and his castle, we strolled through the tree walk and took in the sights of rare and beautiful specimens planted as much as 450 years ago. So ended the visit and a perfect step back and through time with a true Scottish royal. It must be added that the lord is an extraordinarily friendly and good-humored man who speaks passionately about his family history and apparently enjoys every minute of it. Well done!”

We're running a wee photo competition / reportage on this tour. Each guest has two subjects to photo on. One is “locals / people”. I hope they captured some images of Lord John. We'll show a few of the other topics after the tour, perhaps on the tour website.

DAY 5

A Trip to Tarry Ile

Jeana writes of the night before: “We decided to take a wee trip around Inverness. After buying more souvenirs and adding a 5^th bag to our baggage pile, we stopped at The Filling Station. Much to our surprise, our waitress did not greet us with the typical Scottish “Gud evenin' “, we were greeted with a guttural “Hi.” We learned that our waitress was Polish. Not only that, she told us that there were approximately 10,000 Polish people in Inverness, in a community of 60,000. Using our waitresses Polish math, that would be 10% of the population.

After our very fulfilling “stick to your ribs” dinner, we decided to find a working man's pub to talk to some of the local folks and maybe for a little water of life. We went into the pub and there were empty stools at the bar, but not together. There was a taken seat, but the stool was empty (my guess was the patron was in the loo) and the bartender moved her things and made room for us. We loved the place already!

After ordering a beer and a whisky (the first and only drinks we paid for in the pub), the woman next to us introduced herself and just started chatting. She wanted to know where we were from, how many kids we had and all the usual chit-chat. Her name was Rena. As it turns out, her husband (Victor) was at another pub watching the football game and soon arrived. Around about this time, I decided to have a dram and ordered a blended whiskey mixed with soda and ice. Before even the first drink, an arm reaches over my shoulder and takes the drink, hands it back to the bartender and a male voice says “She'll have a MacCallan with one lump.” He looks at me and says “No one should ever drink that garbage you had sittin' in front of ya.” This is when Glenn & I met John who bought a round of drinks for all as he happened to be a friend of Victor and Rena.

About this time Victor shows up. He has very old sailing tattoos on his arms which Glenn recognizes and talk turns to sailing. It turns out that Victor was in the Navy is whole life and has actually sailed around the world. Glenn was immediately in his element and the water talk began. Needless to say, we closed the pub, exchanged addresses with our new friends and strolled back to our lovely B&B and tucked ourselves in for a nice long night of rest.

Debbie writes: “Our trip to the other castle was a very different visit from our tour of Castle Leod, but enjoyable in its own rite. Instead of drinking sherry with the laird of the castle, we went through several rooms, unaccompanied and left to our own devices. The castle is apparently inhabited by the owner part of the year, including the rooms that we went through. There is a collection of fine prints and tapestries in each room. After we completed the tour, lunch was eaten at the café on the castle grounds. Scot had blood pudding (excuse me, “black” pudding), while the rest of us did not. After that, we toured the castle gardens. The flowering plants were a little past their prime, our visit being in September, but still beautiful. The formal gardens were very impressive. We also visited the gift shop and book store before we left.

(Pic, castle more like the book, by Denise)

Denise writes of the accommodation that night: “Upon arrival at our castle accommodation later in the day, the owner and hostess was warm and friendly and showed us around, relaying the history of the castle.

Dinner was to be served at 7:30 and a few minutes before that time, as we dressed in our rooms, the sound of bagpipes filled the castle—we were being summoned to dinner. Glenn donned his kilt, managing to put it together from memory and we all headed down to the dining room. We were greeted by the sight of a piper in full regalia standing just out side the dining hall. He and the waitress looked a little surprised (and pleased) to see someone in traditional dress arrive for dinner. As we sat down, the piper came into the room and played a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace. The table was set beautifully. For £45, we enjoyed a 3-course meal with a bottle of champagne in celebration of mine and Debbie's birthdays. It was delicious and the service impeccable!

We then retired to the Drawing Room where we enjoyed a wood fire, wine, whisky, and good conversation. Glenn, Jeana, Debbie, and I talked late into the evening there in that romantic room. At around midnight we decided to explore the castle! We went to every single room, with Glenn in the lead because we were scared of ghosts! Our host had explained earlier that the castle was known to be haunted and had been so for centuries! She followed up with a tale or two. Needless to say, we were sufficiently spooked by the time we went to bed, so much so that when Debbie and I were offered the option of sleeping in separate rooms, we declined and took a twin room instead!

Ghosts aside, we made it safely through the night, enjoying lovely rooms with thoughtful attention to detail in their décor and acoutrements. Our stay at the castle was a first rate experience, and a definite highlight of our trip to Scotland!”

The adventures of the castle have so impressed them that they have forgotten to write about Ardsmuir and Culloden. Ah, but there's only so much we can say in a post, so we'll leave it for our future traveling companions.

DAY 6

As we journey south next day, the Outlandish Spirits are still laughing about their midnight adventures running around the castle, or as we say "running amok" which they related with glee. I will refrain from adding the details here, suffice to say, no photos were provided by our company for the blog.

DAY 7

A tour of Edinburgh closes (an uphill journey) and some special attractions with a bit of time to duck into some shops and we finish with an evening meal OUTSIDE! It was so lovely and warm in this September day, that we sat at one of our favorite restaurants and dined in the sun. Our people were off to the airport the next day for a safe journey home.

For now, we will leave this blog post of the September tour in anticipation that our future guests will “comment” on it once they step through the stones. For our own part, we had a grand old time with our four Outlandish Spirits, forming bonds of friendship and plucking at the heart strings as we said good bye in Edinburgh. We will miss them and look forward to sharing a dram another time. I'll leave you with an image only, of the last few days, our final meal together.

And what about that photo under Sept. 9th! Well, that's a few Outlandish Spirits hiding in the heather of course; just like Jamie! Though he was not prone to sticking his 'hied' up like the rest of us and being seen.

What is this?

2009-09-09T21:43:00.004+01:00

The September 2009 Jamie and Claire Tour is in progress. I thought I'd whet your appetite with this image, mid tour. All will be explained in the full blog, next week. At least I hope I can explain this...

September Inspires

2009-08-14T20:09:00.013+01:00

Things to inspire....
Despite the sudden, but yet somehow quite typical, downpour that August has become, we are inspired by our lovely garden of wildflowers. I have been out of a night talking with the owls, who talk back of course. This expands the former early evening soiree of "singing to cows".
"The boys" as I call them live over the road and saunter up to the field head each night. Sometimes they even sing back.

Anyway, to the matter in hand: Outlandish Spirit, Ina. As you may remember, Little Miss Ina Sunshine was on the May Jamie and Claire Tour. So inspired was she by Scotland's beauty that she is coming back. Very soon.

She picked up on the existence of Calanais when here. I mentioned that I was thinking about offering a tour to these remote and remarkable standing stones as a further, off-book adventure to Outlandish Spirits, perhaps ones that had been on the Jamie and Clarie Tour and wanted to explore the Western Isles, which of course, Jamie and Claire do not get to.

So, we have timed a reconnaissance trip to the Outer Isles to coincide with her October visit. (Ina is also partaking in literary smuggling on the trip. Call her "mule". She will be smuggling in the hard copy of the newly released, yet not available in Europe, hard copy of Echo for us. If she is caught, then we will deny knowing her as we exit Edinburgh airport in a hurry).

Our trip (pilgrimage) to the Eileann Siar, will take two days just to get there (island hopping by ferry). It's a long way west and north. Makes Ardsmuir look like a downtown cafe. Well worth the trek though. The string of islands is a most remarkable place. Here are some photos Scot took in August 1996 when there. They have had NO colour enhancement or digital scullduggery.

The megalithic complex was originally 19 standing stone sites, interlinked across several miles. It makes Stone Henge look like a garden ornament. The landscape of the place is quite unnervingly beautiful, challenging, oppressive, inspiring... Scot's favourite stone ring in the whole of Britain and Ireland is there (and he's visited a lot of them). The Western Isles are a quite fantastic place too. They are not really part of Scotland, remote, bleak, pristine, windswept, Gàidhlig speaking, hard-living, a wonder of nature, half viking.

If you consider yourself an outlandish traveler and would like to come on this trip (some time in 2010), then help me create it. Get in touch via the Jamie and Claire Tour website and lets talk about what we would want to do on the trip, the best time of the year, cost, focus. I've put a wee Poll to the left for some basic opinion gathering. Only fill it in if you would consider coming on the tour.

So, Bonnets off tae ye, Ina, Outlandish Spirit that you are.

The July Jamie and Claire Tour

2009-08-04T11:17:00.022+01:00

Blog of July 2009 Jamie and Claire Tour with Conny and her Mutter, Iris.

Pic: Scottish Bluebells in July

Day 1

The next Outlandish Adventure begins! The Homecoming Gathering finished in Edinburgh yesterday and my tour was timed to allow our Outlandish Spirits to attend and meet Diana. So Conny was very pleased by that. Poor Diana, all those signatures in books...

Having stopped off to gather sixteen bottles of good Scottish ale (for those picnics in the heather) we have drifted into the mist of the Highlands, leaving behind our friend Hamish, a piping Celt living in Hawai'i who is over here on a brief visit for the Homecoming Gathering. We shared some time with him in Cranesmuir, nibbling on the herbs in the kitchen garden, always mindful of witches. “The garden was perfect after the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh; it was so calm.” opines Conny. No witch burnings today, come back after the next session of the Scottish Parliament. Pic: Cranesmuir today.

The ladies went to experience the verra full water falls in (granny) MacNab country. They are visiting the mill. The wheel is turning, but the red bloomers are gone.

“Wir haben gartenzwerger gesehen,” says Iris. That apparently means she saw some garden gnomes! Ha, they're everywhere around the world; no escaping the crafty little guys.

Time to Cross-stitch. We 'began' our journey through The Stone. “The cleft stone was definitely bigger than I expected it to be” said Conny. Perhaps years of weather have worn away the ground around it surmises Sam...... hmmmm. Pic: Sam reading about Claire's first approach to the stone.

Our first dinner together was “so so delicious and mouthwatering. Scottish Salmon was even more delicious than German Salmon.” Conny has also discovered bread a butter pudding. This could mean trouble. We were treated to a pipe band we happened upon during our stroll back to our accommodation, so we marched with them and they took us back to our lodgings.

Back at the B&B and Mutti (a term of endearment for mother) says the Black Beer we are sampling that we picked up earlier is “Very good”, but now we are craving the accompaniment of the most excellent hand made-on-the-spot potato crisps (chips to Americans) that we had this morning, still warm and slightly salted.

So our Outlandish Spirits saw Geillis's village, climbed a small mountain, saw lots of sheep, heard a pipe band and had some great meals. They went to bed in their first night in the Highlands counting..... no not sheep.... pipers in plaids!

Day 2

A yummy breakfast at our lovely B&B and we were off to find a wee chapel. Pic: Conny reading to Sam:

“Ye are blood of my blood, and bone of my bone.

I give ye my body that we Two might be one.

I give ye my spirit, till our life shall be done.”

Cross Stitch pp.277

After which, Sam and Conny went all-a-flutter.

“Hmmph”, says Scot.

In which we meet some Highland villagers - Conny writes: “When we went to the [village], it was interesting to finally see what I had been reading about. The pictures I had in my mind while reading where partially met by the thatched houses and the fireplaces. But after seeing it now, I was wondering if I would really be able to survive like Claire 200 (plus) years in the past. What could I really live without? While heading up to the next stop on our journey Scot was left pondering that very question.” Pic: Sam talks to a resident of Broch Mordha about baking bannocks.

Is it Loch Ness or Lake Tahoe – how dare the sun be out today!

Iris: “Loch Ness is a very nice loch. I also like the mountains around. It's not like anywhere in Germany, our mountains are different. The smell reminded me of being at the Baltic.”

Conny “I found Loch Ness very impressive, but I didn't get the 'Ooh Nessie' feeling because it was sunny. In the book it is gloomy.”

Yup, I think, it usually is in real life too.

Tonight we are in Inverness, The lasses are staying beside the river albeit in a much nicer accommodation than Claire experienced here. We tapped on their door and asked if they could come out and play. They managed to stay awake past 9pm and join us for an evening of foot stomping, hand clapping, ale drinking Celtic music on the town; a real accomplishment after a full day of following Jamie &Claire's tracks.

“The music was awesome.” Conny reminisces. We also noticed that ladies of all ages kept whispering in the ears of the musicians. Were they asking for songs? No, Scot speculates they were singing their own tune; “Come home with me my bonny boy, come home with me tonight. Come home with me my bonnie boy and sleep with me til light.” (To the tune of Matty Groves). Pic: a wee session.

Day 3

Over a whisky-porridge breakfast, we debate the Scottish weather (our guests have gone native in their contemplation on the weather) and how we've had very little rain considering it is the summer, which is the wet season in Scotland. Actually, it had been raining every half day for the last month, until Iris and Conny came and brought the sunshine with them! Today we were on horseback, hoping to get blown away and soaked, just like it should be, a-la Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser. But the weather held until the end of the trail when the wind whipped up like a Banshee.

Our Hielan' horse hosts were in good fettle. Horses were ridden by Scot and Conny, while Iris and I went to walk a forest path and viewed an impressive waterfall. Iris enjoyed the waterfall and liked that we could look directly over it. She was also quite knowledgeable on her forest plants.

Scot's pony was called Usky, a fine pale brown beast, named after Whisky (type casting, I think). Conny's was Rogie and indeed he was a rogue, taking her down muddy, skeety cliffs and trying to scrape her off with low hanging branches. Again, literary comparisons abound, and bring to mind Judas. But Conny smiles on and on. She is in her element. Pic: our highlander horseman in a moment of contemplation - (his wife is back out with the next group of riders!)

Afterwards, around the massive hand-carved table, amidst dogs, children and people coming to borrow fishing rods, our hosts plied us with strong tea and the dogs tried to make us new owners. This is the old way of the Highland people. They do not let you leave without a warm welcome and true hospitality. The children of this remote highland home are a marvel. The daughter, the eldest, manages the bookings for the horses, grallochs and butchers the deer the family hut and makes the best tea in the Highlands. One of the sons shows us his misaligned fingers where his sister accidentally cut off two with an axe last year. A bag of frozen peas and a bit of doctoring and they are sewn back on. Hmm, some things in the Highlands change little in 250 years.

“The tea iss goot”, marvels Iris. She is probably admiring the strength as well as the flavor, which given a chance, makes a proper cup of tea. Iris and Conny are also impressed with the young daughter who speaks very good German, having learned it in her local Highland school.

Our lunch following the pony trek was in the style of Jamie and Claire in the Honeymoon wanderings – sat on a rock beside the river in a great wilderness, a lump of cheese, a bit of meat, blaeberries that we gathered along the way and bottles of black ale. Iris enthuses: “The nature is brilliant.” She likes that some of the paths have steps; I like that too! There are people about from time to time, but mostly we sit in the quiet of the wilderness in peace. And then it happens; the sun goes behind the clouds and the midges come out.......they are having a forehead sandwich ....argh! Out comes the Skin So Soft, off go the midges... well mostly. Pic: Scot reads about Claire and Jamie meeting the wolves in the night.

Dinner involved copious quantities of venison and lamb-so-soft-it-crumbles and scottish ale. We dined in a traditional pub that has has an impressive collection of Whisky, verra useful if you need to get drunk before your shotgun wedding (Miss Claire). Scot picked two old and rare ones and Conny made here first visit into the mists of the uisge beatha. But alas, one of these was 110 proof, so he had to drink most of it himself...... a cunning plan me thinks.

You'll recall the beatific expression (mona lisa esque) of Hannah on the last trip; lips curled up slightly at the ends as the “spirit” visited her. Well, Conny's was the same, but upside down. Less Beatific and more Mother Superior. “Well, I can see that it is and acquired taste,” she reports. Nothing like pushing the lass into the deep end Scot!

Pic: a blae berry

Scot and I chatted with two fisher men from Yorkshire later on. Conversations were had, gifts of beer and wine and whisky were exchanged and the stories came out. We learned from our friend that in a wee local village (which we know well enough) there is a ruined church that he visited a number of years ago. It is normally off limits, but on the day he visited, the local historian was holding an open-doors. Our friend persuaded him to show them into a tomb that the historians were just investigating. And there they viewed what is believed to be the headless skeleton of Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, 'apparently' the last man to be beheaded in Britain, the Old Fox (Jamie's Grandsire). So, where, dear readers, does the Old Fox lie?

Day 4

This morning, our Outlandish Spirits are visiting Drummossie Moor, Cùil Lodair, Culloden battlefield. Not a jolly place, as well you know. They are out there as I write, so we'll see how they fared. You can read Hannah's entry in the May Tour blog to understand more of the effect of the place. Conny seems to have found some descendants from the last battle, some Highlanders (see pic). Could even a mother love those faces? Could one of these be Dougal? We'll have to ask Max!

“Culloden is very depressing,” says Conny, “Just imaging that the highlanders were totally exhausted then they had to charge across that bog. It makes me angry to think that they allowed Prince Charlie to go ahead, that no one said, no you can't do that. It makes the assassination idea seem like a good one.”

Samantha notices a change in the people since her last visit from the staff to the visitors. “People keep approaching me and saying hello. Everyone is really friendly and 'light'.”

After the seriousness of the battle, we went to the lighter side of things and ate lunch in a wee Victorian tea room. Cream Teas were served, and portions of baked potato and Haggis, by a lovely gentleman in a proper tea room vest. Down the road, the now famous Mrs Bean (see May blog) has convinced us to return to her wee shop this afternoon for some Tablet. How did that happen? We will enter the shop (aka “Brigadoon”) and come out after “just one wee minute” and 100 years will have passed. Oh mo chreach, mo chreach! (Gàidhlig exclamation equivalent to “We're doomed”).

Castle Leoch sits this afternoon beneath a bright, breezy summer sky. Seeds and scents of fresh cut grass and turned hay travel on the wind. The soft, red stone of the castle gives an invitation to the sun. Lord John MacKenzie was sitting on a bench outside of the main door just as casual as any man sitting on the porch of his castle/home. Unpretentious and pleasant. The castle was open on one of it's few days today, so we toured inside a bit.

Conny: “We met the house cat and we met the Earl who is a very soft-spoken man. The portraits were interesting. You could see some similarities to him.” We asked if the current Clann Chief and his family live in the parts we visited, but apparently there is a newer wing out back. Conny said "There were some ghosties, I can tell you that. There were a couple of doors where it was as if someone had just peaked in and gone. There was that sound of doors just shutting behind you. I don't think I'd want to stay there.”

Iris: “I think it is very important to open the castle to the people. It helps the laird. Also, the people of Scotland and the world can see and understand the history and how it was, that life.”

t evening our guests stayed in another castle. We left them to settle in. They were having way more fun exploring the castle, guided by Caroline (aka Mrs FitzGibbons), than Claire had on her first visit to Leoch. Conny said “The best thing was Caroline was walking us all around and getting us lost – the hidden hall ways and all.” It's a fantastic place to stay. It is not a museum piece, but a living castle. I love the welcoming atmosphere of the place. She's very good at what she does – host. The décor is comfortable, pleasing, homey with an air to the old, minus the draughts, with bathtubs added (lifted in through the windows during renovations). A small army of minions, tartan clad.

Some thoughts on the castle from Iris. “I felt very high. (meaning, she felt important and pampered) Zwei im Himmel Bett. All the women who work there do all what you want. You have not to speak – they see it in your eyes. It is wonderful. For one or two days it is great. Also I like going to the top - the roof. When we are going to dinner, the piper plays. We take photos with him, then sit and he pipes round the table. I love the music.” Conny suggests that “it has a more ghostly feel to it.”

Some other thoughts from Connie on whether our tour guests need to go inside castle Leod, which is open rarely. You'll recall from the May Tour, we simply visited the outside and took some photies, because the Earl was away. “I don't think it's needed to go into castle Leod. If Cawdor has that homely feeling, then that would be good as an alternative. With Caroline [where our guests stayed], she says, 'make yourselves at home, it's not a museum. ' I liked that.” (See pic of Connie Flouncing at the Door.) This is good to know, as the May 2010 tour will include a night in a castle! Young Claire didn't appreciate the generosity of Colum MacKenzie offering her free bed and board in a fine Scottish Z-plan tower house, bard and clansmen laid on gratis. We've managed to recreate it though!

Day 5

When we picked our Outlandish Spirits up in the morning, they were alive and well and their hair was not standing on end from seeing the ghost, so a good night had by all. There was a fire going in their bedroom and I almost felt guilty for taking them away.

And so we made the long journey out of the Highlands to move into Voyager territory, Edinburgh. We've shortened the road by a stop and tour of a Distillery. Connie and Iris have found “their mark”, with Malts. The right timbre has been achieved with Dalwhinnie and Connie expresses her understanding of the “beatific smile”. She says, “The smells were the most important thing to me, or at least the first thing. Roasty, hoppy, but not bitter like beer.”

What did you like, Iris, about the Distillery? “The Whisky! Well, that's to the point... ha! “It was good to see the copper pots and look into the mash tun,” tells Conny. Woa! Getting technical here. But in all seriousness, the ability to shift plan and visit a distillery has been a big hit. Looks like we may have to keep that one in the tour. Let us know, Outlandish Spirits.

They have been most impressed with the bleak scenery of the Monadh Liath agus Monadh Ruadh, the high mountain massif that we cross heading south.

We made a wee stop at the Big Hoosie. “We saw an all rainy Lallybroch,” tells Conny. “But from the books I expected Lallybroch to look older.” Samantha suggested that perhaps it's current owners (Bree & Roger even?) might have spruced up the 400 year old house we were viewing; a necessity if you want to keep the chill and mildew out! The grounds (in front) are neat, unlike the image of a working Lallybroch. Scot explains that the house we saw today was like that until about 40 years ago when the laird married and his lady demanded that the cows did not graze up to her kitchen window!

Tonight, after arriving in Edinburgh, we had our final meal as a group, we are honouring the Auld Alliance, that connection between Scotland and France that led to the trade of Jared Fraser, to Louis's gold supporting the Stuart rising. Edinburgh, as you know is a port, or at least has Leith as its port. MANY hogsheads of Claret and Brandy have come through here (and the odd Crème de Menthe). So we are dining on French peasant food this night. Sacre Bleu! La cuisine est tres bien! The wine is served in tumblers, which remind me of the time I worked in a French vineyard and we drank our wine out of these at the dinner table. This is a wee place in the poor part of Edinburgh, just round the corner from where Alex Randal said his final farewell to Mary Hawkins.

Day 6

I met our guests at Holyrood...la la la la la la la Holyrood....ok, I digress. But the palace was impressive and we viewed the courtyard area where the dance with Jamie and 'uncle' Dougal took place. Afterwards we meandered up the Royal Mile, taking in the closes of Edinburgh until we reached our destination to view the 'seedier side of the city' (say that 5 times, fast). The crowds were swarming; after all it is the summer when everyone and their granny comes to Scotland! A late afternoon pub lunch of Conny's choice with lots of yummy food again and a huge piece of chocolate cake that we couldn't finish and it was time to say goodbye........ mar sin leibh an-drasta!

By the by, we didnae drink all the bottles of ale. I guess we'll have to share them with the next group. Aye, there's gonae be a Handfasting, so we'll use them to toast the occasion! Keep your eyes peeled for an early September blog, that is, if the new book has nae come oot yet and you have yer noses deeply burrowed!

Written intermittently between Scot and Sam.

New interviews with Diana G.

2009-06-27T23:17:00.003+01:00

In May and June 2009, Scottish Memories magazine ran two articles on Diana Gabaldon, written by Jean Britain. Scot and I contributed to the second.
Jean has given me permission to publish them for those of you who don't get Scottish Memories. These are the unedited versions, so longer than the published ones. I have also included the FULL interview with Jean and myself.
Click for PDF versions of articles

Jamie and Claire Tour - May 2009

2009-05-27T12:04:00.032+01:00

So we have roared straight through Belteine, not even pausing to really welcome the start of the Light Half of the year because I have been so busy putting the final touches to the first Jamie and Claire Tour. The day has finally arrived! The Jamie and Claire Tour (May) has begun and this entry will be the blog of our week on the Highland trail, with insights, images of the land and of course, Matters of Great Import regarding the journey of Claire, Jamie and Clannsmen through the Highlands.

Day 1 – into the Highlands

We have two Outlandish Spirits with us, Hannah and Ina. More from them later when they have recovered from the adventure of their International Flights. After months of anticipation, the first explorers have come to see what Inspirations 18^th Century Scotland has in store to fire their souls.

We hope many.

Our visit to “Cranesmuir” (two pics) did not involve being nailed to the pillory, or being burned as a witch (despite the company of the tour), but we did explore the herb garden beneath Geillis Duncan's house and now our fingers smell of crushed lemon and rosemary.

Ina stood beside a fine waterwheel in MacNab Country, waiting for the appearance of Granny MacNab and the red drawers (complete with disrobed Highlander). Alas, there was but a wolf for company.

I decided that our guests' adventure should begin, as did Claire's, with Craigh na Dun. It is a Verra Special Place (pic) and leaves an impression on all of us.

It also resulted in Hannah finding our dashboard totem, now called Donas (pic).

With a mascot we needed a name for our travelling clann. Ina suggested Three Crones and a Dude. Hmmph. (see pic of three crones)

Things from the day that put a smile on Hannah's face “The view from the top”, “luggage arrived at the same time as me”; Ina Costa: “The really good Coffee named after me.” (Costa Coffee – we had to get her something to stay awake after her 36 hours' journey). Day one ends with all the girls safe asleep in the Highlands. We have begun!

Day 2 – Raising a Rebellion

Over breakfast, Ina describes her previous night using her US hairdryer with her fancy travel plug adaptor.

Scot: “Does it have a transformer in it to change the voltage?”

Ina: “Huh? Well it worked.”

Scot: “Err...”

Ina: “Although it did make this vrum vrum noise.”

Scot: “And did it get hot?”

Ina: “Yeh, actually, it got real hot. And my hair went all fuzzy.”

Scot: “ So you plugged in a hairdryer that was expecting 110V to a supply that gives 220V? That would explain your White Afro this morning.” LOL

They thought our 1800s B&B was “worth it for the great breakfast alone” and Hannah introduced Scot to Porridge with Whisky added. How had he missed that all his life?

This morning we went to the Tacksman's house, akin to the houses that Dougal took Jamie to when gathering MacKenzie rents and drumming up Jacobite support (pics).

The men there told us sooo many things about the thatched roof structures: the fire in the middle of the floor; the box beds; the Soay sheep, the oat drying kiln (like the one on Fraser's Ridge). The smell of peat smoke still lingers in our clothing.

Our next Special Place was introduced by reading the passage about Claire in her borrowed gown, walking between Dougal and Jamie, up the hill to her marriage. As the chapel comes into view she realises it is the place where she married Frank. Our Chapel today manages a similar impact. The visit was made more special because Ina carried a we remembrance from a recently departed Outlander fan, a MacDonald sister whom some of you may know. The keepsake was left in this MacDonald Chapel, high on a hill, with the echoes of Gàidhlig poetry and wedding vows on the wind. A good place to come to rest.

Our trip on Lochness did not result in meeting the Each Uisge or any other 'craiturs' or monsters, other than the redoubtable Gordon Menzies, our skipper, who furnished us with Tales and history of the Loch and surrounds. He showed us evidence of his own encounter with the unexplained of the Loch. Gordon was born and raised on the Loch. It was nice to meet a local 'boy' who was friendly and knowledgeable.

Hannah and Scot have had a Monalisaesque grin on their faces since dinner. The food was excellent, but a 30 year old Islay single malt has them quite transported. It went verra well with the Chocolate Cheesecake.

This time of the year is arguably the best to visit Scotland. The are fewer visitors, things are cheaper and more available and most importantly, nature and weather are at their best. We have been enjoying fields and avenues of the Wild Hyacinth (what the English call Bluebells) which are at their peak this week and only last about three weeks.

Day 3 – in the wilderness

Today we spent walking in the wilds and we are very tired, weary of limb and not a little sunburnt, all in a good way. We were in a remote, wooded glen, perhaps not unlike those around Lallybroch. Ina and Hannah report that they got a strong sense of what Claire experienced while travelling through the Highlands with the Highlanders. Hannah even made a bed in the heather for a while. Walking through a native Scots Pine forest we came across a cnoc that reminded Scot of the place from where Jamie and Claire looked down on wolves at night while on their honeymoon. We read the passage from the book (pic of Sam reading).

This area is new even to Scot and myself and I was left wondering why have we never been here before.

Day 4 – from Leoch to Silkies

The morning involved a beautiful walk through the wild hyacinth that lines the avenue to Castle Leoch. Photos were taken beside the castle in beautiful sunlight.

During our stop in the village, Ina and Hannah met “Mrs. Bean”, as in “Mr. Bean's mother”, keeper of a “bits and bobbies” shop in the village. Ina takes up the story; “Hannah motioned me in to see the pottery and things. We were real quick, went straight to the teapot and picked it up to buy it. As we took it to the counter and Hannah paid for hers, Granny Bean asked if we wanted it wrapped for the journey. 'Sure' we said. She's SLOOOWLY pulling out the bubble wrap, smoothing it onto the counter, and I'm waiting her for to take my money for my own teapot. She slowly writes down the price on the cash book for the day. We were still paying for them when Sam came in and said 'we gotta go', so I said 'we'll just pay and come back tomorrow'. Mrs. Bean said, 'Oh no people don't come back tomorrow' and she carries on tying the little bow, slowly. By this time Sam's jumping up and down.” It was like that scene with Rowan Atkinson in “Love Actually” when the man is trying to buy jewelry for his girlfriend but his wife is in the store and he's in a hurry, but the attendant (Mr. Bean) wants to wrap the gift.

Mrs. Bean gave us enough to snicker about to keep us going as we progressed into the wilderness and... To the Silkie's Isle. The island sat amidst a flat, gray ocean, windswept and sweet-scented on the heather cliffs. The surprise for us was that we found on the cliff top, a blow-hole or chimney that we had not known of before, just like the one that Jamie and young Iain climbed down to reach the shore. We love these synchronicities. No seals to be seen, but we watched in wonder as the Gannets dived for fish.

The landscape was bleak and empty and we'd prepared for this place by reading sections from Voyager where Jamie escapes from Ardsmuir seeking the place of the White Witch on his journey to the Selkie's Isle. Ina said, “You think about what people went through, so harsh. We really got a sense of that.”

Tonight our guests stay in a smaller version of Lallybroch and sleep, dreaming of the Tale Scot told (with harp) of how the MacKenzie's came to own Gearrloch (that being the location of Lallybroch in the Outlandish Companion).

Gàidhlig lessons move on a pace and Hannah especially has enough interest to take up more formal lessons.

Day 5 – Cùil Lodair - Culloden

We leave the west coast this morning, stopping in to pick up yesterday's purchases (Mrs. Bean should have wrapped them by now, we hope.) From there it's onto a difficult part of the tour, the battlefield of Drummossie Moor, Culloden. This is not going to be an easy visit. For those of you who have been to the place, they will know the feelings that cannot easily be put into words. Hannah has prepared a ceremony for her time with the fallen.

Perspective from Scot:

We are here at Culloden as I write. I am sat in the visitor centre. Myself, the manager of the Centre and no doubt many others have no desire to walk onto the field of battle. I went once, many years ago. That was enough.

Hannah is out there now, performing a ceremony for the aftermath of the last battle on British soil. She has with her seeds of two flowers. The Wild Hyacinth - the flower the English call Bluebell – and the Scottish Bluebell, the flower the English call Harebell. Both Bluebells, both beautiful. They grow in different soils and flower at different times of the year. They hold the same name, but are quite different. A metaphor for the two cultures that met and clashed on the field 250 years ago. As I write, Hannah is out there, bridging the gap between. She's laying the Low Road for the men who fought, for the families that stood behind them, for the echo that is still heard by the Americans, Canadians and others that carry the blood of the Culloden victims today. She lays the Low Road to carry us all home.

Scot

From Culloden we went to Cawdor castle in a mood more upbeat than one might expect. Hannah's ceremony has accomplished something. The reason we choose to visit Cawdor was that it is close to Castle Leoch in general size, which is unusually large for a Highland castle, but most importantly, Cawdor is very much lived in and we could feel that quite easily. While other castles are perhaps more similar in layout or furnishings to Leoch, Cawdor 'Feels' more akin to what Claire might have experienced. In that respect, it is a good approximation of Leoch and worth the visit. It even has a garden where we tried to picture Mrs Fitz-Gibbons bustling about collecting herbs.

Tonight we stay in an Inverness guest house very like the description of the Wakefield Manse, but brought to modern styles of décor. Our host is Mrs Graham. No, really. However, she reminds us more of Mrs Baird, the host of the guest house where Frank and Claire stayed on their first visit to Inverness, on account of the frantic hoovering she undertakes as soon as our muddy feet have left her entrance lobby.

Day 6 – Grand Houses

We might call this a Lallybroch day. We have taken Ina and Hannah to a number of houses akin to Lallybroch, but this, we all agree is most like our vision of Lallybroch. Still a lairds private home, set amidst hills just like the Fraser estate. Today there was a beautiful, healthy, light atmosphere about the house and grounds.

We have returned to Edinburgh. On this particular incarnation of the Jamie and Claire Tour, our guests are staying in a fabulous house, more grand than Lallybroch, more opulent than the Duke of Sandringham's house, more tasteful than Versaille. Dinner will be served at seven by black-kilted young gentlemen. We'll hear in the morning how they liked the attention. We may have trouble getting Hannah and Ina away for the last day – the lowly closes of the old town, haunt of A. Malcolm, Printer and his nefarious associates.

Day 7 – Edinburgh, the underbelly

We walked the Royal Mile from Holyrood Palace, seat of the short-lived court of Prince Charles Edward Stuart in 1746, up past the tavern where Claire's coach arrived back in Edinburgh in 1768 to find Jamie. Along the way we looked in on the various closes and buildings that Claire and Jamie visited. We had a strange adventure in 'Carfax' close (or rather the real close that exists in place of Carfax).

As we entered a small, “little old ladies'” tea room, we were met by the proprietoress, a woman that bore more than a slight resemblance to Mrs Graham, the Wakefield housekeeper. This morning though, she did not have the competent calm of Mrs Graham, her assistant had not turned up and the lunch rush was beginning. “Jist write yeer order doon on that piece o' paper and I'll get tae ye,” she called over her shoulder from the sink, frantically washing dishes. Within minutes Samantha was in the kitchen helping, a moment later two strapping men in town for the Heineken Rugby Cup were drying up and making their own breakfast to wails of “ochone, ochone” from the host. It was like a scene out of an Ealing Studios films from the 40s.

Scot was happy though, as our frayed host had REAL mutton pies, which were once common in Edinburgh and Glasgow and have disappeared. He hasn't had one in twenty five years, poor lad.

I was left left behind in the tearoom, playing waitress and helping out the lady, while the other three descended to the underground vaults of Edinburgh to hear Tales of wine merchants, smuggling, illicit stilling, prostitution and body snatching. Ina said “I could really imagine Jamie and his men working away in those low vaults. I could just see him.”

A stop into a rare shop provided Hannah with a good excuse to leave all her remaining money behind in Scotland. Just a few local women make the woolen clothing, none of which has seen a machine. Hanna now sports a fantastic hat made by a woman who is a Gille (gamekeeper) and still uses Highland Ponies to bring the shot stags off the hills. Verra fetching is Hannah's Hat. Ina has a Shawl of Harris Tweed with beautiful Celtic knot-work on it. These garments come from a long tradition of home industries that haven't much altered since MacDubh was born. Next door, Hannah and Scot got left behind discussing the finer points of whisky with the fine gentlemen of Cadenheads, Purveyors of Single Malts. They might have stayed all day were it not for the delights that awaited them further up the hill.

A walk through the various closes in the book, ending the day with a some fine Scottish ales in the World's End tavern (pic below). We even got to peer down into the cellar of the pub where the Flodden Wall still stands. Perhaps a small, blue-silk Chinese man can be heard singing from below; a smell of brandy wafts up...

So, we have come to the end of the May 2009 Jamie and Claire Tour. Each subsequent one (July and September 2009) will be a little different, partly in the itinerary, guest numbers and tour length, but mainly because there will be new people ready for adventure, each bringing their own spirit to play. Scot and I are very glad to have begun with the fine travelers that are Hannah and Ina. They were up for everything and such good company along the way. Special people make a special adventure. Here's tae ye lasses!

Visit the Jamie and Claire Tour website for more photos

Some words from Ina after her return home

"Being with you guys made me realize life is for adventures and I had been only surviving day to day. I know I'm on the "'just got back from vacation high", but hanging with you three made me see that that is no way to live. After Culloden and being apart of Hannah's cemeromy, I have to shake it up a bit. I do live in one of the most beautiful places in the world and need to pay attention to that."

Mission accomplished then. I take Ina's words to heart, for perhaps we all need to go away to appreciate what we have at home.

[Post edited to say: Click on "Comments" below to see more of Ina's words.]

Happy Spring

2009-03-23T07:21:00.008Z

Of Jamie Fraser, it's been said that men like him don't grow on trees - I beg to differ with you! Here's the proof! Our garden has snowdrops and the first daffodil, and we've planted two apple trees in the past few months, but of everything in our new grounds this is my favorite species.
Care Instructions:
Feed and water several times a day. Supplement with a wee dram once or twice a month. Place in sun whenever possible. Wrap base in wool and leather if setting outside for a few hours, especially in winter. Bring indoors at night!
Happy Spring!