Bus Tour - Day 5

Today we head up into the Scottish Highlands but we took diversion to visit St Andrews golf course. We crossed the Firth of Fourth into Fife. Translation, we crossed the the bridge to Fife the home of St Andrews.

There's not much see at St Andrews except the golf course. We stopped at the 18th green to get some photos where they were setting up for the Bristish Open. Glad we didn't come then because we probably wouldn't get close to the green. One of the guys on the bus was very excited the he was able to get out on the green for a photo. His wife was a bit nervous because she thouht the club officials would come out and drag them off.

Next stop was Blair Castle. Not a big castle but very pretty having recently been repainted on the outside. The entry to this castle was very impressive. The whole entry which was a void up to the second floor was covered in weaponry. Sounds a bit gruesome but it was so well done you could only be impressed.

Unfortunately this is another place that we were not allowed to take photos. It's a shame because the rooms were beautifully ornate. We were allowed to take photos in the ballroom which was lined with antlers...Ron Mayze would be proud!

After Blair Castle we headed to Inverness. We travelled though rugged countryside where the was still snow on the mountains...so much for summer. We stopped at Drumochter Pass to take photos...it was a very short stop as it was freezing outside the bus.

Our last stop before our hotel was a to a sheep farm to see working dogs. The farmer was amazing with the dogs and you could tell that he loved his animals. The dogs were fantastic and there was one puppy who needed to be held back because he was so excited. The farmer was an interesting character and we could only understand every second word that came out of his mouth at first but after a while you kind of got used to it. He had a habit of repeating about the last three or four words of his sentences. Not sure if he did this for effect but it made me smile every time he did it, if you know what I mean...what I mean.

We stayed at Inverness and only had after dinner to explore. Our hotel was on the river and had a view to another castle, although we were told it's not a castle because it has windows...looks like a castle to me!