Moness Resort, Aberfeldy

Our next stop, Aberfeldy, in the foothills of the highlands.  It's our 3rd time here - a beautiful part of the Perthshire countryside.  We couldn't stay in our favourite farmhouse cottage, Dunskiag (Summer rates just a little too pricey!), but Fiona has done extremely well (again!) with alternative accommodation at Moness resort.

The original hotel, pictured before, dates back to the 1860s.

We're staying in one of the courtyard cottages (townhouses).  Very comfortable and well appointed.  Just did a roast dinner tonight!  Bit of a drizzly 11c 'summer' day.

 

                              

 Very tame ducks!

Moffat Water Hall inaugural Beer Festival

Trust Fiona to find something as obscure as the inaugural Moffat Water (community) Hall Beer Festival!  Moffat Water is about 10 minutes up the Selkirk Rd from Moffat - it's not even a village, it's a farming area and a community hall.  And lucky for us, only a 5 minute walk from our wigwam. The local Moffat Water community were holding their inaugural beer festival (local beers of course!) to raise funds for the community hall.

I LOVE this kind of good old fashioned fun!  The hall is not big, so it was a modest (but more than expected, hence very successful) turn out - mostly locals from the valley and Moffat.  With a hog roast, local musicians*, and beer (and cider and wine), and a pleasant (ie. dry!) afternoon in the countryside, what more could you want!

With 6 kegs of beer flowing, and a fridge of wine, I'm sure it comes as no surprise that by the end of the day the remaining funsters (guys and gals) were having impromptu mock rugby scrums in the hall - Bill (Fiona's dad) wasn't missing the action and was putting his shoulder in at the back of the scrum.  I was even invited to join the Moffat Women's Rugby Team!

The band was great fun - Angus was LOVED the music, and was practicing his break-dancing (well I think that's what it was!).

Next year Oli, the organiser, has promised a keg of gluten free beer.  It would be rude not to go!

  

  

Moffat Classic Car Rally weekend

Fiona and I are not petrol heads, but who doesn't like vintage cars?  The Moffat Classic Car Rally is quite an annual event, and some of the old cars and vans are quite beautiful (cars of today are quite characterless by comparison).

It was a large gathering, 200+ vintage cars, and just to top it off, Scotland put on it's best sunny day...

My favourite was a 60s Commer camper van, equipped with coffee machine (I didn't say I didn't like modern additions!!) - perfect for a road trip around Scotland next visit!

 

Moffat Wigwams, Selkirk Rd, Moffat

John Hume, a local farmer (and lay-philosopher, Fiona and I have decided) turned one of his paddocks into wigwam accommodation.  Apparently, there are wigwams just like these dotted across Britain.  Anyway, they are amazing.  Fantastic design, so simple, but so comfortable.  John's wigwams look over the valley - so peaceful.  We slept SO well!

 
 View from our wigwam.  Wow!

Water feature at Jupiter Artland

The water feature and grass hill outdoor sculpture is captivating, and BIG!!

Jupiter Artland, Wilkiestone, West Loathian

The owners of Jupiter Artland still live on the grounds in the 'big house', but have turned the grounds around the house into a collection of amazing art installations.

Yellowcraig Beach (a Fiona favourite)

Beautiful pristine beach called Yellowcraig on the outer edge of the Firth of Forth and the North Sea.  Fields of fresh smelling kelp on the rocks and just off the beach.  Only 30 minutes from Dalkeith.