#nature – Picture Perfect Memories for life

14 August 2019: Day 4 of our Grand Tour of Scotland: Part 1 Knockhill Farm B&B

Discovering Scotland, Exploring Scotland, Grand Tour of Scotland, News, Towns/Places I visited, Travel Photography

Good day everybody,

I am feeling much better today. I hope you are all still healthy and enjoying life to the fullest.

WOW day two on the road, but first a little of our stay and warm reception at Knockhill Farm just outside St Andrews.

Linda Wood, the owner of Knockhill Farm B&B, made us feel right at home with her friendly reception. We ran late, and she was worried that something happened to us on the way there. She even went as far and contacted Nordic Visitor, our tour agent, to find out if they had heard something.

Linda showed us to our accommodation for the evening, and we talked a bit about our day. She then told us that breakfast will be served at 8:00 AM and showed us where we must go.

Our accommodation had a spacious lounge, with 2 comfortable couches, a television, and enough reading material to keep us busy for the night.
In the kitchen area, we had a variety of coffee and teas to choose from.

The bathroom was also very spacious and had a beautiful big walk-in shower. There were fresh bath sheets, face towels, shampoo, shower gel, and cream.

The spacious bedroom had two twin beds, cupboards and, a dressing table.

After a long warm shower, I put on my PJ’s and made myself and dad a nice cup of coffee. We sat down in the lounge, dad grabbed a book and started reading and I started writing a quick blog with photos I took on the road with my phone.
When I first anticipated writing a blog every evening, I did not factor in how tired I would be after a long day on the road.

We went to bed around 10:30 PM for a well-deserved rest.

At around 5:00 AM, I woke up refreshed. I got out of bed, got dressed, and gathered all my things. I grabbed my camera and headed outside to take some photos of the farm and its surroundings.
I made dad and myself a cup of coffee then I woke him up just after 6:30 AM, giving him ample time to get ready.

Dad finished with time to spare, and we decided to take a walk down the road.

Thank you for joining us at Knockhill Farm B&B. Hope you enjoyed your stay just as much as we did. Our next stop St Andrews.

Till next time. Stay safe.

Coreen

“If you can dream it, you can do it.”
Walt Disney

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13 August 2019: Day 3 of our Grand Tour of Scotland: Part 7

Discovering Scotland, Exploring Scotland, Grand Tour of Scotland, News

Good day everyone,

Hope you are still healthy and save.

Today’s post is not going to be that long. We did not spend a lot of time at our next stop Lower Largo on our Grand Tour of Scotland. I would have liked to explore this little coastal town a bit more but time was not on our side.

While driving along the coastal road we spotted this beautiful sculpture. At first I thought it was the Robinson Crusoe Statue but while I was doing my research for today’s blog post I found out that it is actually The Malagan Sculpture. Well now I know…. I just love the detail on the Sculpture and the entrance gate. I am a law abiding person but it took all my strength not to enter and take up close photos of the statue.

**Entry to Malagan Sculpture in Lower Largo**

The views from here was also beautiful.

Across the road I spotted a house with the most beautiful gate. It looked like a scene out of a storybook.

Once again I just can’t pass the opportunity to capture the house with the blue door and flower baskets on the windowsills.

I had to look twice before I realized that it was a toy skeleton of a prehistoric animal.

Thank you joining us on our short visit to Lower Largo. Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Our next stop is Ruby Bay….

Till next time. Please stay safe.

Coreen

“If you can dream it, you can do it.”
Walt Disney

13 August 2019: Day 3 of our Grand Tour of Scotland : Part 6

Bucketlist, Discovering Scotland, My Bucket List, News, Towns/Places I visited, Travel Photography

Good day everyone,

Oh my word this morning I am freezing. Hope you are all still healthy and staying safe.

Okay let’s continue our Grand Tour of Scotland.

Our next stop was Letham Glen. It was not even on my places of interest. In 2010 dad had his colon removed due to cancer. So if dad has to go there are not much time you must get him to a bathroom as soon as possible. This was also a reason why all our stops are so close together just in case.

I wondered around and took a few photo’s while waiting for dad.

The Sunken Garden at Letham Glen was the towns former swimmingpool in the 1930’s. They have turned it into a beautiful garden. I was impressed.

Our next stop was the standing stones of Lundin. But oh my hat did we struggle to get to it. First of all the GPS says your destination is on your left side, you have reached your destination. When we look around all we see is houses on the left and a golf club on the right hand side.

We drove past our destination at least 4 times when I told my dad that’s it I am not going to search anymore… Then I spotted it through one of the houses gates opening up on the golf course. Okay now we know where it is. Now how to get to it. So we followed a dirt road and there it was. But I had to go through someones backyard to get to the golf course. The groundskeeper told me the man get’s very difficult when he spots tourists in his backyard. But that’s the only way to get there….

I did not come this far just to give up. So dad waited in the car while I invaded the poor man’s privacy. Luckily he was not there so I climbed over the wall onto the golf course, took a few photo’s and climbed back again.

I got to the car and just as I pulled away the owner arrived…. That’s what I call timing…..

“On the second hole of the Lundin Links Ladies Golf Course (which incidentally is the oldest women’s golf course in the world), stands a trio of prehistoric stones, looking wonderfully out of place against the manicured landscape.
The huge megaliths stand between 14 to 17 feet tall. Crookedly shaped and made of sandstone, the pillars are believed to date back to the Bronze age, around the 2nd millennium BCE. Legend holds that the site was used by the Druids for ancient rituals.
Druidic rituals or not, it is likely that the three standing stones are the remains of an ancient stone circle. There used to be at least four pillars, but one stone went missing in the 18th century.”
Borrowed from Atlas Obscura

That’s all for now friends. Thank you for stopping by. Hope you are still enjoying our Grand Tour of Scotland with us.

Till Next time. Stay safe.

Coreen

“If you can dream it, you can do it.”
Walt Disney

13 August 2019: Day 3 of our Grand Tour of Scotland : Part 5

Castles, Discovering Scotland, Exploring Scotland, Grand Tour of Scotland, News, Towns/Places I visited, Travel Photography

Good day everyone,

My fiancee’s daughter is visiting and instead of planning and writing my blog I spend my time playing teacher…. I normally post on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I have time so I here I am.

It started raining when we left Aberdour and we skipped a few of our items on our list and when we got to Kirkcaldy it was coming down real hard.

I struggled to get parking and when I finally got a spot and got out of the car it came down extra hard. I jumped back into the car and we sat and wait. Dad still asked me what am I going to do. I told him well if I have to I’ll take some photo’s through the window, but we can’t keep skipping places just because it is raining. At that rate we will have to skip more than 50% of our tour.

I put in many hours planning our vacation and researching the places we would like to visit and the places I would like to photograph.

The rain stopped for a little while and I got out of the car and took some photos of St Bryce Kirk.

**St Bryce Kirk** **from across the road.**

As you can see I just loved the church tower. I also took some photos of the houses in the street we parked in.

We then headed to Ravenscraig Castle, but I only took photo’s from the parking lot. Time was running away with us and due to the rain it was really wet.

Crow on the beach at **Ravenscraig Castle**

Well that is all for now. Thank you for stopping by.

Till next time. Stay safe.

Coreen

“If you can dream it,you can do it.”
Walt Disney

13 August 2019: Day 3 of our Grand Tour of Scotland : Part 4

Bucketlist, Castles, Exploring Scotland, Grand Tour of Scotland, My Bucket List, News, Towns/Places I visited, Travel Photography

Good day everyone,

Hope you are all still safe and healthy. Here in Capetown we are freezing our buds off. My hands feel like two ice cubes.

Our next stop was Aberdour Castle and Gardens. It was spectacular and this was the first castle we visited on our Grand Tour of Scotland. Nordic Visitor arranged for explorer passes with Historic Scotland. This enables us to visit a wide range of places without standing in queue’s at ticket counters.

After getting our pass activated we could go and explore. The only thing dad wanted to explore was the shop and restaurant…. But I got him to walk with me through the garden and grounds.

We had to walk through the Walled Garden to get to St. Fillans Church. It took me a while to get to St Fillans Church there was just too many beautiful flowers to capture…

I borrowed some information from the St. Fillans Churches website.

“St Fillan’s Church is one of the finest examples of simple Norman architecture in Scotland. To the south it overlooks Aberdour Harbour, north and west it is sheltered by the high wall of Aberdour Castle garden and to the east what was the Castle kitchen garden. As early as 1390 St Fillan is mentioned as the patron saint of the church.

Entrance to the church and its old cemetery is from Hawkcraig Road along Kirk Wynd. At the top of the Wynd, on the right is a door to the Castle grounds, above which the monogram of William, Earl of Morton and his wife Lady Anne, dated 1632. Further down the Wynd, on the left, is a collection of badly weathered old gravestones, some dating from the seventeenth century.

Initially St Fillan’s consisted simply of a nave and the chancel, lit by deep splayed windows and remains much as it was in the 12th century. Sockets for the rood screen can still be seen.

The dedication to St Fillan probably came about through the influence of Robert I (the Bruce), who gave Aberdour to his close friend and supporter Thomas Randolph Earl of Moray. St Fillan was the king’s favourite saint and is credited with helping the Scots win the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

In the 15th century, the church was enlarged by the addition of the south aisle. This involved an arcade supported by the three pseudo-Norman pillars and lowering the floor to its present level.

St. Fillan’s Church will celebrate its 900th Anniversary in 2023.”

For more information please go to St Fillans Church .

Entry to **St Fillans Church and Churchyard**

**View of Aberdour Castle from** **St Fillans Church and Churchyard**

Next we walked around and came across the Terraced Garden.

**View of Aberdour Castle from Terrace Garden**

**View over Terrace garden. Patterns on grass.**

Up next we had a peek into the stables and then went for a nice cup of tea.

Teatime with a nice cup of English Breakfast tea…

After our tea break I went to explore some more and dad went to the gift shop to look for fridge magnets for his collection.

Thank you for joining us on our walk through Aberdour Castle and the gardens. Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Our next stop is Kirkcaldy.

Till next time…. Stay safe.

Coreen

"If you can dream it, you can do it." Walt Disney

13 August 2019: Day 3 of our Grand Tour of Scotland : Part 3

Bucketlist, Discovering Scotland, Exploring Scotland, My Bucket List, News, Towns/Places I visited, Travel Photography

Good day everyone,

Our next stop was a beautiful little town called Aberdour. Just as we entered the town I was taken with all the flowers and beautiful houses and their hanging basket gardens…. The streets are not really wide and the houses are on the street only a narrow sidewalk that separate them from the street. I saw only a few houses with nice front yards and the most beautiful gardens.

We stopped at a parking area near a garden and I took my camera and walked up the road to where we entered Aberdour.

I just love Hydrangea’s and the colors are to die for. I grew up with light pink and blue/purple Hydrangea’s. I just could not get enough of these pretty plants.

As you know by now I loved capturing Churches and Cathedrals even if they are closed. The architecture is just amazing. I love the colorful doors and the beautiful windows. I just wish we had enough time to go into every single one we visited. Also I know I missed a few too.

**St. Columba’s Scottish Episcopal Church**

Here are some photos taken on my walk back to the car.

Thank you for joining us on this short visit at Aberdour. Next up Aberdour Castle and Gardens.

Stay safe and have a Blessed day.

Till next time…..

Coreen

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” Walt Disney

13 August 2019: Day 3 of our Grand Tour of Scotland : Part 2

Bucketlist, Discovering Scotland, Exploring Scotland, Grand Tour of Scotland, News, Towns/Places I visited, Travel Photography

Good day everyone,

Hope all of you are still in good health…

Without further delay let’s continue our road trip to St Andrews and Knockhill Farm where we will be spending the night.

Our next stop was Dalgety Bay. The 8th largest town in Fife. We did not spend a lot of time exploring Dalgety Bay due to a very long list of places still to see. Also at this stage I was struggling with the Tom Tom trying to get to the places of interest on our list…. We were trying to find Donibristle Stable Block but ended up with a view of the Fourth Road Railway Bridge instead. Not that I am complaining. The views and flowers were stunning.

Our next stop on our list was Cornerstone Full Gospel Church. I got the names on my Google Maps when I planned our trip. What I did came to realize on our Grand Tour of Scotland was that the names on Google Maps and the names on the signboards are not always the same….

Dad and I saw the church on our way to Dalgety Bay and on our way back we took the turnoff to the church. Next to the church I found this beautiful cottage with fields and sheep.

I walked up to the gate to see if I could enter and it was open so I walked inside and took a few photo’s. Now this is what I call a peaceful place. Normally I don’t like walking in graveyards, but one thing that stood out for me was how peaceful it was here. Maybe it is the surrounding pastures with sheep and horses grazing. One don’t even hear the cars passing on the road to and from Dalgety Bay.

***Cornerstone Church from the turnoff***

Thank you for visiting Dalgety Bay with us. Our next stop is Aberdour and I am looking forward to sharing some of the photo’s taken in this beautiful town.

Please keep safe. Till next time.

Coreen

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” Walt Disney

Grand Tour of Scotland: Day 2 – Exploring Edinburgh Part 15

Bucketlist, Discovering Scotland, Exploring Scotland, Grand Tour of Scotland, My Bucket List, News, Street Photography, Towns/Places I visited, Travel Photography

Good day friends,

Hope everyone had a good nights rest and ready for the day. I did not really sleep much. My brain is working overtime. I worry about COVID 19 interfering with our plans to visit Scotland again form May 2021 till August 2021. If we are not allowed to travel in 2021 then I must postpone it to April 2022 till July 2022. We have to travel in spring and summer because the main purpose of this trip is so that I can capture Puffins. We also would like to see the rest of Scotland that we missed….

Either way if I continue to post only now and then I will never finish in time before our next trip to Scotland even if we leave in 2022. I also still have some places I visited here in South Africa that I need to edit. But I work from first captured to last….

Here I am back again hoping to finish our walk back to our Guest house today. I still need to post about The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo also before we can hit the road and continue with the rest of our Grand Tour of Scotland.

***Two Giraffes in front of the Omni Centre***

***Oor Wullie in front of Omni Centre***

***Oor Wullie in front of The Glasshouse***

My first thought when I saw the Omni Centre and The Glasshouse was “WOW that’s a lot of Windows to keep clean…. How on earth do they do it? The Glasshouse is a beautiful building…

Just look at how busy the streets of Edinburgh is. We don’t even talk about parking that is one big headache… The best mode of transport might just be to Cycle from point A to B. I prefer to rather walk… I love cycling but my balance is not that great and when I see a robot, stop street or even a car I start to panic…. That is why I put my bicycle in my car and drive to a quiet road or a farm stall park there and cycle from there…

The Theater Royal Bar is situated next to the famous Playhouse Theater on Leith Walk. I just love the decor of this building…. The hanging flower baskets just makes one feel so happy.

Well just around the corner is Ben Cruachan Guest House on MacDonnald Street….

We had about two hours before we had to get ready for our walk back to Edinburgh Castle where The Edinburgh Royal Military tattoo was held…. I went outside and took a few photo’s of the garden before I made us a nice cup of coffee and we talked about the day and how excited we were to go see the Tattoo….

Thank you for joining us on this last stretch back to our Guesthouse. In my next post I will be sharing some photo’s taken on route to the Tattoo and of the Tattoo itself.

Till next time, have a wonderful day.

Coreen

“If you can dream it you can do it.” Walt Disney

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