A Wee Road Trip

Took Thursday off. 'Bout time to see something outside of the St Andrews Bubble! Where did I end up???? In a tartan fabric shop in Forfar (north of Dundee). I'll wait for you to stop laughing.... Done? OK then

Around noon I called Cathy to see if she'd like to go on an adventure with me - and I needed someone in the car to help read the road signs as I was planning to travel outside my current St A's - Dundee radius. Cathy's always up for an adventure so I picked her up around 1pm and we headed north. Navigating Dundee wasn't a problem and we were on the right track. A slight problem cropped up in Forfar when the single road we needed was blocked by construction so we followed 'diversion' signs. Then there was the fact that every other company in Forfar, courtesy of some local big wig family earldom was called 'Strathmore....' Nothing, however, can keep me from decent fabric and we eventually found the Strathmore Woolen Company tucked away in a very unassuming building.

I knew I needed 4.25 yards of 60" wide fabric and I wanted the Balmoral tartan. Unfortunately I am not a member or the royal family (well, not yet anyway) so I had to settle for Thomson's dress grey tartan which is a very pretty mixture of black, grey and red. I didn't ask the price I just let them make the cut. It's going to make an amazing full circle skirt - but I've got to find about 7 yards of hem tape before I can finish it and no one in this country seems to know what I'm talking about.

Anyway, on the way to Forfar Cathy spotted signs for Glamis Castle (pronounced Glams). We've heard lots about it but never found time for a visit so, after the fabric was safely folded in the car we followed the 'diversion' signs back out of town and then the 'famous castle this way' signs. We got to the castle about 3:30pm - too late for a tour so we settled for prowling the gift shop, walking the grounds and reading all the signs that could tell us about the castle.

Turns out the Strathmores are actually Earls of the Bowes-Lyons family. And the Bowes-Lyons have produced one or two famous people... Like the beautiful Queen Mum. Princess Anne was also born at Glamis. Cathy and I have vowed to go back on a day when we can really spend time exploring both inside and outside the castle. I'm hoping to get back this December when they have all their Christmas decorations up! In the meantime. Here are a few pictures from our side trip adventure:

Not much of a front drive at all....

Finally, the castle comes into view... and what a view!

The front door isn't intimidating at all!

As the pastoral view of the front yard.

Then there is the statue of Uncle King James VI of Scotland and I of England in the front yard.

The Earl has his own herd of cows that are so polite they know to stay off the front drive without so much the hint of a fence.

Ah, the rose garden. What it must look like in spring and summer. Another reason to come back multiple times!

The last shot - we were almost the last people to leave the grounds that afternoon. The moon was just beginning to rise over the castle as the sun set behind us. In the windows you could still see people moving around inside here and there. For a moment I thought I could see Lady Elizabeth (circa 1926) waiting for her groom the prince! What an amazing place.