Cairngorms
Highlights to Look For
HAIRY COOS
Red Deer Sass
Scottish Scones
Cairngorms Itinerary
Day 8: Culloden, Aviemore, Rothiemurhcus Estates
Day 9: Leault Farms, Queens View, Pitlochry
Today started with a somber mood. Loosing my aunt and sister was upsetting, we'd been looking forward to this trip for years, and leaving them was something I didn't want to do.
Our first stop was Culloden, which added to the sadness I was feeling. Walking through Culloden, hearing the stories and seeing the mass grave markers was sobering. Culloden Moor was the site of tragedy as the British armies decimated the Scottish Jacobites, putting an end to the Jacobite rising, and the Highland way of life.
Leaving Culloden, our guide could tell we were all in quite a sad mood, we made a pit stop at the Old Packhorse bridge, a stunningly scary feat of engineering, and sang ABBA songs on the way into Aviemore for lunch.
After lunch, I could feel my spirits lifting as we drove further into the highlands, taking in the beauty of the Rothiemurchus estates. Sitting in the heart of Cairngorm National Park, the estate is one of the largest natural forests in Britain.
In Rothiemurchus was one of our most anticipated sites, Highland Cattle. With their long horns, shaggy fringe, also know as 'dossan', and gentle demeanor, these hairy coos put on the best photo session I could have asked for.
The hairy coos were one of my sisters most anticipated highlights, and since she couldn't be here in person, I made sure to FaceTime her so she could see them as well. Imagine me gushing over how cute they were, with my camera in one hand, and my sister over video in the other. Its easy to say that these were some of my favorite photos from the trip.
A close second to the Hairy Coos was the red deer. Not far from our field of cows, was a herd of female red deer; ready for oats, pictures, and pets. Being semi-domesticated, these were used to humans and some allowed you pet them. Peep our guide James getting the side eye from a begrudging deer. Their grumpy faces, side eye, and tongue made for some adorable pictures as well. As an extra treat, we spotted two males outside the fences on our way out. Red Deer are known for their branching antlers that continue to increase in size as they age. How old do think these two were?
Our day concluded with dinner at our hotel - Nethybridge, which happened to have a cozy tea room facing an impressive garden on the front grounds.
The next morning we set out for Leault Farms, a working sheepdog farm. The owner Neil gave an impressive demonstration, moving the dogs in complicated patterns with a series of whistles. In addition to the demonstration, we had the chance to feed newborn lambs, shear sheep, and hold the litter of new puppies.
Our next stop was the Rowan house for a lunch of Scotch broth with lamb and freshly baked scones and cream. Following lunch was a Scone making demonstration and then finally, the name game. Another Rick Steves tour tradition, this game will ensure you remember everyone's names before you leave.
The gardens on the grounds of the Nethybridge hotel had the most vibrant colored Lupin I've ever seen. These pink and purples were my favorites, but the gardens also contained shades of reds, oranges, yellows and white as well.
Our last stop before heading into Pitlochry was the Queen's View. This beautiful view point was said to have been named after Queen Victoria following her visit in 1866.
Background: Stalk of heather on Culloden Moor