July 5, 2008: Edinburgh To Plockton

Cindy together with I dragged ourselves out of bed vivid together with early on to board a longish develop trip to our ain recipe.


Luckily, they gave us an interesting dessert option: the vaguely traditional whiskey, dearest together with oatmeal H2O ice cream. It had quite the whiskey kick, together with allow us pretend nosotros were sampling around of Scotland's finest.

July 6, 2008: Plockton

Johanna's tater scones: flat, dense pancakes consisting mainly of mashed tater too flour. The sticky texture didn't win me over on commencement bite, but they are truly quite addictive.

The other novelty for us was the pair of oatcakes that were served amongst our tray of toast. They looked a footling similar digestive biscuits, but were truly harder too non at all sweet.

After breakfast, nosotros gear upwards off towards Duncraig Castle. On the previous solar daytime nosotros had noticed a signpost promising that it was alone 1 mile away through the woods.

Once nosotros circumvented the loch too entered the woods properly nosotros encountered some other sign: Duncraig castle, 1 1/4 miles. Hmmm.

The path became dingy too at that spot were a lot of depression overhanging branches - non the easiest to larn through for a tall feller too a daughter amongst a limp. The scenery was lovely, though, too nosotros persevered.

We took the incorrect agency downward a forked path too were rewarded amongst a residue halt inwards the long grass.

Duncraig railway station. You stimulate got to hail the develop if y'all desire it to halt here.

I was pretty exhausted yesteryear the fourth dimension nosotros reached the castle. Though it looked incredibly grand at a distance, it has clearly fallen into disrepair. H5N1 lonely workman amongst a dusty truck wandered around what nosotros had idea would survive a lively tourist attraction. The windows offered glimpses of rooms stacked amongst junk too wonky furniture. And most perplexing of all was the hideous multi-storey boxy extension to the castle (I couldn't acquit to include it inwards whatsoever of my photos).

There were all the same glimpses of beauty, to survive sure. I couldn't larn plenty of the roses growing untamed hither too around Plockton.

We discovered afterwards inwards the solar daytime that Duncraig Castle has been featured inwards several episodes of Hamish MacBeth, along amongst other films too serial I attention much less about. The Castle's official website tells the story of the Dobson identify unit of measurement purchasing too tending the site, offering it equally luxury accommodation equally good equally a cinema location. However it seems that the identify unit of measurement is forthwith feuding too there's non a lot to survive seen or done at the castle.

Seeing these cows hurtling around the corner towards us made me to a greater extent than than a footling anxious! We paused equally they made themselves comfortable drinking at the creek. The chaperoning bull looked rather wary of us but nosotros didn't cease upwards causing each other whatsoever trouble.

Back inwards Plockton, nosotros wandered a corner of town that nosotros hadn't yet seen (running into what I'm certain was the abode of Isobel Sutherland, Hamish's enduring beloved interest) earlier trying the local takeaway for lunch. There was a whole make of baffling too probably-not-vegetarian options (sausage too pudding dinners, anyone?), but Michael did runway downward a passable vege burger.

I bravely had a larn at a chip butty, alone one-half knowing what it was. Stale chips inwards a super-processed white roll, amongst tabular array salt too vinegar on my request. This was sooooo bad, people. I alone got half-way through it, fifty-fifty amongst assistance from Michael. Regular readers volition for sure know what a chip fiend I unremarkably am - this seriously scared me off.

Sweet onion rings eased the pain.

Our afternoon solar daytime of the month was on Calum's dolphin trip. His guarantee to alone accuse customers after the promised dolphins or seals are spotted inspired the Hamish MacBeth episode 'In Search of Rose'. We were thrilled to larn some bonus seals on our dolphin trip costless of charge.

There was a footling nervousness on Calum's part, but the dolphins did eventually position on an fantabulous show. They were also sprightly for our photographic boob tube camera though!

We tried dinner at the Plockton Inn, simply around the corner from our cottage. Surprisingly they had a few vegetarian mains on the menu.

My eggplant parmigiana was a long on oily cheese too brusk on eggplant, but was appreciated nonetheless.

Michael couldn't remain away from the vegetarian haggis!

Though it wasn't an adventurous dessert, the chocolate torte was neat (the cream-from-a-can, non too thus much).

What Plockton mightiness stimulate got lacked inwards vegetarian culinary delights (and it all the same out-did the average Aussie province town), it to a greater extent than than made upwards for amongst its natural assets. I won't forget its cute olde-town atmosphere or its stunning views for some time.

July 7, 2008: Plockton To Edinburgh

We had roughly other one-half twenty-four hr catamenia inward Plockton earlier heading dorsum to Edinburgh. I'd finally run out of enthusiasm for cooked breakfasts, then nosotros both started the twenty-four hr catamenia amongst porridge (with a flake of jam mushed on top).

It was a warming firstly to the day, together with I'm certain my view appreciated the pause from fried eggs.

Our master copy invention was to pass our lastly duet of hours inward the Plockton hotel enjoying their hospitality together with gratis wireless internet. Alas, the meshwork was broken, then nosotros were driven dorsum out into nature. Following the recommendation of the hotel staff, nosotros headed for a walk upwards a rail inward the northern department of the town. Something virtually the scenery reminded Cindy of a detail scene inward Monkey Island, then she spent the whole stroll singing the midi-style tunes that are eternally lodged inward her brain. It actually added to the highland ambiance.





The weather condition was a flake crappy, but the walk was nevertheless wonderful. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 plumbing equipment finale to our duet of days inward the highlands. Afterwards, it was dorsum on the prepare to larn dorsum to Edinburgh - to a greater extent than bang-up scenery whizzing by, too equally a handful of novel birds for me (buzzards, pheasants together with roughly eider, non to advert kestrels hovering inward almost every field).


By the fourth dimension nosotros made it dorsum to Edinburgh, checked inward together with got changed, it was fourth dimension to become together with detect roughly dinner. David Bann's was the venue of alternative - a slightly upmarket vegie eating seat close the middle of town. The bill of fare was chock-full of impressive sounding dishes: a dozen sides/starters together with virtually 10 primary meals. We started off amongst vegan Thai fritters: aromatic, spicy fritters of smoked tofu, peas, ginger, light-green chilli, lime sesame together with potato. Served amongst fresh mango chutney together with a plum sauce. These were a highlight: overnice together with spicy, beautifully textured together with amongst 2 bang-up condiments included.

After much pondering, nosotros eventually settled on our mains: harissa roasted aubergine, aduki together with sugariness pepper for Cindy (with a side of chunky chips) together with a chilli together with smoked cheese tortilla tartlet amongst chocolate sauce for me. In what was becoming a subject of the holiday, Cindy enjoyed her repast until she looked over enviously at mine - i time again I'd picked the bill of fare winner. Still, the beany, eggplanty filling stuffed into the sugariness peppers was a pretty satisfying meal.


My repast was outstanding: layers of flavours, amongst a spiced love apple tree sauce, smoked cheese, fresh guacamole, a diversity of beans together with a selection of vegies (celeriac, carrot together with peppers). All served upwards on a layer of mashed sugariness white patato together with coriander together with the star of the show: a chocolate together with tequila sauce.

With such wonderful courses behind us, in that place was no uncertainty that we'd live giving the desserts a shot. Bizarrely nosotros didn't monastic say upwards the dessert assortment plate - I was keen, but Cindy couldn't become yesteryear the lime together with ginger parfait (with meringue together with chocolate drambuie ganache), then nosotros only ordered a unmarried dish each.

The parfait had rigid lime together with ginger flavours, but was a petty flake firmer than Cindy would convey liked ("not silky enough" apparently). It combined delectably amongst the meringue together with ganache though.

I got sucked inward yesteryear the tradition alternative on the menu: Scottish strawberry pannacotta amongst a homemade whisky together with raspberry chocolate. My retentivity is a petty hazy (either due to the fourth dimension that has since passed or the bottle of vino that Cindy together with I 'shared'), then I'm non able to brand specific comments on the pannacotta. The chocolate was dark, rich together with flavoursome though - the whisky was surprisingly rigid together with combined good amongst the raspberry together with chocolate.

It was a fine dinner - i of the best of our trip, together with to a greater extent than mostly i of the improve vegetarian restaurants we've dined inward over the years. Anyone swinging through Edinburgh should halt yesteryear together with banking concern check it out.