Last Day

22 August

Last day on the road, heading back to Edinburgh with a stop at Pitlochry for 'auld lang syne', or so I like to think.

Woke up to brilliant sunshine, but by the time I finished breakfast and stripping the bed it had retired for the day! But then what was new about that? A present from James to mom, Scottish Frankincense he called it, peat that burns with a fragrance. Wonder if we can market that? Left on time but had to go back when we got a phone call from James asking if somebody was missing a lens from their spectacles. DAD!!

Leaving Inverness we made a detour to Moy, the current residence of The MacIntosh. For the sassenachs, the head of a clan is known as The (name of clan). A gated entrance past what appears to be an empty gate house and down a narrow road pushing past overhanging trees and a sign that said Dangerous Bends. Moy House is a small Victorian mansion with a super view of the loch (Loch Moy) in front. Dad went in amidst our jokes to keep the engine running should he be forced to 'exit stage left' with The MacIntosh in hot pursuit brandishing a shotgun.

He emerged with the mother of the present clan chief, ready to show us the remnants of the previous residence. Sadly all the items are relegated to a damp and must shed. I'm sure the most important pieces are residing in the main house, but they had the bed that Bonnie Prince Charlie slept in and the MacIntosh colours on display.

Looking through the publications of the Clan Chattan (pronounced Hattan) I came across the name Jamie Stewart and seemed to strike a memory chord and I asked Mrs MacIntosh about Milton of Moy and related the story of meeting with Jamie Stewart during the Oman with Britain exhibition in Oman celebrating 200 years of mutual friendship. I told her that he had made a scarf for me in an Oman tartan. Sadly he passed away a couple of years ago, and she asked me to pass on that story to the publication editor. A couple of photographs and we were on our way out, though not the way we entered.

Had a brief doze (so what's new?) and awoke while going through the Cairngorm National Park, just before seeing familiar countryside. Past Bruar, Blair Atholl and soon we were in Pitlochry heading for The Armoury restaurant for lunch. Imagine my surprise when I walked down to the tables to find Mama, Maitha and Abir sitting at the table, talk about jaw dropping. The weather cooperated and had a very pleasant lunch of Haddock and Chips which they do very well and nice to know their standards have not dropped even though the restaurant is under new management. Off to the High Street in search of the elusive Homecoming t-shirt, via a short stop at the charity bookshop at the station. Sad to say no luck here!

Back on the road and back to sleep until just before the Forth Bridge and at the hotel just before 5 pm. The lobby was chaotic with sheeplike tourists and the staff trying to herd them to no avail. Hoped my bags would not go walkabout as it would be quite easy to walk off with a lonely bag and I don't think anybody would be the wiser. Ran out again to see if I could purchase my t-shirt at the NGS shop and almost got locked in. I was so certain I had seen this t-shirt and lo and behold I was vindicated when Jeff called me to say he had found it in one of the many tourist shops along Princes Street.

A quiet dinner as I could not persuade anybody to come out exploring with me. Maybe for the better as we had an an obscenely early wake up and departure for London - wake up at 5.30, breakfast at 6 and depart at 7 am.

* http://members.fortunecity.com/invernessa82/id76.htm (showing original mansion)
http://www.rampantscotland.com/clans/blclanmacintosh.htm