Autumn Highlander - Day Three (Sunday) - Inverness - Far North Line DUNROBIN CASTLE

We had to be up bright and early (6am) and had our breakfast round about 0700am to get to the train by 0845.  Again we were picked up by coach and once underway, we travelled through estuaries and coastline as far as Dunrobin.    Jean had pre-booked for this trip, so we got off with a few other punters and headed down the the long tree-lined avenue to the Castle for our exploration.   You aren't technically supposed to take photos inside the Castle but I have 'museum' mode on my Nikon, so it doesn't make a noise or use flash.  The poor Chinese chap who was walking around with us in our small group had a Canon and tried to take a shot in the Children's Nursery - his flash went off and a very stern and extremely Scottish lady told him 'Oh nae, ya cannae take photos'.  Or words to that effect and he had to put it away.  I am just a rebel.

Dunrobin Castle is all I hoped it would be.    MANY PHOTOS!

View from the station - we crossed the road to go through the gatehouse

 I took photos in various lights of the castle, can't decide which one I like the best.

The entrance hall - where those people are sitting is a huge fireplace, which was stoked up and burning away merrily with logs.  The guy who welcomes you is dressed in full Sutherland tartan  - kilt etc.  Sadly he wasn't any Rory McCann look alike - he was in his Seventies, I think.

View from upstairs wandering around the many rooms that are open to the public. Note, also how SUNNY it is!

The Library

Sutherland Tartan carpets my dear ... those huge paintings are all over the place.

The children's playroom

Where the children slept - Nanny's chair opposite the beds by the reading lamp.

The Seamstresses' room

Where the Duke of Sutherland keeps most of his old military stuff. - Ewan was impressed with this photo.

Inside the tea room - an old steam fire engine. - Note the Stag heads - they are All Over the place. With plaques generally saying when they were shot and by whom - plus the size of the animal.

Jean tucking into a scone

Firemen's helmets

Looking at the gardens from the top of the walkway. - There is a bench in this area where Jean sat whilst I went down the hundreds of steps.

A lovely little friend I met on the way down the steps. Wanted to bring him home.

Nice postcard type shot of the castle and gardens.

Jean is just in the middle of this photo on the white bench towards the trees (a telefoto close up of her sitting on the bench is one photo up)

This gate doesn't open - it was padlocked.  I really wanted to try and get to the sea, because it's just on the other side of this gate.

Friendly, fat, scarecrow

 The Sacrificial Altar and the Horse Headstones.   You can read about this over on the picture above.

After we'd done our tour and walking about, we decided to go back to the Station to look around the tiny little Museum and for a quid, the guide also showed us the refurbished loo where the Duke of Sutherland used to spend a penny back in the day.   Don't ask me.

Dunrobin Castle station/museum and Jean

If it wasn't for the Museum guide at the Dunrobin Station, we probably wouldn't have been picked up at the Castle.  He reminded us that we were being picked up from the castle grounds, so we hot-footed it back down the tree-lined avenue (our third walk on this road of the day) to wait in the reception area for the coach. We didn't wait long and eventually, after our tour Steward had counted the people twice on board the bus, we headed off for Thurso.
A couple of minutes later, we were overtaken by another vehicle and one of the passengers on the bus said that the occupants of the vehicle looked like people from our group!  Sure enough, a few miles up the road, they were standing in a laybye frantically waving at the bus driver to stop.  They had been left behind!

Lunch today was Ploughmans' - i.e. Ham and cheese, onions, etc.   Dinner was Duck and Apricot terrine wrapped in Parma ham, served with a beetroot and horseradish comfit.  Main course was Scottish Lamb with red wine and rosemary served with mint and red currant jus, with different potatoes and beans.

Lemon Tart served with Creme fresh and raspberry sauce.

Next post is about Thurso and our trip home.
(Might only do that tomorrow, as I'm still trying to sort out my photos).