Banchory

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11 June we left Forfar and had a very pleasant and easy drive north to the pretty town of Banchory on the Rivers Dee and Feugh. It is a small site and next to the A93 and unfortunately the only pitch available was close to the road so we settled for that but negotiated a move to a quieter corner plot for the following three nights.

12 June - moved to quieter pitch and set up again but this time much quicker. We had lunch and then we visited a nearby National trust property, Drum castle and had a very interesting tour around. Drum is a top attraction of Royal Deeside and one of Scotland's oldest tower houses. William de Irwyn was gifted the forest and tower of Drum by King Robert the Bruce in 1323

The original tower in which the whole family and servants lived is the oldest surviving one of its kind dating back to the 13th century. The house has been extended over the centuries as the family gained its wealth indeed the ere is tale that the servants and tenants of the estate clubbed together to help the owner extend the house - a reflection of the esteem the family was held in.

There was also an art exhibition on at the Castle with the theme of the Human Presence. The one of the pegs and wire sculpture along with an old sleeping bag were two of the more unusual exhibits.

13 June Marina going down with the lurgi but nevertheless we set off to look around Aberdeen. Had a good lunch at The Triplekirk pub and then the Maritime Museum which was good (and free) but with Marina feeling worse we set back home but this time across country taking in some quiet villages and lochs. We visited the famous Bridge of Feugh where we saw a couple of salmon leaping against the strong waters to reach their spawning ground. Back to the van watched a films Company Men which was good.

14 June Marina worse so she stopped in bed. Said goodbye to our very friendly neighbours Garry and Carol. She has MS but it didn't prevent her writing two novels under her pseudenom of Jessie McQuarrie. Both of them about their experiences of caravanning but using two fictional characters who take jobs as wardens on a remote caravan site on the west coast of Scotland.

I went off for a walk along the River Dee into Banchory for a nose around and spent a leisurely afternoon relaxing in the sun. Tomorrow we upsticks and head for Elgin

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