Scotland - Pitlochry to Peebles

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Wednesday 18th May 2011 Pitlochry to Peebles 96 miles
Another showery blustery day but with plenty of sun! Chris wanted to go to the cemetery at Logierait to find three mort-safes, used in the early 19th C to protect corpses from body snatchers. The coffins were placed inside metal frames, which were then padlocked and buried. After the bodies had decayed, making them useless for medical research, the graves were re-opened and the mort-safes removed for future use. Anyhow, we found the cemetery but no sign of the mort-safes!!
We stopped at The Hermitage (NTS) and had a beautiful walk, through the rocky gorge, along the river Tay, underneath huge Douglas firs, including one of the tallest trees in Great Britain, with no other sound other than birdsong and the fast flowing river as it tumbled over the rocks. We reached Ossian’s Hall where you had a great view of the Black Linn Falls. How the salmon were going to jump up here – I’m not so sure, but apparently they do!! Completed the circular walk past Ossian’s Cave and then drove into Dunkeld.
Dunkeld has a Cathedral on the banks of the River Tay so it is technically a City! We had a wander around the Cathedral and the old streets of the town before going to the Wildlife Centre at Loch of the Lowes. We didn’t go in as there was a charge of £4.00 each and we only wanted a half hour visit as wanted to drive further south.
Left the motorway to go to Kinross – Chris had watched a programme of TV last night about Kinross House so we thought we would have a look at the outsideof the House. We walked along Loch Leven and saw the Castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned and made her escape from. By now the winds were so strong we abandoned our attempt to find the House!
We had been due to meet US cousin Peter and Wendy in Edinburgh today, but they had cancelled their trip owing to a medical problem. We therefore decided to bypass Edinburgh and continue to head South.
Back onto the Motorway and across the Forth Road Bridge, with warnings about a very strong wind and then drove to Crossburn Caravan Park on the outside of Peebles. It has a very good camping shop for spares and accessories etc.

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