Travels: Fraserborough and back with Andy

Andy had a job to do today at fish processing plant in Fraserborough a fishing village about 200 miles north of Strathaven so we decided to ride with him and enjoy the beautiful Scottish country side. It would also give us chance to explore Fraserborough while Andy completed his work.

We left Strathaven at 6 am in rather dreary weather. It was raining and the clouds were low in the sky. Our route took us passed Stirling, through Perth and then along the coastal route trough Aberdeen to Fraserborough.

We arrived in Fraserborough at 10 am and Andy dropped us in the town square close to the Tourist Information Center where we obtained a map and information about places to visit in the town from a very nice Scottish lady. Armed with this information we walked about half mile to the Tea Shop in the Lighthouse Museum where we ate breakfast. After breakfast we walked around the point, passed the poles that used to be used for drying the fishing nets, around the old and new lighthouses and giant foghorn, and passed the wine tower to the harbor wall.

By this time clouds had lifted and the sun had come out so we walked along the harbor wall looking for seals on the seaward side of the wall and looking at the very modern fishing boats on the harbor side of the wall. Then we walked back to the town square for a not very good ice cream and a visit to the cleanest public restroom I have seen in a long time. It was worth the 20 p entrance fee.

Andy picked us up at 2 pm and we left town to drive through the mountains on the way back to Strathaven. About 10 miles out of town we stopped in a lay by and ate a delicious lunch of leftovers from Saturday night’s party and Sunday night dinner. The drive through the mountains was spectacular. Our route took us through Huntly to Braemar where we stopped for coffee and walked to stretch our legs.

For many miles there were few houses or villages. Campers were pitching their tents alongside the rivers. The hills side was generally bare of trees except in the few places where the Forestry Service had planted a large stand of pine trees. We came across sky lifts, obviously closed for the summer running up the hill side. There were many sheep grazing and some cattle.

Just south of Perth we stopped for a fish supper at the Fish & Chip Shop in Auchteradrer, the village next to Gleneagles Golf Course. The fish and fries were excellent.

We arrived home at 9 pm.