Caledonian Castles

Well, yesterday we got up at the crack of dawn and drove through the verdant Yorkshire countryside and across the border into Scotland. It was only a 3 hour trip, but it was amazing how much the landscape and architecture changed. Just by looking at the houses, it is obvious that the Scots are much more frugal than the English - the buildings are apparently constructed in accordance with a stern 'no frills' standard. We went and saw the ruins of three castles, all of which are in the Dumfries/Galloway area. I found that I enjoyed exploring ruined castles far more than taking guided tours through restored ones. There is so much more freedom of movement when you are on your own, and I felt that I was able to get a clearer picture of what castle life was actually like.

The first castle we visited is called Caerlaverock Castle.

I was told that it is a Welsh name, the

meaning of which is 'the home of the lark'.

After exploring the castle from top to bottom, we decided to try to get a glimpse of the sea. We took a trail that led through mud, gorse, and bluebells, and finally to the beach. The beach was a good mile wide and the wind just about strong enough to blow us away (and Richmond still had a sore throat), so we decided not to walk all of the way to the ocean. We took a few 'we were there' pictures and headed back to purchase postcards at the gift shop. I have a goal of obtaining a postcard from every place that we visit, and so far I've had pretty good success. I'm going to have a formidable collection by the time I get back to the States.

The bluebells are just beginning to come out,

and the woods are beautiful. This picture

doesn't even come close to capturing the

loveliness of the scene.

Our path took us past the ruins of an even older castle.

The ground here was very wet, and the castle started

to sink, so the 'laird' decided to remove

 to Caerlaverock's present sight.

In Scotland, Gorse bushes are about as prolific, and 

are viewed with as much affection, as

multiflora roses are in Missouri.

A lovely Scottish coastal landscape
On the beach

The next stop on our agenda was Threave Castle. To reach it, we drove through someone's cow pasture and onto their farm. Parking our car, we took a path down to the River Dee where we rang a bell for the boatman to take us across to Threave Island. The elderly gentleman who operated the boat was quite friendly, and Mom and Dad chatted with him for some time. I sat and listened to his accent in awe.

Our last stop was at Cardoness Castle. It is situated on a hill from which you can obtain a good view of the ocean. We arrived close to closing time, and had the place to ourselves. We didn't stay long because the wind, which had been strong all day, was turning very cold. I always thought that March winds are strong in Missouri, but I don't think that they can compare to the May winds in Scotland!

A view of the sea from the castle.

Looking out of a gunport in the

castle wall.

By the way, I have discovered that we are actually able to tap into wi-fi here at the cottage. I think that we must be getting it from some local restaurant. Anyway, we are now able to check email frequently, so we'd love to hear how things are going with all of you.