Today is a VERY nice day – the sun shines – so unusual. Another quality trip with HWU Chaplaincy.First stop was at Dollar Town, we walked up the Hill to Campbell Castle – it was a nice walk with nice view, this town is quiet that one girl said it looks similar to oxford town. Maybe this is due to the presence of Dollar Private School which gives the academic atmosphere for this town.
It has been built over the years and used by many family – I guess it should have been a busy place and it has been extended from the original building in 1800’s as well. Now most part are ruined and there are parts that keep private – I wonder what it is used for.
Second Stop was at Drummond Garden – it is still occupied by one lady in her 70’s and with no heir; still a private own friggin BIG estate – a very nice place to stroll around, guess could be one of the best formal gardens in Europe. Fascinating how old day people plan everything and even the outer part of the huge estate, they planned such it would look like forest. Haha 
Nobles were given lands during the olden days – and around Perthshire there are lots of estate that is still own by those family – each noble family operate their own estate therefore, some are still rich and some may be unable to manage and ended up selling to ‘new rich’ business man. These people change the living lifestyle of the estate. It used to be that the estate would allow public to go in and walk around inside however it is not the case for the new rich. Fiona said there’s this Russian guy who bought an estate and as well, he bought few houses next to his estate (maybe at the end of the farm) and left them vacant – so that he could feel more private…. How crazy these people.
The highland game started in 600-700 when highland chief wanted to test his men’s stamina. It was lost for a while and not until Victorian age when the queen Victoria (dunno which one) loved Scotland and has restored the Highland Game again. It involves highland dancing, tossing the cable, hill race, and etc.
Last stop was at a small town called Killin – we went to see typical small nice town with white building along the Falls of Dochart – quite a nice place to visit.
On the way back we passed Comry – it is an Earth Quake Capital – why? Because it is where there are lots of geographical sensitive points – and it is the first place that the quake detection (machine that can measure the scale) was used.
Basically Trossachs is an area in Scotland, the same as Edinburgh is in Lothian area.
Fiona let us know that in old days, the property owner would plan their land themselves strategically – where to plant tress, where to build tower etc. for their own pressure. We also drove pass Lithgow Palace which was used to be the residence/entertainment place for Q n K. She also mentioned that last time, original Scots’ home do not have flowers from the windows or small pot plants near the house – they used to live very simple – just to build home which could withstand the wind and the cold (air tight). 
First Stop at 10am – Lake of Menteith – the Earl of Menteith Built with a hope to ensure that his soul is pure before he died – he brought canons and bulid the ‘Inchmahome Priory’ in the island in the middle of the Lake. This place, many important ppl within Scots has been there; eg. William Wallace, Mary Q. of Scot (she was hid there from arrange marriage – but only a short time), and etc etc. It’s the only Lake in Scotland which is called “LAKE” (the rest called “LOCH”)
Last stop was at Inversnaid Nature Reserve, Loch Lomond (this is the biggest Loch in Scotland)– so we went to walk around 2 hours in the forest trial along the Loch Lomond – very nice scenery and interesting weather as you can see in the pic - these clouds moving very fast - so it give lots of changing between dark patches and bright sunny patches with constant cold wind!!!(changing every 2 mins, nonetheless, very cold) 
I fell into my butt once… almost butt twice, and almost fell of the mountain several time because of the weather helm (gust, gale force)