Perth Shire Day Trip – 10 October 2009

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.