First, the weather is the most miserable I've seen it in Scotland. Ray said it could be worse--it could be snowing. It poured the whole way until we got to our hotel in Kinross.
Our wonderful nice hotel in Portree lost its internet service so I have been without Internet for the last 24 hours. I could go down to use the business Internet-which had the cute password of "colonel mustard" but I was already comfy In my pajamas for the night.
I am STILL coughing up gunk after being on my antibiotic for 5 days!
Then today:
Had breakfast downstairs again before we head out this morning.
Found this interesting site on the visit Scotland page that said that the Craig na Dun stones from Outlander scenes were filmed at the Dunalastair estate, but the mansion in ruins looked so fascinating, I had to see it in person.
This was a baronial-style mansion built in 1862 by the owner, Gen. MacDonald. The Clan Donnachaidh lived here until the 1850s when the house burned down. There is a burial ground out the site. The original tower house was burned down after the 1745 rebellion as the great chieftain, Alexander Robertson of Struan, was a Jacobite supporter. From here you can see Schiehallion, the conical mountain, which overlooks the estate. This mountain is known as the Fairy Hill of the Caledonians. The gate of the estate was incredible. This was he plan, to go see the estate, but after driving crazy tiny roads around Loch Rannoch, there is only one entrance to the property instead of the two I expected and that one said no unauthorized vehicles! So no Dunalastair!
Then we headed to Fortingall, a major pilgrimage site on the route from Iona to GlenLyon. At the entrance to the church here is the Fortingall Yew, Queen of Trees, which holds the magic of the Sacred Feminine. Maybe I should send good energy to Hillary from here. This yew tree is the oldest living thing in Britain--3000-5000 years old. In 1769, it was 56 1/2 feet in circumference! It looks like it is 3-4 trees. It is also known as the tree of eternity and the tree of knowledge. Yew trees were planted by the Druids in places with sacred truths. Yews can grow another tree trunk after they are 500 years old. They decrease in size due to the natural decay of heartwood and this cause ps a loss of tree rings to tell their true age.
The whole area around the yew for miles was the monastery of the early Christian Celtic monks from the 600s. The present church was built in the late 1809s to replace the stone one fromMedieval times, which was built to replace the wood one before. There is a gorgeous Celtic cross in the graveyard and crosses from the 700s and medieval times. Their is a gravestone outside beside the church with a simple cross from 600. Also outside is an ancient font. Inside the church are Pictish stone fragments from 800 A.D. and a Pictish bell from 600 near the pulpit.
I was so excited to go back here--but we get within one tenth of a mile to find that the road is CLOSED for repairs! Not only had I wanted to visit Fortingall, but I had depended on the restrooms at the church for my potty break! When that didn't happen, and there was no other stopping point, we had to head on to Perth.
I had read 3 books recently about how they think this area was where Pontius Pilate was born and how Jesus was here at one time. Who knows if it's true, but....
Dun Geal, a fort on top of the mountain near the church, was the residence of the Caledonian King, Metallanus who was related to Pontius Pilate, who was said to have been born here in Fortingall. Later Jesus was said to have also lived here at Dun Geal.
The area around Fortingall is Glen Lyon and was known as the Holy Land. "Fears-nan-Gall" means stronghold of the Strangers. Glen Lyon was a "desert glen" because it was associated with the Culdee monks who came with Columba to Iona, arising jointly from the Essenes and the Druids. They were the "Sons of the Valley" with their hidden seat on Iona and were custodians and mentors to the Knights Templars and the inner order if the Temple of John. They prophesized The Divine Women to Iona (Sarah-Tamar). St. Martin was from this order. Supposedly there are key lines from the triangular pile of stones to the Praying Hands of Mary to the Temple to Anaitis to Fingal's Cave on Staffa.
Very near Fortingall was the ancient ruined village that Katie and Russ found for me for sale! It's called Lawers--a former fishing village dating back to the 1609s on the shores of Loch Tay and has its own ghost--the Lady of Lawers! She was a 17th
century Scottish soothsayer who now haunts the site. She is remembered for making a number of prophecies about disasters on the Loch that reportedly came true. The also predicted the coming of the railway, steam boat, and other future changes. She cursed an ash tree growing near the now-ruined church, proclaiming that evil would come to anyone who harmed it. She was later buried next to the tree. In 1895 a farmer named John Campbell took an ace to the tree and shortly after was gored to death by his own Highland bull. A neighbor who had assisted him in the cutting went mad and was sent to an asylum. Even the horse who dragged away the tree inexplicably fell down dead. All this history and excitement for $130,000! It includes the ruins of a mill, church, kiln, homes, and other relics. I would love to meet the Lady!
And on top of all this, another diversion because of roadworks happened even earlier today that added an hour to our trip. But I did get to see some of Loch Ness near Fort Augustus because of it.
And it's Halloween--so Happy Halloween everyone! Hopefully the spooks who worked against me today will not darken your door. 🕸👻💀🎃
Eilean Donan Castle in the rain:
Cluanie Inn:
bridge near Struan:
On our way to the Loch Rannoch area to find Dunalastair Estate:
Mysterious Schiehallion Mountain hidden in the clouds:
Near Dunalastair Estate:
On the road to Fortingall, to see how far we can get before the dead end for construction:
and we find the road sign for the city of Dull--twinned with Boring, Oregon, USA:
Halloween Whopper:
