We left Inverness under a canopy of blue sky and beautiful warm sunshine. People have told us it is unseasonably warm. We even saw cherry blossoms popping out of some trees!
As we headed for Pitlochry, we stopped at the once largest distillery in Scotland, Tomatin Distillery. We took a splendid tour and saw how barley is toasted with peat, fermented with higly distilled alcohol and finally stored in barrels. It’s the used barrels of Bourbon, Sherry or Port that give whisky a really nice and distinctive flavor.
Afterwards, we drove over the high mountain passes of the Cairngorms National Park marveling at the green valleys carved by cascading rivers. In the town of Tomintoul, we stopped in the town square for a picnic and then proceeded to Balmoral.
The Balmoral castle where Queen Elizabeth loved to stay was specially opened this Sunday for locals to pay their respects. Only the gardens were opened so we perambulated around the amazing old forests and park recalling the life of the dear old Queen.
