The second part of my trilogy of the tale of my road trip to Strachan, Aberdeenshire ended with me describing my visit to the captivating Dunnottar Castle at Stonehaven.

After an hour or so of taking multiple photographs and starting to feel rather peckish, I decided to head twenty miles north to Aberdeen for a bite to eat and undertake further sight seeing.

As I headed towards the Granite City, the heavens opened and my windscreen wipers were woken from their slumber. They weren’t best pleased as they’ve had a busy year and were hoping for a vacation also, but needs must and all that!

I had been warned that if I visited Aberdeen whilst precipitation was occurring (raining), the predominantly granite buildings take on an evermore grey hue. They weren’t wrong! It was like I’d stepped into a monochrome world where colour had drained leaving me as an extra in a Harold Lloyd movie!

As I was hungry as I’d only had a light breakfast, I asked the bespectacled guy hanging from the town hall clock if he could recommend anywhere for lunch. He pointed me in the direction a café down the street. As I turned to walk towards the aforementioned café, he shouted down “You couldn’t get me a ladder could you?!”

Aberdeen and the guy who gave me directions to the cafe!….

I purchased a very ordinary cheese and tomato sandwich for the second day running, a bag of Mackie crisps and a bottle of water. As I imbibed my lunch, I sat looking out of the water splattered window at the ever worsening rain and people watching. Shortly afterwards, I decided to move on, brave the elements and see if Harold Lloyd had got down from the clock face!

I had a walk around the city centre and took a few photographs, but the weather wasn’t conducive to sight seeing so I walked back to my car to return to Strachan village.

On my way back I got caught in a storm where the hailstones were the size of golf balls! … To be honest they probably were golf balls….. That’s the last time I take a short cut through the Banchory Golf Club driving range!!

On my return to my hotel I sat relaxing in my room, pondering whether to go back into Banchory (as it had stopped raining). However, I decided to chill and draft a blog on my laptop.

I had a quiet meal in the hotel that evening, and retired to pack my suitcase, ready for my departure to Glasgow the following day.

———————————————————–

After a light breakfast on day four, it was with a heavy heart I bid a fond farewell to the Feughside Inn and Strachan village.

My last photos in Strachan …

I arrived in Glasgow at midday. It was a relatively quiet journey. I checked into my Premier Inn, before heading into Glasgow city centre.

 Glasgow ….

After a perusal around and taking the obligatory photos, I ventured back to my hotel to get ready to meet up with Linda and her family, ready for an evening watching her son Adam and his band perform at the Record Factory bar in Partick.

Their set was impressive! They are a very talented and affable bunch of lads.

At around 11pm I returned to my hotel, packed my suitcase again ready for my journey home on Sunday.

Sunday arrived. I treat myself to a Full Scottish breakfast and then my trek back to England commenced!

———————————————————–

Well that’s the end of my third part of my trilogy of my road trip to Strachan.

My three instalments may not have had the action of the Bourne Trilogy, the horse’s heads of the Godfather Trilogy, or the shark attacks of the Jaws Trilogy! (or I think there was probably more than three Jaws movies!) However, I hope it has given a bit of an insight into the journey to/from the aesthetically stunning place of my forefathers.

I’d like to thank Linda Luah Castle, her family and friends for their hospitality. Additionally, cheers to the staff at the Feughside Inn at Strachan and the Premier Inn’s at Edinburgh and Glasgow. Their warm welcome and great customer service contributed to the enjoyment of my journey.

Hopefully, I’ll be lucky enough to visit again and meet fellow clan members at this enchanting area of Scotland.