Portsoy Trip
Tuesday 11 July
Fifteen excited members and friends of Ruskie Rural ventured North on the A9, heading for the North coast of Banffshire. First stop- House of Bruar-for coffee, cake and a browse. Much chatter!
Next stop was the Speyside Centre for a tasty lunch. We arrived at the pretty harbour village of Portsoy, and our home for three nights, the Sail Loft Hostel. We were amazed to find a beautifully renovated former house and sail store, with traditional lime plaster outside and a huge modern kitchen, dining room and sitting room inside. We had quiet shared and single rooms with access to lovely showers and loos. We soon found charming gardens and a sunny deck. However several ladies eyed the beach only 50m across the lawns, and were off for a ‘dook’ in the sea.
Tesco delivered, so we ate a sumptuous salad , and eventually took ourselves off to bed.
Wednesday 12th.Our day began with a sunny Yoga session on the lawns in warm sunshine. All loosened up and ready for breakfast! Thank you Linda!
Walking today, 14miles, 7miles and strolls to more pretty villages of Crovie and Pennan. We used local buses, and felt sorry for those without bus passes! The Moray Coastal Path proved to be less of a path and more a discovery route in places. One group started from Cullen, where we were fortified by delicious Cullen Skink at the Royal Oak Hotel. As we set off, a local man assured us the path was fine, and just to ignore the sign the path was closed .Interesting coastal ascents and descents, with a lovely sandy beach, took us to the precarious remains of Findlater Castle. Path or no path, we got to Sandend(Sannen), with a sensible route to Portsoy over the headland.
Fish and chips and ice cream for supper. Perfect! And for those needing a warm up, a bubble in the steaming hot tub. Luxury!
Thursday13th.: Some ladies went off walking again, some decided to have coffee down at the picturesque harbour. The little café here offered quirky surroundings, as we sat next to a gently splashing mini waterfall next to a sheltered ‘sitootterie’ , and ate very good cheese scones.
Afternoon took us along the coast West to Findochty(Finechty), and the exquisite new planting in the old walled garden of Gordon Castle. The garden has been redesigned by Piet Oudulph, a Dutch gardener famous for his soft planting . The garden produces vegetables, herbs, fruit and cut flowers. Old apple trees on the walls promise autumn harvests, and sweet peas scent the air.
Lovely. Inspirational.
We dined that evening in the Aspire Restaurant, where Liz reminded us of what we ordered months ago!
Friday14th: Although home beckoned, most of us visited Logie Steading, near Grantown on Spey, for morning coffee…also bacon rolls, scones and cakes! There were purchases to be made here too, from second hand books, crafts, great plants from the garden centre, and beef from the Longhorn cattle grazing nearby.
We all returned home happy, surprisingly ‘sunkissed’, considering the wet weather elsewhere, and for me at least, a little plumper. We had a lovely time in a beautiful area with new and old friends. Great! Thank you for the super photographs, mostly from Seona!
