It was a gloriously sunny day in Perthshire yesterday, and we fancied a trip out somewhere. We settled on the coastal village of North Queensferry, about an hour’s drive south.
The sky was an almost cloudless blue all the way down to about Inverkeithing, but as we neared the Firth of Forth the cloud became much thicker. When we climbed out of the car, a cold wind blasted us with surprising force, and we hurried indoors as quickly as we could.
We’d decided to have lunch at The Shore restaurant, within the Double Tree Hotel, in North Queensferry. We’d been there once before, many years ago, and remembered that it had a good view of two of the Forth Bridges.
The sun was shining through the large windows of the restaurant, and the cold wind was soon forgotten.
The Shore restaurant in the Double Tree Hotel, North Queensferry.
We were seated by a window, with a fine view of the newest of the three bridges that span the Firth of Forth at this point. As we sat looking out at the Queensferry Crossing, we remembered the occasion, in 2017, when we walked across this bridge after it had just been opened. It was designed exclusively for vehicles, and pedestrians are not normally permitted to cross it. However, an opportunity was granted, through a public ballot, to celebrate the opening. The fortunate 50,000 of us who obtained tickets traipsed across it over a weekend in September. The walk was 1.7 miles (2.7km) long.
The Queensferry Crossing.
After perusing the menu, Lorna and I both opted for the Tuscan vegetable soup, which was served with sourdough toast.
Tuscan vegetable soup with sourdough toast.
The soup was packed with vegetables, including a lot of peas and different types of bean. We both enjoyed it, and found it hearty and filling.
Hearty Tuscan vegetable soup at The Shore, Double Tree Hotel, North Queensferry.
It was a very slow meal, and before we ordered pudding I needed to visit the facilities. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sign with this wording on an accessible toilet.
Accessible toilet at the Double Tree Hotel, North Queensferry.
Inside, it was roomy, and very well equipped with grabrails.
Inside the accessible toilet at the Double Tree Hotel, North Queensferry.
Back at the table, we both chose the same pudding: tiramisu. It looked unlike any tiramisu I’ve had before, and wasn’t particularly appealing on first inspection, but in fact the taste far exceeded our expectations. It was light, creamy, and quite delicious.
Surprisingly tasty tiramisu at The Shore restaurant.
Although we didn’t have a view of the old Forth Road Bridge from our dining table, it was clearly visible from outside the building.
Forth Road Bridge.
This was the bridge that carried all traffic across the Firth of Forth here, prior to the construction of the Queensferry Crossing. It’s still operational, but open only to buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians.
Before leaving this neck of the woods, we felt it only right to admire the third and oldest bridge in this area, the Forth Rail Bridge. It took 8 years to build, and was opened in 1890. It’s a majestic structure, and one of the country’s great landmarks.
The Forth Rail Bridge, seen from North Queensferry.
Some years ago it was announced that Perth Museum would be moving into an old building that had been lying empty for a long time, but was in the process of being refurbished. In March 2024, it opened its doors in the city centre, and Lorna and I had been wanting to go and see what it was like. Yesterday, we decided it was time for a bit of museum fun.
Standing outside the south side of Perth Museum.
There is no parking at the museum, even for disabled badge holders. There are parking areas nearby, but the closest parking was closed off because of roadworks. This meant a longer than usual walk for me, which I found quite an effort, but I was glad I was still able to do it.
We were ready for lunch by the time we arrived, and the Stone Cafe was just inside the doorway, with a welcoming sign.
Sign welcoming visitors to the Stone Cafe.
Inside, the cafe was bright and airy, with very high ceilings and magnificent tall windows.
Stone Cafe, Perth Museum.
We did as the sign had instructed, chose a table and put in our order at the counter,
Sitting in Stone Cafe with a cloudy apple juice.
I chose their quiche of the day, which was presented as two small tartlets, containing a Cajun vegetable mixture. It came with coleslaw and chutney.
Cajun vegetable quiche at Stone Cafe, Perth.
Lorna was intrigued to try a ‘sausage’ roll containing vegetarian haggis and sweet potato.
Vegetarian haggis sausage roll with chutney, salad and coleslaw.
She also ordered tea, and was delighted by the size of the pot, which contained three full cups of flavoursome breakfast tea.
Breakfast tea at Stone Cafe, Perth.
Neither of us wanted anything else to eat, and we were keen to see the museum. I was feeling quite tired and wasn’t sure if I had the energy for walking around, but we decided to have a quick look and see what the space was like. At the entrance, Lorna spotted a couple of wheelchairs, and asked if we could borrow one. A helpful member of staff assisted us in unfolding it, and I sat myself down. My rollator was stored safely behind the reception counter while Lorna wheeled me off to look at the exhibits.
Sitting comfortably in a wheelchair in Perth Museum.
It was the first time we had borrowed a wheelchair like this, and it was quite a revelation. Lorna found it quite easy to push, and there was a lift to take us to the upper floor. I enjoyed being able to see everything without getting tired.
Admiring some stuffed animals in Perth Museum.On the upper floor of Perth Museum.
As always with such places, there was far more to read and take in than we had brain space for, but we enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere and appreciating how nicely the building had been modernised.
When we’d seen enough, we went back down in the lift, collected my rollator, and trudged back to the car. I found the walk back more tiring than the walk in, but I managed it, and was very glad to settle into the car. By this time we felt we had room for a hot drink and a snack, and decided to drive the short distance to the Macmillan cafe at Quarrymill, on the outskirts of Perth.
The Macmillan cafe is a place we’ve been visiting for many years, and it would soon be closing for the season. It was good to be able to call in again and enjoy the excellent service provided by the volunteers who run it so cheerfully.
I was tempted by a meringue with fruit and cream, which proved quite challenging (but well worth the effort) to consume.
Meringue with fruit and cream at the Macmillan Cafe, Quarrymill.
Lorna was delighted to find that there was one scone left, and that it was a variety she’d never had before: prune and honey.
Prune and honey scone at the Macmillan Cafe, Quarrymill.
We both greatly enjoyed our treats, washed down with large decaf Americanos. We wrote a couple of postcards we’d bought in the museum shop, and felt as if we were on our holidays.
A few days ago, Lorna and I set off in beautiful, sunny autumn weather to meet my other daughter, Flora, for lunch at the Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry. Lorna was able to park in a handy disabled bay, and Flora and I paused for a photo outside the grand entrance.
Flora and Bennet outside the Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry.
There are two dining options in the hotel: the Verandah restaurant, and the Stag’s Head Bar. We chose the bar, which has a lovely outlook onto the tree-filled grounds and the hills beyond.
View from the Stag’s Head Bar, Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry.
The bar serves both light meals and larger options. Flora went for fish and chips, Lorna had a vegetable curry, and I chose pea and mint soup.
Fish and chips with a little salad for Flora.Vegetable curry with rice, naan bread and mango chutney for Lorna.
Pea and mint soup with soda bread for me.
To pad out my meal, I ordered a basket of French fries. The difference in size between my chips and Flora’s was very noticeable.
Small, thin French chip with large British chip.
Fat chip, thin chip.
Not having any chips of her own (and being very willing to help), Lorna assisted both me and Flora in consuming our potato elements. As a result, she was too full for pudding, but Flora and I felt we could manage a little something.
I plumped for a coconut and Biscoff cheesecake, and Flora opted for a fruit scone.
Coconut Biscoff cheesecake.
Fruit scone with butter and jam.
Breakfast tea was ordered for Flora, Earl Grey for Lorna, and a decaf Americano for me.
Puddings and hot drinks in the Stag’s Head Bar at the Atholl Palace Hotel.
When we’d finished and settled up, we made our way through the thickly carpeted corridors of the hotel.
Ambling through Atholl Palace Hotel.
The building was opened in 1874 as the ‘Athole Hydropathic’, a kind of spa, containing accommodation, Turkish baths, and treatment rooms for those wishing to take the health-giving waters of Pitlochry. New owners took it over in 1913, upgraded the building, installed electric lighting and re-named it the Atholl Palace Hotel.
One of the attractive features of the hotel is the variety of seating options throughout the ground floor. There are many armchairs and sofas, nicely positioned to allow observation of the comings and goings, and engage in a bit of people-watching.
Armchairs for people-watching in the Atholl Palace Hotel.Sofas around a fireplace in the Atholl Palace Hotel.
It had been a very relaxing and enjoyable visit to the Atholl Palace, and as we left we enjoyed the floral displays outside the front of the building.
Floral abundance outside the Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry.
Yesterday morning Lorna had a hankering for adventure, and fancied a bit of big city buzz. Since London was too far away for a day trip, and Edinburgh and Glasgow a bit further than she wanted to drive, she plumped for Dundee.
She’d heard of a hotel near the city centre that served weekday lunches in its rather swanky-looking bar, and the building had some architectural interest, being the site of an old jute mill. The mill had opened in 1822, and the modern bar had been given the name ‘Eighteen22’ as a nod to its history.
We arrived after a circuitous journey which included a long diversion for a very short piece of closed road in the city. The diversion signs seemed to be taking us further and further away from our destination, but the car’s navigation system came up with an alternative route, which very satisfyingly took us where we wanted to go.
There was a little light rain when we arrived at Hotel Indigo.
Arriving at Hotel Indigo, Dundee.
Inside, the lobby was comfortably laid out in a minimalist style, with artwork on the walls relating to the building’s past.
Soft seating in the lobby of Hotel Indigo, Dundee.
We walked through this area to the bar, which was empty, with no sign of any staff.
‘Eighteen22’, the bar at Hotel Indigo, Dundee.
Having checked with the receptionist that lunches were indeed being served in the bar, we chose a seat, sat down and got settled for our meal. I removed my jacket, put on my bib, and waited for someone to appear.
Ready for luncheon at the Hotel Indigo, Dundee.
After a while, Lorna peered over the bar to see if there was anybody about, but all was silent. She went back to the lobby and explained to the receptionist that there were no staff in the bar. The receptionist left her desk and went on the hunt for the barman. She said he would be about somewhere, but after a while of searching she came back and told us he had vanished. We sat there a little longer, and eventually decided we should go elsewhere for our lunch as it was getting close to 14:00 by this time. The receptionist was very apologetic, so we left on a pleasant enough note.
Lorna remembered another Dundee hotel she had once had a meal in when I was in hospital, and we decided to go there instead. She couldn’t remember the name of it but she knew it was near the Botanic Gardens, so we went off in search of it. We found it, got parked, and got ourselves out of the car. We had seen diners through the restaurant window as we drove into the parking area, so we felt pretty confident of obtaining a meal there.
Arriving at the Invercarse Hotel, Dundee.
Once inside the warm and welcoming lobby, Lorna spoke to the receptionist, who informed us that we were too late for lunch as they stopped serving at 13:45.
Back we went to the car, and wondered what to do next. The Scottish Antiques and Arts Centre was a 15 minute drive away, and we knew it served food all day. It happens to be one of our favourite lunch spots, so we were happy with the idea of going there.
As we were driving along the busy A90, Lorna accidentally turned off the road one junction too early and we found ourselves in the village of Inchture. That was no problem as we could simply drive through it, re-join the main road and come off at the correct junction. As we drove along the main street, Lorna remembered that there was a hotel in the village, and she was interested to investigate it. Moments later we came upon it, parked outside, and Lorna popped in to ask if they were still serving lunches. She reappeared from the hotel entrance with her thumbs up, and out I got.
Inchture Hotel, joyfully open for lunch.
Meals were served in a restaurant called The Priory, built onto the side of the original hotel building. There was a ramped entrance I could use with my rollator, and we were warmly welcomed by a helpful waitress who showed us to a table near the window. We settled ourselves in, very glad to have found a lunch spot at last.
Happy and relieved to be settled in for lunch at The Priory in Inchture Hotel.
They had quite an extensive menu, and I opted for a small portion of battered haddock with chips and peas.
Small battered haddock at The Priory, Inchture Hotel.
Lorna chose the grilled goat’s cheese and roasted beetroot salad, which came with a little bucket of chips.
Grilled goat’s cheese and roasted beetroot salad at The Priory, Inchture Hotel.
We both very much enjoyed our meals in The Priory. Despite the late hour, there were quite a few other diners in the restaurant, and the atmosphere was warm and convivial.
Enjoying lunch at The Priory, Inchture Hotel.
The day had not worked out as planned, but we felt pleased with ourselves for having an adventure, particularly as it had ended in a tasty and satisfying lunch.
Lorna and I recently had our first visit to The Inn on the Tay, a restaurant with rooms in Grandtully, near Aberfeldy. We enjoyed it so much that we thought it would be a good place for a family meal in early August, when my son Donald and his family would be in Perthshire on holiday.
View from the Inn on the Tay’s restaurant. The Inn sits on the south bank of the River Tay.
On Friday 8 August, Lorna and I drove to Grandtully and met Donald and his partner Gail, my two grandsons, James and Sam, and my other daughter, Flora, for lunch.
Left to right: grandsons James (18) and Sam (17), Flora, Lorna, me, Donald, Gail.
Three of us had fish and chips, with Flora and myself having small portions and Sam having a large one. Lorna and James had pizzas, Donald had a pork dish, and Gail had cod. I think we all enjoyed our meals, I certainly enjoyed my small fish and chips, although it didn’t seem very small to me.
Lunch at The Inn on the Tay.
Neither Lorna nor I had room for pudding, but some of the party opted for white chocolate and raspberry parfait with chocolate ganache. It was attractively presented and seemed to go down well.
White chocolate and raspberry parfait with chocolate ganache.
After we’d said our goodbyes, Lorna and I decided to take a circuitous route home, driving a bit further north to Pitlochry and then home via the village of Kirkmichael. We stopped in Kirkmichael at the village shop, which also houses a small cafe.
Out and about in Kirkmichael.
I had a large cup of coffee and Lorna had an Earl Grey tea. We felt as if we were on our holidays.
Coffee on holiday at Kirkmichael Village Shop.
After our drinks, I was very ready for a snooze, while Lorna fancied a leg stretch. She left me in the car and walked along the nearby Cateran Trail. The sky was threatening, but it stayed dry, warm and breezy, and each of us felt content with our chosen pursuit.
In September 2024, I acquired my first rollator, or walking frame, as mentioned in this post.
My first rollator, in Ferrari red, September 2024.
Having become increasingly unsteady on my pins using walking sticks, this piece of equipment made a positive difference to my life.
For the past few months of using it I’ve been walking more confidently, but its design has meant that I was often pushing it away from my body as I walked. On one occasion this resulted in a fall, which led Lorna to wonder if there was something else on the market that would better suit my needs.
She discovered a different design with curiously backward-facing handles, that seemed to address the issue I’d been having. We had a look at these rollators, tried a couple of them out, and ended up purchasing what claims to be the lightest rollator in the world. My first rollator weighs 8kg, whereas the new one is only 4.8kg, so there’s quite a noticeable difference. There were 8 colour options, and I plumped for red again.
My original rollator on the left and my new one on the right.
I’ve been joyfully using it for the past couple of weeks, and finding it to be an improvement on the previous one. It’s also more compact when folded, and easier for Lorna to lift in and out of the car.
Yesterday, we took it for a spin to one of our favourite lunch spots, Ballathie House Hotel, a few miles from where we live.
Me with new rollator outside Ballathie House Hotel.
After a short walk in front of the hotel, we settled ourselves into the otherwise empty, and extremely quiet, drawing room for a relaxing luncheon.
Relaxed and ready for lunch in Ballathie’s very quiet drawing room.
As usual, the food, drinks, ambience and service were top notch. I selected tuna mayonnaise sandwiches, which came with excellent chips, and a freshly dressed salad.
Tuna mayonnaise sandwiches with chips and salad at Ballathie House Hotel.
Lorna went for the grilled vegetables sandwich, which was also served with chips and salad. She gave her sandwich 10/10, and we both agreed that the meal was perfect.
Grilled vegetables sandwich with chips and salad at Ballathie House Hotel.
The new rollator has been out to a few places, including The Causerie, a recently opened wine bar in Blairgowrie about half a mile from our house. The premises had previously been occupied by a succession of cafes and we were keen to see what the new incarnation was like. An attractive stained glass window panel had been inserted above the front door.
Inside, we found a peaceful haven of wood and wine, and exceptionally courteous and helpful staff. Seated comfortably, we perused an interesting menu, which offered virtually every savoury dish as either a starter or main course size.
Happily seated in The Causerie wine bar, Blairgowrire.
We both opted for vegetarian starters. I had hummus with roasted chickpeas, tomatoes, pickles and focaccia.
Hummus with roasted chickpeas, tomatoes, pickles and focaccia.
Lorna chose a dish of roast beetroot, scorched aubergine, feta cheese, walnuts and seasonal greens.
Roast beetroot, scorched aubergine, feta, walnuts and greens.
Both dishes were tasty, and small enough for us to have room for puddings. I went for their version of a pavlova, which contained yoghurt rather than the usual cream. The berries were huge and succulent, and the whole dish was light and refreshing.
The Causerie’s pavlova.
Lorna couldn’t resist trying the hot Cape brandy pudding, which she described as a cross between sticky toffee pudding and Christmas pudding. It was served with creme fraiche ice cream, and doused in brandy.
Cape brandy pudding.
Our first visit to this new neighbourhood eatery was a great success, and we’re looking forward to returning before too long.
One bright and sunny Sunday morning in May, when Lorna and I both felt unusually alert and ready for adventure, we decided on a last minute trip to Edinburgh to fulfil an ambition.
Our destination was Alexandra Dock in Leith, permanent home to Fingal, a ship that once serviced lighthouses but now sits quietly awaiting visitors to its 5-star hotel rooms and restaurant.
An old chap standing in front of a considerably younger lady.
Fingal, looking resplendent at just over 60 years of age.
Earlier that morning, while wondering how we might fill our day, Lorna had the bright idea of going to Fingal for lunch. She had recently found out about the ship/hotel and we had both developed an interest in visiting it. We had been imagining an overnight stay, but perhaps lunch was an alternative way to experience its atmosphere.
When she looked on the website, Lorna discovered that they didn’t serve lunches, but they did offer afternoon teas. She phoned up to ask if there was any chance of a vegetarian afternoon tea for two that day, despite the website stating that they required 48 hours’ notice for special dietary requirements. The helpful lady she spoke to popped off to chat with the chefs, and then rang back to say that they had enough ingredients to prepare two such afternoon teas, and would be delighted to reserve a table for us.
The ship was accessible by wheelchair, or rollator, although with quite a steep gangway to get into it.
Toiling up the gangway.
The doors into the ship, at the top of the red-carpeted gangway.
Having successfully made it onboard, we were shown to a circular glass lift that took us up to the top deck housing the Lighthouse Restaurant.
The lift on Fingal, with me outside it.
The Lighthouse Restaurant, onboard Fingal.
A courteous receptionist in the restaurant showed us to our table. It was a little tricky for me to negotiate, but she pulled it out so that I could shuffle into a padded bench seat. Throughout our time on Fingal, the service from all staff was exemplary. We were brought glasses of tap water and an extensive menu of teas and a few coffees.
Seated on a comfortable padded bench seat.
The tea menu listed more than 20 different teas, and we were invited to try as many as we wished throughout the meal. Not being much of a tea drinker these days, I opted for a decaffeinated Americano, while Lorna started off with a Japanese Kukicha tea.
The vegetarian afternoon tea consisted of 5 hot savouries, 4 sandwiches, 2 scones and 4 cakes for each of us. It seemed to be rather a lot when we read the menu, but the portions were small and delicate, and surprisingly easy to consume. We started off with one of the tastiest dishes of the day, the amuse-bouche, a smoky tomato and red pepper soup.
Delicious mugs of smoky tomato and red pepper soup.
When our soups were finished a waitress took the dishes away and soon brought the next course, a three-tiered stand filled with hot savouries on the top two levels and sandwiches ‘downstairs’.
A stand of savouries onboard Fingal.
In Lorna’s opinion, the hot savouries were the star of the show. They consisted of an asparagus and ricotta tart, vegetable pakora in a spicy chilli dressing, feta cheese cube with tomato chutney, and pumpkin arancini.
Hot savouries.
Beneath the hot savouries sat the sandwiches, which I enjoyed but Lorna wasn’t so keen on, although she did appreciate the Coronation celeriac option.
Coronation celeriac sandwich.
When we had first arrived in the restaurant, at about 13:15, it was a little less than half full, but during our time there it filled up considerably. The staff were kept busy with so many afternoon teas, but were very good at appearing at our table at the right moments. After draining her pot of Kukicha, Lorna ordered a Black Forest Gateau tea, which was a blend of black teas with fruit pieces and chocolate. She thought it might be a good pairing for the dessert course. I stuck to my decaf Americanos.
The dessert course came on another three-tiered stand, with the top two levels containing our cakes, and the bottom level the scones with their accompaniments.
The dessert course of afternoon tea onboard Fingal.
There was one plain scone and one fruit scone each, and we both opted to start our sweets with the fruit scones. We used up all the cream on these two scones, but I’m sure the staff would have brought us more if we’d asked for it. We decided to take the plain scones home with us, so we were pretty generous in creaming up our fruit scones.
Fruit scone with strawberry jam and clotted cream.
The cakes consisted of a lemon mousse dome, raspberry mouse covered in dark chocolate, banana and toasted coconut cake, and an apple mousse dome.
Sweet treats in Fingal’s afternoon tea.
To finish off our meal, Lorna ordered a peppermint tea, which came rather strangely in a cafetiere rather than a teapot. We were told we could take away any of the food items we didn’t want to eat during the meal, and we opted to take home the two plain scones, and two apple domes. They were put into a branded box tied with a black ribbon.
Takeaway box from Fingal.
It had been sunny and windy on our arrival, and remained so on our departure some three hours later. We walked back to the car (which had conveniently been parked in Fingal’s own private car park) across a stretch of cobbled stones that were an interesting challenge for me and my wheels. We looked up at the ship’s flags as we passed, and felt pleased with ourselves for having spent an afternoon onboard such a splendid vessel.
At the end of my last post I mentioned that we were soon to be visiting the Pine Trees Hotel in Pitlochry for Lorna’s birthday. This post has been somewhat delayed by a spell in hospital for me, and subsequent recovery at home. I’m certainly on the mend, but not yet quite up to full speed. My trusty ghost writer is assisting me as usual, by posting this on my behalf.
On 31 January, Lorna and I drove the 45 minutes or so north to Pitlochry, to meet my other daughter, Flora, for lunch at the Pine Trees Hotel. It was my first visit to the hotel, which was reached by a lengthy private driveway flanked by pine trees. Although it was a dull, cold day, the building had a welcoming appearance from the outside.
Exterior of the Pine Trees Hotel, Pitlochry.
We were warmly welcomed and led to a table set for three, which had a green velvet sofa on one side and a chair on the other. I sat on the chair while my two daughters took up their places on the low sofa (Lorna was behind the camera in the picture below).
Sitting with Flora in the dining room at the Pine Trees Hotel, Pitlochry,
After perusing the interesting menu, both Flora and I opted for battered haddock with chips, minted peas and caper mayonnaise. The batter was light and crisp, and the fish fresh and perfectly cooked.
Fish and chips at the Pine Trees Hotel, Pitlochry.
Lorna went for a vegetarian dish of pumpkin and sage ravioli with harissa, kale, candy beetroot and amaretti crumbs. She was impressed by the range of flavours and textures incorporated into the dish, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Pumpkin and sage ravioli at the Pine Trees Hotel, Pitlochry.
Following our very satisfactory savouries, we all three chose the same dessert: warm pear frangipane with caramelised apple, and bramble sorbet.
Triple frangipane puddings.Warm pear frangipane with caramelised apple, and bramble sorbet at the Pine Trees Hotel.
It was a nice pudding, but we didn’t detect the pear, and the tart was slightly dry. It seemed to be crying out for a small jug of pouring cream. The bramble sorbet and blobs of caramelised apple, however, were excellent, and perhaps a more generous serving of those accompaniments would have made up for the missing cream.
We spent all our time in the restaurant itself, but were interested to note some soft seating areas that looked as if they’d be pleasant places to sit with a drink.
Soft seating in the Pine Trees Hotel, Pitlochry.Soft seating in the Pine Trees Hotel, Pitlochry.
When we came to pay for the meal we noticed that one of the desserts and two of the drinks had been missed off the bill. When we brought this to the attention of the waiter, he explained that they had deliberately reduced the bill since we were celebrating a birthday. We were surprised and delighted by this, and it rounded off a happy occasion very nicely. We departed with the happy thought of a return visit some time in the future.
Despite not having been away on holiday this year, Lorna and I have enjoyed lunching at a number of inviting hotels throughout 2024.
While she was looking through her photographs of the year, Lorna discovered we had visited more than a dozen hotels at time of writing, several of them more than once. Including all of them in one blog post would make for rather a long article, so they’re being described in two parts. This post, Part One, features hotels visited between January and June 2024. Part Two will cover July to December.
Our first hotel of the year (and our second most visited) was Dunkeld House Hotel.
Dunkeld House Hotel.
Looking up at Dunkeld House Hotel from the River Tay.
It was a cold and frosty day in early January, and the River Tay was mistily atmospheric.
River Tay at Dunkeld House Hotel.
I was glad to get indoors and warm up before removing my outer garments.
A happy Bennet warming up in Dunkeld House Hotel.
In February we visited a hotel we’d never been to before: Rufflets, near St Andrews.
Rufflets Hotel, near St Andrews, Fife.
Here I am, eagerly awaiting delivery of some delicious soup at Rufflets.
Eagerly awaiting soup at Rufflets.
I think it was mushroom soup I had. It came with bread and a little pat of cultured butter from the Edinburgh Butter Company, ready to be spread with a delightful wooden knife.
Soup and butter with a pleasing wooden, paddle-like, butter knife at Rufflets.
The vegetarian main course was mushroom risotto, an offering Lorna is not especially fond of, but she was intrigued to try it since it contained sweetcorn as well as mushrooms. Happily, she declared it tasty, and the sweetcorn an excellent addition.
Sweetcorn and mushroom risotto at Rufflets.
After the risotto Lorna felt too full for dessert, but I opted for a chocolate sponge with salted caramel sauce and ice cream. It was served with a long and very thin stick of spun sugar.
Sponge pudding with spun sugar stick.
After our meal, we moved to more comfortable seats in a lounge area to enjoy hot beverages.
Enjoying a hot beverage in the lounge at Rufflets.
There was a welcoming fire in the hearth. We sat there for a while, relaxing happily.
The cosy lounge at Rufflets.
February also saw us visiting Ballathie House Hotel, near where we live in Blairgowrie (more on that one later) and the Dakota Hotel at South Queensferry.
It wasn’t our first visit to the Dakota Hotel, although it’s not somewhere we’ve been to very often.
Waiting for food at the Dakota Hotel, South Queensferry.
Lorna’s outstanding memory of the Dakota is that it once served up the best gnocchi she’s ever had. It wasn’t on the menu on this occasion, and she opted for two vegetarian starters instead of a main course.
Crispy goat’s cheese with butternut squash, raisins and pine nuts at the Dakota Hotel.Hummus with a cheese straw at the Dakota Hotel
I had the French onion soup, which was so large and filling I had no room for pudding. It was delicious but quite a challenge to eat, being entirely covered with a thick slab of melted cheese.
Generously cheese-topped French onion soup at the Dakota Hotel.
For Christmas 2023, Lorna and I gave each other luncheon vouchers for the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. In late March we drove south to our home town to spend them.
Brasserie Prince in the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh.Happy to have been given a large napkin at Brasserie Prince.
The lunch was a 3 course set menu, and the starters were sizeable. Lorna’s starter was, in fact, larger than her main course.
Lorna’s starter: sourdough toast with wild mushrooms in a cheese sauce topped with pickled radishes.My starter: another French onion soup, this time not quite so thickly covered with cheese.
We both very much enjoyed our starters, and were also delighted by the main courses.
Lorna’s main: butternut squash and ricotta ravioli in a sage butter sauce with crispy sage leaves.
My main: chicken with heritage carrots, spinach, crispy chicken skin and potato fondant.
We were quite full by the time it came to puddings, but in for a penny in for a pound.
Lorna’s pudding: ice cream profiteroles with a bitter dark chocolate sauce.
My pudding: creme brulee.
After finishing our three courses, we rolled ourselves into the bar for tea and coffee, which was served with excellent shortbread we barely had room for.
Lorna came back from a visit to the facilities joyfully reporting that the flamboyant sinks she remembered from visiting the Balmoral many years ago were still in evidence.
Floral sink at the Balmoral Hotel.
At the end of April we made one of several visits to our most frequented hotel of the year, Ballathie House Hotel, near Blairgowrie.
Outside the front door at Ballathie House Hotel.
We like Ballathie for many reasons, including its proximity to where we live (a 15 minute drive away), its beautiful grounds and magnificent riverside setting with long, tree-lined drive, the splendid peacefulness of the drawing room where they serve weekday lunches, the delicious soup and sandwich offering they provide from Monday to Friday, the very pleasant ambience and the excellent, welcoming staff. In short, we’re always happy to pay it a visit.
Lunching in the very quiet drawing room at Ballathie. Carrot and ginger soup with home-made fennel and black pepper cob, and a large egg mayonnaise sandwich to share, with root vegetable crisps.
The weekday lunch menu is quite limited, with one soup on offer, several sandwich options, a dessert of the day, and a cream tea available. We often settle for soup followed by a cream tea, which we find fills us up nicely. The cream tea comes with tea or coffee, superb home-made fruit scones, a plentiful supply of jam and cream, and two shortbread biscuits.
Cream tea at Ballathie House Hotel.
April is my birthday month, and in 2024 I celebrated the achievement of reaching 95 years old. This visit to Ballathie took place on the day itself, but we also celebrated the milestone in early May with other family members.
On 5 May we met up with my son Donald and his partner Gail, and their two children, James and Sam, at Gleneagles, near Auchterarder. Lorna forgot to take photographs during this occasion, but after our lunch and before we parted, Gail remembered to get a selfie shot using her phone camera. Unfortunately, my daughter Flora was unable to join us due to feeling unwell that day.
At Gleneagles to celebrate turning 95. Left to right: my two grandchildren Sam and James, Gail, me, Lorna, Donald.
June was a very good month for hotels. We visited six different ones, four for meals, including our old favourites, Dunkeld, Ballathie and Gleneagles, and two more for coffee.
The grounds at Gleneagles are beautiful year-round, but perhaps particularly attractive in the summer when its many trees are in full leaf.
The grounds at Gleneagles with the hotel in the background.Lake at Gleneagles.
It wasn’t a particularly warm day when we lunched at The Dormy restaurant in Gleneagles. For some reason (perhaps because she’s done it so many times before in the same place) Lorna didn’t take any photographs of our meal, but she did take a few when we’d moved over to the fireside for hot drinks. It was nice to have the fire on in June.
The welcoming fireplace at The Dormy,We occupied a sofa in front of the fire; a good place to sit on a cold afternoon.
Underneath the glass top of the coffee table there were several board games. We took out the draughts board and I tried hard to remember how to play the game. Some of the pieces were missing, but there were other small objects in the box that did the turn.
At the end of June we had lunch at Dalmunzie Castle Hotel, a place we only discovered last year. The hotel sits in a secluded glen near Spittal of Glenshee, roughly halfway between Blairgowrie and Braemar. It’s reached by a long private drive.
The drive at Dalmunzie.Standing outside Dalmunzie Castle Hotel in a proprietorial manner.
Similar to Ballathie House Hotel, Dalmunzie serves lunches throughout the week in the lounge areas rather than the dining room.
The main reception room contains a number of sofas and armchairs.
The main reception room at Dalmunzie Castle Hotel.
Just round the corner from this main room there’s a quiet little area containing one sofa and two armchairs, and that was where we chose to sit for lunch.
In the quiet little lounge area off the main reception room at Dalmunzie.
The sandwiches were generously filled, made with thick soft bread, and accompanied by a bowl of salted crisps.
Delicious sandwiches at Dalmunzie Castle Hotel.
After lunch, we took a short walk up past the hotel to admire the glen beyond. It looked quite forbidding, but majestic.
Wild but majestic, the scenery surrounding Dalmunzie Castle Hotel.
If you’ve enjoyed these hotels, watch out for Part Two, coming soon….
Bennet McInnes 