Blair Castle

This was our last full day on the pilgrimage trip.  Tomorrow, we will be taking leave of the group we have been traveling with for over 2 weeks!  But today was just one last day of absorbing a little more of what Scotland has to offer.  

We began the day with a tour of Blair Castle on the Atholl Estate.  The Dukes of Atholl and family have held this land for nearly 400 years.  It is part of the Murray family.  One of the early Dukes deforestation the land with Larch trees by shooting larch seed out of a Canon into the surrounding hillsides.  There are extremely large trees on the estate as well.

We then had the afternoon to walk to the Falls of Bruar and a little shopping at the Bruar complex which boasts fine woolens, hunting and fishing gear, as well as Scottish foods and spirits.  Many of us gravitate around the homemade donut shack with seasonal lattes and hot chocolates!  

Then off to a lovely viewpoint called The Queen's View (which Queen Victoria thought was named for her but it was actually for Robert the Bruce's wife).  The view looks out over Loch Tummel and was a great place for a lovely group photo.  

On our way, we got a little history lesson from our tour guide Stephen on the Battle of Killiecrankie which really kicked off the entire series of Jacobite rebellions.  

We had our last dinner together and reflected on our two weeks together.  Each of us takes away from the trip exactly what God has intended.  Great relationships were formed and we are richer because of our time together.  We ended our dinner by singing together the hymn, "O Christ Surround Me".  https://youtu.be/VBJDWsufLPg?is=QQkBbaLCDXGtDLuD

Pastor Carolyn