Wullie is everywhere in Scotland. A take on “Where’s Waldo,” Oor Wullie’s Big Bucket Trail is a fun way to spot a Wullie #OWBBT
It was time to bid farewell to Edinburgh (sounds like Edin-bra) and head in the direction of the Highlands. Took the Scotrail train from Waverley to Pitlochry, which was a nice 2 hour ride.
My plan was to stay in Pitlochry for 2 days, relax and spend time in nature. I was staying at “Ashleigh B&B,” which was tucked in the center of this small quaint town. Lot of cafe and restaurants were just outside the B&B, which was ideal to be lazy.
Nancy the B&B owner is a high energy and spunky old lady who kept me entertained and spoiled me with the chocolate orange biscuits and milk tea. Honestly, I must have had 2 to 3 biscuits every day. They were too good to pass off.
Since the walk to the visitor center and dam from my B&B was so close, I ended up taking the long route through the river walk path and crossed the wobbly bridge.
The fish ladders by the dam was an ingenious way to help fishes to move through the dam.
The dam provides hydro energy to light up the entire city. Before the dam was built, only the wealthiest had electricity because it was too expensive for the common folks to afford it.
The view from the dam was simply breathtaking. The water was so still that you can see the perfect reflection of the clouds and trees. I was so mesmerized by its beauty that I stayed here until sunset.
Next day after breakfast, I decided to hike through the Faskally Woods and Enchanted Forest trail all the way upto Killiecrankie.
As I entered the enchanted forest, I felt like the little kid in me had taken over. I was so excited for this journey that I couldn’t stop laughing.
Walking through the woods in the company of my friends, the trees, flowers and chirping birds, made me so happy.
Meditating by the lotus pond was a very relaxing as well as out of the world experience.
Along the way, I saw the bungee jumpers screaming out loud.
Discovered the waterfalls in the hidden tunnels. No too far were the Roman Aqueducts.
After 3 hours, I finally got to Killiecrankie summit and visitor center. Sadly, the visitor center was closed. I had planned to have my lunch in their cafe but that didn’t happen. Luckily, I had a banana in my bag which was a nice treat.
Instead of going back through the enchanted forest, I took the easy way back home. Half the way, I met a family who were waiting for a bus to Pitlochry. Since, the bus was coming in 10 minutes, I decided to hop on and give my legs the much needed rest.
As soon as I got back to my B&B, it started pouring. This was a sign that I needed to give my body a break, have a cup of hot tea and relax.
Later in the evening, I picked up a sandwich from the nearby cafe. As I was enjoying my sandwich, the another guest at the B&B came to the kitchen. We talked for quiet sometime about her changing careers from being a botanist to a tour guide and her husbands fond memories of San Francisco in the 70s, and how he doesn’t want to come back because he has heard how much SF has changed. It was still pouring, so I retreated back to my room and watched couple of British shows before calling it a night.
I have to say that this small town and the beautiful hikes around it are something that I’ll cherish for the years to come. Owning a B&B with spectacular views in a quaint town is something that I’ve put on my retirement plan. Came across this tiny house which has given me some ideas about creating these independent living spaces for my B&B guests.
