We ended our short stay in Pitlochry with another yummy breakfast at Beinn Bhracaigh Guest House. If you're ever in the hood, we highly recommend staying here!
We left Pitlochry going the opposite direction in the highlands to visit a working sheep dog farm where they give demonstrations on Border Collie training. The ride up was GORGEOUS as our friend, Mary Anne, would say.
Neil, the man who runs the farm and demonstrations, was born on the property. I get the impression his family used to own it, but now it's owned by someone else who employs him. Neil reminded us of a farmer from the midwest. You can see it in his weathered face and hands, plus his general demeanor.
The demonstration was really interesting. The dogs know certain words, which indicates what direction he wants them to herd, how close to get to the sheep, and what to do.
Then Neil brought over a sheep to shear. He waved a watch in front of it three times and it totally went asleep. He hypnotized the sheep - Just like the movies!
Some of us took turns cutting with the scissors.
He also brought over a baby cow for a select few to feed.
But straight up the best part was when he brought out the....PUPPIES!
We all got to take turns holding and playing with them too!
They were very adorable and hard to leave. In fact one girl in the group asked if she could take one home (normally this question would be cute coming from a child, but she was a teenager so she was either spoiled or stupid - or as the Brits say "A bit of both").
From there we continued to take and indirect route to Stirling and drove west to the Scottish Cranog Centre. Cranogs were homes built on stilts (over water) 500 BC. They're not sure why they built them over water or than it being protection from creatures or invaders. There have been 17 of the circular houses discovered under the water, each housing up to 20 people. These were obviously built on land as reconstruction over water wouldn't be practical.
The Centre is a bit of a Renaissance Fair where there are exhibits with demonstrators dressed from the era. Each showed a trade from the time too.
There was also a museo with various artifacts found on the site.
After touring the grounds, we stopped in the cafe for tea and flapjacks. I commented that it must be really fun for the people who work there. One of the reenactors was sitting close by and he commented, "It's the happiest I've ever been in my life."
We all have a tribe and we're lucky if we find it!
The drive to Stirling was fairly long, but pretty.
Arriving in Stirling, we found our hotel, the Victoria Square. It's an old Victorian mansion in a nice area across from a large park.
We had dinner that night at the Victoria Square. Like the restaurants in Pitlochry, we were invited to have a cocktail in the lounge while we reviewed the menu. We both ordered the local gin (gin and tonic) and it was very nice!
The dinner was a multi-course affair in the same vein as what we had the first night in Pitlochry, but the room was a bit more lively. The food was good and the wine OK.
Afterwards we walked down to the city center and did a bit of pub hopping.
Stirling seems a bit more working class and it was definitely party night for the locals. The first place we went had a band, so we sat at a table outside, which was perfect for a few pints and to hear the music. There was a VERY drunk guy on the sidewalk "playing" music for change, but he was so wasted it was basically just begging.
We ended the night at what I thought was a gay pub (not that there is anything wrong with that), but Holly insisted I was being an old man. She's probably right.
A little of the local theatre:
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