Pitlochry (Baile Chloichridh)

When we got married at Lord Hill Farms as 20-year-olds, we never thought in just four years we'd be living in Scotland. (Okay, maybe Garrick did.)

On 27th July, 2012, our 4th Anniversary, we took one bus and three trains to get to Pitlochry, a small town in Perthshire.



We arrived in the early evening and checked in to our B&B, located a few minutes from the main street.



If you're feeling brave, try pronouncing the name. Having trouble? We did too. The friendly and comedic owner, James, greeted us at reception and we enjoyed his company on the tour. Finally checked into our room, we untied the tartan ribbon on our breakfast menus and made our selection for the next morning. The sun came out and we took a "4th Anniversary Photo" in the back garden before going to dinner.



On Saturday morning after french press coffee and a full Scottish breakfast, we put on our trainers and headed out on a hike.



Our destination? Edradour Distillery. But along the way, we took a detour to a waterfall called Black Spout.





Back on the trail to Edradour, we heard bagpipes faintly in the background. As we approached the distillery, we knew why:



Even in the rain, this piper serenaded visitors and sounded great!

Fast Facts about The Edradour Distillery:

• Smallest distillery in Scotland
• They bottle as much whiskey in a year as big distilleries do in a week
• They do not use dyes and produce their whiskey naturally

A wee 85-year-old woman greeted us in the gift shop to begin our tour. She kept everyone in line and teased our group quite a bit. She showed us the warehouse of aging casks as well as the Malt Store. The process of making whiskey is complex and one that requires at least 10 years of patience.

Token drams in hand, we made our way back to town, stopping at Black Castle, which was destroyed to prevent the spread of the plague around 1500.




After some Indian food, we retreated to our B&B to enjoy the Olympics opening ceremony. Sunday morning we enjoyed another lovely breakfast and made our way back home. I did leave my purse on the train, which Garrick retrieved in Glasgow a few days later. I'll spare you details.

We're so thankful for one another and look forward to many more adventurous years!