Day 14 - Monday 6/8/15 – Grantown on Spey, Caringorm Mountain 

View from the base at Caringorm Mountain

It was a typical day for us in Scotland - rain/shine/rain/shine, but we always managed to get some sun.  We were the only guests last night at Ardconnel, so Tom sat and chatted with us over breakfast.  After we got served, Francoise came in to say goodbye and went off to work.  They were lovely hosts!

We got organized and left about 9:30 for our daily adventures.  It was a little rainy, but we had hopes it would clear up at some point, so off we went to Caringorm Mountain.  Last night as I was checking the weather for the mountain, I saw where the funicular was closed for annual maintenance from Jun 7-12!!!  Bummer!!!!!  However, it wasn't all bad since I knew the drive up there would be awesome.

We drove about 12 miles to the Loch Garten RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) Osprey Center.  It was on the way and only $5 each, so we thought it might be fun.  They have a viewing area focused on an osprey nest.  There were a ton of birders in the center along with several rangers explaining who the birds are, why they are there, etc.  Ospreys became extinct in Scotland the first half of the 1900s, and returned in 1954 to this area.  So there is a great deal of interest in osprey here. It was fun watching the people almost as much as watching the birds.  They have a live nest camera that we can watch inside the viewing area.  We spent about an hour here.

The drive up to the base of Cairngorm Mtn was gorgeous.  We stopped at a parking area overlooking Loch Morich and Cairngorm up high.  It was a little cloudy but not raining.  I got out to take some photos when a mallard couple waddled up.  I am sure they were looking for food.  I ignored them, so they went around to Bill's side of the car, and the male even started pecking at the car door.  So Bill got out and had a stare down with the male.  They only went away when another car parked a ways down.  A pretty merganser duck swam by with a gaggle of babies swimming out along behind her.

The car park at the base of Cairngorm Mtn was huge since it is a big ski area, but it was mostly empty today without snow or funicular.  We had lunch in the cafe and both got the special - a bbq shredded beef sandwich that was huge.  It came on a lovely bun with cheese, greens, tomato, pickle.  We should have gotten one to share since it came with the usual huge portion of chips (fries).  I got a latte, and Bill got his last Irn Bru.

At the base center, they have a beautiful rock garden showing some of the plants in the area and a camera obscura which I had never seen before.  The views from here were incredible.  I took a 360 video and even that doesn't compare to what we saw. I was slightly disappointed that the funicular was down, but the view from the base was great.

We drove back to Grantown on Spey and came right to the Rossmor B&B next door to Ardconnel where we spent last night.  Tom had hauled our suitcases over for us, and they were waiting in our room.  Tom had to go to Edinburgh today, so he made arrangements for us to sleep here tonight at Karen and Neil's B&B.  They are all friends so it worked out fine.

Poor Neil lugged both our almost 50 pound suitcases up to the 3rd floor where our room is.  It is a lovely room (except for the climb) and Karen and Neil (probably in their early 40s) are really nice people.  It was 4pm when we arrived, and it is just so nice to just relax.  We did not even go out for dinner since we have eaten well already today.

Tomorrow is our last day touring.  We will head to Edinburgh (136miles, 4 hours driving) with a stop at Balmoral Castle.  We have a room at the Holiday Inn Express at the airport.  It will be interesting when we turn the car in with pieces missing.  We did recover the wheel cover, but we are minus two tires.