My Heart Belongs to Scotland – Perth

November 26, 2025November 22, 2025 Mstldelano1 Comment

In the last post, I shared about my time in Inverness and Montrose (which were difficult stops for me, since I had a bad cold during that time). Thankfully, I was starting to feel better by the time we got to Edinburgh, and not a moment too soon: Edinburgh is one of my favorite cities of all time!

Before we got to Edinburgh, however, we had a full day of activity ahead. After eating breakfast and checking out of The Links Hotel, we journeyed to our first stop, Scone Palace. Located in Perthshire, this stunning castle is the place where Scottish kings were crowned for hundreds of years. Before entering the palace, you can see the Stone of Destiny, the symbolic stone where these newly crowned kings would sit, in recognition of their reign. One such king is MacBeth (yes, that one), who was crowned in 1040. The stone is surrounded in mystery, as the original disappeared years ago and has never been located. That being said, there is great lore about both the Stone, as well as the rest of the palace.

Closeup of family crests: the Graham crest is depicted here

Scone Palace is full of incredible artifacts, none of which I could photograph, sadly. But, if you’re interested in the history of Dido Elizabeth Belle, then Scone Palace is a must-visit: the original painting of Belle hangs in one of their galleries. If you want a photograph the painting, you’ll either have to pay for it in the palace gift shop, or you can go to Kenwood House in London (which is probably a little easier to get to, if we’re being honest) and photograph the excellent recreation that they have on display.

Posing with a brochure that features the painting of Dido Elizabeth Belle

This site was great for photographs on the outside, as the grounds were absolutely beautiful. Also, there are wild peafowl on site, so you can see those beautiful birds as you enjoy your visit. If you’re in Perthshire, Scone Palace is a must see!

Bell hanging from a tree at Scone Palace

This statue blends the highland coo with peacock feather coloring

We stopped for lunch in downtown Perth, and ended up being treated to a parade! I wish I had taken more pictures: at this point, I was hungry to the point of distraction, so I didn’t feel like photographing the parade participants. However, what we saw was the Perth Salute, a local festival that celebrated the military, complete with a parade that features military and civilian bands, as well as local performers of all backgrounds (we saw quite a few South American countries represented in the parade). It was a fantastic parade and brought out a lot of the community.

We decided to eat at The Bulldog Frog, and that was a fantastic choice. I ordered the avocado and tomato toastie, which had fries and homemade slaw on the side. The food was so delicious, and I could finally think clearly after feeling ravenous for the previous hour. Once our lunch break was done, we were off to our next stop, Innerpeffray Library.

After riding about 30 minutes, we arrived at the pastoral community where Innerpeffray Library is located. This stop was one of my absolute favorites. As a bibliophile, I don’t just love to read books: I also love learning the history of the guardians of books, as well as how books and literacy were promoted through the ages. This was the first lending library in Scotland, starting more than 300 years ago. Innerpeffray’s collection includes an extensive amount of books, including the personal Bible of James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose, and the first head of Clan Graham.

Inspirational words – Visualizing the known world and the New World

The library also has an interesting history that includes one of the earliest examples of gender equity in literacy and education. The on-site school house taught both boys and girls (in a time where formal education for girls was considered unnecessary in many cultures), and one of the fascinating entries in the Borrower’s Register (the logbook of people who borrowed books) includes an entry for a girl who worked for a landowner who borrowed a book on his behalf, but also borrowed a book for herself to read. I was touched to hear how, even at a time where social and gender perspectives were firmly favoring male members of the upper class, resources such as books were still made available to those that were disadvantaged. A bit of fun trivia is that this library has the smallest book in the world, measuring just 5 mm x 5 mm.

Details about the smallest book in the world

A number of historical texts at Innerpeffray

We chatted extensively with the current Keeper of the Books (a role that has been continually staffed for hundreds of years), whose enthusiasm and knowledge were unmatched. We then toured the chapel and were blown away by the beautiful remains of the original decor.

Outside, I took photos of the rural setting: it was a beautiful, sunny, picturesque day. I vowed right then to return to Innerpeffray Library to tour again, and hopefully to spend some more time in nearby downtown Perth. This was a perfect stop on a perfect day, and I can’t say enough good things about it.

Once we left the library, we journeyed on to Edinburgh, and checked into the Radisson Blu Hotel. Edinburgh is a lively, incredible city, and we just so happened to be there during Fringe. There’s so much more to share, so I’ll have to continue in another post! Stay tuned for the next installment, and thanks for reading!

art · culture · festivals · international · life curation · nature · travel

My Heart Belongs to Scotland – Inverness and Montrose

November 24, 2025November 22, 2025 MstldelanoLeave a comment

In my last post, I shared how much I enjoyed our time in Stirling Scotland, and the highlights of that city. Our next two stops, Inverness and Montrose, were equally delightful, but I have a bit of bad news related to these cities. I ended up catching a cold, so I had to pass on many of the fun things I would typically enjoy. Sadly, I know I’ve forgotten half of my experience due to being unwell and dazed. It’s a shame: these were among some of the most active days of the tour. In any case, I’ll share what I can remember.

Bathroom sign written in English and Scottish Gaelic

We left Hotel Colessio in the morning, after eating breakfast and putting our bags on the tour bus. on our way to the next town, we got to stop at the beautiful Loch Lomond, and we drove through the Trossachs again. Loch Lomond is the famous lake of the song, “The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond”, and it’s just as enchanting as you’d imagine. It’s immense, and photos couldn’t really capture the beauty of it.

After enjoying Loch Lomond, our next stop was Urquhart Castle. This was a few hours away, and situated on Loch Ness. The bus ride was perfect for getting a much needed nap, though I hate that I missed some fantastic history lessons from our tour guide, Alasdair. What’s striking about many of the most picturesque castle in Scotland is that they are situated on prominent cliffs. What seems like a fantastic security device – a great vantage point for seeing possible invaders – ends up being a prison of sorts. Many of these castles fell under siege and the families dwelling in there could be cut off from food supplies in cases of war. The ruins that remain are stunningly beautiful but also a sobering reminder of the turbulent history of the location.

No, I didn’t see the Loch Ness Monster. Maybe I’ll be lucky next time and spot Nessie!

After a full day of activity, we settled into the Glen Mhor Hotel in Inverness. Aesthetically, this was probably my favorite hotel. It’s a boutique hotel in Inverness, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. The armchairs situated in front of grand, arched windows made me swoon. Since I was under the weather, I stayed in bed while my friend explored nearby pubs. She had a marvelous time and vowed to return. Oh, how I wish I was feeling better, and that I had more days in Inverness! This town has a lot going for it, and I will absolutely return and explore on my own.

The next morning, we ate breakfast, loaded our bags and made our way to the next town, but before we checked in at our next hotel, we stopped at the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre. This was one of more somber stops of the tour: this was the site of the Battle of Culloden, which marked the end of the Jacobite uprising. The bloodbath that occurred at Culloden was chilling, with the Jacobites losing 5 times more soldiers than the British. The heartbreaking story of Culloden is one that will never leave me.

Culloden Memorial (photographed by Barry Graham)

Culloden Memorial with full rainbow captured (photographed by Harrison Graham)

Our next stop is Dunnottar Castle, which brought us back to (you’ll never guess) . . . Stonehaven, where my Scotland vacation started! Dunnottar is another striking fortification located on a cliff, and, just like Urquhart, the safety of being mostly surrounded by water becomes dangerous when raiders cut off food supplies. Nowadays, Dunnottar Castle is a museum, and the views leading up to it are stunning. We stopped to take photos, then we resumed our ride to Montrose.

Unicorn spotted! En route to Dunnottar Castle

We arrived in Montrose, and settled in to the Links Hotel. This charming bed and breakfast was cute, cosy and a wonderful place to refresh ourselves before making our way to the next city. After checking in and resting for a moment, we roused ourselves to visit the statue of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. Yes, the town of Montrose is the historical city associated with Clan Graham’s peerage connection. James Graham was not just a peer and soldier, but he was also a poet, and his words adorn the base of the statue, along with Clan Graham’s motto, Ne Oublie (variably, N’Oublie or Ne Oblie). We were treated to a highland dance performance at the site of the statue, and we enjoyed meeting the lovely young ladies who performed for us.

Darling highland dancers posing next to the statue of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose

Poetry written by James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose

We returned to The Links and ate our dinner, then we settled in for the night. The next day would lead us to our final city of the tour – Edinburgh – and we needed our rest for the full and fantastic days ahead.

That’s it for this installment! The next post will detail my Edinburgh exploits (including some Fringe photos). Stay tuned for that! Thanks for reading.

art · culture · food · international · life curation · luxury · nature · travel · wine

My Heart Belongs to Scotland – Stirling

November 22, 2025November 22, 2025 Mstldelano1 Comment

In my previous posts, I shared my reflections on my time in Stonehaven, Aboyne and Glasgow, Scotland. As the tour progressed, our next stop was Stirling, the “heart of Scotland” (their words, not mine, though I don’t disagree).

Not where I stayed, but a gorgeous building in Stirling

After a fantastic day at Mugdock Castle and a stop by a roadside shop in the Trossachs, where I was able to feed and pet some highland coos, we rode for about 50 minutes until we got to Stirling . We were greeted by a statue of Scottish poet Robert Burns.

Soon after reaching downtown Stirling, we checked into Hotel Colessio. This charming boutique hotel was picturesque and perfectly located. It was a short walking distance to two central attractions: downtown Stirling on one side and Stirling Castle on the other. The rooms here, like the rooms at each hotel on this tour, were clean, comfortable and charming, and the meals were delicious.

After dinner and getting a good night’s rest, we started the first full day in Stirling at the Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Centre. Our enthusiastic guide described the battle and the contributing factors in great detail, and he managed to strike that perfect balance between knowledge and entertainment. As someone who (prior to this trip) knew very little about Scotland’s history, I was happy to have guides at each of our stops who eagerly shared information with me, as well as my wonderful tour companions who added additional depth and flavor to these discussions.

Statue of Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn

I know precious little about military logistics and strategy, but hearing how Robert the Bruce won the Battle of Bannockburn by leveraging topographical knowledge was thrilling. Once we finished the discussion portion of the tour, we went outside and saw the statue of Robert the Bruce, situated in a courtyard that was encircled by another artwork, a highly textured brick wall that was topped by verses of “Here Lies Our Land” by Kathleen Jamie.

Books about Robert the Bruce in the Bannockburn gift shop

One verse of “Here Lies Our Land” by Kathleen Jamie

Another verse in, “Here Lies Our Land” by Kathleen Jamie

When we finished our time at Bannockburn, it was time for lunch, so we stopped in at Nicky-Tams Bar and Bothy, a pub nearby Hotel Colessio. This 300-year-old pub is the perfect stop after a morning of exploring. I order the vegetarian haggis, one of my favorite dishes when in Scotland. I love tasting different versions of veggie haggis to see which ones taste most similar to the real deal (I’ve also tried real haggis a few times, just to base my comparison). The neeps and tatties accompaniment at Nicky-Tams was unique: instead of offering it as two separate sides, the veggies are combined into a single mash and served as a singular item. The dish was tasty and hearty. I also tried Jubel beer, a Cornish beer that features fruit flavors. It was delicious and refreshing. I will certainly return to Nicky-Tams in the future, since they are known for live music in the evenings and, on this trip, I was unable to take full advantage of that.

Veggie haggis, neeps and tatties at Nicky Tam

Once we were finished with lunch, we went to Stirling Distillery, where we met the Lord Provost of Stirling, Elaine Watterson. I wish I’d taking more photos at the intimate distillery, one of the smallest in Scotland. Because whisky must be aged at least 3 years and one day in order to be labeled “whisky”, and, the distillery was still aging their next batch, we were unable to try their whisky. However, they happily conducted a tasting where we tried a few gins and whiskys from nearby distilleries instead.

After visiting the distillery, we were off to Stirling Castle. This childhood home of Mary, Queen of Scots, was stately and picturesque. One of my favorite features, other than the meticulous grounds, was the Stirling Heads Gallery, a vast collection of oak carvings, both painted and plain, depicting some of the most prominent people of Scottish history. These nearly 500 year old portraits were originally used to decorate the ceiling of a room in Stirling Castle, but now they are on display for us to enjoy.

Statue of Robert the Bruce at Stirling Castle

The heads that are part of the overall collection

The Prince’s Tower, the original nursery for a number of Scottish royals

This full day of activity ended with us returning to Hotel Colessio for dinner, and a deep, restful sleep followed.

The next day, we ate breakfast and dressed well because we were headed to Buchanan Castle Golf Club for the Clan Graham Annual General Meeting (AGM). At this event, we were greeted by His Grace, James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose, descendant of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. Standing beside His Grace, in the soft, misty rain, was a bagpiper, welcoming us in the warmest Scottish way.

Meticulously maintained grounds at the Buchanan Country Club

We ate a lovely meal at the club, and then the AGM occurred, where members voted on organizational proposal. We took some great photos on the grounds of the club, and then journeyed back to our hotel.

When we returned to the hotel, we had another fantastic dinner, and we also had the Mugdock Auction. We brought items and submitted them for a silent auction, with all proceeds being contributed to the Mugdock preservation efforts. The ballroom of Hotel Colessio was perfectly charming and well suited for the auction. We enjoyed songs, traditional highland dance, bagpiping, and an entertaining auction. We had such a good time together!

This was our last night at Hotel Colessio. After the auction and dinner, we returned to our rooms and began to pack our things. The next day would whisk us off to the next cities: Inverness and Montrose!

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the next post on my summer vacation!

art · culture · festivals · food · international · life curation · nature · style · travel

My Heart Belongs to Scotland – Glasgow and Clan Graham

November 20, 2025November 19, 2025 Mstldelano1 Comment

This is a continuation of my recap of my time in Scotland. After landing in Edinburgh, traveling up to Stonehaven, and enjoying some time at the Aboyne Games, my friend and I journeyed to Glasgow to continue our adventure.

Instead of taking the LNER train, we rode ScotRail. We weren’t able to upgrade our tickets for this leg of our trip, but we ended up with good and comfortable window seats. We were joined by an adorable young married couple – Lola and Hal – on their way to Glasgow for a fun weekend. We had a fantastic conversation and enjoyed the sights as we chugged along for two hours.

We arrived at the Glasgow train station and started the walk to the Maldron Hotel. This was our first time at a modern hotel in Scotland: the hotels we stayed in before (and after) this one were mostly boutique style and more historical. The sleek and modern decor was fun and fresh. We dropped off our bags, freshened up, and prepared to meet our tour group for dinner.

Our tour was hosted by Clan Graham Society, the organization endorsed by the head of Clan Graham, James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose. The tour was organized to commemorate Clan Graham Society’s 50th Anniversary and was coordinated by several members of Clan Graham – specifically, Kate Graham and Kiersten Graham Dick, along with Gordon Graham – and every detail was considered with care. All members of the group, except for a few folks like me, have a connection to James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. Clan Graham is extraordinarily warm and welcoming, and I joined the organization as a friend of Clan Graham. My friend, who was my roommate for the entirety of the trip, has a Graham-affiliated surname, so she’s a member of Clan Graham and encouraged me to join. I’m so thankful for her encouraging me to become part of the group!

In our ten day tour, we visited sites that were historically relevant to Scotland as a whole, as well as sites relevant to Graham history specifically. Every other day or so, we traveled to another town or city, each one significant in its own right.

We enjoyed delightful meals at the Maldron each day during our stay (we were there two nights). On the first full day in Glasgow, we were supposed to go to the Isle of Arran, but the weather was unfavorable (one of the strongest storms of the summer happened on this day). While the group made alternate arrangements, my friend and I – still quite tired from our time in Stonehaven and Aboyne – decided to sleep in and explore Glasgow in the afternoon instead.

While walking around, we came across many interesting and old buildings that were photo-worthy. But, despite Glasgow being full of gothic, Victorian and art nouveau structures, the city has a distinctly modern, “concrete jungle” feel. It’s undeniably metropolitan energy gives it an edge and pulse that wholly unlike the laidback energy of Edinburgh. To be frank, I love both cities and will happily return many times, if I’m able.

After grabbing a delicious hot chocolate from Hotel Chocolat (complete with chocolate whipped cream rose, no less), we stumbled across Frasers department store, and I became an instant fan. As a lover of the department stores of yesteryear, Frasers reminded me of the kind of stores that are becoming rarer to find stateside. It was so nice to walk in and get an experience similar to Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Liberty or Selfridges. I found an amazing formal gown that I had to purchase, and had a wonderful chat with one of the sales reps at Frasers. I’m so pleased that we stumbled upon this store, because none of the other cities or towns on our tour had a Frasers.

Hotel Chocolat is always a must when in the UK

Once we finished shopping, we made our way back to the hotel. I snapped photos of interesting things I saw on our walk, including Nelson Mandela Place, a street named after the South African former President, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and anti-apartheid activist. I also saw shops and architectural details that I loved.

Snapshot of Nelson Mandela Place street sign

Restaurant I want to try when I return to Glasgow

Before we walked the final block to our hotel, we stopped off at the DoubleTree by Hilton to check out their restaurant, Cask & Clyde. The menu had a fair amount of options, and I found a couple of things that looked good (namely, the soup of the day – lentil – and macaroni and cheese). I also enjoyed an old fashioned while I waited for my food.

I enjoyed my Cask & Clyde experience, and will definitely return when I get back to Glasgow. After we were full, we returned to our rooms and relaxed for a few hours before dinner.

The next day, we loaded our luggage onto the tour bus in preparation for checkout. Our bags stayed on the bus as we journeyed to our first stop on day 2: Mugdock Castle. This was the original stronghold for Clan Graham more than 800 years ago. The castle is now mostly in ruins, but Mugdock Country Park is still an incredible site and well worth the visit. The castle is about a 15 minute walk from the entrance. On the trail to the castle, you will see the remains of Craigend Zoo, as well as many dog owners taking their friendly pups for walks.

When we arrived at the castle, Clan Graham’s chieftain, Richard Graham, presented the caretakers of Mugdock Castle with a 50th anniversary commemorative plate. It was a touching ceremony and I’m so glad I got to witness it. Inside the castle, there are a number of Clan Graham artifacts, including a number of pieces emblazoned with royal crests. The site is a beautiful one that is listed by the Scottish Tourism Board. While the day was misty and cool, the walks to and from the castle were refreshing and picturesque.

Sign depicting the original structure of Mugdock Castle

Mugdock Castle timeline and sketch of James Graham 1st Marquess of Montrose

Closeup of crest which roughly translates to “Royal and United as One”

History of persecution of suspected witches in Scotland

Biography of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose

We returned to the main entrance building and warmed up with lentil soup, sandwiches and coffee and tea. The guides graciously answered our questions and gave us a delightful end to a fantastic day at Mugdock.

Chuckling with the professional actor outside of Mugdock Castle

We boarded the tour bus and made our way to the next city on our tour, Stirling. However, we stopped momentarily at Loch Katrine, then followed that with a later stop at a local shop which had some highland coos in a neighboring field, and I got the treat of a lifetime when I was able to feed those sweet coos!

Stop near the Trossachs and seeing highland coos

This full day of activity was only a glimpse of the magic to come on my Scotland vacation! I’m excited to share with you the next part in a few days, where I will discuss my time in Stirling. Until then, take care, and thanks for reading!

beauty · nature · relaxation

Spring Has Sprung! Early Spring Blooms

April 11, 2022April 11, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

I spent part of my week bemoaning the haggard look of my yard. With the warmer weather and more sunshine, my grass has been flourishing… And so have my “weeds”.

I’m inclined to quickly schedule someone to tend to the yard but, as a baby herbalist, I know that the new growth cropping up in my yard has a purpose. I also know that it’s to my benefit to be very familiar with local “weeds”, especially the ones in my own yard. So, before I get the first lawn mowing of the season, I decided to learn more about these early spring weeds.

I have a ton of purple dead nettle in my yard. These pretty little plants are among the first to shoot up when the seasons change. I harvested some and dried them, and I plan to try making a tea with them. These are purported to help with seasonal allergies and are also supposedly anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, diuretic, purgative, etc.,. Luckily, these plants – and their lookalike, henbit – are edible. Unluckily, I dislike the flavor of fresh purple dead nettle. I’m hoping that the dried leaves can be combined with another herb to make a pleasant tea.

I found a narrow leaf plantain coming up near my driveway. I don’t plan on doing anything that requires me to use plantain, as this is commonly used to numb the sting from stinging nettle and from insect bites and stings. But, it’s good to have it nearby, just in case I get a bug bite that needs attention.

My yard also gets quite a few mock strawberries (snake berries) later in the season. These little devils are harmless and edible but they have no flavor. For now, I’m seeing their pretty flowers and sighing about how those little tasteless berries will be popping up soon. Though the resulting fruit tastes like water, the blooms are sunny spots in my yard.

Finally, my favorite weed has appeared! Violets are all over one particular patch of grass, and I love it! These delicate blooms add such pretty colors to my yard. I have “confederate violets) a cultivated subgroup of the larger blue violet family. These are edible but I’m not interested in consuming them: I just love to look at them.

I’m looking forward to seeing what will bloom at the end of this month, and in May. I planted a few seeds, so I’m hoping that those flowers will be blooming in a few weeks.

Did you do any planting or foraging yet? I’d love to hear all about it!