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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!