Na rathaidean fada, lùbach tro Chuimrigh agus Alba

Today’s trivia is the high seas way to Shetland:

• It’s the longest UK route, 216-mile journey connectingbAberdeen with Lerwick.
• Nightly sailings of 12 hours duration.
• Not sure if we will stop at Hatston in Kirkwall, Orkney, making the journey closer to 14 hours.🤔
• Pet-friendly cabins and kennels are available.
• Due to the North Sea route, sailings can be rough, especially in winter.😱😱😱😱
• The ferries offer a restaurant, bar, and cinema🤔🤔🤔🤔

Not sure how you work out which is your house if drunk . . .

First port of call was Crathes Castle, and guess what? Free parking, free entry thanks to National Trust  membership and free self guided tour of castle and grounds. HGiT?

Would have been better if there had been a guided tour.

In the grounds . . .

and better in summer with everything in bloom.

Second port of call was Drum Castle, and guess what? Free parking, free entry thanks to National Trust membership and free guided tour of castle, this time. HGiT?

There was a guided tour, leaving 10mins after our arrival. As other National Trust sites, the tour was very good.

Third port of call was . . .

and we weren’t, being 2hrs early!

They didn’t say we are on the outside! Not sure how that is premium, being cold, windy & wet!

It’s dog’s heaven and they don’t know how good they have it as going to Tassi on ferry dogs are required to be kenneled and down in the hold

We took the easy option and had dinner on board, at Sea in the Magnus Lounge seeing too far a swim to nearest restaurant!

We stopped at Kirkwall around 11pm. Unloading was noisy as 🔥 with chain unclasping from vehicles, dragging chains and the warning sirens for the boom going up and down. That went on for about 60min.

Today’s travels . . .