Kilts? Why Not Long Johns?

I can't work out why they wear kilts up here in the wilderness. Why no undies????????? I mean, you could have your clan's tartan printed on thermal long johns. Surely! Having been to a school where the uniform was black watch tartan and tamoshanter, I was keen to find out the history. It turns out the was also known as the government tartan and patrols were sent out in the highlands to protect against unsociable behaviour so to speak, including cattle thieving...also know as the black market. Basically they were the highland police. Now, as everyone probably knows, they are an army regiment. So, I guess the question is what is a private girls school in Australia doing with it???? Oh well, it's pretty I guess.

Today saw us head up to Loch Ness to find Nessie, listening to BBC Gaelic Radio on the way. Yes...it really does exist!! It's interesting looking at the lochs up from Loch Linne, Loch Lochy (who came up with that original name?? Must do better!) and Loch Ness. It really is surprising how Scotland is not split in half they are all so close. Maybe it was once. Or maybe it will be in the future. Loch Ness is enormous. In layman terms, it's 3 Big Bens deep (or 5 jumbo jets wing tip to wing tip) and is 37km long. Although Loch Lomond has a bigger surface area, Loch Ness wins the biggest loch title because of its depth. No wonder the Loch Ness monster is so illusive. Why would you hang out on the surface where all the humans are when you can be 3 Big Bens down? It is thought that "Nessie" might actually exist and that "she" is/was a plesiosaur. That type of dinosaur has actually been found in the modern day in other large lakes, so it's not out of the question (and if you don't believe me, it's just another reason to read "Origins" by Phillip Day. The guy is BRILLIANT!) It's an erie old loch anyway, but we thought it a shame that there didn't seem to be any walking tracks right on the bank. Maybe we just didn't look hard enough. Or, maybe it's just too dangerous with big monsters about and all!!!

We next had a quick drive through Inverness, the capital of The Highlands before heading off to find Balmoral Castle. Driving through Cairngorms National Park is as desolate a countryside as you'll find anywhere! Heath and snow and bare rock. It's really quite spectacular. The old little croft will pop up here and there with it's little tribe of sheep close by. It's lambing season at the moment. How can anyone eat those dear little things? All you carnivores need to take a good hard look at yourselves!!

(BTW: It's 11pm as I write this and someone outside is playing the bagpipes. I thought they were just for the whole tourist thing, but the locals love them!)

There are so many castles up here if you look on a map, and I'm not sure why you'd want to build your castle up here in the wilderness. Any ideas?? That (along with the lamb murdering question can be the questions of the day. There...you have a choice of two!) You have to be careful though, because as we discovered, not all "castles" are 'castles". How a little white two storey house can get away with calling itself a castle, I have no idea. (Yes, Corgarff Castle, I'm talking about YOU!!!)

Balmoral was built in 1390 and purchased by Prince Albert a time later. I bet Victoria gave him a shoeing when she found out he'd bought some remote house. Maybe he bought it to get away from her?! Who knows. Today the Queen and hers use it as a base to go and murder little, defenceless animals. Nice one Queen. I know it's supposed to be the Summer residence, but can you imagine the heating bill of the place. And you'll be glad to know that you, yes YOU, as a member of The Commonwealth are paying for this little sojourn of slaughter. Was I ranting? So sorry.

Anyway, we spent the night in the cute little town of Ballater, just 15min up the road.

XXX