HEADING SOUTH

Sunday, August 19.

Left Glasgow today to begin heading south. We have an appointment near Nottingham on Wednesday.

Another interesting road sign on a typical Scottish summer day.

First stop of the day was at Dundonald Castle, located in the village of Dundonald, 12 miles from Ayr and 5 miles from Troon.

The site was occupied prior to 2000BC. A hill fort was between 500 and 200BC and the hill had not one but three medieval castles built on it during the period from the early 12th century.

Three noble families are linked with site, but it is the castles association with the Stewarts, whose family provided Scotland with its monarchs from 1371 onwards, that gives the castle its special importance. In 1482 the castle and estates were passed to the Cathcarts and in 1526 they came into the ownership of the Wallace’s.

It’s big.

Thought this was the top, but there was a surprise waiting.

Trying to knit with gauntlets on.

All this was above that arched ceiling.

Great views from the top, six floors up.

How thick are those walls?

Down to the dungeons.

Kids being knights.

Back on the road heading to Dumfries House. Dumfries House, formerly owned by the Dumfries family was offered to the Scottish trust in 2004. The trust were involved in quite a few other restorations so funding Dumfries was a problem. Enter Prince Charles, who with a sizeable donation and setting up a consortium to build a trust, the palladium style mansion was saved.

It is home to the largest collection of Chippendale furniture in the world, but unfortunately we arrived too late for a tour inside. We will definitely be coming back here next year.