Today, I walked from Ayr to Alloway to visit Robert Burns National Heritage Park. This is where Burns was born and lived until he was 7, and it is the location that inspired the poem Tam O'Shanter, a Scottish classic. Visit the Robert Burns Country link to check it out! The day was gorgeous and the park is really nice. Check out my pictures:
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Goatfell, Isle of Arran
On Saturday, Mike and I spent the day on the Isle of Arran hiking Goatfell, the tallest peak on Arran. At 874 meters, or 2,866 feet, it provided amazing views of the islands in the Firth of Clyde, including the Cumbraes (which we visited last weekend)!
We got up at 5 and caught the 7am ferry from Ardrossan across to Brodick. We then took a bus up to the Goatfell trail from High Corrie. Starting at Corrie instead of Brodick allowed us to do a straight walk without backtracking, which was nice. We were able to see more landscape that way! We started on a small local road which turned into a dirt path. We followed the path up along Corrie Burn. At one point, we climbed over a 'kissing fence,' or a ladder fence that connects two fields. It started to drizzle and then it really rained on us for the length of the glen, but it was just gorgeous, even in the rain. There were a few times when we had no idea of we were following a trail or just a riverbed, but we figured it would all work out either way... Always up for a good adventure!
It rained a lot. We were soaked. The forecast had called for a beautiful day with good visibility, so we kept hoping that it would clear for us. When it did, we were just arriving at the top of the glen where the Corrie path meets the saddle, the low point in the ridge trail that connects Cir Mhor with North Goatfell. What was so spectacular here was that we suddenly peaked the ridge as the sun came out, giving us a breathtaking view of the mountains and glens that span the middle of the island. It's impossible to do this place justice, it was fantastic. Also, we stopped here to watch a herd of red deer cross the path just above us. We stayed in sight of the herd for a good hour or so as we made our way up North Goatfell and on to the peak of Goatfell itself.
The Isle of Arran is called a miniature Scotland because the terrain changes drastically from South to North, mimicking the change from lowlands to highlands on the mainland. The peaks around Goatfell really do resemble the sprawling, stately peaks in the highlands, complete with expanses of moorland and strewn rocks and boulders.If anyone has ever done the Castle trail from the top of Mount Jefferson in NH, the ridge trail has some similarities. It spans small peaks, or 'castles,' all along the length of the trail. On this hike, you have the choice to scramble over the castles or take a lower trail around them. We tried to scramble some of them, but the rocks were still a bit slippery and the drop from the trail is extreme into the glen far, far below.
We had been hiking alone all morning, but we found a few groups of people when we reached the summit of Goatfell. The trail we would take down the other side is the more popular ascent, as it leads from the grounds of Brodick Castle. At the summit, there's a map of the surrounding islands and mainland to help you get your bearings. We had a great picnic and enjoyed the sunshine and the views from the top.
We passed many other people on our way down to Brodick Castle. When we finally reached the bottom, we turned down a quiet lane of hedges bordering farms and walked on to the Arran Brewing Co. where Mike tried the local beers and I enjoyed a Strongbow. We then checked out the Arran Cheese Co. (SO GOOD!) and bought some cheese to bring home. We caught the bus to take us back to the ferry and we ran into four guys that Mike works with! They had finished a different hike and were heading to the pub in Brodick. We went with them and caught the later ferry.
All around, it was a spectacular day! About ten miles of perfect Scottish hillwalking, about 2800 feet of elevation gain and then loss, and some good pints with great people. Definitely worthy of the Adventurer's Club!
We got up at 5 and caught the 7am ferry from Ardrossan across to Brodick. We then took a bus up to the Goatfell trail from High Corrie. Starting at Corrie instead of Brodick allowed us to do a straight walk without backtracking, which was nice. We were able to see more landscape that way! We started on a small local road which turned into a dirt path. We followed the path up along Corrie Burn. At one point, we climbed over a 'kissing fence,' or a ladder fence that connects two fields. It started to drizzle and then it really rained on us for the length of the glen, but it was just gorgeous, even in the rain. There were a few times when we had no idea of we were following a trail or just a riverbed, but we figured it would all work out either way... Always up for a good adventure!
It rained a lot. We were soaked. The forecast had called for a beautiful day with good visibility, so we kept hoping that it would clear for us. When it did, we were just arriving at the top of the glen where the Corrie path meets the saddle, the low point in the ridge trail that connects Cir Mhor with North Goatfell. What was so spectacular here was that we suddenly peaked the ridge as the sun came out, giving us a breathtaking view of the mountains and glens that span the middle of the island. It's impossible to do this place justice, it was fantastic. Also, we stopped here to watch a herd of red deer cross the path just above us. We stayed in sight of the herd for a good hour or so as we made our way up North Goatfell and on to the peak of Goatfell itself.
The Isle of Arran is called a miniature Scotland because the terrain changes drastically from South to North, mimicking the change from lowlands to highlands on the mainland. The peaks around Goatfell really do resemble the sprawling, stately peaks in the highlands, complete with expanses of moorland and strewn rocks and boulders.If anyone has ever done the Castle trail from the top of Mount Jefferson in NH, the ridge trail has some similarities. It spans small peaks, or 'castles,' all along the length of the trail. On this hike, you have the choice to scramble over the castles or take a lower trail around them. We tried to scramble some of them, but the rocks were still a bit slippery and the drop from the trail is extreme into the glen far, far below.
We had been hiking alone all morning, but we found a few groups of people when we reached the summit of Goatfell. The trail we would take down the other side is the more popular ascent, as it leads from the grounds of Brodick Castle. At the summit, there's a map of the surrounding islands and mainland to help you get your bearings. We had a great picnic and enjoyed the sunshine and the views from the top.
We passed many other people on our way down to Brodick Castle. When we finally reached the bottom, we turned down a quiet lane of hedges bordering farms and walked on to the Arran Brewing Co. where Mike tried the local beers and I enjoyed a Strongbow. We then checked out the Arran Cheese Co. (SO GOOD!) and bought some cheese to bring home. We caught the bus to take us back to the ferry and we ran into four guys that Mike works with! They had finished a different hike and were heading to the pub in Brodick. We went with them and caught the later ferry.
All around, it was a spectacular day! About ten miles of perfect Scottish hillwalking, about 2800 feet of elevation gain and then loss, and some good pints with great people. Definitely worthy of the Adventurer's Club!Kungaloosh!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
All in a day's work... or not?
MY DAY!
I just want to note that someday soon I will look back on this with longing...
If you read to the end, there's a great recipe from our dinner!
Here's the schedule of my day today up until now:
6:30 I woke up when Mike's alarm went off.
I watched him run back and forth to reset the hot water heater a few times.
Poor Mike. He got ready and went to work.
7:30 I sat down to start a book that my mom brought for me to read.
10:30 I finished the book. I couldn't believe it! 281 pages!
10:45 I changed my i phone play list for the gym.
11:00 I went to the gym (it's across the street, literally 50 steps to the door).
I ran 5.25 miles today. The new play list was okay, needs some tweaks.
12:00 Walked back home (oh so far) for stretching and showering.
12:45 I walked into town to do my shopping. I'm recreating a dish I learned at Cooking School tonight. I couldn't find roe deer (surprise, surprise!) so I'm doing peppercorn encrusted steak instead.
Shopping:
1. Produce shop for spinach, beetroot, and strawberries
2. Marks and Spencer for dijon mustard, hazelnuts, and pink peppercorns
3. McGowan's Butcher for angus steaks
It started POURING on the way home. AND it was still sunny. Ah, Scotland!
1:45 Made my lunch, watched Come Dine With Me
2:30 Read all the literature that Coeliac UK sent me. I just became a member!
3:00 My favorite cooking show that I've found on TV, Daily Cooks Challenge was on.
4:00 I started prepping dinner, then Mike came home.
I made him go to the gym since I had already gone, and I started cooking.
Dinner!! Here's the recipe:
peppercorn encrusted steak and beetroot hazelnut spinach over quinoa
I started by sauteeing shallots in a sauce pan. When they were translucent, I added the quinoa and cooked it for a few minutes to toast it. I added the water and salt, brought it to a boil, and then covered it to simmer for 15 minutes.
I prepped the beef by rubbing it in oil and then coating it with red and black peppercorns.
Once the quinoa was cooked, I seared the steaks on both side. I added a knob of butter and marinated the steaks by spooning the butter over them. I did this for a good minute or two until the steaks were done, medium rare.
While the steaks rested, I wilted the spinach in the steak pan and added cooked, cubed beetroot (I cooked it during Daily Cooks Challenge, by the way).
I added chopped hazelnuts and dressed the spinach in a dressing I made out of dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, and vegetable oil.
I thin-sliced the steak and plated it with a ring of quinoa on the bottom followed by spinach with the steak on top. I drizzled the steak with the rest of the dressing.
Yum!
I just want to note that someday soon I will look back on this with longing...
If you read to the end, there's a great recipe from our dinner!
Here's the schedule of my day today up until now:
6:30 I woke up when Mike's alarm went off.
I watched him run back and forth to reset the hot water heater a few times.
Poor Mike. He got ready and went to work.
7:30 I sat down to start a book that my mom brought for me to read.
10:30 I finished the book. I couldn't believe it! 281 pages!
10:45 I changed my i phone play list for the gym.
11:00 I went to the gym (it's across the street, literally 50 steps to the door).
I ran 5.25 miles today. The new play list was okay, needs some tweaks.
12:00 Walked back home (oh so far) for stretching and showering.
12:45 I walked into town to do my shopping. I'm recreating a dish I learned at Cooking School tonight. I couldn't find roe deer (surprise, surprise!) so I'm doing peppercorn encrusted steak instead.
Shopping:
1. Produce shop for spinach, beetroot, and strawberries
2. Marks and Spencer for dijon mustard, hazelnuts, and pink peppercorns
3. McGowan's Butcher for angus steaks
It started POURING on the way home. AND it was still sunny. Ah, Scotland!
1:45 Made my lunch, watched Come Dine With Me
2:30 Read all the literature that Coeliac UK sent me. I just became a member!
3:00 My favorite cooking show that I've found on TV, Daily Cooks Challenge was on.
4:00 I started prepping dinner, then Mike came home.
I made him go to the gym since I had already gone, and I started cooking.
Dinner!! Here's the recipe:
peppercorn encrusted steak and beetroot hazelnut spinach over quinoa
I started by sauteeing shallots in a sauce pan. When they were translucent, I added the quinoa and cooked it for a few minutes to toast it. I added the water and salt, brought it to a boil, and then covered it to simmer for 15 minutes.
I prepped the beef by rubbing it in oil and then coating it with red and black peppercorns.
Once the quinoa was cooked, I seared the steaks on both side. I added a knob of butter and marinated the steaks by spooning the butter over them. I did this for a good minute or two until the steaks were done, medium rare.
While the steaks rested, I wilted the spinach in the steak pan and added cooked, cubed beetroot (I cooked it during Daily Cooks Challenge, by the way).
I added chopped hazelnuts and dressed the spinach in a dressing I made out of dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, and vegetable oil.
I thin-sliced the steak and plated it with a ring of quinoa on the bottom followed by spinach with the steak on top. I drizzled the steak with the rest of the dressing.
Yum!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Ah Cooking School, I love you...
Braehead Foods. What a great place. Today I went to my second cooking class, 9am until 4pm all about Scottish Red Meat!
First, we cooked braised blade of beef. They had pre-marinated it in red wine, rosemary, garlic, etc. Good stuff. We did a typical stew thing with it and left it to braise for a few hours while we continued with more meat. (I'm not going to put the recipes up in respect of the intellectual property of Braehead Foods.)
Next, we saw (and ate!) a demonstration of three different fillets of beef from three different breeds of cow. We tried mixed breed, black angus, and dexter. It was amazing how different the dexter tasted- it is purely fed grass, no grain. Interesting (and DELICIOUS).
http://www.gormellick.co.uk/images/25473271.jpg
Next, we cooked peppered saddle of roe deer, which is a small deer that looks like this:
http://www.bds.org.uk/roe.html
We watched the chefs demonstrate how to cut a whole saddle of lamb. Finally, we finished off my making mashed potatoes to go with our braised blade of beef. We ate our beef and our hot chocolate fondant puddings that we had made earlier in the day.
My next class is going to be Our Feathered Friends!
The description from the web site: From free range chickens, gressingham duck and guinea fowl to the more adventurous quail, poussin or squab pigeon. We will show you some simple recipes and fantastic ideas on how to make the most of these fantastic birds. http://www.braeheadfoods.co.uk/classdescriptions.html
I LOVE FOOD!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Local Adventures!
We've had a fantastic weekend partaking in some exciting local adventures! We spent Saturday at the International Piping Championships! The weather was chilly, drizzly, and sunny- very Scottish! We saw great pipe bands, highland dancing, and highland heavyweight championships:
Here's a sample of the heavyweight championships:
Sunday, we spent the day on the Isle of Cumbrae. We took a ferry from Largs, about 45 minutes north of Ayr. We rented bikes and rode the 10.25 mile circumferance road of the island (only 4 miles long) and stopped along the way to picnic and enjoy the amazing scenery of this little island. On the way back into the one town on the island, we caught the beginning of a veteran's day parade complete with the island's fantastic pipe band and many well-dressed veterans carrying flags of their regiments. It was a great parade. We returned bikes and decided to hike up and over the highest point of the island. We got lost on a cow path! A really nice local lady stopped her car to ask if we were lost and offered to take us to the top (she was on the way to the park with her adorable son who will start school tomorrow). Don't worry parents, we aren't taking up hitch-hiking! She was lovely and said she wants people to love her island. She brought us to the top and explained how we could then walk back down to town. It was beautiful, a perfect day! Sadly, we forgot our camera! Here's a link to their tourism site, there are great photos there!
Millport, Isle of Cumbrae
Here's a sample of the heavyweight championships:
Sunday, we spent the day on the Isle of Cumbrae. We took a ferry from Largs, about 45 minutes north of Ayr. We rented bikes and rode the 10.25 mile circumferance road of the island (only 4 miles long) and stopped along the way to picnic and enjoy the amazing scenery of this little island. On the way back into the one town on the island, we caught the beginning of a veteran's day parade complete with the island's fantastic pipe band and many well-dressed veterans carrying flags of their regiments. It was a great parade. We returned bikes and decided to hike up and over the highest point of the island. We got lost on a cow path! A really nice local lady stopped her car to ask if we were lost and offered to take us to the top (she was on the way to the park with her adorable son who will start school tomorrow). Don't worry parents, we aren't taking up hitch-hiking! She was lovely and said she wants people to love her island. She brought us to the top and explained how we could then walk back down to town. It was beautiful, a perfect day! Sadly, we forgot our camera! Here's a link to their tourism site, there are great photos there!
Millport, Isle of Cumbrae
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Mike and I spent the weekend in Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival! We had some tickets in advance and we caught some free live shows, too! Our two favorite things:
1. The Mosque Kitchen
In a courtyard next to the Edinburgh Mosque there are two doors into a basement kitchen. From 12-8 every day, the mosque cooks unbelievable food for 4 pounds a plate! We went three days in a row! We were told that it is Pakistani food. Yum!
2. Axis of Awesome!
This was our absolute favorite show, it was absolutely fantastic! Our new favorite song: four chords! Check it out on youtube: Four Chords
Pictures from the weekend:
1. The Mosque Kitchen
In a courtyard next to the Edinburgh Mosque there are two doors into a basement kitchen. From 12-8 every day, the mosque cooks unbelievable food for 4 pounds a plate! We went three days in a row! We were told that it is Pakistani food. Yum!
2. Axis of Awesome!
This was our absolute favorite show, it was absolutely fantastic! Our new favorite song: four chords! Check it out on youtube: Four Chords
Pictures from the weekend:
 |
| Edinburgh Fringe Weekend |
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Dows, Warners, and Jimas in the Highlands!
Mom, Dad, and the Warners came to visit! We had a great time and used every moment of their time here to explore. We visited Glasgow, Edinburgh, and drove up to and around the Highlands, stopping on the Isles of Mull, Iona, and Skye! We also flew down to Stanstead to visit Colin and Angela Baxter in Bishop's Stortford, England. What a trip! I have put together a slide show of favorite moments:
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