Day 6 - Cullen, Bow Fiddle Rock, Tim Grimm

Decided to take the morning for ourselves and let our tour group take a little excursion without us. It was a lovely cool day with just the perfect amount of drizzle to remind us that we are indeed in our beloved Scotland.

After a breakfast of smoked salmon, streaky bacon, croissants, farm fresh eggs and fruit- we set out on a quiet walk to Castle Hill.

Castle Hill is a beautifully restored historical viewpoint on the west side of town with amazing views of Cullen Bay, the fishing cottages of Seatown, and the towering Cullen Viaduct.

We walked pathways thickly lined with thistles, gorse, poppies, foxglove and other Scottish wildflowers freshly scented from the rain and even a couple of Rowan trees with bright red berries!

Then we did one of our absolute favorite things to do in Scotland- antiques!!! The antique, thrift and charity shops have the best things. Pewter goblets, mother of pearl opera glasses, engraved and etched Victorian crumb trays with staghorn antler handles… things of a bygone era squeezed into the nooks and crannies of what looks like the home of a hoarder. If you know what to look for, treasures abound! (Joe had to get something a little crazy)

Lunch at Lily’s kitchen and cafe because Joe had to have the best Cullen Skink in Cullen. For those who don’t know, Cullen Skink is a traditional, hearty Scottish soup made from smoked haddock, potatoes, and onions, known for its creamy texture and rich, smoky flavor. It was historically born out of necessity by fishing communities to make use of abundant, locally produced smoked haddock. “Skink" is a Scots word for a shin, knuckle, or hough of beef, which originally meant a soup made from those parts. The term for the stew was applied to the fish-based variation. 

After lunch we re-joined our group at Bow Fiddle Rock which is a dramatic natural sea arch near Portknockie, Scotland, named for its resemblance to the tip of a violin bow. It was formed from ancient quartzite and coastal erosion.

This evening we had the extreme pleasure of a concert with our host Tim Grimm. He is a brilliant singer/songwriter with a voice and guitar style that is original and also reminiscent of James Taylor with a modern twist.

We are so enjoying our time getting to know these talented people from all over and all that we are learning and experiencing here.Read more