After we checked out of the hostel it was a quick walk around the building to the rental car company. After a quick lesson on where the controls were, we were on a white-knuckle journey through the streets, barreling through roundabouts and intersections. I hoped that I was following road laws appropriately since most of the traffic signs were impossible to interpret. There were lots of funny lines on the road that neither of us could figure out and many times the lane we were in forced us to take a turn prematurely. Hans gamely navigated and as soon as we could we pulled into a petrol station for a country map and I bought a driving learner’s guide and studied it in the parking lot. I was glad I thought to buy the guide because we found out later that this country has virtually no stop signs and at road junctions the lines across your lane dictate which ones have the right-of-way. Driving on the left-hand side of the road and the new traffic indicators made me feel like I was learning all over again. Driving made me very tense and sweaty. One way or another we made it out of Edinburgh and 26 miles north to Perth, where we visited Scone Palace.
Gates to the old city of Scone, the cemetery
We started on the grounds and looked at the gates to the ancient and long-deserted city of Scone. There was a Victorian-era cemetery and extensive gardens, one of which was dedicated to pines from around the world. The pine garden was inspired by the Douglas fir, which was sent from a seed sprouted in California by its namesake and was the first one ever planted in Scotland. There was also an interesting star-shaped maze made from over 2000 live oaks. The grounds also contained the original site of the Stone of Scone (stole by England, returned on loan, as seen at Edinburgh Castle). The palace was the family home of the Earl of Mansfield. It was well furnished but not exactly our cup of tea. There were many peacocks on the grounds begging for crumbs from visitors having lunch at the outdoor café tables and several could be seen rolling in the dirt (the peacocks, not the tourists).
Redwoods on the palace grounds, Hans and a western hemlock tree
The chapel near the original site of the Stone of Scone
After a few wrong turns we drove to Kinnoul Hill Forest Park and did a short walk (the path was called "Radical Road") to the 792-foot cliffs (a geological divide separating the highlands from the lowlands) overlooking the Perthshire valley and the remains of a stone tower (made in imitation of the watchtowers along the Rhine). It was a beautiful day and the fields spread out before us like a patchwork of green and brown bordered by the blue River Tay.
Perth and River Tay from Kinnoul Hill with the tower and western valleys
We ended our day at Pitlochry, the old Victorian resort town that is used as a base for exploring the area on foot and also a quiet town for B&B holidays. The hostel is in a beautiful old home overlooking the valley. When we arrived the skies were crystal clear and we ate our dinner (prepared in the self-catering kitchen) in the dining room which has two walls of windows and panoramic views of the surrounding hills. I really wish I had taken a picture of the dining room in hindsight.
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