A walk in the highlands

 This morning was overcast but rain was nit in the forecast. We left Ballanter and took a hike 10 miles from there at Burn O Vat. We saw lots of shades of green, some swans, a young buck, a Milan or red kite, rabbit scat and a herd of deer (in a fenced in barrier which meant they were raised for meat, not wild. For that matter we saw lots of sheep and cows too.)

There was also a large stele that was Pict, a celtic cross was represented on it. The knot design represented eternity for them, at least that is what the sign said. It was the last vestige of an old fort.

We walked 7 kilometers then went to have lunch in a tavern in the mountains. There are small ski resorts in these hills but most of the land is owned but whisky companies that grow wheat and barley, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, etc.  The Spey river feeds most of these distilleries with the fresh water to make good whisky.

We came down from the mountains to Elgin (a lord from here took the sculptures off the Parthenon and the Greeks have been trying to get them back) a town that has an old cathedral in ruins but many beautiful carvings that remain.

This carving of a dog used to have a stick in its mouth.

We stopped at Findhorn on the coast and we are staying in a hay bale house in a ecovillage.  More about that tomorrow.