The Falls of Bruar

Hi, reader

Time to switch to a new location again, although I'm still within the Cairngorms National Park. 

This morning I had breakfast and called my friend in Australia. Hi, Jo! Then I went to Avimore leisure centre for a shower. It was heaven; easily the best shower I've had on this trip. I also made one more visit to the library, which is right next door to the leisure centre. I was delighted to see that local kids had made a display celebrating one of my favourite writers, Roald Dahl.

The kids had written their own limericks about Roald Dahl. 

I really liked this one:

Roald Dahl had a very big family

He lived at home quite calmly

Then left for school

His teachers were cruel

He learnt all his stuff from Grammarly

by Dara

Then there's this one:

Roald Dahl wrote a lot of books

He also invented hooks

His favourite colour's yellow

He might own a chellow (sic)

And he also changed his looks

(author not named)

Let's get on the road. Cairngorms National Park is an enjoyable drive through pine forests and mountains. I made another time lapse video, with my iPhone taped to the dashboard.

I headed for the Falls of Bruar (thanks for the tip, Donna) which was about an hour's drive. When you arrive at the car park, you're greeted with a very swish shopping area. 

This place is upmarket and expensive. They don't have a toilets, they have a 'gentlemen's cloakroom'. Forget fish and chips. That's for the riffraff. Bring me a platter of lobster and chips.

This cool statue of a piper greets you as you exit the car park.

The path to The Falls of Bruar starts right behind the shops. It's not a strenuous walk and you can do the round trip to the topmost waterfall and back in an hour or less.

There are several smaller waterfalls and pools along the walk to the top.

I handed my phone to a woman at this viewpoint, asked if she'd take my picture, then quickly ran round to the bridge. That's me in the distance.

Hands up, who likes poetry?

Would then my noble master please

To grant my highest wishes?

He'll shade my banks wi'tow'ring trees,

And bonie spreading bushes.

Delighted doubly then, my Lord,

You'll wander on my banks,

And listen mony a grateful bird,

Return you tuneful thanks

(from 'The Humble Petition of Bruar Water')

This is part of an eleven verse poem, written by Robert Burns after he visited the Falls of Bruar in September 1787. At the time, the falls were surrounded by moorland and Burns felt the beauty would be improved by the planting of trees and shrubs in the area. He sent the poem to the Duke of Atholl. It wasn't until after Burns' death that the Duke responded, laying out bridges, paths, view points and planting the trees and shrubs requested as a memorial to Burns.

Got to the top. There's a bridge over the waterfall.

The walk back down is lovely too. Look at this; right out of The Hobbit ...

... or The Witcher.

Something strange. I noticed this tree stump with loads of coins hammered into it. I looked it up, and apparently people do this for luck. The National Trust for Scotland have urged people not to do it. You can read more at this link.

I got back to the van and headed for my next stop, Killiecrankie. You can read about that next time.

Quick shout out to people I chatted with today: Ania, Chris, Jo, Humphrey, Gids, Hugo, Thea. Hope you're all well.

Thanks for reading,

Brian