A series of essays....
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| A PROMISING DAY AS WE LEFT OUR SHEEP FARM TO TAKE ON MANY NEW ADVENTURES |
....as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E. Hughes
We woke up to a very promising sunny day as we put together what we believed we needed for a day trip to Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town.
Our four night stay at a working sheep farm in Uplawmoor, south of Glasgow, proved to be enlightening and quite photo worthy. We thoughtfully utilized its proximity to many of the places and attractions we wished to see, including the Highlands, the city of Stirling, Glasgow, and now, Wigtown.
Located due south of our farm and slightly over a hundred and seventy-two kilometers (one hundred and seven miles) away, the four of us opted for the longer route to Wigtown which meant following the coastline along the Irish Sea for much of the drive. The skies proved to be overcast the further south we traveled and this attributed to some of the most spectacular skies and cloud formations we had yet to see.
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| APPROACHING CROSSRAGUEL ABBEY |
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| HOW SPLENDID SHE MUST HAVE BEEN! |
By now, Dan was quite accustomed to our need to ask him to stop the car at a second’s notice in order to capture a particular photo opportunity. Michael and I warned him of this quite early on and he obliged...for the most part.
Because the day was turning more overcast by the minute and a soft, misty rain began to fall, everything around us seemed more alive, surreal, as though the scenery was outlined in fine, dark strokes by some mystical artist whose knowledge of shadows and highlights was quite extensive. Being prepared for most weather conditions, we would simply pull-up our rain hoods and appreciate our good fortune.
MICHAEL PERCHED ON THE GATE
THE RUINS OF CROSSRAGUEL ABBEY
Stopping at the ruins of Crossraguel Abbey, I emerged from the car to find Michael halfway up a metal gate, camera in hand, shooting the Abbey while the rain dripped from his parka and a huge smile radiated across his face. We felt like two kids in a candy store and we weren’t about to relinquish this sweet, golden opportunity!
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| A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY AN OLD SCHOOL HOUSE |
Leaving the Abbey, Dan headed towards the small town of Kirkoswald. This time it was his turn to take a deep breath, back up, and pull into the parking lot of the A. D. Rattray's Whisky Experience & Whisky Shop. Because we had to forego the 'Scottish Whisky Trail' which runs north of Edinburgh due to time constraints, this little shop, we hoped, would pacify us until next time. It did not fail...
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| RAPHAEL MARINONI |
Greeted at the door by a handsome gentleman we would soon be calling Raphael (Marinoni), we proceeded to tour the main room only to discover so many hidden gems. Raphael let it be known that we would be able to sample most of them if we wished to. Pure Heaven. So, I began with their Sloe Gin and it was hardly the product I would associate with my college memories, at all. It was so smooth and ridiculously
delicious!
Sloe, another term for blackthorn, is the small bluish-black fruit of the blackthorn, or Prunus Spinoza, a species of flowering plant in the rose family. These plants are native to Europe and were handpicked in Scotland. Then, the finest London Dry Gin is blended with the highest quality Sloes using their unique recipe resulting in this fruity and floral concoction of the gods. Yes, we did bring some home with us.
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| SAMPLING THE DELICIOUSNESS... |
As Marsha and I were remembering our college socializing days (nights), the guys were in the Cask Room listening about the history of a thirty-year-old Scotch Whisky, matured in a single sherry cask, the color of flame gold, with a nose of mandarin, cardamom, and cinnamon, a palate of rum and raisin with coriander and clove, and a finish of Seville orange, molasses and white pepper. Need I say more?
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| THIRTY-YEAR-OLD SCOTCH WHISKY~ WAITING TO BE LABELED AND WAXED |
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| APPLYING THE FINISHING TOUCHES |
Raphael’s official title is Retail Division Manager. We regarded him as our 'Official Reference Guide' to all things liquid, flavorful, and smooth on the palate...sophisticated and discriminating to the taste. With his impressive knowledge and infectious passion for Scotch whisky, Raphael added his fine collection of entertaining anecdotes to our conversations keeping us smiling, if not laughing, our entire stay.
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| MICHAEL EXPRESSING HIS CONCERNS TO DAN ABOUT GETTING ALL OF THIS HOME! |
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| RAPHAEL IS HAPPILY WRAPPING UP ALL OF OUR PURCHASES |
The stars aligned for our visit with Raphael. The knowledge we gained by listening intently to the history of Scotch whisky laced with his marvelous sense of humor, will remain with all of us, forever. Besides, even the fairyland title of A. D. Rattray's Whisky Experience & Whisky Shop, Established in 1868 captures all of the charm of a British cinematic production. Take time to book a tasting event when you travel there and remember their phrase which encapsulates the beauty of the original school house turned Whisky Shop: We Have A Whisky For Everyone!
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| THE FINISHED PRODUCTS.... HOME, SAFE AND SOUND! |
Right about now, as we were on the road once again heading to our final destination, Wigtown, we asked ourselves what could possibly top our whisky experience? Well, the Irish Sea, of course!
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| OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE IRISH SEA |
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| THE MAGNIFICENT CLOUD COVER OFFERED AMPLE VARIATIONS OF LIGHT AND SHADOWS |
The A-77 turned south at Turnberry and we caught our first glimpse of the Irish Sea that day. The Ailsa Craig is an island located sixteen kilometers (ten miles) out from the coast and juts out of the sea like an enormous gray gem floating in its liquid setting of blue, gray, and white. It resembled a gigantic turtle rising from the watery depths of time and space. Topped by a halo of menacing storm clouds, this island captured our attention for quite a while.
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| A TORTOISE SHELL EMERGING FROM THE WATERS |
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| AILSA CRAIG, THE GEM OF THE IRISH SEA |
As Dan followed the natural curvature of land along the sea, we could stop and shoot the Ailsa Craig from many different angles and perspectives. The constant motion of the intense cloud cover dappled it with shapely shadows and mystifying light.
The coast was mesmerizing as picturesque green hills butted up against the lapping waves and were dotted with handsome cows and color-marked sheep grazing away in the misty daylight. By now, Dan had really gotten into the rhythm of spotting potential photo ops and began scouting for them on his own. However, if the light faded or if it became too cloudy, Michael and I would politely tell him no and Dan would drive on to the next brilliant location.
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| LOOKING OUT TO SEA |
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| THE GREEN HILLS ROLLING DOWN TO THE SEA |
Saying good-bye to the Irish Sea, we turned inland near the town of Castle Kennedy and followed the A-75 before having to jut off onto smaller roads heading due east to Wigtown. The Scottish scenery never disappointed and always left us desiring more and more. Like most of us tend to do, we pictured what life would be like in this or that town and envisioned how exciting it would be waking up each morning in any one of the surrounding, beautiful country settings. We imagined what it must have been like years ago tending the livestock or keeping the farmstead clean and its inhabitants healthy and well fed.
Traveling can often be like living within the illustrated pages of a history book. And, it doesn’t matter if we’re learning about two whisky-loving families, the Walkers and the Morrisons, who married together in the mid 1900's and whose skills and knowledge were passed down from generation to generation or capturing the perfect shot of a cloud dappled island living far out to sea. By visiting the multitude of local museums you find along the way, you understand how they offer any traveler the foundation he or she needs to better appreciate the people, habits, and work ethics of those who lived, laughed, cried, and loved there before you.
As we reached the edge of Wigtown and anticipated the treasures to be discovered there within the covers of its books, speaking with its local personalities, and visiting its unique spaces, I asked Dan to stop one more time before entering the town. Snapping one final picture, I now realize that I was formally marking our territory with this photo and creating a buffer zone of personal space between the outside world and Wigtown itself. I believe it worked because our visit was magical, albeit way too short.
To be continued... The Wigtown Book Festival!Copyright © 2018 by Jacqueline E. HughesAll rights reservedPhoto Copyright © 2018 by Jacqueline E. HughesAll rights reserved
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