Backpacking & Outdoor adventures by ChingNengBin - Namaste! Everest BaseCamp 5,364m : 2014 - Backpacking to Stranraer, Scotland day 24

Backpacking to Stranraer, Scotland from 21 May to 26 June 2014 (37days)

Beautiful flowers at Dalmally Hotel, Dalmally, Argyll.

Day 24 (13.06.2014) – Day 3 to Rothesay & Mount Stuart House (Optional)

Today was an Optional Day to South Argyll and across to Bute to Rothesay, and on to Mount Stuart House, however, we did not join the tour, but instead we did a exploratory walking tour around Dalmally Hotel visiting places of historical interest.

After breakfast at 9.30am we did the several good walks from the hotel to the famous Salmon River that flows down the Strath. The morning stroll by visiting a gift shop and then past the ancient medieval church yard and walked in to pray for our safe journey, the Dalmally train station and then down to the 250 year old Dalmally Bridge to watch for any salmon and trout if any.

Dinner at 7pm was fantastic and the entertainment by “Willie Thompson” was superb.

Sleeping: Dalmally Hotel, Dalmally, Argyll and Bute. Temp: min.11 – max.18°C

Dalmally Hotel has large lounge and spectacular public areas awash with plants and beautiful flowers.

The Dalmally Hotel lounge has a dance floor, a bar and there is also a billiard room. The bedrooms have comfortable modern divan beds, tea makers, hair dryers, TV and controlled heating.

Betty Ching and Pauline Toh at Dalmally Hotel. The furnishings are modern; there are heated towel rails in every room. There are four floors serviced by a modern lift. The dining room and lounges each seat two hundred people and are a joy for flower lovers everywhere.

Ching Neng Bin made wonderful friend with Ms. Kathleen at Dalmally Hotel.

Ms. Kathleen aged 85 with Catherine Oon, Pauline Toh, Betty Ching at Dalmally Hotel.

Ms. Kathleen aged 85 with Catherine Oon at Dalmally Hotel.

A fireplace at Dalmally Hotel.

All getting ready to go into Dalmally Hotel dinning room for breakfast at 8.15am sharp.

Dalmally Hotel beakfast; Fried kipper and mushrooms. A kipper is a whole herring, a small oily fish, that has been split in butterfly fashion from tail to head along the dorsal ridge, gutted, salted and cold smoked over smouldering wood-chips.

Dinning room of Dalmally Hotel, Dalmally, Argyll and Bute.

The garden at Dalmally Hotel, Dalmally, Argyll and Bute.

On our walking tour, our first stopped was the Bruce’s Stone Seat. Situated opposite Dalmally Hotel, legend says that Robert the Bruce used this strange shaped stone as a resting place after he won the battle in The Pass of Brander. This is the battle where he also lost The Brooch of Lorne.

Our second stopped was the Highland Critters Gift Shop also situated opposite the Dalmally Hotel.

The Highland Critters Gift Shop had many Celtic Hounds Wall Plaque. The design used on this wall plaque comes from the Book of Kells. Hounds were important in Celtic design, and it is thought that they epitomise loyalty, due to the bond dogs share with their owners. Each plaque is strung ready to hang, and comes with individual descriptive notes about the original stone. The colours of these plaques are totally individual due to the hand casting process used, and give a very realistic natural stone effect. Height of plaque 28cm.

The Highland Critters Gift Shop had many Celtic Hounds Wall Plaque.

The Highland Critters Gift Shop had many Celtic Thistle Wall Plaque. Combining the image of Scotland's national flower and the ancient art of the Celts, this Celtic Thistle wall plaque is a unique design from Andrew McGavin Designs.

Aberlemno Seahorse Wall Plaque. The design used is from the ancient Pictish stone standing in the church yard at Aberlemno, in Angus, Scotland, and thought to have been carved about 700AD.

Aberlemno Celtic Cross Wall Plaque. The design is taken from the stone found in the churchyard at Aberlemno in Eastern Scotland. The cross found on the original stone is one of the finest pieces of Scottish Celtic design known and is thought to date from around 700AD and the design is replicated on this plaque.

We were walking on Stronmilchan Road towards Glenorchy Parish Church from Dalmally Hotel.

Glenorchy Parish Church, The Manse, Dalmally PA33 1AA, United Kingdom

Our third stopped was the Glenorchy Parish Church. This medieval church is situated on the Stronmilchan road, B8077.

Glenorchy Parish Church unusual octagonal design by architect James Eliot. This is the Clan Gregor ancestral burial ground where there are thought to be many Clan Chiefs buried under the entrance to the church.

The Glenorchy Parish Church was opened in Aug 1811. Numerous Campbell, Fletcher, McNichol and other Clans are buried here.

Glenorchy Parish Church has interesting grave stones dating back to 14th and 15th century.

Well worth a visit for a quiet time in the Glenorchy Parish Church as we all prayed for our safe journey.

On our 4th stopped we ventured along the salmon fishing Orchy River in Scotland.

The River Orchy is a river that passes through the village of Dalmally. It rises in the Black Mount Forest and flows southerly passing through Loch Tulla and Glen Orchy before reaching Loch Awe.

The River Orchy is a river that passes through the village of Dalmally.

The Orchy Cottage along the River Orchy has good river view.

Dalmally Community Centre is to promote the benefit by associating with the local statutory authorities, voluntary organisations and inhabitants in a common effort to advance education, to provide facilities for recreation and in the interests of social welfare.

Dalmally pharmacy cum post office.

Glenview houses in Dalmally.

St. Conan's Well located opposite Dalmally Police Station, until recent times people took water from the Well for Baptisms. It is reported that the Well was known in the 6th century and was blessed by St. Conon. Folklore says St Conon was sitting by the Well when a large wolf came along, just as the wolf as about to attack, St Conon made it disappear. A small cache of coins dating back to the reign of Charles I was recently found here.

Glenorchy Lodge Hotel in Dalmally.

Dalmally, UK.

Dalmally Railway Station is on the Oban branch of the West Highland Line, originally part of the Callander and Oban Railway. This station opened on 1 April 1877. For a while, it was the western extremity of the Callander and Oban Railway, until the line finally reached its ultimate destination, Oban, on 1 July 1880.

Dalmally Railway Station was laid out with two platforms, one on either side of a passing loop. It once boasted a small engine shed and a turntable on the south side. The station building was destroyed by fire on 16 November 1898.

Dalmally Bridge built in 1781 by the architect Ludovic Picard for Lord Breadalbane. Situated adjacent to Glenorchy Church on the Stronmilchan Road. Excellent vantage point to view the salmon and trout in the river. To the south side of the bridge you will find the Dalmally war memorial.

Excellent vantage point to view the salmon and trout in the river. South side of the bridge you will find the Dalmally war memorial.

War Memorial at Dalmally Bridge on the Stronmilchan Road.

Carved Celtic Cross on rough hewn tapering plinth.

On rocky outcrop above the Stronmilchan Road with path up to the memorial.

Men of Glenorchy and Innishail Parish WW1 and WW2 War Memorial in Dalmally, UK.

Farmland view at Edindonich, Dalmally UK.

Hanging Tree in Dalmally – Turn right over Dalmally Bridge. After 300m turn left through a gate and up a steep track. Proceed past the croft ruins of Edindonich. 100m further on you will find the Tree. This area is known as Torn Nan Croiche, which means ‘Hill of the Gallows’.

The Hanging Tree in Dalmally is close to where the hangman’s house used to be. The Hangman was paid by the Campbells to hang the Macgregors. Legend says that the tree was used as a substitute gallows.