Scotland, Twinning and friendships formed and renewed

The main street in Kincardine O'Neil, Aberdeenshire

We have just returned from an excellent visit to Scotland. When we are up, we stay in Kincardine O'Neil in the Dee Valley where my husband has family connections. My husband has been visiting for over 60 years and I for 45. Still, given the distance from our home in Wiltshire, we are surprisingly involved in village affairs. As I've posted before here and here we take part when we can in Twinning visits, both hosting in alternate years in Scotland and in between visiting the village of Thun Saint Martin near Cambrai in northern France.

These occasions are always great fun and we make every effort to ensure that we can take part. This year was no exception. We played host to a delightful family who relished all that we showed them and even seemed to enjoy my very English cooking (friends indeed!).

It was a busy and varied four days. There was a group Ceilidh, a barbeque and a visit to local gardens and time was spent with mutual friends. The young among us went to Go Ape at Crathes Castle and we took our visitors to the Lochnagar distillery, watched salmon leaping at the Brig of Feuch near Banchory, and walked in Glen Tanar. This latter place is one of my favourite places on earth and it has many, many happy family memories. It was lovely to share it and all the other places we went to with such appreciative visitors.

The photos posted here are a rather random selection of images taken when I had the time to concentrate!

Go Ape, Crathes Castle

Glen Tanar and the Braeloine Centre

Few salmon ... but a very patient heron waiting

The beautiful Crathes Castle

... and its lovely gardens ... at their absolute best

A Twinning ceremony commemorating 10 years of shared friendship

Morris men dancing (our French visitors are used to such displays after 10 years)

The assembled group ... French, Scottish ... and a certain English woman ... watching Punch and Judy

Our lovely Twinning visitors with my husband on the ancient bridge in Glen Tanar

There was little time for stitching, drawing or weaving, though on the long car journeys I managed some of the latter. I always miss it (it's part of me) but it's good to have a real break too. 

And next week we are off again, this time to France to join our daughter and her family on the west coast and to visit Twinning friends who were unable to come the Scotland this year. What a great institution Twinning is!