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18-01-03 Scotsman What Scotland does best By Gethin Chamberlain Fishing and whisky, what a fine combination they are. At a time of year when thoughts inevitably turn to sunnier climes, it's refreshing to think that there are still some things Scotland does best that can tempt even the most want-away soul to consider staying on these shores and savouring the delights of home. There are some holidays that demand sunshine, and there are others that seem to improve the worse the weather gets. Standing on the banks of the Tay at Kenmore, salmon rod in hand, rain lashing down and the prospect of catching a cold far more realistic than catching the king of fish, may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those whose idea of fun does not involve grilling slowly on a Mediterranean beach this must be one of life's finer pleasures. A couple of hours' drive from Edinburgh or Glasgow brings you to the heart of the Highlands - the sort of countryside that cries out for a fishing rod. What better way to spend a day than in the company of an experienced gillie who is still prepared to offer words of encouragement - even after you have hooked the tree on the opposite bank for the third time in the space of two hours? What better way to keep out the cold than to be plied with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of the locally produced Dewar's range of whiskies - purely for medicinal purposes, of course? And what better way to brave the elements than with the certainty that at the end of the day, salmon or no salmon, there will be a roaring fire back at the Kenmore Hotel in its welcoming bar? Even before the salmon season opened on Wednesday there was the prospect of golf at Taymouth Castle to tempt the visitor, but it is the fishing that seems to bring out the best in this area. Kenmore is Rob Roy and Campbell country. Burns was so struck by the area that he composed a poem as he sat on the bridge over the Tay and transcribed it in pencil onto the chimney breast of the fireplace in the hotel's Poet's bar, where it can still be seen - preserved behind glass - today. For Burns, Kenmore offered "nature in her wildest grace", with the "sweeping theatre of hanging woods, the incessant roar of headlong tumbling floods". Fishing, of course, is not compulsory, and as Burns observed, the area has a charm that should tempt anyone interested in the great outdoors or in the history of this fascinating part of Scotland. The Kenmore Hotel, which dominates the square in the centre of the village, is itself steeped in history. Established on 3 November 1572, it lays claim to the title of Scotland's oldest inn. It also claims to have survived the worst excesses of Cromwell's armies by providing nourishment for the hungry roundhead officers. However, royalists need have no fears about an excess of republican sympathies. In 1842, the neighbouring Taymouth Castle was used by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to celebrate their honeymoon. Much speculation now surrounds the future of the castle, which still retains much of its original grandeur even if time has taken its toll on its structure, and the talk now is of a seven-star hotel complex to rival Gleneagles. If the number of Americans in Kenmore this week to mark the opening of the salmon season is anything to go by, there is certainly no reason why the area should not be able to support such a development, and there appears to be widespread approval in the area for the idea, the jobs it would bring and the boost it would give to the local economy. The ceremony and traditions that accompanied the opening of the season - the dramming outside the hotel, where guests and locals mingled and knocked back shots of the best Dewar's had to offer, the march down to the river bank, the custom of toasting the salmon and the river with a quaich of whisky - are what many visitors to Scotland still savour. But what they and many of the British tourists who flock to the area also share is a fascination with Scotland's national drink. For those visiting from the other side of the Atlantic in particular, it is a chance to learn more about the production and history of the whisky that dominates the US market, Dewar's White Label. At Dewar's World of Whisky and Aberfeldy Distillery, there is a chance for visitors to see the single malt being made and to create their own virtual blend via the interactive displays. Of course, a visit to that attraction also gives you an opportunity to get out of the rain, but that is one of the features of the Highlands that fans of the Costas will never comprehend. Certainly, the weather is unpredictable, but that's half the fun of the experience. It's about getting out and about in beautiful surroundings, safe in the knowledge that later on you will be back in the warm, tucking into the best produce that Scotland has to offer and washing it down with a little something to take away the chill.
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................................................................................................................. Copyright ©2004 Gethin Chamberlain. All rights reserved. |
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