We started the day well with a hearty Scottish
breakfast (including haggis and black pudding for John), then headed out into a
cold, rainy day. First stop was the Crieff
Visitor Centre to visit the “Drovers Exhibition” that highlighted the rugged,
dangerous life of the cattle drovers over the centuries (Crieff has always been
a prominent centre for the cattle trade).
Then over the Crieff bridge, crossing the River Earn, and out of town to
the small village of Fowlis Wester and its 13th century church, with
a “lepers’ squint”, a small slit for
lepers to watch the service. It also
contains two of the large carved stones (one more than three metres tall) that
formed part of a circle some twelve hundred years ago. Both display Pictish symbols which helps to
date them at about 800CE. Through their
carvings of rural and religious figures and symbols they provide a representation
of life in that bygone age.
Back on the road to Perth, where we wandered the city
centre (in the light rain) and stopped for late lunch. Unfortunately we could
only view the grand St John the Baptist Kirk (1448) from the outside.
We arrived in Dunfermline, after driving through
heavier rain and light snow, to our modern hotel for the night and had an uninspiring
dinner in the attached pub. Tomorrow we
will spend some time in Dunfermline before making our way to Sterling and
Falkirk.
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