Baden-Powell Council BSA
at the
2012 Blair Atholl Patrol Jamborette
Day 5 - July 14th - The Great Glen
Urquhart Castle has stood on
its promontory overlooking Loch Ness since the 13th century.  After seeing a short movie on the castle in the visitor centre, the curtains pull back to show this panorama of the castle and the loch. |
|
 Joe was our Instant Expert for the castle, and let the Scouts know what we'd be seeing as we waited in the car park for the castle to open. |
 The Scouts entering the castle through the ruined gatehouse. |
 Justyn, Andrew and Aidan going through one of the towers. |
 Justyn tries out a Claymore sword offered by a Castle staff member as Aidan waits for his turn. The two-handed medieval sword was truly a fearsome weapon. |
 After lunch we visited the Loch Ness Monster Exhibition, which scientifically proved there couldn't be a Monster - before ending at the gift shop, where you could buy them in every possible size and color. |
|
 Our next stop was Culloden Battlefield for their "In the Footsteps of the Prince" program. The Scouts started out doing some role playing, here as a group of the King's Redcoats. |
 "Lady Lude", the Jacobite who fired the first shot at the siege of Blair Castle, and three "Jacobites". |
 "Hurrah for the Prince and the True King!" |
 Andrew and Butcher Cumberland, suspiciously friendly... |
 We then went out on a guided tour of the battlefield. |
 Our Scouts at the Memorial Cairn. |
 Back in the museum, the Scouts were given the opportunity to hold 18th century weaponry, including this Brown Bess musket, as well as a sword and targe. |
 After Culloden we stopped off at the Clava Cairns, a group of prehistoric burial mounds just a few miles away. |
 The Cairns complex was built about 4,000 years ago. |
|
We drove from Clava Cairns
to St. Andrews, with a stop for a great Indian dinner at Pitlochry.  That let us arrive in St. Andrews early enough to enjoy the sunset over St. Andrews Castle. |
|
 The Scouts relaxed in the 8th Fife Scout Group's Scout Hall on the waterfront, halfway between the castle and the cathedral (and thanks to them for the use of it!)... |
 ... while Andrew, Pete and I walked into town to pick up juice, milk and cereal for breakfast for the next day. |
 The West Sands at sunset - the beach-running scene in Chariots of Fire was filmed here. |
|
