Yesterday was the beginning of our "holiday" - I am back working in the shop today but then away for a few days away from the computer, weeding and packing up wire baskets!

We went to Perthshire to fulfil promises made to the girls last year. Last June we all picked a touristy thing we would like to do but then the summer was so gloriously sunny we just played outside all the holidays and didn't venture out at all.

It isn't exactly like that this year so we got in the car and headed for Perthshire.

Zoe's choice was to go and see the ospreys at Loch of the Lowes - this has two great hides with telescopes trained on osprey nests so you can watch the birds flying over the loch, catching perch and then bringing them back to the nest for everyone to feast on. The Scottish Wildlife Trust has a couple of webcams sited at the nest so you can follow the ospreys' progress when back home

Katie's choice was to go to the Crannog Centre on Loch Tay - a reconstruction of a crannog - a prehistoric house built on stilts over the loch. It was a very hands on place - we got to sit round a fire in the crannog discussing what would be eaten, who would have lived there, how many people would be in the house, where would they keep their animals. Then we had a chance to have a go at wood turning with a pole lathe, making fire, spinning and pecking holes in weight stones.


The photo shows Katie watching the very impressive demonstration of how to make fire (which has me worried).

Both places were examples of what tourist venues should be - authentic, enthusiastic, realistically priced and completely non-disneyfied.

I have found out that I share a certain garden aesthetic with the iron age - hurdle fences, rough hewn seats, stone weights - I took a lot of photos - I'm sure I could find a use for those weights.


I shall be away from computers until next Thursday.