After a week or so staying with the Aunts in Stonehaven, Jean, and her Mum and Dad, decamped to her Uncle’s home in Blairgowrie for a couple of weeks. As Jean’s letter explains, she has not written home with her usual detailed account of places visited, but photos from her collection and a select few pages remaining from her mother’s diary from that time recount some of the exploring.
Dear Mary,
I’m sorry I’ve neglected you for so long. I felt that while I was with Mum and Dad, there was no news which Mum didn’t tell you. But I’m not trying to make excuses. It’s true that I’ve had plenty of time to write and for that reason there’s been nothing to write about.
I was growing thoroughly bored at Stonehaven, and was about to find work to relieve the monotony, when Aunt Ida asked us over for the fortnight. I liked Blairgrowrie, and was making very nice friends there. I met a lovely family who incidentally, run an inn – Mrs “Plough Inn” or “Mrs Public House” we used to call her when speaking of her. I wanted to find work there and stay till Yvonne’s wedding, but there was nothing available immediately, so I returned to Stonehaven a couple of days after Mum and dad to spend the few days with them before their departure for the three day highland tour. We had to cancel the day trip to Balmoral last Thursday because of the rain.”
Jean’s letter to her sister Mary, written from Aberdeen and Stonehaven around 15 July
The Blairgowrie family photos:
Blairgowrie:
Loch Lomond day tour
Jean’s mother’s diary gives an account of a day trip they took through Perthshire to Loch Lomond on Wednesday 27 June:
“Went on a bus tour. Left Blairgowrie about 10am on the way to Loch Lomond via Dunkeld, Ballinluig Junction. Crossed Tummel Bridge, Logierait, Grandtully, Aberfeldy. Very pretty country along the Tay River valley, passed Tay Mouth Castle, a huge building in a lovely setting used as a Hotel now. Kenmore is a black and white village at the mouth of the Tay river and one end of Loch Tay. Crossed the bridge and followed Loch Tay the full length. 16 miles of a pretty loch skirted by high hills and Ben Lawers mountain which still had snow lying in the deep valleys. Stopped at Killin, a village at the other end of Loch Tay, had lunch
Crossed the River Dochart, This is the home of the Black Watch. Passed along the foothills of the Benmore which also had snow lying on the slopes. Followed Glen Dochart for a distance, went through Crianlarich. Glen Falloch very pretty, lovely waterfall and a huge rock worn out the shape of a pulpit which they call Pulpit Rock. Saw some highland cattle in this area.
Passed through Inverarnan Rob Roby country. Then Ardlui at the beginning of Loch Lomond, Tarbert, Luss, Balloch, the end of Loch Lomond. There was a different view at each turn of the road, of which there were many. The lock being 20 miles long. Stayed at Balloch for 2 ½ hours. Had an hour’s sail on the loch and we came home through Drymen, Stirling, Bridge of Allan, Dunblane, Blackford, Perth, Blairgowrie at 9.00pm. A wonderful day, lovely scenery followed the River Tay for miles which is the longest river in Scotland. The tour was 196 miles.”
