A Dream of Scotland

Near the top of our bucket list and a promise to my wife is to realize a dream of Scotland.

The two sides that contributed what they had to my siblings and I– hailed from Scotland and my dear wife Toni, as she periodically reminds me, is a direct descendant of Mary Queen of Scots.

She reminds me at times, when a get a bit too cocky or ‘heaven forbid’ take her for granted. During those times she might stand in light that accents the reds in her hair as she speaks with a regal tone that she refers to as ‘her Scots’ getting up. It may very well be the practical ‘Scot’ in my own self that responds appropriately with a careful “yes my darling, what is it that you’d like”. After the reminder, life continues as peaceful and full of bliss as it should be until such time as there is a need for ‘the Scots’ to rise again. Such is life between a common man espoused in bliss to a ‘direct’ descendant of ‘Mary Queen of Scots’, who was by all accounts a woman of particular temperament.

I’ve put that down to conclude that doing my best to bring this ‘dream of Scotland’ to the light of day, is the work of a practical man.

We will undoubtedly spend time driving around the countryside visiting castles and quaint villages whilst partaking of fine country bed and board and quenching our thirst with pints and drams. There may be just a bit of shopping and general milling about while soaking in the local flavor, as I am sure she will want to do. I’ll gladly walk beside her and smile and encourage a wee purchase that has caught her eye.

Seeing to the needs of the wife may just free up a few hours for myself to enjoy a bit of fishing. A bit of fly fishing on the esks of Northern Scotland. Although there are many larger pieces of water both loch and esk in which to sample native browns and salmon of a fair size, I will prefer to wade smaller streams.

Toni is an amateur artist and while I’m fishing, will be the perfect time for her to put paint or pencil to canvas. She may even choose to admire my finely honed piscatorial skills and immortalise the event on said canvas. Maybe.

In the Northeast of Scotland is the smallish town of Kildrummy. Here is a  four mile stretch of the River Don starting at the end of Glenkindie and running downstream through to

The Don River

Ardhuncart. The banks along this stretch are said to be in great shape and the Don offers up some fine native browns all out of water that is easily reached while wading. Just what I like most. Can you picture casting a fly to native brown trout in such a stream surrounded by such a beautiful Scottish countryside? I sure can and hope to be doing just that one day.

The Kildrummy Inn has double rooms for only £34.75 and is reported to be well worth it. That translates to $54.18 in today’s U.S. dollars. There are several other B&B’s and such in the area, several castles and a great view of the Scottish Highlands. I’m thinking that this particular region may just hit the mark to satisfy both myself and her highness.

A Stretch of Don

More on the River Don and wild brown trout. It is said that this is a great salmon fishery, it is possibly the finest wild brown trout water in all of Europe. Typing those words alone brings goose bumples to the back of my neck and makes my rod hand twitch. The browns that we catch on this side of the pond are mere relatives many generations removed from these fellas, so the thought of coaxing wily old grand dad is nearly enough to cause a bout of tachycardia. I fancy that my forefathers have enjoyed the same, though some of them hailed from the northwest and Wales–but that is another story and a possible fork in the road.

A dream of Scotland. Yes. Many have traveled hither and yon and lived this dream and many more, but not I. I suspect that some of the readers have; and I suspect just as many have a dream that is similar to this.

At any rate, enjoy your dream. I do mine. And quite possibly we will realize ‘a dream of Scotland’.

Here is a bit of reading…The River Don of Scotland.

~ by John McGranaghan on January 4, 2011.