Today’s forecast, from the BBC: Northeast Scotland will have sunny spells, but with showers pushing in from the west. These showers could be heavy and thundery. Tonight, showers will clear, leaving many dry spells for a time with long clear spells. After midnight it will turn cloudy with the odd shower.
(In Scotland, maybe the “odd shower” is when the rain starts on the ground and goes up into the clouds?)
Today, we played Cruden Bay, a course from two years ago that we wanted to play again and show to Johnny. It is much the way we left it— hilly by the ocean, all links, with great doglegs that hug the natural contours of the terrain. Sigh. To climb the very steep hill to 9 (Hawkeye) and look out on the whole course and to Slain’s Castle beyond… that’s a view! Then to wind through the narrow valleys of 14, 15, and 16, guessing at direction and sometimes getting it right… That’s a challenge!
It was a joy to hit a few good shots, but an even greater joy to see Johnny hit what they call here, “A real cracker!” Or, “A great skud!” If not so good, “That’s a real skelp.”
After golf, we were tired! We were sitting in the restaurant over extra big lunches when John noticed another bottle of Famous Grouse sitting on the bar. No, but yes! Another hole-in-one, here, yesterday, and just like at North Berwick, there was a help-yourself-bottle. Cheers to old Bob, and may he play well again tomorrow!
Then we chatted with a German couple (our age) who were over to play golf. They had taken the ferry over from Amsterdam to Newcastle and were driving their own car around to all the biggest courses in Scotland. Very cool. They loved talking with us. Sabine (the woman) was delighted to hear that I’m editing Brian Nosgard’s Golf Rules book. So, I’ve put her on the mailing list for Brian’s Rules clinic next April in Denmark! (If you’re interested, let me know.) So now we have friends in Germany, where apparently, they play lots of golf!!
Finally, with enough energy to stand, we headed off for a quick stop at the hotel and then out to Slain’s Castle— the inspiration for Dracula. No kidding! Bram Stoker actually stayed in Cruden Bay and, while staring out the window, wrote parts of the novel. In the book bin at our hotel, I found a copy of “Dracula,” which John has been reading like a blood-thirsty fiend ever since! (While I read golf history from a different shelf, and Johnny reads on his phone.)
To get to the castle, we drove to a remote car park, then walked down a long, shell-covered road used “for emergency vehicles only.” Slain’s was abandoned early in the 20th century, but in order to avoid taxes, the owners removed all the furnishings and roof, making it into an instant ruin. Now all that stands are magnificent walls and winding staircases. It’s considered an “at your own risk” sort of sight, with no protections of any kind to keep you from falling from banner-less stairs or teetering over the edge of the cliff to the rocks and waves below. Yes, this is definitely a good place to conjure up your own haunted or horror story!
See pictures attached.