A SCOTTISH DIARY
Cruising the ‘Highlands’ for golf, natural wonders.
Valerie Savona distinctly remembers the 10-year-old boy and his dog. They playfully darted in and out of the growing crowd that was watching the Lord of the Glens make its approach to the first lock of the 60-mile Caledonian Canal. Suddenly, he stopped nearby Savona, who also stood on the towpath, watching the event with her husband, Vincent. The boy’s impatience, however, finally overcame his curiosity. “Ah, it will never get in,” he declared. “It will never get in.” As he ran back into the town of Fort William, he called over his shoulder to no one in particular: “But it’s a nice boat anyway.”
The youngster could not have known his assessments landed on the ears of the Lord’s owners. Nor had he stayed long enough to see his prediction proved incorrect. As for the Savonas, they never doubted. At 150 feet in length and 34.5 feet wide, the Lord of the Glens literally was made — reconstructed, to be exact — by the Savonas and a business partner precisely to fit the Caledonian Canal, albeit its clearance with the locks in certain places is a mere 2 inches on each side.
Since the luxury vessel welcomed its first leisure passengers in August 2000, the Lord has continued to attract the stares of locals as it regularly cruises the Canal. That fact is seemingly a juxtaposition with the quest of the vacationers aboard the Lord. They are seeking the natural attractions of the Scottish Highlands — a land of expansive skies, bountiful rainbows, symphonic light shows, moorlands, snow-covered mountains, forests, lochs, tumbling streams, ancient stone castles, potent whisky, unpredictable weather, sheep, more sheep, and, of course, golf.
A week of calling the Lord of the Glens home slows your pace, sweetens your life, and brings an appreciation of a rugged land whose dramatic landscape surely must be counted among some of the most spectacular scenery in Europe. Here are some excerpts from a diary of such a week.
SATURDAY, OBAN
9 p.m. The cocktail party to welcome the
Lord’s
latest group of 30-some golf-bound American and European tourists had
been followed by dinner in the vessel’s Robert Louis Stevenson Restaurant.
Any preconceived notions that onboard meals would be boring were dispelled
by the tempting entrée selections of saddle of lamb and baked cod. But now,
the clouds are covering the sunset. The water is untypically still. And the
town of Oban readies to celebrate Saturday night. Captain Sam Hammill, who
hails from nearby Fort William, has given passengers a tip about a local
pub. Go to the “Woodside,” he recommends. “It’s where you end up when you’ve
been to the rest.”
Traveler’s note: It doesn’t take long for a golfer to realize that the best course to Scotland’s “back roads” of the game is by ship. Many spectacular courses are also among the most remote.
SUNDAY, PORT ELLEN, ISLE OF ISLAY
No need for an alarm clock. The
Lord’s
engines start at 5 a.m. and the vessel sets its course for Port Ellen on
the island of Islay. We’re first heading away from the Caledonian Canal in
order to experience some of the best golf and whisky Scotland has to offer.
We’ll back track and enter the Canal on Wednesday.
We dock about noon and, following lunch, golfers depart for the Machrie Golf Links. Lining the road to the course are peat bogs, a reminder of the origins of the smoky taste of Islay-produced whisky (without an “e,” please, in Scotland). Islay boasts seven operating distilleries, and an eighth exists in its remaining bottles. Of every 10 bottles of whisky, 2.5 hail from Islay.
The beach by Machrie is gorgeous and tempting but a 2:24 p.m. tee time awaits on what is truly a classic links course. The relatively short 6,254-yard layout (5,119 yards from forward tees) is deceiving as its difficulty is heightened by blind shots, rolling dunes covered with meadow grass, and winds coming off the Atlantic. The Machrie clubhouse is combined with a 16-room hotel and 15 lodges (that sleep up to six) that provide additional accommodations.
After dinner on the ship, Stuart Thomson from Ardbeg Distillery conducts a whisky tasting. Ardbeg (meaning “headland”) reopened in the late 1990s and its earthy whiskies are reminiscent of rope, tar, salt, and lemon. Its current 10-year-old offering is less smoky than past examples but still distinctive. An Ardbeg whisky from more heavily peated malt (different peat bogs impart slightly different tastes) will be released about 2007.
What makes a good whisky? Thomson’s view: a prolonged finish.
Traveler’s note: Looking for a souvenir for the folks back home? Three whiskies that are difficult to find outside Scotland are Longmorn (15-year-old), Springbank, and Talisker. A favorite export, if you can find it, is Glenmorgangie.
MONDAY, PORT ASKAIG, ISLE OF ISLAY
After a seemingly brief, early morning cruise to Kennacraig, the golfers
are heading for Machrihanish Golf Club by 9:15 a.m. (Non-golfers have daily
sightseeing excursions.) Beyond the picturesque village of Campbeltown,
Machrihanish is on the very tip of the Mull of Kintyre and may be one of
Scotland’s most remote courses. It is worth the trek — from its very start.
The first hole measures 423 yards, and a golfer’s only hope of reaching the green in regulation is to drive over Machrihanish Bay. It is here that Scottish priorities about golf are made clear. A sign is posted on the path to warn those daring to enjoy the beach:
After this first hole along the water, the 6,225-yard course (5,428 yards from forward tees) turns inland among dunes. Along with the fact that the course has many blind shots, scoring opportunities this day are challenged by a sudden squall coming in from the water. But golf continues. Hey, it’s just a torrential downpour and seemingly gale-force winds. Forget the umbrella — Scottish golf is best when played in a “mist.”
About 6:30 p.m., the Lord departs her berth and heads for an overnight stay in Port Askaig on the Isle of Islay. For the first and only time, the open waters of the sea become very rough and Dramamine replaces the de rigueur cocktails. After docking and a delayed dinner, our resident sightseeing guide, Ludka Aitken, briefs us about Wednesday’s optional day-tour to the Isle of Skye.
Traveler’s note: In George Peper’s book, The 500 Greatest Golf Holes, Machrihanish’s opening hole is singled out as the best No. 1 hole in all of golf. The back nine of the course skirts the beautiful farmlands of former Beatle Paul McCartney.
TUESDAY, BANAVIE
No golf today. Instead, a group of us travel by motorcoach on the A82
toward Inverness and cloud-draped Ben Nevis (ben
means mountain) to ride the incredible Nevis Range Cable Cars up the slopes
of the 4,006-foot Aonach Mor for spectacular views of the Highlands. Our
journey also includes a stop at the Commando Memorial, which overlooks the
village of Spean Bridge. The monument was erected in 1952 in memory of
soldiers who trained at nearby Achnacarry and fell in World War II. And
along the way came a lesson in Scottish horticulture as we learned to
distinguish the yellow bush called broom from the coarser bloom of gorse
that lines and defines many Scottish fairways.
Back onboard the Lord of the Glens, we experienced a traditional Scottish meal that started with Cullen Skink (soup), followed by a sampler of Scottish classics (Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties), and Scotch Pies made with minced lamb and herbs. After dinner, David Solley and John Young entertained passengers with an evening of Scottish song and bagpipe and accordion music.
Traveler’s note: England’s Queen Victoria, whose reign dominated the 19th century, was captivated by the Scottish Highlands. In 1852, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased Balmoral Estate and made this Scottish property their summer residence. Balmoral Castle continues to provide a favorite vacation home for the British royal family.
WEDNESDAY, FORT AUGUSTUS
Passengers have to choose: A day-trip to the Isle of Skye or remain on
the
Lord of
the Glens as it makes its way through several lochs and locks
of the Caledonian Canal between Banavie and Fort Augustus. This amateur
photographer votes for Skye. The journey begins with a ride on the famous
West Highland Railway line through the Scottish countryside to the fishing
port of Mallaig. The 46-mile journey offers spectacular contrasts of
scenery, from lush green glens and deep lochs to sandy beaches and sea
views. Upon arrival, our group boards a ferry for a 30-minute crossing of
the Sound of Sleat (pronounced “slate”) to Armadale on the Isle of Skye. A
hundred miles long and 25 miles wide, Skye is the largest and most scenic of
the Hebrides Islands.
Put the Clan Donald Visitor Centre and its Museum of the Isles on your list of “must-sees” on Skye. The Clan Donald Library is a major center for genealogy research, whether your name is Macdonald or not. And pottery buffs should traverse the length of A87 to Uig Pottery near the ferry terminal to the Outer Isles. (Or you can visit www.uigpottery.co.uk to view this distinctive pottery inspired by the local land and seascape.) As we tour the island, we pass Kinloch Lodge, home to Lady Claire Macdonald and her famed cookery school. (Her husband is the High Chief of Clan Donald.) One of her 13 cookbooks is a unique present for culinary fans at home in need of a good haggis recipe. Skye also is a favorite destination for many in search of the ultimate in mountaineering in Scotland. Local custom suggests that you leave a note on the windshield of your car as to your mountain-climbing whereabouts. Most of all, Skye is just that — more sky than you’ve ever seen on any horizon, a land where rays of light compete with the spontaneity of a kaleidoscope.
We leave the island and return to the mainland by crossing the toll bridge into Kyle of Lochalsh. Now that there’s a bridge connecting Skye to the mainland, some officials insist it is no longer an “island.” A highlight to the afternoon is the visit to Eilean Donan Castle, probably the most photographed castle in the world and a backdrop for the movie Highlander starring Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert.
When we rejoin the Lord at Fort Augustus, we have time before dinner to explore this very pretty village at the southwestern end of Loch Ness. Shops offer a variety of “Nessie” souvenirs.
Traveler’s note: The Official Loch Ness Exhibition is at Drumnadrochit. First sighted in the 6th century, “Nessie” — the Loch Ness Monster — continues to draw attention and a wide variety of scientific, and not-so-scientific, explanations. Too much whisky is one of the more popular theories for the sightings of an eel-like creature.
THURSDAY, INVERNESS/NAIRN
Today is the
Lord of
the Glens Golf Challenge at the Nairn Golf Club — perhaps not
as notable as other events played on this venue (such as the 1994 British
Amateur Championship and the 1999 Walker Cup), but nonetheless fiercely
competitive. Nairn, positioned along the Moray Firth, presents fast-running
fairways that are heavily flanked by gorse bushes and large greens that are
tightly guarded with strategic bunkering. Accuracy is required but the
course lacks the turbulent dune contouring and blind shots found on other
Scottish courses. Thus, the 6,705-yard Nairn course (6,140 from the forward
tees) provides a challenging but quite playable links course for a variety
of skill levels. And, don’t forget your camera. Another reason to hire a
caddie — let him carry it. (No, no worries about where to pack the Challenge
trophy for the trip home.)
Traveler’s note: When to plan your trip to the Highlands? Let the blooms decide. From April to June, the thick yellow gorse abounds. From late July through September, the spectacular purple heather blooms.
FRIDAY, INVERNESS/DORNOCH
There’s a story, perhaps legend, about the 14th hole at Royal Dornoch
Golf Club. One day, a golfer made a hole-in-one at the 168-yard, par-3 No.
13. He followed this with a par on the 445-yard par-4 14th, called “Foxy.”
Later in the bar, a patron marveled at the golfer’s feat: “I understand the
hole-in-one on 13, but how in the heck did you par 14?”
Dornoch is well established in both serious and romantic golf circles. Yet as the most northerly first-class course in the world, it still borders on the verge of being a “hidden gem.” Nestled by the sea at Dornoch Firth, the 125-year-old course offers a majestic and scenic stretch of golf that follows the natural contours of the land. At 6,732 yards (5,956 yards from forward tees), Royal Dornoch is a thinking golfer’s delight. It is not enough simply to keep the ball on the fairway. The greens are generally open in the front, but they also are set on plateaus several feet above the fairway. It takes a strategically hit shot to hold the greens. Recovery shots from bunkers or surrounding grasses are nothing less than “interesting.”
Beyond a variety of outdoor pursuits, take time to explore the ancient royal burgh of Dornoch and its environs. The area is steeped in history and studded with castles, unique shops, and private estates (including Skibo Castle, the former home of Andrew Carnegie and now the exclusive Carnegie Club).
Traveler’s note: The Dornoch influence upon Donald Ross’ Pinehurst No. 2 is unmistakable and not coincidental. Ross, the son of a Dornoch stonemason, emigrated to Boston in 1898. He often noted the importance of his upbringing at Dornoch in influencing his golf designs and in helping him distinguish between architectural right and wrong.
SATURDAY, GLASGOW AIRPORT AND ONWARD HOME.
Final traveler’s note: It’s time to go home and you haven’t bought a
thing? Visit the “All Things Scottish” shop at the top of the stairs in the
departure lounge at the Glasgow Airport.
RESORTING TO ST. ANDREWS — WHAT’S NEW IN SCOTLAND
Picture this: A sprawling resort complex where golfers regale in all the amenities of a luxury hotel, while just five miles away, they can partake in the medieval history and traditions of the centuries-old village of St. Andrews in Scotland, unquestionably the spiritual home of golf.
This golfer’s dream is now a reality. Perched on a 520-acre cliff top, St. Andrews Bay Golf Resort & Spa encompasses a 209-room hotel framed by two on-site championship courses, a spa, and a state-of-the art conference center.
Fashioned as a multifaceted resort targeted to business groups and luxury travelers, St. Andrews Bay is wired so that every guest feels electronically loved. Business facilities include a 15,815-square-foot conference center with high-speed telecom systems, videoconferencing, and Internet and satellite links.
And golf is just a chip shot away from the front and back entrances of the hotel. In the front is the recently opened Torrance layout, the first design effort of European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance. Designed as a walking course, the 7,020-yard, par-72 layout with rolling fairways edged with high fescue grass has cliff-side holes and majestic panoramas of the North Sea, the village of St. Andrews, and the Carnoustie golf course in the distance.
In the back is the eagerly awaited Devlin course, a 7,026-yard, par-71 layout designed by Bruce Devlin slated to open later this year. Tours of the course have elicited wide-eyed anticipation from golf writers, several of which predict the course will emerge as one of the best in the region.
Other amenities include a spa and health club with six treatment rooms and an indoor swimming pool, two restaurants, and Kittock’s Den, a pub where guests can get a wee nip or a pint of ale. — Edward Schmidt Jr.
MORE INFO
For more information about the Lord of the Glens golf cruise, contact
Perry Golf at 800.344.5257, e-mail at perrygolf@golftravel.com, or visit
www.perrygolf.com. Also available are brochures featuring a variety of golf
touring programs.