Corgarff Castle is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland. We passed it on the way down from Dufftown to Ballater last year on the (in)famous Tomintoul – Cock Bridge road, the A 939. Unfortunately it was on one of the days of the week when the castle isn’t open.

It’s ummissable from the road standing on the hillside as it does, but there’s a steep path up from the car park.

Castle from approach path:-

The unusually shaped perimeter wall was built when the castle was a barracks.

Close view:-

From northwest:-

From southeast:-

From northeast:-

On the way down from Craigellachie we stopped off at Dufftown, mainly to have a look at Balvennie Castle, once the seat of the Earls of Buchan. We couldn’t go into the interior  since the castle was closed on the day.

Balvennie Castle information board:-

Balvennie Castle:-

Entrance:-

Gate:-

Interior through gate:-

From northwest:-

As you might expect from a William Adam designed house, Duff House has some ornate touches with some lovely ceilings:-

Parquet floor:-

Library:-

Duff House is a stately home in Banffshire, designed by William Adam.

Frontage:-

East aspect (to right above) There was an extension here but it got bombed during World War 2:-

West aspect:-

A model is of the house as originally conceived is inside:-

Interior of the church.

Centre aisle:-

Ceiling:-

Altar and stained glass window:-

Side aisle:-

Organ:-

Centre aisle and stained glass window:-

St Machar’s Cathedral in Aberdeen has not had a bishop since 1690, so it is now technically a high kirk. It is used as a parish church by the Church of Scotland.

Spires:-

From entrance gate:-

From sides:-

Rear of kirk:-

On our trip west last April, as well as taking in the Willow Tea Rooms  (see previous posts) we also visited the Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed Hill House again.

It’s undergoing evaluation for remediation of the water ingress problems it was suffering from. I showed the cage it has been shrouded in here.

You can see some of the interior features in various posts I made in 2022. Look for Hill House in my search box.

Gates to Hill House:-

Information Boards:-

Some of the harling removed as part of the investigation into procedures to remediate the water ingress problem:-

Adjacent gable:-

Patch as part of remediation investigations:-

Two windows:-

Vertical window:-

Wall plaque (which looks like a design by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, wife to Charles Rennie Mackintosh):-

Upper Level:-

Fireplace, upper level:-

Seating, upper level:-

Minor Art Deco style, Wallace Street, Dumbarton:-

I can’t ever have walked down Wallace Street before as I don’t remember seeing this building until this visit in April.

Doorway detail:-

I had seen this one many times: the former Co-op on the corner of Greenhead and Glasgow Roads. The date above the lintel is 1922, a bit early for true deco:-

We also took a stroll along the quay in the town and spotted this children’s slide (chute) in the shape of an elephant, with a wooden play elephant behind. An elephant appears on the crest of the town and of the mighty Sons, Dumbarton FC. It’s a nice nod to that heritage to have these play objects reflect it:-

St John’s Kirk, Perth, lies in the centre of the city. It is the site of the city’s War Memorial, which I shall feature later. There is a newer, indeed relatively recent, war memorial to the exterior of the Kirk in St John Street.

This is dedicated to all who gave their lives in the service of their country:-

The Kirk had an open day last September so we took the opportunity for a look around. Model of Kirk:-

Different angle. Pity about the reflections:-

The font:-

This pew had unusual dog-shaped finials:-