One more from Scotland before the international break monthly review, and a highlight of my Highlands week.
My last pub before the last train back to Inverness, so a bit of a rushed effort in the Cairn Hotel in Carrbridge.
I really love visiting pubs in places I’ve never heard of (not Scotland).
708 people live here, of whom 704 are engaged in the two main activities of chainsaw carving,
and porridge making, with the village hosting the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships. But you knew that.
Come for the porridge, stay for the bridge, as the saying probably goes.
For £5 a young urchin will let American tourists take their Winnebago over the packhorse bridge, one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.
It was severely damaged in the “muckle spate” of 1829 that also put an end to the careers of 18 GBG tickers.
If you squint,the bridge looks just like the actual Loch Ness Monster, which lives upthe road (#Believe).
The Cairn was never going to compete with the bridge for excitement, but it was clearly the hub of the village, filling up nicely at 5pm.
“Are you a CAMRA at all ?” said the nice landlady. Even looking at a handpump outs you as a CAMRA in Scotland.
I own up, got my 10p discount on another Wahoo, and grabbed the viewing table.
The Summit Smash was a cool and rich 3.5, yet more surprisingly good Scottish cask, and all was peace and quiet in an unfussy local.
Then the dogs arrived. What is this Scottish obsession with dogs ? What’s wrong with haggis ?
“There’s more doggies than there are humans !” exclaimed a lady eyeing up my table.
Suddenly, all was chaos as the barking started.
“Here, have my table“, bolting for the door.
Then I bolted back in for the Gents.
retiredmartin 
Haggis are less well house trained than an unattended BRAPA on an empty station platform.
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Grief.
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Have you experienced much confusion between Carrbridge and the similarly named Cambridge ?
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Separated at birth.
Both have a pub in the GBG, both have a cafe selling carrot cake. I would like to see punts underneath that packhorse bridge though.
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– and be able to drink Greene king XX Mild up there ?
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Nothing would surprise me any more, Paul, having seen his many GK/Belhaven pubs there are up there.
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It’s not just Scotland, is it?
Dogs? Not just child substitutes, but spoilt child ones it often seems 😦
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There isn’t an applause button big enough for that, Etu.
Yes, owners allow their dogs to behave in a way that would have those owners in meltdown if they were children. Blocking the entrances to pubs and toilet (Witney), fighting (everywhere), urinating on the floor (Herefordshire). I could go on, and probably will.
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Etu,
That’s the worst of them but it’s the antithesis of the working border collies I’ve known to have great character and unbelievable intelligence and skills.
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The dogs themselves aren’t the problem.
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Exactly. Owners of ‘the worst behaved dogs’ also let their children believe that every pub is a Wacky Warehouse.
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Nice aspect ratios – I wonder where they are in settings – and well-composed shots there, Martin!
Colours are stunning too.
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“Aspect ratios” sounds posh.
I use Palma filter a lot and experiment with barley wine.
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It was severely damaged in the “muckle spate” of 1829 that also put an end to the careers of 18 GBG tickers.
I mis-read that as carers of 18 GBG tickers. but then remembered you are not that old !
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Simon definitely needs a carer after 5 pints 😉
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We can add that “Best seat in the house” photo to your upcoming exhibition: “Glowing Windows, Perfect Lacings: The Pub Interior Photography of Retired Martin.” The foreground beer glass being a bit blurry is a marvelous representation of what happens to my vision when I’ve had a pint or two.
The question “Are you a CAMRA at all?” seems to suggest there are different degrees of CAMRAhood. “Me? Oh, I’m a bit of a CAMRA, I suppose. But you should see my friend, he’s a CAMRA to the core.”
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“I’m a bit of a CAMRA”. Love it 😊
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