The pandemic has forced us to cancel our Scotland Golf Vacation this year. But we refuse to let that stop us from doing all the things we love in Scotland. So for the next two weeks we’ll be in Scotland, not physically but mentally. We choose to take our own imaginary vacation to those lovely links. We’re not crazy…not yet anyway.
Fair, dry weather and an ever-present breeze saw us around Kilspindie Links in fine form. A celebratory drink was required in the clubhouse- a 3&1 victory was sweet on our first round but somehow I had the feeling it might be my last win of the trip. Jeff was rounding into peak form.
A short drive to Craigielaw Lodge and then a chance for a shower, a change of day old clothes and a fine meal beckoned.
Last January, while making our bookings, I must have exchanged more than a dozen e-mails and phone calls with a lovely lady named Shirley. It took a bit of effort to get the tee times that suited our schedule and secure payment but everything was then set.
Shirley wasn’t on hand to greet us but a friendly young lass, Mairi, was happy to help.
‘You’ll be wanting just one room, ae ?” she queried.
Her eyebrows raised a wee bit when we replied affirmatively.
The Lodge at Craigielaw is a modern design, recently built. Yet like most smaller hotels in Scotland, it lacked an elevator. Not a problem, just one floor up, to the first floor. The ground floor is not the first floor in Scotland.
We were traveling light so our old bones could easily haul our stuff up one flight. Mairi led the way.
As we entered the room we saw a large picture window facing the back garden on the right, and one queen size bed to the left.
“I’ve got the left side” I said.
But Jeff wasn’t having any of that. He’d turned a bright crimson, as did Mairi. Red’s not his best color, blue brings out the light in his eyes.
It was apparent that Mairi thought us an odd couple while Jeff took pains to explain that we were brothers, not husbands, and that our booking had been confused. We needed one room but two beds.
“Oh, I see” she said. “I think we’re fully booked. Let’s return to reception and see if we can sort it”.
Fully booked they were save one small room at the top of the Lodge they called a garret room. We came to call it something else altogether.
That’s how we came to occupy The Hobbit Suite.
This charming little cubby of a room was tucked up under a gable end of the lodge roof. Both side walls sloped from top to bottom at forty five degree angles. It was like a loft space at the very top of an A frame structure.
We could enter fairly upright and walk the centerline of the room it’s full length to the bathroom at the rear. But stray of that central path and you were bumping your head on the ceiling. Yet it was clean and orderly and sported two beds, head to foot on the inside wall.
I tried urging Jeff to return to our original room but he was having none of that. Well it was only one night, we were pretty knackered having only a brief snooze on the plane (me, at least) and we’d be off to luxurious digs in Fife Wednesday after our Craigielaw round.
The Lodge dining room proved more spacious than the Hobbit Suite and food and service were top notch. G&T’s to start, some lamb chops with roast potato for me, fillet steak and summer veg for Jeff.
After dinner we made for the bar. Glenkinchie is an old and notable Lowland Distillery pretty local to the area so we thought about a dram or two from their offerings. The Glenkinchie Distillers Edition is a malt that was re-casked after it’s traditional aging. The whisky was placed in Amantilado Sherry casks with the sweetness of the sherry coming through but not dominating. It had an underlying creamy taste and mellow texture. A great way to end a great first day.
Now off to bed for Bilbo and Frodo.
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