Our Sunday evening was spent in familiar surroundings as we took the short walk through the village of Aberlour down to the Mash Tun which sits just beside the River Spey.
The Mash Tun was recommended by our AirB&B host Stan in 2019 and he did us right. Good food, friendly crowd and a ton of whisky. We enjoyed all of it.
We try and sit at the bar for most dinners if that’s an option as it gives us a chance to talk to the barman and anyone else who sits near us. At a table we are usually stuck with each other and after a few days of each others dumb face we’re ready for some new folks with new conversation.
It paid off last year here as we chatted up the friendly barmen here and they gave us all sorts of tips and advice on the area and were certainly helpful as we tasted a few of the 800 plus whiskys they have.
When we mentioned we were going to Islay, The Whisky Island, Kevin a barrel chested, bearded, whisky aficionado insisted we go to the Bowmore distillery. It’s the best he said and we took his advice and he was right. We’ve been to quite a few distillery tours and Bowmore topped them all.
We took it easy on the water of life knowing we had an early tee time on Monday but knew we’d be back again to sample their goods.
The River Spey runs through Aberlour and just behind our rental. And if we were adventurous we could have sailed down the Spey to where it meets the Moray Firth and arrived at our next course, Spey Bay Golf Club. Aptly named as a few holes run along this lovely waterway and other holes run along the sea and offer expansive views of the Firth.
This is another local course that goes unnoticed by all except the most avid links golfers. It’s another of those clubs that is supported by their members and locals not relying on the big ticket tee times others charge guests.
It may be one of the best buys for links golf in Scotland. Twenty five pounds to walk eighteen holes! That’s about thirty three bucks. Heck I paid twenty one bills to walk nine holes at at Schenectady muni before I left. And that was at 6:00pm!
A Scot knows a good deal and Spey Bay is just that.
We started off in fine weather, seventy degrees, sunshine and a wee breeze. The course starts along the river and looks more parkland here than links. At the eighth hole, Plateau we got what we came for.
It’s that view of the sea we love and this short par three sits right on the water. I love short par threes…maybe because I am always hoping for another ace.
As it turns out the par threes were the determining factor in the match as I bested George on each one of them and that has to be the first time that ever happened.
We split all the other holes but my two birds and two pars on the par gave me a win. Ah, the sweet smell of victory…and the sea.
Spey Bay is a nice, little course with a nice little clubhouse. It was in fine shape, a little scruffy as many of these courses are and had some serious humps and hillocks. Definitely worth the twenty five pounds.
I grabbed the wheel as we headed out but because I had planned an afternoon activity. 
Right next door to Spey Bay sits the Scottish Dolphin Center, in fact we could have walked. But our legs need all the breaks we can give them.
The Dolphin Center is home to a large pod of bottlenose dolphins which can be seen just about every day frolicking in the firth. Ospreys and seals are common and so many different birds can be seen from this neat little coastal spot.
The River Spey to the west is home to so much local wildlife and the firth is a playground for all those dolphins. Yes, we did see those dolphins and even a few oyster catchers that are on the logo of one of our favorite clubs, Machrihanish.
I am glad I twisted George’s arm to get him here but he has grown into a regular marine biologist. 
Last year it was he who hurried down the rocky shore at Machrihanish to get a look at hose huge seals, lounging on the rocks. I just get him to these out of the way places and he jumps in with both feet.
We had a great time at the Dolphin Center and still had time to stop in the original Walkers Shortbread Store in Aberlour (the factory is there but does not offer tours). Walkers is good stuff…not Keto friendly but when in Scotland, do as the Scots do. I did.
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