Bloody queens

Last night I was reminded of my journey home from Scotland.

I drove from the hospital to my third stop, the home of Knitty and her husband. They fed me and watered me. Mr Knitty and I then tortured Knitty with a movie, she doesn’t like movies, but she felt obliged to provide me with some televisual entertainment when encouraged by her husband.

From their place I drove back to London but not before they took me for breakfast at a local beauty spot.

The very hospitable Knitties live near Loch Leven and it was mention of this loch that put me in mind of the homeward leg of the Scottish trip.

A dramatised documentary, The Bloody Queens, mentioned that Mary Queen of Scott’s had been held prisoner on an island in Loch Leven. This was after the suspicious killing of her husband Lord Darnley and before becoming the ‘guest’ of Elizabeth 1st. This piece of historical information alone may make it worth a visit. Its beauty would also be reason enough.

Although I fancy myself interested in all things cultural, my main reason for visiting was the restaurant (fabulous breakfast, thanks chaps) and the gift shop. I love the gift shop. I love gift shops generally. Knitty and I can happily spend hours in this one, after a quick look at the view to be polite.

What people want from a wife, friend, or colleague who’s been travelling is locally produced food stuffs from the trip, edibles with local names. For those I find you generally need a gift shop. So that’s what everyone got from the Loch Leven visitor centre, Ecclefechan tarts, iron brew sweets and Hebridean sea salt fudge.

I’m sure that if Mary Queen of Scott’s had a list of wishes, in amongst; being free, being Queen of Scotland and possibly of England, and being reunited with her son, there would have been a wish for a gift shop near her island residence.