Little Mermaid

We started the day with a hearty breakfast in the hotel, which was right next to the Boat of Garten station for the Strathspey Railway, so we thought we should have a look at the first steam train of the day as it came through.  It was quite a spectacle puffing into the station as a piper played, and we enjoyed watching it take on more water before it departed.  CyclopsJnr enjoyed the model trains in the tiny museum there too.

Next we headed up the the RSPB Nature Centre at Loch Garten.  Loch Garten itself is very pretty (even more so when CyclopsJnr poses on a rock - pictured), and the nature centre is just a short walk through ancient forest.  It's best know for its Osprey's which put on a good show for us.  One was on the nest, the other had caught a fish and was sitting in a nearby tree holding it in one claw and tearing chunks off with its beak to eat.  You could see them both through the telescopes and binoculars, and on screens showing the camera feeds (which are also live streamed).  Spectacular.  CyclopsJnr enjoyed various kids activities including comparing his grip strength to that of an Osprey, and building an Osprey's nest.

We briefly visited the Old Spey Bridge before lunch, which is a lovely spot.

Heading back down the Snow Road route we stopped briefly at the Fodderletter Lum.  This is one of two surviving stone chimneys (we spotted the other one too) so roadmen working on these remote roads could erect a portable hut next to it and have a proper fire to cook on and keep them warm.  

Our final stop was in Braemar.  The weather was a little cooler today but still warm enough to justify ice-cream!