IPDG's Travels Week 9

The two great delights of a past DG are the freedom to decide how you will spend each day, and having the opportunity to get re-acquainted with the members and activities of one's own Club. The latter saw Daphne and I heading westwards to the south bank of the River Tay to join up with some 60 Rotarians and their partners, to cruise up river to Perth. We were fortunate to be in the care of Rotarian Dennis Beattie, who is incredibly knowledgeable about this particular part of the world.The weather was glorious, people had come along with all sorts of refreshments, both liquid and solid, and the views conveyed a totally different outlook on parts so close to our own doorstep. Very quickly after leaving Newburgh, the river took a surprisingly large curve, and Dundee and parts to the east disappeared from view. Ancient explorers reaching this point from the west, could easily be forgiven for thinking that they were approaching the eastern end of a landlocked piece of water, with no obvious way of further progress. In leisurely succession, we passed the reed beds long used to thatch cottages over a surprisingly wide area, the old bothies of the river's salmon fishers, and several still amazingly sound stone piers which figured largely in the transport of goods up and down the river.The magnificent Elcho Castle just appeared over the top of its surrounding cloak of trees, and before long the magnificent Friarton Bridge came into view. The latter is even more impressive from below than it is as one drives over it. Passing by the fringes of King Edward Island and its challenging golf course, we turned in the harbour area before retracing our journey back down river. Passing by the point at which the River Earn enters the Tay, a number of interesting birds were on view to satisfy the ornothologists amongst our group. Approaching Newburgh again, we passed by the area where, as a small boy, I used to fish from a liitle boat for flounders, taking care to assure the Tay River patrols that we were not out to hook a salmon when no one was looking. Daphne and I returned home more knowledgeable than we left, and having enjoyed a really good day out with excellent company and good fellowship. Not surprisingly, further such trips are planned which will cover other parts of the Tay Estuary.