Monday Wash day in Sandend

We finally out- drove the rain yesterday and arrived at Sandend near Portsoy in something akin to sunshine.
We shed the luggage and then found a hotel in Cullen which had wonderful views over the Moray Firth, calm and blue under a tranquil sky, and had the first Scottish High Tea we've had for years- Fish and chips with the trimmings, toast with butter and jam, and finally a plate of small cakes all washed down with tea.
We managed to devour everything apart from two scones. A price will be paid, other than money!

Today we managed to hoist our stomachs on to the bikes and went for a roundabout breezy run to Portsoy via Fordyce.
The latter is a small conservation village with a castle and seemed to be from another time- peaceful, quiet, quaint and well preserved.

The icing on the cake, somewhat aptly, was to find a tea room in the village functioning in someone's front parlour. The setting was to be seen to be believed. Apart from the tables, the room was packed with gifts, cards, bolts of cloth for patchwork, silk threads, ceramics and toys.
There was nothing tacky and everything was in good taste, as were the cranberry and orange scones and the apple pie.

Oh dear things will have to change; this is life style is all too tempting. Little wonder that we never lose wight on our cycling forays when cafe stops are so tempting.