A walk in Callander powered by scones

February 10, 2013 by tearoomdelights

Two days ago, hoping for a spot of sunshine, I checked the BBC weather website and discovered that the town of Callander was going to be bathed in sunshine all afternoon.

The forecast promised me a high of 5 degrees C, soaring above the 3s and 4s of further north.

Somehow I got it into my head that this equated to a fine summer’s day, and I scooped up delightful assistant no.1 and sped off towards the Trossachs*.

On the way we stopped at the splendid Gloagburn Farm Shop and Cafe for a little sustenance.

Gloagburn is home to some of the finest scones to be found anywhere on Earth (I admit I haven’t tested this terribly extensively in global terms, but all the same I feel quite confident about my assertion).

We both chose fruit scones (the delightful assistant requesting one with a ‘shiny top’), I had tea and the delightful assistant had coffee:

I could not have been more pleased with my scone’s stretch marks:

Or, indeed, the frolicsome crockery:

Refreshed and completely satisfied by our repast we tootled off Trossachswards, arriving in Callander in time for a health giving stroll before luncheon.

The sun, which had shone for a while on the journey just before Callander, had retreated behind cloud when we arrived, but nonetheless there were plenty of people out and about taking the air and enjoying riverside walks:

My glamorous assistant and I wrapped up in our woolly hats and scarves, and loped off in a westerly direction along the banks of the River Teith.

A short way along the path, a signpost indicated that if we were considering taking a dip, this would be the ideal spot in which to do it:

Despite the encouragement, there were no bathers present.

A little further on there were no pipers either:

Although most of the trees along the riverside were deciduous, and therefore bare of leaves at this time of year, there was some nice fluffy lichen to be seen:

The delightful assistant likes to say that although lacking greenery in the winter, when trees are leafless it allows you to see their beautiful shapes:

There were signs of spring in the form of a few clumps of cheerful snowdrops:

Our walk took us over a metal bridge and along a level path with snowy Ben Ledi in the background:

Given the amount of time I’ve spent in Scotland, i.e. practically my whole life, you would think I’d have a handle on the weather by now. I even had it spelled out to me in black and white by the BBC, and yet I was surprised by the fact that it wasn’t a warm, balmy summer’s day in Callander. I confess I was fooled by the robust-looking number ’5′ on the weather chart and I allowed it to give me false hopes.

I must remind myself that unless the temperature gets into the double figures, and preferably above 20 degrees C, it is not going to feel like summer.

When we’d walked our appetites up, we returned to the town for lunch in a tearoom I’d never been to before. I’ll save the details for another post, but here’s a wee taster:

*The Trossachs is the name given to the area of countryside in which Callander nestles so prettily.

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Posted in Callander, Coffee, Leaf tea, Photography, Scone, Scotland, Snowdrop, Tea, Teacup, Tearooms | Tagged Bathing, BBC, Ben Ledi, cafe, Callander, china, coffee, Coffee Shop, crockery, Forecast, Fruit scone, Gloagburn Farm Shop and Cafe, leaf tea, Leaves, Lichen, Old Man's Beard, Perthshire, photography, Pipers, Pool, River Teith, Riverside, scone, Scotland, sheep, Snow, Snowdrop, Stretch marks, Tea, teacup, tearoom, Tibbermore, trees, Trossachs, Walk, Weather | 39 Comments

39 Responses

on February 10, 2013 at 14:16 | Reply Finn Holding

I must agree with your esteemed assistant on the subject of trees with no leaves, they are still splendid.

The naming of your lunch venue made me smile too: it does what it says on the tin.
- on February 10, 2013 at 14:32 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thank you Finn! It is lovely when you see a tree that has room to spread itself out and extend its branches, the shapes are always delightful to see.
on February 10, 2013 at 16:14 | Reply An Unrefined Vegan

It’s always cheering to see the snowdrops – tells me spring isn’t TOO far off! But the actual SNOW in the photos isn’t nearly so encouraging.

Question: why don’t my scones have those lovely “stretch marks”??
- on February 10, 2013 at 16:16 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  I know Annie, the snow is a bit of a down side, but hopefully it’s retreating. The stretch marks come courtesy of raising agent I think. I’ve noticed that when I whack a bit more in with my flour the scones stretch up like that. I think it’s also something to do with the combining of the fat, the quicker and less thoroughly you do it, the fluffier the scones.
on February 10, 2013 at 17:07 | Reply david

I’ve had the pleasure of sampling the wares at that Teashop in Callendar – better still it has a bakery attached so you can get a takeaway after your visit to the coffee shop. By the way I like the description of “stretch marks” in relation to scones.
- on February 11, 2013 at 07:39 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  I’m delighted that you’ve been, and it sounds as if you’ve had a positive experience there. The bakery was what really drew me, and I wasn’t disappointed.
on February 10, 2013 at 17:51 | Reply Tina Somberg-Buiks

Though it was a really cold day, it all sounds attractive and I would have liked to be there as well and see the stretchmarks with my own eyes!
- on February 11, 2013 at 08:00 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thank you, it was lovely despite the disappointing weather, and that scone was certainly worth leaving the house for!
on February 10, 2013 at 18:58 | Reply Darlene

What a lovely outing. I love the crockery and the sconces look amamzing. Tell me, what is a ‘shiny top’? Loved to see the snow drops. A ggod sign spring is around the corner. Can’t wait to hear all about the Tearoom in Callendar.
- on February 11, 2013 at 07:41 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thank you Darlene, the ‘shiny top’ was just the top of the scone, which had been brushed with egg to make it shiny when baked. I took a close-up picture of it but it came out blurred so I didn’t include it in the post. Seeing those snowdrops was wonderfully uplifting!
  - on February 17, 2013 at 17:18 | Reply Darlene
    
    Thanks for the explanation, it makes sense of course.
on February 10, 2013 at 19:13 | Reply midnighthues

Lovely place! Ah… 5 degrees that is still freezing even if the sun graced its shine there!
Leafless trees, I have been keenly observing lately, have a beauty about them. They can be gorgeous subjects for photographers and artists. Nice outing with your charming assistants Lorna!
- on February 11, 2013 at 07:42 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  So true Aparna, 5 degrees is not at all warm, I just got excited because it was a positive number and higher than anything we’ve had here for some time. The trees are always beautiful, whatever the time of year, and inspiring for poets too.
on February 10, 2013 at 20:07 | Reply ajb47

what a wonderful day out! okay, love the sheep cups. I must get to the Gloagburn Farm Shop. I am quite intrigued with it and keep hearing really good things about it. lol, piper’s pool … well there’s something I haven’t heard before.
- on February 11, 2013 at 07:44 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thanks Alison, you must indeed try and squeeze in a visit to Gloagburn if you can manage it. They’re in the process of building an extension at the moment which is due to be finished by Easter this year, so there will be even more of it to delight you when you come back to these shores. It’s a big success story!
on February 10, 2013 at 22:47 | Reply Clanmother

Thank you for letting me tag along. The scones were delicious and the tea wonderfully fragrant.
- on February 11, 2013 at 07:45 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thank you for tagging! These scones really are a treat, it was a while since I’d had one and it made me wonder why I’d missed out for so long. I will be back there again soon, now that I’ve had this reminder.
on February 10, 2013 at 22:52 | Reply teawithbetty

Lovely place, even if a bit chilly. Those scones are my kind of scone…rustic and enticing. Can’t wait to read about the tearoom too.
- on February 11, 2013 at 07:47 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  It was a bit chilly Linda, but we kept moving and didn’t get too cold. I’m in complete agreement with you, I like this sort of scone too, the kind that has character and individuality. Even before you bite into it your hopes are high. The tearoom will follow soon, thank you!
on February 10, 2013 at 22:57 | Reply suth2

Your photos of the countryside are beautiful. How lovely to see the snow on the hills and yet also see the clumps of snowdrops. Spring is on its way? I haven’t been to Callendar, I will need to include it on my next visit.
- on February 11, 2013 at 07:49 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thank you Heather, spring is indeed on the way! Callander is worth a visit I think. It’s quite a touristy place in the summer but it’s in a lovely area, the Trossachs National Park, and there are beautiful scenic nice walks nearby. I hope you get to see it one day.
on February 11, 2013 at 13:59 | Reply Jo Woolf

What a lovely trip out, despite the temperature! Perhaps we are all just so desperate for sunshine that we’re beginning to have hallucinations. I’m sure I’m having them, too! I’m glad you had a nice day – Callander is a lovely little place and the snowdrops are such a welcome sight. The scone looks wonderful – proof that even stretch marks can be a good thing! I have seen the Mhor tea shop in passing, and will be interested to know what you thought.
- on February 11, 2013 at 16:25 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  I think the cold must be addling my brain, Jo. Or, maybe I’m just desperate for warmer weather, that’s certainly true. I think anyone troubled by their own stretch marks should think of them as being akin to a perfect fluffy scone. I’ll be dishing out a few comments on Mhor Bread soon, it wasn’t quite what I had been expecting but it had charm and excellent bread.
on February 11, 2013 at 16:10 | Reply rigmover

mmmm scones, looks like you had a great time.
- on February 11, 2013 at 16:26 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thanks Mark, it wasn’t too bad at all, and that scone set the day up beautifully.
on February 11, 2013 at 16:20 | Reply crabtreegardens

Wonderful visit! I enjoyed seeing the snowdrops and the beautiful bridge and the scenery was equally pleasing. I can almost taste those scones! Thanks~ Sandi
- on February 11, 2013 at 16:26 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thank you Sandi, the snowdrops fairly cheered our hearts, and the scones cheered our stomachs. All in all, a pretty good day out!
on February 11, 2013 at 19:57 | Reply teabuddy

Oh, oh I love the floricsome scones with the shiny top and stretch marks. Also love the floricsome teacup. I thought at first they were chubby slugs floricking only to realize they were artistic sheep and now I am floricked out.
- on February 12, 2013 at 09:33 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Ha ha, chubby slugs! I see what you mean now that I look at them again with that in mind. I’m very glad they’re sheep rather than slugs though.
on February 11, 2013 at 23:46 | Reply Nine Cent Girl

Possibly the best looking scone I’ve ever seen! Yum yum!!
- on February 12, 2013 at 09:34 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thanks Moira, it lived up to its looks too!
on February 12, 2013 at 10:41 | Reply girlinafoodfrenzy

Hi Lorna, looks like a wintry adventure afoot and (being in the throes of summer,) I’m not surprised at all when you mention those glacial ponds and frosty lichen. Mmm, scones, I kind of miss rainy day baking and I do love a hot cuppa and a treat,

As for the Tearoom, looks very glam & fab, can’t wait!
- on February 12, 2013 at 11:58 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thanks Alice, it is nice to be inside with a hot beverage and a treat on a cold day, but I envy you your warm sunshine at the moment! The grass is always greener.
on February 13, 2013 at 16:51 | Reply megtraveling

That scone looks delicious! I also like the sign for the Piper’s Pool, and seeing the flowers hints at spring…
- on February 14, 2013 at 06:50 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Seeing green shoots pushing up through the earth is very encouraging, isn’t it? I don’t know why that bit of water’s called Piper’s Pool, but I like the fact that the council haven taken the initiative to signpost it. As for the scone….still a very happy memory days later!
on February 16, 2013 at 16:24 | Reply crazytraintotinkytown

This is without doubt my idea of heaven
- on February 16, 2013 at 16:31 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  In that case, heaven is only a few hours away by plane for you!
on February 21, 2013 at 20:11 | Reply doodlinggal

I burst out laughing when you mentioned how pleased you were with your scones stretch marks! They definitely look delicious though!
- on February 22, 2013 at 09:18 | Reply tearoomdelights
  
  Thank you, they were tip-top!