You can always tell when a hotel caters to multiple cultures. Peebles included on its magnificent breakfast buffet sliced meats and cheeses (German) chunked cucumbers and tomatoes (Eastern Europe) and small round items guests of Korean descent were appreciating. The rest of us left those rice-cake-with-bits-on things alone.

I dove straight for the oatmeal and Scotland’s amazing yogurt. There is nothing like real steel cut oats for a hearty breakfast. And if it’s a dairy product, Scotland does it right.

The Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall amazed the team, and some of the heartier members wanted to hike. (Photos and history here: https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/grey-mares-tail) I envisioned calling for a rescue helicopter when Cassidy ran for the top of the waterfall, but more realistic was our growing concern that we should take Harry to a doctor. We have taken tour members to hospitals before. Harry’s “slight cold” had gotten worse but he didn’t want anyone noticing and he wasn’t doing free UK healthcare. Because, Harry’s a guy.

Harry loved the waterfall, as did Andrea. If you show the Meadors birds, bushes, flowers, or falling water, they are happy. So Harry enjoyed the view from his van seat, parked carefully so he could see the Mare’s Tail, while the rest got their feet wet and learned about sheep. Who were now clogging the road and not leaving until they had finished their morning’s graze by the bridge. They didn’t care about our schedule but were willing to pose for photos in return for biscuits (ehm, cookies).

Off to Moffat, home of the world’s loveliest sweet shop. It’s an old-fashioned “by the scoop” place. And in the back they hid adult candy: gin and whiskey miniatures.

(https://www.moffattoffeeshop.com/ if you want to explore once you’ve finished reading.)

Two years ago I set out to taste as many Scottish gins as I could, because new distilleries make gin while waiting for their whiskey to mature. When I mentioned this to the checkout lady, she gave me a sympathetic glance. “You know there are 630 types of gin made in Scotland? As of last Tuesday, and there are new places coming online every day.”

I bought six different miniatures (1% down!) plus some rose and violet creams, which are hard to find stateside. Scotland does candy, gin, and dairy products right. We’re not going to talk about haggis.

The rest of the day was mostly “get to Stranraer, then recover and rest up” because we had a 7:30 ferry to Ireland the next day. Most historic hotels in Scotland don’t have lifts, although Stranraer had a Victorian one. That means a carpeted box where you close the door and the wall slides past you. Historic elevators terrify most Americans, as you can literally harm yourself if you’re stupid enough to put your hand to the wall sliding past. British people rely more on common sense, like “why would you do that” rather than “it is illegal to have such a lift.” And it was tiny, not more than two people with cases at a time. Since we had pulled in behind a tour bus…..

The lift kept Harry and Andrea from having to trundle their cases upstairs, which was great because Harry was not only sick, but the quintessential gentleman who would not allow anyone to help lug their luggage. They got ensconced in their room and Harry conked out for the evening, while the rest of us headed for meat, fish, or vegan courses downstairs. The group had their first sticky toffee puddings, and I wish I had photographed Maria trying that. We all need to find someone who looks at us the way Maria looked at her first Sticky Toffee Pudding.

And there was whatever anyone could manage for sleep before our 6 am departure to catch that ferry, and that was the second day.