Keith and Therese Turnbull Visit Scotland

Bedrule Kirk

Inside Bedrule Kirk

Turnbull Crests inside Kirk

View from Fatlips Castle

Keith Turnbull at Fatlips Castle

After Therese's hard earned graduation from St. Louis University's counseling doctoral program, we jumped on a flight to Scotland less than 48 hours later.  We rented a car in Newcastle and drove to the borders... what a new and challenging experience driving, especially when one cannot find the windshield wiper switch.... However, being left handed, it came pretty quickly to me.  We stayed at a lovely B&B in Jedburgh,  and made fast friends at the Forrester Arms pub just a few doors down on Castlegate St.  We met a Jimmy Turnbull, native local from the area, and we shared a pint and photos with him.  The photo with Keith and Jimmy was taken in the pub under a picture of William Turnbull from 1900, who was the "sheriff" of the area at the time.  We spent time with our new friends and their up and coming B&B being treated with a personal fiddle concert by Watt, the phenomenal fiddle (violin) player and have stayed in touch with them via email and Christmas Cards.

We spent some time at the kirk in Bedrule, taking in the history and scenery.  We drove to Hawick, went by the old shop of John Turnbull's and stopped at the foot of the Minto's Hills-Fatlips Castle.  It stopped raining when we left the car to hike the hill, and the photos attest to the beauty of the area.

The photo of the surrounding land (with the castle turret in the right side), was taken with Keith holding Therese by the belt loops out the top castle window to make sure the photo was "perfect".  As we made our way down the hill, the rain waited until we were 25 feet from the car we made the cover of the car with no rain soak...

Plaques commemorating Turnbulls of Bedrule and Bishop William Turnbull in Bedrule Kirk.

After two days and nights in Jedburgh and Bedrule, we drove to Edinburgh, ate at our favorite seafood place

(The Mussle-Inn), and checked on a buddy at a local whisky shop (only to find out he was currently in India).  We then trained to Ft. William and stayed at another wonderful B&B (Cuil Na' Sithe), drove/toured

 Glencoe,  (all the waterfalls in and around) Glen Etive, Glennfiddich, the train to Mallaig (WOW!), Ft. Augustus, the lift up to Ben Nevis and All the lochs...meeting and sharing a drink with the crew and cinematographers with Harry Potter III at the local hotel, and... the ultimate highlight of hiking an hour through Glen Nevis to Stealle's Falls (400 foot falls that appear out of the mountains) and Keith's photos with a "Heilin' Coo".

We then trained back to London, and spent time with a friend/ex-pat who has migrated to the UK and remains (which means we have to keep going back to visit!)