Lorna Ross my host in Markinch has a real passion, and her guests are enabling her to fund it. Earlier this year, unable to stomach the news about the refugees pouring into Europe, and what she saw as total lack of understanding or compassion on the part of the current UK government, she decided to go to see for herself. With a small group of like-minded others, she went to Greece and became a volunteer helping other groups put up temporary shelters, cook and clean bedding in the camps. She is a confessed activist and puts her money where her mouth is. What she saw appalled her, and she is going back in three weeks for another three months to do whatever she can to make a personal contribution.
I asked her why so many young men are in the camps. She said most, as young as thirteen are being sent by families to prevent them being conscripted by ISIS to fight against their own people. She also said a huge number are professional people; doctors and lawyers in their own country, desperate to protect their children and their elderly. Makes you think.
Is it really nearly June? It feels like February today. Perth is only 30 miles away so having spent a very thought provoking morning with Lorna I decided to revisit Falkland and its Palace and I am so glad I did.
What a gem!! My favourite Scottish National Trust Property so far.
To see inside you will need to look at their website because no photos were allowed to be taken. It had wonderful wooden painted friezes, magnificent tapestries and four poster beds bug it also had modern photos and books because it is a home not just an ancient palace.
It was the favourite retreat of Scottish Kings and Queens since the 1100. - the Balmoral of its day. It has the oldest tennis court in the world.
The chapel Royal is a working Catholic chapel and may be the only Catholic Church owned by the Queen today.
There is an icon of a black Madonna in the chapel made by Polish soldiers stationed at Falkland during the Second World War. It's made out of tinned beef cans.
The grounds are beautiful.
They smelt wonderful as so much blossom was out.
There is a modern wrought iron gate into an old orchard where the Scottish National Trust has planted old Scottish varieties of fruit trees.
There is a wicker lady in the orchard as well as a willow labyrinth where adults are encouraged to walk in slow meditation and children to dance!
The village was very different on a weekday morning to how I found it a couple of evening ago. Lots of locals and tourists about today made it almost seem bustling. Falkland was the first place to be made a conservation area as it has no fewer than 28 listed buildings.
The Campbells is a good coffee shop with tasty food including an excellent gluten free menu.
I also noticed letters and numbers over the lintels on some of the old properties and someone told me they were marriage lintels. The letters are the initials of the couple and the date when they married.
On route to Perth Lorna had suggested I stop off at Loch Leven and look at the little island castle where Mary Queen of Scots had been kept prisoner for a year. She only escaped when Willie Douglas got all the guards so drunk no one noticed her getaway.
To get to the island required a boat
And Miriam , a medieval scholar who absolutely adores castles.
On the ten minute trip to the island she gave me a list of others in the area worth visiting. I made a note for my daughter Morgan who blogs on castles.
As with so many other tourist destinations on this journey this far, I was the only one. Miriam deposited me on the island and left.
It was a bit creepy to be honest, and blooming cold, and I hoped she would remember to come back and collect me.
She did, an hour later.
Tonight's stop is not actually in Perth but a village about 7 miles away -Forgandenny.
