About your B&B Hosts

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Barrie and Olwyn are enthusiastic members of Tay Valley Family History Society. In the course of their own researches they have managed to put others in touch with hitherto unknown relations - fortunately with welcome results. On the down side they have not yet met the ghost of "Bonnie Dundee" but are ever hopeful of catching a glimpse of him as he walks along the ha ha on midsummer's eve. If family history is an interest you would like to follow log on to Dundee and Angus Roots. If you need further information we’ll help if we can.

Olwyn, formerly a teacher of speech and drama, runs her own business Words in Action.

Since Barrie took the opportunity of early retirement from Civil Engineering, he has adapted to the role of mine host with great aplomb.

Barrie and Olwyn count themselves lucky that they live in an area rich in antiques and like nothing better than attending auctions and browsing round the many local shops and galleries offering a wide range of furniture and collectibles. This of course has to be done when weather interrupts their other great interest of gardening.

Our large garden with its mature chestnut, holly and yew trees and younger oaks has all year interest. A fern leafed beech is an oddity.

Early in the year, snowdrops and scylla pop up under the old lime tree and along the woodland paths, followed by hundreds of daffodils and carpets of bluebells vying with the white flowers of wild garlic. Meanwhile the quince blossom bodes well for a good crop of fruit for Barrie to make jelly for the breakfast table.

Towards the beginning of June, cherry blossom and hawthorn are outshone by the glories of full blooming rhododendrons. By this time the young of chaffinch, bluetit, jay and woodpecker are flying off to give way to red admiral, painted lady and other butterflies attracted to the buddleia.

Many shades of foxgloves adorn the edges of the wood and in the wet meadow one dwarf purple orchid from many years ago has spread and now the careful searcher can find the many bright rosy purple heads.

A fox and two red squirrels are occasionally seen and five deer are regular visitors leaping over the ha-ha on their way to the Fithie Burn, seemingly undisturbed by the buzzards hovering overhead ready to swoop on their prey in the field below. A heron can often be seen standing still near the mill dam while a family of ducks make their noisy presence known.

Recently we bought two straw skeps believed to be over 100 years old which will sit in the bee boles formed in the ancient wall of the lower garden. Whether present day bees will be tempted to use them remains to be seen.