The Plockton Inn & Seafood Restaurant

Most of my wanderings are focused on what to do in an area when I get there and not so much on the place I’m staying. I consider the hotel/inn/guest house simply a place to grab some shut-eye, wash up and get out of the weather. Whilst I have, for the most part, been fortunate with the overnight lodgings on this trip, in this case the Plockton Inn is the destination.  The classic, look of the buildings (there is an annex across Innes Street from the main building) their ‘Inn-ness’ so to speak.  The aroma wafting from Kenny’s smoker out back.  The smell inside as the dinner hour arrives as Susan & Mary do their culinary magic all captivate the travelers as they arrive.  At least it did me back in 2007 when I first visited wanting to see palms trees growing latitudinally north of Moscow.  Cordyline Australis or cabbage tree is a native of New Zealand so the tree (known in Scotland as the Torquay Palm) can only grow here due to the warm air from the North Atlantic Drift.  Now spending a few days here has become a must on my Scotland wanderings with this being my 4th stay.

This time I’m spending a week.  All the schlepping of the suitcase & backpack has taken it’s toll on this nearly 65 year old so few days of doing nothing will help both mind and body.

Let me show you the Inn.

The Annex

Reception 

Dining

And Pub

When I arrived I had a quick pint of Plockton Bay, one of local brewer Andy Will’s finest before heading to my room.  Due to the shortness of notice, Saturday I was relocated to the currently empty staff flat and have no complaints.

 

It’s over the pub so noise could be a factor unless one is part of the noisemaking.  And I’m sure Mick slipped something into my glass to help me sleep.  Oh, yeah, it was beer!

When I finally got settled and showered Friday and came down to join the folks at the bar I was very pleased to see most of the gang that were here last time and the time before that, and before that. The 5 O’Clock gang standing watch.  It was fun to say hello to Curley, Jim, BK, Andy, Gary and more as they drifted in.  It seems like BK was the most surprised that I remembered him but those that know understood how I did.  I’m not usually so good with names but these lads must have made an impression over the years.  And to quote Van Morrison “the crac was good”.

And finally, after  nearly 2 weeks in Alba I had a meal of proper haggis with clap-shot which is a blend of yellow turnip & mashed potatoes with pickled beetroot.  This combination is one of my very favorite meals.  One that due to the Mad-cow breakout nearly 2 dozen years ago in the UK, is unavailable in the US even though there is no beef in haggis.  Go figure. I also believe that US made haggis is not as good because the US doesn’t allow lamb lung to be served. A loss for all US connoisseurs of Scottish foods.

The Plockton Inn is a B&B and this one of course serves porridge, continental and the full breakfast of eggs, bacon,  sausage, beans & black pudding. But remember this Inn has it’s own smoker so today I began with smoked haddock. poached egg & black pudding.

Not a bone to be found and I never ate a meal more slowly savoring each bite.

Tomorrow it will be either kippers or scrambled eggs with smoked salmon.  Yum.