Two words I dread: “designated driver”. It’s always struck me as a particular obstacle to road-tripping in Scotland, where whisky distilleries make such appealing pit stops. Hop aboard a bus, however, and everybody can indulge in a dram or two.
That is how a few friends and I found ourselves borne merrily through the Spey Valley this summer on Stagecoach’s number 36 between Dufftown and Elgin, glimpsing heather-cloaked hills, herds of grazing Highland coos, and fishermen wading into the river to cast for salmon. The route takes in Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Glen Moray, Speyburn and Craigellachie – names familiar to any self-respecting Scotch fan. Knowing we’d opted for the lower-carbon choice also left us with a self-satisfied glow (or perhaps that was the whisky).
