Long May Your Chimney Smoke!

Story by Roberta Beach Jacobson

Though Scottish pubs are rich in tradition, modern times are initiating some changes. Gone are the days when pubs were open Sundays only to legitimate travelers, when some Scots were known to grab their walking sticks and hike to a nearby village, arriving as a weary traveler in need of an ale or two.

Travelers aboard the Spirit of Loch Ness won't need any walking sticks to visit Scottish pubs, as pub crawls are included in the itinerary. Barge owner-captain Robin Black will see they get plenty of practice in a traditional Scottish toast, Slaeente mhor! ("Good health!") for starters. As they progress in their Scottish pub knowledge, guests may even get in a Lang may yer lum reek! ("To a long life," or literally, "Long may your chimney smoke!"), another oldie-but-goodie in pub lingo. The Spirit of Loch Ness, 105 feet long and 18 feet wide, travels the Caledonian Canal and caters to eight passengers for an insider's look at the Scottish Highlands.

It's not your imagination that you hear bagpipers as you cross Loch Ness, as this is just one small on-board detail Black includes to make your journey more memorable.

The lure of this Scottish Highlands trip, however, is the golfing. The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle in Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland--formerly the home of Andrew Carnegie--offers 7500 acres with two private golf courses, a championship 18-hole links course (designed by Donald Steel) and a parkland course. The Scottish-born steel tycoon/philanthropist left his Scottish homeland at age 13 to head for America. In 1898, following the birth of his only child, he acquired Skibo Castle, where he later entertained the likes of the Rockefellers, Rudyard Kipling and Helen Keller.

Today golfing at Skibo is a by-invitation only experience. Members include corporate elite and A-list celebrities and politicians. The eight passengers on the Spirit will get a rare opportunity to savor Skibo, as well as to work in some additional golfing at nearby Royal Dornoch and Nairn.

An experiment: Try dropping these club names among your golfing friends and watch their expressions. Life simply doesn't get any better than this.

Carnegie described his Highland country estate as "heaven on earth" and guests were welcomed on a grand scale. How grand, you ask? How about a fireplace in the bathroom? Luckily, classic elegance does not change over time, so barging enthusiasts will get an opportunity to actually feel regal at Skibo Castle, which is considered one of Europe's most secluded castles. The area enjoys a warm and sunny micro-climate with extraordinarily low rainfall, so golfing is possible there year round. Golf, of course, was born in Scotland.

The park around Skibo Castle is maintained as a protected area and has an abundance of wildlife, ranging from otters to ospreys. Fresh produce for the Carnegie Club comes from greenhouses and two farms on the estate.

A whole-boat charter of the Spirit of Loch Ness runs $28,000 for the Scottish Highlands golfing extravaganza. Ellen Sack, known as the "Barge Lady," is the woman in the know about barging the canals and rivers of Europe. If you feel you could use some "heaven on earth" in your life, why not check out her Website (www.thebargelady.com).

The bagpipers are standing by.

Photo Credits
Bagpiper: Keith Kellett
Castle: Courtesy the Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle
Pub scene: Courtesy the Scottish Tourist Board