When I was wee, I used to love it when we drove anywhere near Auchtermuchty as it was a riot of Scottishness with its two ‘ch’ vowels which are so alien to the English tongue. ‘Ochtermuchty’ was filled with colour when we drove through it and it was proudly pronouncing a prize it had won!

But it wasn’t our destination, that was the Backhouse Rossie estate. The home of the Backhouse Heritage and Education Centre where we visited the restored Wall Garden and where the pollinators were out in force.

It also has the longest rose archway in Scotland, emphasised by the infinity signs on the path. We didn’t see the red daffodils which are part of the national collection but it’s far too late in the year.

We wandered the Estate and saw the Covenanters tomb, followed the bear walk and saw the putting green before enjoying a lunch which follows the ethos of ‘food metres’ rather than miles. Definitely one to revisit earlier in the year next time! And we have some apples descended from the tree Isaac Newton named gravity from…