Chorley Catenians Circle 23
Strengthening family life through friendship and faith
Thursday, Oct 19, 2023
On 19th October a group of 20 members and Ladies was led over the border, to Scotland, by Chorley President Bill Critchley. The group included members and Ladies from Longridge and Lytham St. Annes Circles.
The party travelled by coach to Kingussie, where they spent 4 nights at The Duke of Gordon Hotel. The hotel featured in the TV series ‘Monarch of the Glen’ many years ago. One Chorley member, Bob Hodgson, and his wife Mary, journeyed by car from their ‘new’ home in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, to join the group and meet old friends, in spite of storm Babet.
During the stay members of the group enjoyed various activities – a guided tour of the Ben Nevis whisky distillery (with samples, of course), a visit to the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge, a sail on the glass-bottomed boat on the Kyle of Lochalsh, a guided tour of the Rothiemurcus Highland Estate, and short ‘shopping’ trips to Aviemore and Fort Augustus. Some members of the group took the train to Inverness for a visit to the Cathedral and a walk along the river Ness. On Sunday the group attended Mass at the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Columba in Kingussie, and some met the Parish Priest, Fr. Emmanuel Alagbaoso.
Accommodation, food, and service at the hotel was enjoyed by all, although entertainment was limited as a consequence of storm Babet, which prevented entertainers travelling to Kingussie.
The party arrived back in Chorley in late afternoon on 23rd October, tired after the 7 hour journey, but happy, and wondering where their next trip would take them.