We went to Wick

Wick is generally a place for passing through rather than visiting, which is no doubt a burden and a sorrow to the Caithness Tourist Board, but the Scottish Opera's Highlights tour was  on in Wick, so to Wick we naturally went.

This necessitated an overnight stay, since the ferries stop running long before the concert would be over, and the OH, naturally, booked Ackergill Tower. It was 'the only room available' within a reasonable distance of central Wick. Apparently. I was dubious about this, because I know full well that the OH has hankered after a stay in the very posh Ackergill Tower for many years. However a friend who lives in Wick assures me that in fact accommodation there is currently at a premium because the town is full of construction workers who are busy with the giant wind farm that's going up locally.  And as I don't think the OH suborned him to say so, I have chosen to believe that the Ackergill Tower was in fact our only option. 

So this is what it looks like

and this was our room. I've had bigger rooms in a Premier Inn

This is the view from our bedroom window, complete with rainbow!

and this is where they serve breakfast

a few shots in the grounds

First impressions weren't good as the receptionist, camping out in an office because the reception area proper was being refurbished, had obviously done what she considered to be her quota of listening to what guests actually said for the day, and our room was a long and tiring climb up on the second floor. The interior of the tower is quite dark and full of dark old furniture, and dark old pictures of dubious quality. However our room was warm and comfortable,  the bed was great and the shower in the en-suite easy to operate, powerful and hot. We had a great view from our window and there were multifarious lounges, games rooms etc to use had we had the time. The breakfast room was lovely, and the breakfast choice very good, It's a shame I can never manage more than a pastry and a bowl of cereal, but the OH makes up for it with his full Scottish breakfast. The service was quick and attentive without being servile or intrusive. I don't think the positives quite made it worth the humungous amount of money we paid but they  came close.

We had dinner with the aforementioned friend, and here are our desserts

chocolate fondant - the OH

crème brulee with strawberries - me 

and lemon tart - the friend. 

The concert was fine, one excellent singer, two OK to good and one who we didn't like at all without quite being able to put our fingers on why. Here's a publicity shot, from Herald Scotland

We did feel the repertoire was largely rather obscure for an introduction to opera, but getting the balance between the popular tunes for the complete novices and interesting stuff that will be new to people who are familiar with a lot of opera must be tricky. It all made for an enjoyable night away of the sort we haven't bothered with for ages because of my eyesight and apart from a bit of a choppy trip back, it was all lovely. 

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