No matter your nationality (I’m English), for me there is no better sound than bagpipes, there’s just nothing else that rouses the same emotions as they do. The Highland Games never been but would love to. For me it’s sticky toffee pudding with custard. I do love catching up with your beautiful family and the way you are both so happy and full of enthusiasm for all you do. Finigan is adorable. We are a dog loving family and firmly believe children should grow up in a pet friendly environment, I believe it teaches them so much. Looking forward to catching up with your next release.
Yes, there is something special about the sound of bagpipes! I don't think you'll get too much push back on sticky toffee pudding with custard! Thank you for your kind comments!
My only encounter with a Highland Game was in the 1970’s in Estes Park, CO. Loved the bagpipes, all the plaid and have wanted to live in Scotland ever since. Thank you for sharing.
We loved going to a Highland Game in Scotland it was so different from those here in the USA but still familiar, here we have clan tents, there they had carnival rides and races plus the games and dancing and of course pipes and drums. Just found you guys !
Oh what a great video, ypu guys certainly put some effort into what you show us. Fantastic. Sticky Toffee pudding, upy are both right, topping which ate delicious, ice cream, custard and cream. Brings it to a whole new level. ❤
Thank you so much for showing the highland games. One of my fondest memories is attending the Highland games at grandfather mountain, when I lived in North Carolina. It draws a crowd of about 30,000. My favorite event is the sheepdog trials. I got a little misty eyed watching your video
30,000 is incredible! It felt huge, but I know it was nowhere near that number. Glad we could bring back some happy memories! Zach also feels it anytime the bagpipes start! ❤️
Butterscotch ice cream with sticky toffee pudding - unbeatable! 😍 Great video guys, really sums up Scotland with the games, the tartan and the bagpipes! Love it! ❤ Keep up the good work 😁 🖖
Hi zach and Annie 😊 nothing stirs my blood as much as the bagpipes and drums highland cathedral being my all time favourite thanks for taking us on your day out ❤
I'm originally from Liverpool but have lived in Italy ( Como) for forty years. Your visit to Pitlochry brought back beautiful memories of visiting with my sister and her two year old daughter. My niece is now 31 and sadly my sister passed away twelve years ago, so revisiting was very nostalgic for me. Thanks ❤
@@SimpleScottishLiving In ireland we have quite a few small towns that host huge sports events,clones a town of 3000 people host the Ulster Gaelic football final every year which is usually a 30 000 sellout and thurles 7000 which hosts the munster hurling final 45000 sellout and before stricter health and safety as much as 55000..Then there is a huge music festival called the fleadh(flaa) that attracts half a million visitors over a week and usually the hosting town has a population between 3000 and 30 000 .The fleadh is kind of like the highland games except its only for competitions in Music.
You both do such a great job with your videos and content. Next summer you all should drive onto the Cairnryan-Belfast ferry and explore the Giant's Causeway and the Glen's Of Antrim. Like Scotland there is spectacular scenery and plenty to explore. Keep the fantastic content coming (as time consuming as it can be to put together), so many of us are genuinely enjoying your adventures.
As much as people like to rag on the economy and the state of the UK, we know first hand just how much Scotland has going for it. Every country has its positives and negatives, but in our opinion, it’s not even close with Scotland. Loving it here and are extremely grateful to raise our family here ❤️🏴
Another great video your train journey looked terrible but it was worth it the Highland games looked good and Annies sticky toffee pudding looked delicious ❤
We attended the Braemar games in the early 2000’s. There was no commercial venues such as there seem to be here and the Queen was attending. It was so wonderful and experiencing the pipers march in with the PipeMajor striding ahead bedecked in his finery gave me goosebumps, it was so wonderful.
We considered going there this year, but we were told it would be worth it to wait and give proper planning time for that one in order to get good seats and accommodation. Next year maybe!
A brilliant video in every way. I enjoy all your videos but this one is fantastic, brilliant. An exiled Scot, I love Pitlochry too but never was at the Highland Games. You folks manage to capture everything and show the beauty of the area and atmosphere of the games. Even showing us how to make sticky toffee pudding. What will you do next? I just love you guys, best wishes to all of you, from a fan in Canada.
Such kind words, thank you!! We absolutely love it here and just try to do it justice. Our family in the States definitely enjoys the adventures, and it makes them feel closer. Glad you’re enjoying it! ❤️
Annie , what is the brand /name of the type of rain proof coat you bought in Scotland , the green one you are wearing. My husband and I might be traveling there in the near future. Thank you 😊. Love your family and all the videos.
Annie, Thank you for the information on the jacket. I have to tell you that you and your husband and children are adorable! I love watching all of your videos and seeing more of Scotland. My husband has hiked with friends that live in Edinburgh for a few years. We are older now so hiking is out for him. My maiden name is McCollum so there is a connection somewhere, 😂. Thank you for all you share with all of us. We live in Ohio. Keep up the great work on your videos. 🤗
I was brought up near Pitlichry and I went to Pitlochry High School in the 1970s. The Highland Games were one of the highlights of the year for kids as there were also the”shows”(fair rides” a little further up the river from the games. The games have certainly grown since last time I was there in the late seventies. It does seem more commercial than back then but your video has encouraged me to pencil in going next year. (No idea if the shows/fair still runs over the same weekend but that was much more fun for kids. 😊 Thanks for the memories that came back watching.
So glad we could give you some nostalgia! It was wonderful being there, and we’d happily go again although maybe when the little one gets a bit older. Such a lovely area!
We happened stay in Pitlochry on the day before the games this year as we drove across Scotland on our 9 day vacation from the US. When people ask what was our favorite part of the trip we say, undoubtedly, the Highland Games. The weather could have been better but it only rained a bit in the morning. We had so much fun there and enjoyed the various competitions. Thanks for making this video. Great Job!
Thank you! Yes, the weather wasn’t bad at all. Glad you were able to enjoy it. It was actually both of our first Highland Games as well and definitely worth the trouble of getting there.
Thanks for taking us along with you for your trip! A Highland Games is on my Wishlist for when I finally get to Scotland, so it was great to see! Here in Australia we call that sticky date pudding and it’s the perfect warming treat on a cold day. I agree it needs either ice cream or custard to go with it!
It’s definitely worth a visit! This was a good one to start with, but when the kids are older, we might try one of the larger ones and actually buy seats and stay for a long weekend. 100% agree with the adding of ice cream or custard!
I loved your video! Our American family visited the games that day as well. It was wonderful. Surprisingly, we didn’t experience the crowds (or rain) because we arrived first thing in the morning. We had registered our teen girls to compete in a few heavy events (for the cultural experience), but they were disqualified because they weren't wearing kilts. Lol. That totally makes sense now! We had such a great time with the music and dancing. The youth competitors were impressive as well. We ate lunch, shopped the booths, and continued on our wonderful Scottish vacation. What a great country!
Im from england, waching all your videos, from day one, something came to mind, about your move to the UK, because, its the entire island what came to mind, was for your children, where else can they be safe, njoy so much culture and learning of history, not jst in school but on your soor step, we all hated history at school, but when you live and breath it, you leanr so much more. Im not going to knock the US, and in speaking of history, its a baby in culture compared to the UK and europe for that matter. great job guys,
You’re absolutely right! Although we did love many things about the U.S., history is apparent everywhere here. Even Zach is learning so much during all of our adventures! We’re actually headed to a battle reenactment this week as well.
Hi from Sydney Australia loved your visit to the Highland games and my heart skipped a beat when the first pipe band was from my home town ARBROATH!! Love your videos
I loved our train ride from Edinburgh to Ayr and later back to Glasgow. In both the big cities we took the tourist loop buses and saw a lot of Big City Scenery. Could hop on and off any place of the loop. Great way for tourist to see more sites without the hassle of driving.
Looked a good day out for the family,if a bit soggy.Hope youve all been enjoying the late summer weather like we have up here(Abdnshire).Over 20oC most of the week
We have the exact same thing in August and our village becomes madness for a day! Glad you enjoyed it in spite of the journey there. By the way my son lives in Stirling and says the castle is a fantastic place to visit, add it to your list! The sticky toffee pudding is a favourite in our house and I will definitely try that recipe, thank you 😊
We were contemplating Stirling for this weekend but heard it was Freshers’ week so stayed away from any of the Uni areas. Ended up at a battle reenactment, which the kids loved! We’ll be heading to Stirling sooner than later though 😊
Thanks for sharing Highland Games, really interesting! Got to be custard with sticky toffee pudding. In Yorkshire, all pubs/restaurants serve it this way! It's yum! Great video!
Thanks for watching! It was a rough one. Didn’t show just how busy it got as I couldn’t get my phone up to film and had a child melted into the floor, but we made it!
This brought back some memories for me. My wife played the bagpipes and when we lived in Calgary Alberta, it was off to the Red Deer games each year for obvious reasons. as she was a MacPherson and well into the Scottish culture. We had two Border Collies with us as we didn't want to leave them on their own all day. So on to the games area for the first year we did this with doggies happily keeping us company trotting along at our side but then the pipers struck up with a jolly reel - followed by two dogs joining in with very loud howls, snouts high in the air, lips nicely rounded. At least they seemed to be in tune. Many heads turned to stare at us - Oops - so back away from the grounds and leave doggies in the car! We enjoyed the day despite the rather embarrassing start. Doggies probably not quite so much!
I’m so excited that you went to the Highland Games. What fun. And I love Pitlochry, it is such a pretty town. It brought back wonderful memories of when we were there. Could you post the sticky toffee pudding. My husband loves it. Btw, I love that you protect your children.
I can’t believe I actually watched the baking session, (lousy, lazy cook) but now I really want to try and make it myself. The Highland Games were great, I felt your pain on the train ride. Thanks for a super video once again 🏴
In 2019 I was in Scotland and went to Ballatar to see the Highland Games. It just so happened to be my clan (Grandparents born in Arbroath). It was so much fun and looked just like the one you attended. Thanks for sharing!
Train journeys from hell- been there, done that, got the T-shirt! When the trains are running well they are brilliant, but when there's an issue it can be a nightmare! I don't envy you keeping the kids happy for 2 hours standing in the corridor! Thanks for sharing your day at the Highland Games. It looked worth the long journey to get there! Pity the weather was against you though. Annie is totally right about Sticky Toffee Pudding - it definitely needs something to accompany it- cream, ice cream or custard would all work well!
That was so enjoyable to watch. The games looked so fun, I see what you mean about every place being dog friendly that is so cool but I agree it was probably too much for little Finnegan. I enjoyed the scenery and the music and I wish I was there. As for the desert I'm going to give that a try anything with butter and sugar and dates and eggs and coffee LOL thank you Zack and Annie so much I really love watching. This is my Sunday morning ritual now with coffee 👍🤎🧡💛🍂🍁😊
Love you’re adventures, as a Brit living in Michigan it has been on my mind to move back to the UK when I retire. My wife is American and would move there tomorrow , lol. That’s for all your information .
I'm really loving your adventures. It's been making me think it's about time I went to visit my cousin in Edinburgh. I'm 70 soon so won't be fit enough for much longer. You can bet I won't be going by train. The East Coast Mainline can be an absolute nightmare. I live in Leeds and remember once having to come home via Carlisle. I wish you all the best for your future adventures.
You two need a Gold Medal taking the kids and standing for two hours on that train . You have to have custard and a squirt of cream out of a can on that sticky date pudding . Glad you had a great day and thanks for taking us with you. Love you Sharyn and Rosie 🇳🇿. We kiwis don’t do standing in ques 😂
I have been to the Higland Games in San Diego and loved it. San Diego 1968-1977, 3 years DeLand Florida, Back to S.D. then in 91 moved to Marina Ca and in 2003 to Arizona. thanks.
Bagpipes give me goosebumps, I like to think it's the genes 😉 Great Great grandad was a Scot but I've failed to find a tartan for the 'Rain' family who were all over Galloway in the 1700s & 1800's (still got to try & get further back than that). I found that ethical farm 'Cream O' Galloway' when I was looking for the Rains, it's in 'Rainton'!! Lush video guys.
Yes, I love the bagpipes, always brings back good memories and gives me goosebumps. If you can't find the tartan I believe it's possible to create one and register it, which could be fun! Thanks for watching.
haha good job on the toffee sticky pudding, looks fantastic. As for the travels, oh, it can be very tiring, especially if having to wait standing on a train when busy, so don't fault you for wanting to get back on an earlier train. Looks like you's enjoyed it anyway. 🙂
Great vid, very much a weekly lazy sunday watch now. If your looking for a smaller highland games for next year id recommend the bridge of allan one in August. Also an easier train journey as just an hour from Edinburgh on the Dunblane service. Been a few times and never too crazy with queues of less than 5mins in busy places😁
How many videos do you make? I only started watching you yesterday & seem to have watched 10 or so already. You are doing a fantastic job of communicating your experience. We had our honeymoon in Perthshire , stayed at Lockearn Head, in 1976, in the then hotel, now burned down. We visited the Highland Games too & were amazed at the number of different events. If you were documenting your living in the U.S.A., I would not be watching your videos. Enjoy your new life & prosper.
Poor Zach, i know your pain. Standing on long train rides, followed by long ques to get drink and food separately. Making sure the wife and kids are happy. You looked shattered on the trip home. Good man, job done. Now, back to work 😂
Just wondering about the drone footage I've seen in a number of your videos. Do you have to have a Flyer and / or Operator License (as defined by the UK CAA), and, if so, did you have them before arriving in the UK or did you obtain them subsequent to your arrival? Didn't know whether any work you might have previously done with the CHP might have included drone operation, which could have transferred over to the UK for licensing. Just love this whole series of the record of your family's move to Edinburgh, a city I have visited twice and to which I would choose to move if I had to leave the US (as one of my high school class mates has)..
Hi! Yes, I have both the flyer and operator license. I didn't need both as my drone is under the 250g limit (249g), but it is a simple test and small fee, so I figured it was better safe than sorry. I got these when we got over here and didn't have them in the US. The use of drones was just starting to take off (sorry 😜) before I left, and it was only for a specialist unit. Thank you for your kind words and for following our adventure! All the best.
In Sydney, there are also suburbs called Haymarket and Waverley. Sticky toffee pudding is a staple in restaurants in Oz. Having Scottish heritage i would love to attend a Scottish games.
I am quite jealous and I tell you that beer is cheap! The south is very expensive for beer. My ancestors were the lairds of Stirling. I can’t wait to visit that area and come to a games
Zach had the same face on the train that I have when I get on and there are no seats 😅 platform 17 is cursed, that’s where I always get the train and there is always an issue! PS I’m with Annie on the sticky toffee pudding. Personally I love to surround mine in a moat of cream. So good 😋
Great day out, even the train journey gave something to talk about. But then we have to talk about the elephant in the room, sticky toffee pudding without custard. I need to sit down before I do some damage.
Americans always comment on how good British public transport is. Well welcome to the real world 😂. What a beautiful place you visited for the Games. Im from Durham in North East England so our weather is somewhat the same. Good to see Annie getting the clothing correct now and Zach is bomming the rugged look. Great vid again you guys ❤❤
guys just a little question on your baking, this is more for annie, how is she getting on with imperial weights, and metric, as we use both, useing wiegh scales, and a kettle lol, compared to the US where its a standard to use cups a measure tool for baking
I actually enjoy how my recipes turn out more similarly each time I make them! I absolutely love baking, and weighing out the ingredients just makes so much more sense. Using a cup measure is slightly different every time.
The Highland Games looked great fun but that weekend train lottery isn’t fun is it. Totally understand about bus diversions they are a nightmare and guaranteed to make me feel🤢! I never knew about the bike races, that was random, wonder how many points you get for hitting them with the hammers 😂!! Great choice for sticky toffee pudding, yum and yes definitely originates in England in a place called Cartmell in the Lake District I believe. You can buy their puddings and sauce but so much better to make your own 😋. Xx
Last week we went to Northumberland it. Was a lovely area of the country to visit Thats our third time there beautiful beaches lot’s to do and see my youngest granddaughter she is thirteen her mum and dad took her out on the puffin cruise they all throughly enjoyed it loots to do and beautiful beaches to visit it only took us 2/12 hours from we’re we Look
We’ll have to try the Kenmore games in the future! We liked the Pitlochry but definitely want to experience a variety of games over the next few years.
Im british and I would want custard. Annie is spot on! Mildly surprised to see the Brit using a fork for pudding and the american, correctly, using a spoon. How are you supposed to get all the sauce with a fork? Love the vids guys and dont really mean to be harsh to you Zach.
We’re a British husband/American wife currently considering a move to the UK after nearly 12 years in Sonoma County (maybe our paths crossed at some point!). Would love to hear more about the practicalities of planning your move and making it happen, and any tips you have. Looks like you guys are settling in nicely 🙂 glad to have stumbled across your vids, keep up the great work, you’re doing a great job.
What a small world! Perfect timing! Our video for this Sunday is about much of that as we’ve been requested by viewers in similar situations. It’s the “true cost” of moving to the UK and some of the logistics involved.
Should book The Enchanted Forest near Pitlochry for a really good evening. Best go late afternoon and spend time in the town with the Halloween goings on then you get the coach from the Fishers Hotel to the Forest and the walk. Good for buggies and awesome for adults and wee kids.
Used to live there for years ❤❤🎉 went this year to the 1st every heartland festival 2 days of live music, you should come next year kids under 13 are free entry chief 🏴👍
@SimpleScottishLiving It finishes at 11pm but next year there running campsite save travelling 👍hopefully see you there check out the videos from this year alot of Scottish artists both main stream and up an coming was brilliant might take 🎸 next year for camping 🤣👍
No matter your nationality (I’m English), for me there is no better sound than bagpipes, there’s just nothing else that rouses the same emotions as they do. The Highland Games never been but would love to. For me it’s sticky toffee pudding with custard. I do love catching up with your beautiful family and the way you are both so happy and full of enthusiasm for all you do. Finigan is adorable. We are a dog loving family and firmly believe children should grow up in a pet friendly environment, I believe it teaches them so much. Looking forward to catching up with your next release.
Yes, there is something special about the sound of bagpipes! I don't think you'll get too much push back on sticky toffee pudding with custard! Thank you for your kind comments!
I’m a proud Englishman,Glaswegian mum but there’s just something about the pipes that invigorates me,always has.
Rain in Scotland,who’d have thunk.
There is something about the pipes! Asked Annie if she felt it, but it’s definitely not the same. Maybe in a few more years!
My only encounter with a Highland Game was in the 1970’s in Estes Park, CO. Loved the bagpipes, all the plaid and have wanted to live in Scotland ever since. Thank you for sharing.
It's such a cool experience, isn't it? I hope you get to go to Scotland sometime!
We loved going to a Highland Game in Scotland it was so different from those here in the USA but still familiar, here we have clan tents, there they had carnival rides and races plus the games and dancing and of course pipes and drums. Just found you guys !
We’re so excited to hear from another Highland Games enthusiast! The ones in the US are a bit different, but just as much fun.
Being from California, watching this makes me tear up seeing the bagpipes and the beautiful scenery! 🤩👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed it! We felt the same, especially Zach!
you should come for a visit terry.
" candy floss my boy" love that from Zach lol. None of that cotton candy here
🤣
Nice video😊
Its amazing how the bagpipes can invoke so many emotions
Thank you! Zach feels the same way.
Men in kilts, there can never be too many videos of those. ; ] Thank you for sharinga piece of the world I may never get to see. Enchanting!
Glad you enjoyed it! Always happy to share 😊
Oh what a great video, ypu guys certainly put some effort into what you show us. Fantastic.
Sticky Toffee pudding, upy are both right, topping which ate delicious, ice cream, custard and cream. Brings it to a whole new level. ❤
Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed! This was such a fun one to put together and to experience. Our video tomorrow is also another favourite ❤️
Thank you so much for showing the highland games. One of my fondest memories is attending the Highland games at grandfather mountain, when I lived in North Carolina. It draws a crowd of about 30,000. My favorite event is the sheepdog trials. I got a little misty eyed watching your video
30,000 is incredible! It felt huge, but I know it was nowhere near that number. Glad we could bring back some happy memories! Zach also feels it anytime the bagpipes start! ❤️
Butterscotch ice cream with sticky toffee pudding - unbeatable! 😍
Great video guys, really sums up Scotland with the games, the tartan and the bagpipes! Love it! ❤
Keep up the good work 😁 🖖
Beautiful scenery! Thank you for sharing this with us!❤
Glad you enjoyed it! 😊
We are making the pudding recipe today! It looked so yummy! Had to try!
Hi zach and Annie 😊 nothing stirs my blood as much as the bagpipes and drums highland cathedral being my all time favourite thanks for taking us on your day out ❤
Glad you enjoyed! That’s how Zach feels with the bagpipes ❤️
If it had been sunny 3 times the amount of people would have turned up, so that's one blessing about the rain LOL
Yes, indeed. That's also the blessing of Scotland. If the weather was better, everyone would be here! 🤣
I'm originally from Liverpool but have lived in Italy ( Como) for forty years. Your visit to Pitlochry brought back beautiful memories of visiting with my sister and her two year old daughter. My niece is now 31 and sadly my sister passed away twelve years ago, so revisiting was very nostalgic for me. Thanks ❤
So glad we could bring you back with this video! Sorry to hear about your sister ❤️
@@SimpleScottishLiving In ireland we have quite a few small towns that host huge sports events,clones a town of 3000 people host the Ulster Gaelic football final every year which is usually a 30 000 sellout and thurles 7000 which hosts the munster hurling final 45000 sellout and before stricter health and safety as much as 55000..Then there is a huge music festival called the fleadh(flaa) that attracts half a million visitors over a week and usually the hosting town has a population between 3000 and 30 000 .The fleadh is kind of like the highland games except its only for competitions in Music.
@@Joseph13163This sounds like absolute madness, especially with children in tow ha! Would love to see that later in my lifetime though!
So glad to see Pitlochry Games. We are Californians but have enjoyed these games many times.
Yes, it was a great day out and something we'd love to make a regular fixture!
You both do such a great job with your videos and content.
Next summer you all should drive onto the Cairnryan-Belfast ferry and explore the Giant's Causeway and the Glen's Of Antrim. Like Scotland there is spectacular scenery and plenty to explore. Keep the fantastic content coming (as time consuming as it can be to put together), so many of us are genuinely enjoying your adventures.
Thank you!! We’re definitely adding this to the list. Appreciate the suggestion!
Hi Guys,I just realised.I have been watching some of your output without subscribing.So today I've done it.Hope it helps!
Awe, thank you! We appreciate you following along :) Where are you from?
Definitely with custard guys, comfort food delight!, 😋 great video, have a great week!
Thank you!! Yes, we’ll do it the right way next time!
Most wholesome content on UA-cam 💜💜💜
Thank you!
wonderful video, you make my country look pretty great and for that i am always grateful
As much as people like to rag on the economy and the state of the UK, we know first hand just how much Scotland has going for it. Every country has its positives and negatives, but in our opinion, it’s not even close with Scotland. Loving it here and are extremely grateful to raise our family here ❤️🏴
@@SimpleScottishLiving aww bless what a kind thing to say , i hope everything becomes everything you guys wish xx
An ice cream scoop does a good job of filling cup cake slots. Easier than a spoon.
Haha, that’s a great tip! Thanks for sharing.
Another great video your train journey looked terrible but it was worth it the Highland games looked good and Annies sticky toffee pudding looked delicious ❤
Glad you enjoyed it! The sticky toffee pudding was delicious and easy to make. A win-win!
Your videos are always a highlight of my Sunday mornings. Cheers from Ohio!
Thank you! ❤️
Yes, definitely need ice cream or cream with sticky toffee pudding 😊
Will do it the right way next time!
We attended the Braemar games in the early 2000’s. There was no commercial venues such as there seem to be here and the Queen was attending. It was so wonderful and experiencing the pipers march in with the PipeMajor striding ahead bedecked in his finery gave me goosebumps, it was so wonderful.
We considered going there this year, but we were told it would be worth it to wait and give proper planning time for that one in order to get good seats and accommodation. Next year maybe!
Really enjoyed the whole day , the music was awesome too. Thank you 😊
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching ❤️
A brilliant video in every way. I enjoy all your videos but this one is fantastic, brilliant. An exiled Scot, I love Pitlochry too but never was at the Highland Games. You folks manage to capture everything and show the beauty of the area and atmosphere of the games. Even showing us how to make sticky toffee pudding. What will you do next? I just love you guys, best wishes to all of you, from a fan in Canada.
Such kind words, thank you!! We absolutely love it here and just try to do it justice. Our family in the States definitely enjoys the adventures, and it makes them feel closer. Glad you’re enjoying it! ❤️
I have been to several burial ceremonies and pipes playing "Amazing Grace" strikes deep in to your soul.
Any bagpipes, especially in person, still gets me every time!
Great video, loved the games, brought back memories of my own visit there. Also, your baking made me hungry and want to do it myself 😂
Haha you should! That recipe is good and would only be better with a little ice cream. Just don’t overcook it!
Annie , what is the brand /name of the type of rain proof coat you bought in Scotland , the green one you are wearing. My husband and I might be traveling there in the near future. Thank you 😊. Love your family and all the videos.
Hi! It's a Mountain Warehouse rain jacket, thag I actually bought in Pitlochry on a previous trip. How exciting, where are you thinking of visiting?
Annie, Thank you for the information on the jacket. I have to tell you that you and your husband and children are adorable! I love watching all of your videos and seeing more of Scotland. My husband has hiked with friends that live in Edinburgh for a few years. We are older now so hiking is out for him. My maiden name is McCollum so there is a connection
somewhere, 😂. Thank you for all you share with all of us. We live in Ohio. Keep up the great work on your videos. 🤗
Ah good old Pitlochry. Them live-in chef days were fun. Glad to see you had a blast. ✌️🏴
We love Pitlochry, I spent many holidays as a kid in that area!
I was brought up near Pitlichry and I went to Pitlochry High School in the 1970s.
The Highland Games were one of the highlights of the year for kids as there were also the”shows”(fair rides” a little further up the river from the games.
The games have certainly grown since last time I was there in the late seventies. It does seem more commercial than back then but your video has encouraged me to pencil in going next year. (No idea if the shows/fair still runs over the same weekend but that was much more fun for kids. 😊
Thanks for the memories that came back watching.
So glad we could give you some nostalgia! It was wonderful being there, and we’d happily go again although maybe when the little one gets a bit older. Such a lovely area!
Love sharing with you folks !!! So sorry for your bad train journey - and the rain in Pitlochry - which is a great wee town !!!!XX
We’d do it all again for the experience, but we’ll be better prepared next time!
We happened stay in Pitlochry on the day before the games this year as we drove across Scotland on our 9 day vacation from the US. When people ask what was our favorite part of the trip we say, undoubtedly, the Highland Games. The weather could have been better but it only rained a bit in the morning. We had so much fun there and enjoyed the various competitions. Thanks for making this video. Great Job!
Thank you! Yes, the weather wasn’t bad at all. Glad you were able to enjoy it. It was actually both of our first Highland Games as well and definitely worth the trouble of getting there.
Thanks for taking us along with you for your trip! A Highland Games is on my Wishlist for when I finally get to Scotland, so it was great to see!
Here in Australia we call that sticky date pudding and it’s the perfect warming treat on a cold day. I agree it needs either ice cream or custard to go with it!
It’s definitely worth a visit! This was a good one to start with, but when the kids are older, we might try one of the larger ones and actually buy seats and stay for a long weekend. 100% agree with the adding of ice cream or custard!
I loved your video! Our American family visited the games that day as well. It was wonderful. Surprisingly, we didn’t experience the crowds (or rain) because we arrived first thing in the morning. We had registered our teen girls to compete in a few heavy events (for the cultural experience), but they were disqualified because they weren't wearing kilts. Lol. That totally makes sense now! We had such a great time with the music and dancing. The youth competitors were impressive as well. We ate lunch, shopped the booths, and continued on our wonderful Scottish vacation. What a great country!
Oh wow, how cool! Glad you enjoyed the day and thanks for watching!
Im from england, waching all your videos, from day one, something came to mind, about your move to the UK, because, its the entire island
what came to mind, was for your children, where else can they be safe, njoy so much culture and learning of history, not jst in school but on your soor step, we all hated history at school, but when you live and breath it, you leanr so much more.
Im not going to knock the US, and in speaking of history, its a baby in culture compared to the UK and europe for that matter.
great job guys,
You’re absolutely right! Although we did love many things about the U.S., history is apparent everywhere here. Even Zach is learning so much during all of our adventures! We’re actually headed to a battle reenactment this week as well.
I've seen all the videos really enjoyed them keep up the good work ❤❤
Your videos are great, really enjoy watching them. So much fun watching you make the sticky toffee pudding, my husband's favourite dessert!
Glad you liked it! The baking was fun!
Your vlog was so good this week,Pitlochry my friends mum and dad holiday there every year ❤
Thank you! It was such a good visit! We’ll be back to Pitlochry again without a doubt.
Hi from Sydney Australia loved your visit to the Highland games and my heart skipped a beat when the first pipe band was from my home town ARBROATH!!
Love your videos
Your not getting a smokey over there 😂 was in Arbroath a couple weeks ago could smell the smokey's from gayfield
It's a grey day here in Arbroath but dry, nice day for walking
Glad we could bring you some nostalgia! It was fun to watch!
I loved our train ride from Edinburgh to Ayr and later back to Glasgow. In both the big cities we took the tourist loop buses and saw a lot of Big City Scenery. Could hop on and off any place of the loop. Great way for tourist to see more sites without the hassle of driving.
Yes, when the trains run smoothly and on time there is no better way to travel, we love them!
Looked a good day out for the family,if a bit soggy.Hope youve all been enjoying the late summer weather like we have up here(Abdnshire).Over 20oC most of the week
It’s been quite warm these past few days! High of 14 today, so I think Autumn may now be officially on its way in.
@@SimpleScottishLiving Yes dropped a few degrees here this weekend
We have the exact same thing in August and our village becomes madness for a day! Glad you enjoyed it in spite of the journey there. By the way my son lives in Stirling and says the castle is a fantastic place to visit, add it to your list! The sticky toffee pudding is a favourite in our house and I will definitely try that recipe, thank you 😊
We were contemplating Stirling for this weekend but heard it was Freshers’ week so stayed away from any of the Uni areas. Ended up at a battle reenactment, which the kids loved! We’ll be heading to Stirling sooner than later though 😊
Thanks for sharing Highland Games, really interesting! Got to be custard with sticky toffee pudding. In Yorkshire, all pubs/restaurants serve it this way! It's yum! Great video!
Good to know! We’ll definitely add the custard next time!
Fantastic video! I really do not envy that train journey you guys had....that's horrible.
Thanks for watching! It was a rough one. Didn’t show just how busy it got as I couldn’t get my phone up to film and had a child melted into the floor, but we made it!
This brought back some memories for me. My wife played the bagpipes and when we lived in Calgary Alberta, it was off to the Red Deer games each year for obvious reasons. as she was a MacPherson and well into the Scottish culture. We had two Border Collies with us as we didn't want to leave them on their own all day. So on to the games area for the first year we did this with doggies happily keeping us company trotting along at our side but then the pipers struck up with a jolly reel - followed by two dogs joining in with very loud howls, snouts high in the air, lips nicely rounded. At least they seemed to be in tune. Many heads turned to stare at us - Oops - so back away from the grounds and leave doggies in the car!
We enjoyed the day despite the rather embarrassing start. Doggies probably not quite so much!
We can picture this perfectly!! Our little puggle, Millie, was quite the harmonious howler back in the day. Thanks for sharing this story 🤣
I’m so excited that you went to the Highland Games. What fun. And I love Pitlochry, it is such a pretty town. It brought back wonderful memories of when we were there. Could you post the sticky toffee pudding. My husband loves it. Btw, I love that you protect your children.
Thanks so much! It is a lovely area, and we had a great time.
I can’t believe I actually watched the baking session, (lousy, lazy cook) but now I really want to try and make it myself. The Highland Games were great, I felt your pain on the train ride. Thanks for a super video once again 🏴
Thanks for joining! And yes, this recipe was so simple - it’s a great one to try out!
Loving your content ❤ I’m from Dunfermline, your giving so many ideas for places to visit. Thank you xxx🏴
Glad to serve as some inspiration! It goes both ways though 😉 Definitely let us know if you know anywhere worth a visit! So happy to have you joining!
In 2019 I was in Scotland and went to Ballatar to see the Highland Games. It just so happened to be my clan (Grandparents born in Arbroath). It was so much fun and looked just like the one you attended. Thanks for sharing!
What luck! Thanks for sharing! We can’t wait to go to more in the future ❤️🏴
Great video, as always. Loved the baking section. I think you should make some shortbread ❤
Yes, great idea! Love baking!
Train journeys from hell- been there, done that, got the T-shirt! When the trains are running well they are brilliant, but when there's an issue it can be a nightmare! I don't envy you keeping the kids happy for 2 hours standing in the corridor!
Thanks for sharing your day at the Highland Games. It looked worth the long journey to get there! Pity the weather was against you though.
Annie is totally right about Sticky Toffee Pudding - it definitely needs something to accompany it- cream, ice cream or custard would all work well!
We’ll do that next time! And this train journey was quite something. We’re slightly put off from another long train journey for a little while.
That was so enjoyable to watch. The games looked so fun, I see what you mean about every place being dog friendly that is so cool but I agree it was probably too much for little Finnegan. I enjoyed the scenery and the music and I wish I was there. As for the desert I'm going to give that a try anything with butter and sugar and dates and eggs and coffee LOL thank you Zack and Annie so much I really love watching. This is my Sunday morning ritual now with coffee 👍🤎🧡💛🍂🍁😊
Love having you join us! Don’t forget to add icecream or custard with the sticky toffee pudding!
Love you’re adventures, as a Brit living in Michigan it has been on my mind to move back to the UK when I retire. My wife is American and would move there tomorrow , lol. That’s for all your information .
That’s how I felt! It took about a decade for Zach to change his tune, but we both feel it was 100% the right decision now.
I'm really loving your adventures. It's been making me think it's about time I went to visit my cousin in Edinburgh. I'm 70 soon so won't be fit enough for much longer. You can bet I won't be going by train. The East Coast Mainline can be an absolute nightmare. I live in Leeds and remember once having to come home via Carlisle. I wish you all the best for your future adventures.
Thank you so much! Yes, we’re learning now to pick our trains wisely!
You two need a Gold Medal taking the kids and standing for two hours on that train . You have to have custard and a squirt of cream out of a can on that sticky date pudding . Glad you had a great day and thanks for taking us with you. Love you Sharyn and Rosie 🇳🇿. We kiwis don’t do standing in ques 😂
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At 14.18 the sky at the bridges looked moody , looks like a good day was had . All the best
Thank you! It was a very moody sky!
I have been to the Higland Games in San Diego and loved it. San Diego 1968-1977, 3 years DeLand Florida, Back to S.D. then in 91 moved to Marina Ca and in 2003 to Arizona. thanks.
Never made it to a Highland games in the US, I'm sure it would have been fun. Looks like you moved around as much as we have!
@@SimpleScottishLiving I moved more before I was 12 years old then I did in the years in the USN and then after that.
Bagpipes give me goosebumps, I like to think it's the genes 😉 Great Great grandad was a Scot but I've failed to find a tartan for the 'Rain' family who were all over Galloway in the 1700s & 1800's (still got to try & get further back than that). I found that ethical farm 'Cream O' Galloway' when I was looking for the Rains, it's in 'Rainton'!! Lush video guys.
Yes, I love the bagpipes, always brings back good memories and gives me goosebumps. If you can't find the tartan I believe it's possible to create one and register it, which could be fun! Thanks for watching.
What, no Haggis Hurling? What is Scotland coming to?
🤣🤣
haha good job on the toffee sticky pudding, looks fantastic. As for the travels, oh, it can be very tiring, especially if having to wait standing on a train when busy, so don't fault you for wanting to get back on an earlier train. Looks like you's enjoyed it anyway. 🙂
Thanks, Scott! Yes, it was a good trip considering everything and definitely worth the wretched train ride.
You film and edit beautifully xx
@@alisontaylor6135 Thank you ❤️
You got to have cream or custard as well as the sauce with the STP. It's the law.
I thought as much!!
Happy New Year 2025 from Greenock, Scotland x
Same to you! Hope it’s filled with much laughter and wonderful memories ❤️
Great vid, very much a weekly lazy sunday watch now. If your looking for a smaller highland games for next year id recommend the bridge of allan one in August. Also an easier train journey as just an hour from Edinburgh on the Dunblane service. Been a few times and never too crazy with queues of less than 5mins in busy places😁
Good to know! Thanks for the suggestions and for watching!
How many videos do you make? I only started watching you yesterday & seem to have watched 10 or so already. You are doing a fantastic job of communicating your experience. We had our honeymoon in Perthshire , stayed at Lockearn Head, in 1976, in the then hotel, now burned down. We visited the Highland Games too & were amazed at the number of different events. If you were documenting your living in the U.S.A., I would not be watching your videos. Enjoy your new life & prosper.
Thanks so much for watching! We do our best to get a video out each Sunday around 1pm!
I share your feelings, my train was routed through Carlisle! I asked the stewardess if I had taken the wrong train.
🫣😅
Poor Zach, i know your pain. Standing on long train rides, followed by long ques to get drink and food separately. Making sure the wife and kids are happy. You looked shattered on the trip home. Good man, job done. Now, back to work 😂
@@blindasabat67 It was a long day 😅🤣 Still worth it though!
100%, nae doubt, guaranteed, brammy stoater desert STP is when combined with custard or ice cream! One love from Doon the water! 💙
Thought it needed that little something extra! Won’t miss out on that next time!
Thank you for sharing…so enjoy seeing different cultures…plus it so green and lush, compared to dry California right now.
Thanks for watching! The scenery is unbelievable!
Wonderful, but where was your kilt?
Next time!! We need to get the kids some now too.
Surprised when I saw that Arbroath were the first pipe band, it's my town!
They were great as well!
Just wondering about the drone footage I've seen in a number of your videos. Do you have to have a Flyer and / or Operator License (as defined by the UK CAA), and, if so, did you have them before arriving in the UK or did you obtain them subsequent to your arrival? Didn't know whether any work you might have previously done with the CHP might have included drone operation, which could have transferred over to the UK for licensing. Just love this whole series of the record of your family's move to Edinburgh, a city I have visited twice and to which I would choose to move if I had to leave the US (as one of my high school class mates has)..
Hi! Yes, I have both the flyer and operator license. I didn't need both as my drone is under the 250g limit (249g), but it is a simple test and small fee, so I figured it was better safe than sorry. I got these when we got over here and didn't have them in the US. The use of drones was just starting to take off (sorry 😜) before I left, and it was only for a specialist unit. Thank you for your kind words and for following our adventure! All the best.
One of your boys without a coat, he's truly British now, 😆 😂
He never wears coats! I get cold just looking at him ha!
In Sydney, there are also suburbs called Haymarket and Waverley. Sticky toffee pudding is a staple in restaurants in Oz. Having Scottish heritage i would love to attend a Scottish games.
Even with the horrific train ride, it was definitely worth it!
I am quite jealous and I tell you that beer is cheap! The south is very expensive for beer. My ancestors were the lairds of Stirling. I can’t wait to visit that area and come to a games
FYI. Cumbria used to be part of Strathclyde and so therefore part of Scotland years ago
The games were so worth the visit! It was great fun!
Zach had the same face on the train that I have when I get on and there are no seats 😅 platform 17 is cursed, that’s where I always get the train and there is always an issue!
PS I’m with Annie on the sticky toffee pudding. Personally I love to surround mine in a moat of cream. So good 😋
Yes!! I knew I couldn’t be the only one! Haha Zach doesn’t hide his emotions very well 🤣
@ 🙌 😆 you’ve inspired me to try make it myself sometime instead of just buying it
How was the game experience? did you like it?
It was fantastic! We’ll definitely be back but maybe in a few more years when the kids can fully enjoy it.
Great day out, even the train journey gave something to talk about. But then we have to talk about the elephant in the room, sticky toffee pudding without custard. I need to sit down before I do some damage.
Thank you! I thought custard would be the cherry on top!
Tennents, blast from the past, stopped selling it in England! Extra was brilliant on draught!
Oh no! Tennents is still around in these parts!
Sorry for the typo, I meant thanks for all your information.
Sticky toffee pudding is from Newby Bridge
Americans always comment on how good British public transport is. Well welcome to the real world 😂. What a beautiful place you visited for the Games. Im from Durham in North East England so our weather is somewhat the same. Good to see Annie getting the clothing correct now and Zach is bomming the rugged look. Great vid again you guys ❤❤
Haha now that Zach doesn’t work in law enforcement, he gets to try out the rugged look for the first time in 7 years. Think it suits him!
Such fun.
guys just a little question on your baking, this is more for annie, how is she getting on with imperial weights, and metric, as we use both, useing wiegh scales, and a kettle lol, compared to the US where its a standard to use cups a measure tool for baking
I actually enjoy how my recipes turn out more similarly each time I make them! I absolutely love baking, and weighing out the ingredients just makes so much more sense. Using a cup measure is slightly different every time.
U should try ice-cream with the sticky toffee pudding... 😋
Definitely will do next time! 😊
that train looked like the Bangkok Skytrain at rush hour
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You should come to The Isle of Skye, you would love it up here .
We’d love to do that! Need to do some research on the logistics.
Next time check the butter wrapper. It has markings on it for easier measuring.
Thanks for the tip!
The Highland Games looked great fun but that weekend train lottery isn’t fun is it. Totally understand about bus diversions they are a nightmare and guaranteed to make me feel🤢! I never knew about the bike races, that was random, wonder how many points you get for hitting them with the hammers 😂!! Great choice for sticky toffee pudding, yum and yes definitely originates in England in a place called Cartmell in the Lake District I believe. You can buy their puddings and sauce but so much better to make your own 😋. Xx
It made a big difference being homemade! Next time we’ll do the custard as well! Haha let’s go with 10 points for the hammer into bikes toss.
@@SimpleScottishLiving Ice cream is my fav! Yes, 10 points plus bonus for a hammer/caber combo!😂
Last week we went to Northumberland it. Was a lovely area of the country to visit Thats our third time there beautiful beaches lot’s to do and see my youngest granddaughter she is thirteen her mum and dad took her out on the puffin cruise they all throughly enjoyed it loots to do and beautiful beaches to visit it only took us 2/12 hours from we’re we
Look
Adding to the list! That sounds like a perfect getaway.
if ye like a heilan games and like the pipes you will love the world pipe band championships at Glasgow green each year in August
Consider it marked on the calendar! Thanks for the heads up and thanks for watching :-)
I went there pre covid, I prefer the Kenmore games busy but smaller and easy for me to walk to, but having said that its a great day out
We’ll have to try the Kenmore games in the future! We liked the Pitlochry but definitely want to experience a variety of games over the next few years.
Im british and I would want custard. Annie is spot on! Mildly surprised to see the Brit using a fork for pudding and the american, correctly, using a spoon. How are you supposed to get all the sauce with a fork? Love the vids guys and dont really mean to be harsh to you Zach.
Haha he can take it! I thought as much with the custard. Thank you for confirming!
A wee tip, try sticky toffee pudding with a scoop of good quality ice cream👌
We’ll definitely do this next time!
@@SimpleScottishLiving the ice cream melts into the warm sauce, I'm salivating now lol!
We’re a British husband/American wife currently considering a move to the UK after nearly 12 years in Sonoma County (maybe our paths crossed at some point!). Would love to hear more about the practicalities of planning your move and making it happen, and any tips you have. Looks like you guys are settling in nicely 🙂 glad to have stumbled across your vids, keep up the great work, you’re doing a great job.
What a small world! Perfect timing! Our video for this Sunday is about much of that as we’ve been requested by viewers in similar situations. It’s the “true cost” of moving to the UK and some of the logistics involved.
@@SimpleScottishLiving Awesome, will keep an eye out for it
Should book The Enchanted Forest near Pitlochry for a really good evening. Best go late afternoon and spend time in the town with the Halloween goings on then you get the coach from the Fishers Hotel to the Forest and the walk. Good for buggies and awesome for adults and wee kids.
Good to know! Thanks for the suggestion!
Used to live there for years ❤❤🎉 went this year to the 1st every heartland festival 2 days of live music, you should come next year kids under 13 are free entry chief 🏴👍
Good to know! We’ll have to do that!
@SimpleScottishLiving It finishes at 11pm but next year there running campsite save travelling 👍hopefully see you there check out the videos from this year alot of Scottish artists both main stream and up an coming was brilliant might take 🎸 next year for camping 🤣👍
Can you tell me what make your oven is, i really like it!
Rangemaster Toledo is all I can see :)