Celebration at the Flying Stag and more swimming

We went out for a celebratory dinner at The Flying Stag in Braemar last night because this week my application for British citizenship was approved! I just have to go to the ceremony, give my oath of allegiance to the Queen and then I get a certificate of citizenship. I feel honoured and overjoyed to finally have British citizenship or I will do once I go to the ceremony. Ben hasn’t applied yet as he’s got travel planned this year and there’s a period after getting the certificate and before you get a passport when you can’t travel so he’s going to wait a bit. We have applied for the kids also but their application was separate to mine and a double application so we haven’t heard back yet.

The Flying Stag is the pub restaurant at The Fife Arms in Braemar. It’s difficult to get a table here as you need to reserve well in advance but it’s so worth it. The food was excellent. I had vegan haggis with whisky sauce.

This is why it’s called The Flying Stag.

We also went for another swim in the Clunie but this time in the gorge just beneath our favourite café. We finally figured out how to get to the riverside at this spot as the pathway is hidden but it’s perfect for swimming and scarily deep. The only downside is you get spectators from the café above who may laugh at the stupidity of the people swimming in freezing water.

I was a bit too scared to wear the goggles here. When it’s really deep I’d rather not look down in case I see a gigantic monster.

You can just make out The Fife Arms at the top left of this next photo.