The charms of natural scenery, greatly as they were appreciated, required
now and then to be relieved by a little excitement, and the Queen and
Prince hit upon an ingenious plan of procuring this. They would issue
forth from Balmoral in hired carriages, with horses to match, and would
drive to some Highland town, and dine and dress at its inn, under assumed
names. It was no doubt great fun to Her Majesty to put up with the
accommodation of a third-rate provincial inn, where 'a ringleted woman did
everything' in the way of waiting at table, and where in place of soup
there was mutton-broth with vegetables, 'which I did not much relish.'

On one of these expeditions, Her Majesty was so unfortunate as to hit upon
the inn at Dalwhinnie as a place of sojourn. 'We went up-stairs: the inn
was much larger than at Fettercairn, but not nearly so nice and cheerful;
there was a drawing-room and a dining-room; and we had a very good-sized
bedroom. Albert had a dressing-room of equal size. Mary Andrews (who was
very useful and efficient) and Lady Churchill's maid had a room together,
every one being in the house; but unfortunately there was hardly anything
to eat, and there was only tea, and two miserable starved Highland
chickens, without any potatoes! No pudding, and no _fun_; no little maid
(the two there not wishing to come in), nor our two people--who were wet
and drying our and their things--to wait on us! It was not a nice supper;
and the evening was wet. As it was late, we soon retired to rest. Mary and
Maxted (Lady Churchill's maid) had been dining below with Grant, Brown,
and Stewart (who came the same as last time, with the maids) in the
"commercial room" at the foot of the stairs. They had only the remnants of
our two starved chickens!'

The ascent of the hill of Tulloch on a pony, the Queen wrote, was 'the
most delightful, the most romantic ride and walk I ever had.' The quiet,