Having enjoyed a short stay in Dunblane last year, Allison Dernbach and her daughter, Beret (15), returned to the town in August, before Beret took part in the Highland Dancing Juvenile World Championship in Dunoon.
So impressed at the various attractions and warm welcome they received in Dunblane, the duo from San Diego have already booked up to come back next summer, and Allison got in touch with Stirling Council to tell their story.
She said: “We loved our short stay so much that we booked as much time as we could in Dunblane when we were planning our trip again in August.
“We were able to stay a bit longer at the same cottage we stayed at the year before, and when we arrived in Dunblane, we felt like we had arrived at our second home.
“We had plans to get to other places on short day trips, but instead, we decided to spend our afternoons walking up and down the High Street, visiting all the charming shops, and the spectacular Dunblane Cathedral, a place that is inspirational, calming, and so full of history.
“Beret said the cathedral was her favourite place in the town, and she also enjoyed visiting the butcher and bakery shops on the High Street. We don’t have those little businesses in San Diego, and it was such a treat to just walk in those shops, to take in the sights and smell all that delicious food!
“My favourite places were the charity shops in the high street, where you never know what kind of treasure you are going to come across, and the little stationary shops. We had such a relaxing and fun time together in Dunblane.”
Beret claimed top prize in the prestigious dancing competition at the Cowal Highland Gathering, making it a memorable trip for mother and daughter, but they were also head over heels at their unforgettable experience in Dunblane.
Allison, who has a family connection to the town through her aunt and uncle, said: “Beret won the Juvenile World Championship at Cowal and I am so proud of her hard work and achievement.
“It was the icing on the cake to a wonderful trip to Scotland that Dunblane played a big part in. We will always remember this year.
“It was a great experience in so many ways. Beret winning the World Championships will be foremost in our memories for the rest of our lives, but even before we got to Dunoon, my daughter and I had had the best time together in Dunblane.
“The whole atmosphere in Dunblane helped this happen. It is a place to put your phone down and enjoy history, conversations with people, beautiful architecture, a little bit of window shopping, and a feeling of peacefulness and well-being.
“As soon as we got back to San Diego, I contacted our host who we had rented our cottage from over the past two years (Cobblers Cottage), to book up once again for Dunblane. We want to spend every possible day we can there before heading to Dunoon next year.”
Note: Pictured is Beret Dernbach outside Dunblane Cathedral, one of Scotland's noblest medieval churches.