Dalai Lama takes in Blair Castle

The Dalai Lama has taken time out from his two-day tour of Scotland for some sightseeing at a historic castle. The spiritual leader visited Blair Castle in Perthshire as he made his way north to Inverness to deliver a public address. He toured some of the site's 30 rooms, looking at portraits in the ballroom, and took a short walk in the grounds to see the flowers and wildlife. The 76-year-old discussed the history of the castle, which dates to 1269, with a cup of tea and shortbread with estate bosses. Sarah Troughton, head trustee of Atholl Estates, led the Dalai Lama through the castle, passing the weaponry and stag's heads lining the walls. Story continues ADVERTISEMENT "I think the visit went very well. He is such a charming man, I think he would make sure it would go well," she said. "He was very interested in the history of the Atholl Highlanders and how they paraded. "We showed him the ballroom and he was interested in everything there, particularly the portraits of various dukes in Highland dress. That sparked quite an interest. "He is very interested clearly in the natural world. He was asking about the birds that were here and he was fascinated by all the wild flowers he had seen. He was particularly interested in the rhododendrons which he said were rather small compared to the ones in his part of the world, which I dare say is true." The earliest known part of the castle in Blair Atholl, Cumming's Tower, dates from the 13th century. An extension was added to it in 1530 to form a Great Hall and has saw other developments through the medieval, Georgian and Victorian eras.

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