AN AMERICAN couple plan to relocate to a town in Scotland after falling in love with the area through the local radio station.
Heidi Jamieson and her husband Keith Smeal discovered Keith Community Radio on the internet when they were searching for a place to retire.
After exchanging emails with presenter Don Chisholm the station invited the couple to visit to show them the sights ahead of their planned move across the Atlantic
Heidi and Keith, from Windsor, New Jersey, arrived in Keith in Moray and were met at the town’s train station by KCR’s Don Chisholm and Eddie Stuart to take a ride on the historic Spirit of Speyside train before being given a tour of the local whisky distillery.
By comparison with their home town which has a population of 27,000 and lies just 50 miles from New York the town of Keith in the rural North East has just 4,700 residents. And the couple were impressed with the first look at what could become their new home.
“The trains in the UK are so much better than ours in the states; they run on time for a start,” said Heidi. “And travelling on this fantastic railway from Keith to Dufftown has just been amazing, and the scenery is beautiful.”
Rod Furr, chairman of the Keith Dufftown Railway, gave the couple a tour of Dufftown station, including the museum. and gave them a detailed history of the railway which has been running since 1862.
Heidi and Keith were then taken on a tour of the famous Glenfiddich distillery.
“A beautiful train ride, so many great things to see at the station, and then a whisky tour - a perfect day,” said Heidi.
After catching the 4pm train back to Keith, the couple enjoyed a bar supper at the Royal Hotel before being given a tour of the KCR studios and appearing on Eddie Stuart’s evening show.
Heidi and Keith have visited Scotland a number of times and Heidi added: “Every time we visit Scotland we fall in love with it a little more deeply.” Although Heidi and Keith still have 14 years before they retire, they are working on a business plan to make it work.
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