46 NAPLES ILLUSTRATED
Warslin’ Lea (Wres-
tling Ground), and the
reaction will likely be a
combination of exalta-
tion and vexation (ah,
the sweet dichotomy of
golf). Since those early days, a third course, the
PGA Centenary, has been added. This tour de
force by Jack Nicklaus has hosted the 2014 Ryder
Cup and is due to welcome the 2019 Solheim
Cup. If you can avoid being distracted by the
awesome panorama that is the Scottish country-
side, this is some of the best golf anywhere.
Gleneagles has come a long way since
Matheson’s day—though you can still arrive by
train to the hotel’s own station. Now owned by
Ennismore, the legendary property features anextensive lineup of country pursuits, includ-
ing shooting, horseback riding, off-roading, fly
fishing, archery, and falconry. For a full dose
of British tradition, put on Wellingtons, chaps,
and Barbour coats (all supplied by the Brit-
ish School of Falconry) and spend a day in the
woods with a trained falconer and the BSF Har-
ris hawks. There’s something very Zen about
walking beneath a leafy canopy at the edge of
a glen, releasing hawks to hunt, and working
with them in tandem to locate game. It doesn’t
always yield a reward, but it does deliver a
closer connection with the birds of prey.
Considering the rugged terrain, it could be
argued that Scotland is one of the best spots
in the world for off-roading. Jump into one of
Gleneagles’ Land Rover Defenders and exploreClockwise from top left: The first hole of the PGA Centenary course;
the Birnam Brasserie’s Winter Garden and the American Bar are new
additions to Gleneagles; golf with a view; Royal Lochnagar Suite; Glen-
eagles sits on an 850 -acre estate with stunning countryside views.ESCAPE