The Fountain Of Youth
We were out walking the dog yesterday and stumbled across the Fountain of Youth. Probably.
If you know Inverness you'll be familiar with the little group of Islands in the middle of the Ness which can be negotiated through walkways and footbridges and lit by ornate lamposts that spring from the woodland like a scene from Narnia. This area of the town was highlighted by the travel writer Bill Bryson in his famous journey around Britian as told in .
But here's something he missed: on the north bank of the river, as the footpath winds past some benches, there's a strange little stone tunnel with a chain and cup attached. There's also a sign explaining that this is the General's Well.
The General, says the sign, went by bthe name of MacIntyre. He used to live nearby and would drink from this well every day of his life. It doesn't say whether he's alive or dead...if it were the former then the well's supposed health-giving properties might well be given some credibility.
Naturally I was tempted to sample some of this regenerative fluid. I imagined the colour returning to my cheeks, the fat dissolving from my belly and then being overcome by a sudden desire to relive my teenage days. Yes, I would have headed straight for the comic book shop.
But there was another sign...much smaller, explaining that the water was unfit for drinking.
Oh well...there's always next week, when I hope to discover the Holy Grail. 
