Scotland2017

A collection of 22 posts

Scotland2017

Clockwork Swan

A simple day today. Wander down into Barnard Castle and take a look round, go to the Bowes Museum and Castle. A slow start, partly because, surprisingly, is very hot. Up to 23° or thereabouts. Traveling in May is always so unpredictable. It was so cold at the start of

Scotland2017

Mr Dale's Diary

We had to move on from the pub, so the van is in 'traveling' mode, the weather is nice, so why not travel? We only got as far as a mile down the road before our first stop, Eggleston Hall Gardens. A nice little garden to walk around but a

Scotland2017

Thanks Unthanks

Yesterday's Zebra billy can measuring proved inconclusive. There's only one thing for it, a quick dash into Edinburgh this morning before we leave, taking the billy can's proposed container with us. Almost a Cinderella slipper fit, but with perhaps the possibility of corns or bunions (weird metaphor, perhaps I should

Scotland2017

Underground, Overground (wombling free)

Everyday the bus had gone past The Nordic Shop, Edinburgh's Scandinavian Outdoor shop. I kept meaning to get off and go take a look. Last night we were talking about cooking options in the van and Liz mentioned Zebra billy cans. We mused that The Nordic Shop might be a

Scotland2017

We were wondering ...

when we'd see real Scottish weather. It rained steadily through the night and was raining, albeit quite lightly, when we got up. A few house-keeping tasks this morning that necessitate several trips in the rain. Emptying and cleaning the loo but even worse, the loo blue chemical bottle has leaked

Scotland2017

A pig playing bagpipes

Reunited with Liz today. Apparently she's expecting to be collected just after 10am, which means I have to be offsite before 9:30. 30 mins to put the van into "on the road" mode, 30 minutes to tidy away bedding and get breakfast, 30 mins for ablutions, teeth etc. Better

Scotland2017

Arthur and the soldiers

A simple plan today. Find the park and climb Arthur's Seat. Ah, OK it is the other side of the city so alight at Prince's Street, walk along it, up North Bridge along part of the Royal Mile to Holyrood, round the corner and I'm there. Easy! The Royal Mile?

Scotland2017

Sent away by the constabulary

Before anyone gets worked up by the title, it is a reference to where the police dismissed us. Leith. As in Sunshine Over and Trainspotting. Firstly Morningside. Morningside is a suburb of S Edinburgh on the bus route from the campsite. Rewind, first the campsite. Here's a picture, automatically enhanced

Scotland2017

Memories of Mrs Slocombe

The trouble with blogging is that if you stop you fall behind. I stopped over the weekend, fell behind, caught up Tuesday night but not Tuesday's adventures themselves and them last night I got distracted. So here I am in a bar Thursday tea time three days behind. At least

Scotland2017

Parting Of The Ways

Having eaten and drank in a Hawick last night it was time to explore the town and shop. Any border town is bound to have a fascinating history. In Hawick's case it is all about the ride. Lots of the border towns around here have annual "rides" but Hawick is

Scotland2017

Aires and Places

It may only be 3 miles or so to Craster but this could well be the busiest stretch of road we've been on since leaving the M1. Craster is a nice enough turn but surely not that nice to attract so much Sunday morning traffic. And boy, is Craster expensive

Scotland2017

Review: The Cottage Inn, Dunstan, nr Craster, Northumberland

Rating: Good Firstly, believe the signs! Yes, you do turn into the small woodland gravel road that seems to head into a forest. 50m later you will turn into a clearing that is the large pub car park. Gravel/clinker but pot-hole free and fairly flat. Some bits of tall

Scotland2017

Chatting with the locals

Northumberland are playing Yorkshire at Greenfields (Alnwick Rugby Club ground) today so time to move on. Also looks like there will be a pigeon release from the top pitch. We wait in hope to catch it, but in vain. A pity, my Dad raced pigeons decades ago when we shared

Scotland2017

Have you missed me? (part two)

Now where did we leave off. Oh yes, arriving at Alnwick. Alnwick's a lovely market town. Lots of little shops, a famous castle, just as famous gardens and the possibly even more famous Barters Bookshop with its huge range of pre-loved books. And, location, location, location, it is not too

Scotland2017

Have you missed me? (part one)

My heart and soul hasn't been into blogging this trip. My muse and amanuensis David died suddenly late last year. Sharing a very similar sense of humour my humble efforts were generally written directly to make him smile or grimace. He too was a great diarist (woe betide anyone who

Scotland2017

Review: Alnwick Rugby Club

Rating: Very Good I like sports club sites! We stayed at Durham Rowing Club last year and it was perfect for access to the city. Alnwick Rugby Club is the same, about 15/20 minutes walk from the centre, near the A1 (and Saintsbury's) The site is gently sloping with

Scotland2017

Review: The Lamb, Rainton

Rating: Excellent Location: just off the A1(M) 6 miles from Thirsk, N Yorks Oh, this doesn't look good as we pull into the large carpark and spot the "No campervans, cars only" signs along one wall. But then we turn and look at the opposite wall, with 4 bays

Scotland2017

An appointment with Ernie

According to our activity trackers we have done about 43,000 steps or 20 miles walking in the last 3 days. Time for a slow-down day. The campsite almost adjoins the Birmingham Transport Museum and despite buses not really being my thing, we ought to look since we are here.

Scotland2017

Birmingham, not my favorite city

Unfair, the city has some great museums. We didn't get time to visit the coffin museum, nor the other jewellery museum, nor the science museum, not the historic canal basins... In part, that is because Birmingham is a horrid town for visiting pedestrians. There are few long thoroughfares, instead the

Scotland2017

Silver, what silver?

7:15 is early for us retired folk. 7:15 on a damp and miserable Saturday in Birmingham isn't fun for any folk, retired or not. But we have an appointment this morning, at 11:00 and we mustn't be late! Now I agree a 7:15 alarm for an

Scotland2017

Back to Backs

Let's try again. Yesterday's post was quite boring anyway, just talk about taking the back roads to S Birmingham and then finding a brewery pub with 10 real ales within a 1.5 mile walk from the Chapel Lane campsite. See, boring. Although the beers were very nice but bar

Scotland2016

Thurs - No room at the inn

Ferry day today, two ferries to be precise, one to Bute/Kintyre, a quick drive across and a second ferry to Arran. We are up early - actually later than our original 7am alarm, set so we could phone Lucy on her birthday. Plenty of time before the ferry so