Wednesday 23rd August (day 24)
What I do feel an affinity to is my Aunty. We have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her and basing ourselves at her home, which is like stepping back in time to the real “mid-century modern”. We left her this morning but not before the three of us walked around the corner to check this red berried tree. As it turns out, it is a Rowan Tree. I am pleased to have identified it and settled the mystery. With the walk complete we finished our packing and said a fond farewell. The hospitality of my English relatives has been generous and welcoming, as good as any Airbnb! Aunty won’t be alone in her house for long, with my brother and mum both due to visit her in just over a week.
Our trip to the airport was full of the traffic I have come to know and hate, but we arrived ahead of schedule and many hours too early for our flight! This particular travel day has been onerous, with 4 hours spent in the airport for a 1-hour flight. Unfortunately for us the flight time was changed from the middle of the day (the time we had arranged to return the car), to 4pm. Fortunately I had some work and some blogging to keep me occupied and now we are here in Bonny Scotland. Time to find Nessie!
We are blessed throughout this part of our trip, like England, to be staying with friends and family. We are sharing the love, and moving backwards and forwards, north and south, to fit in a visit with almost everyone we know! For this evening though, we are in Edinburgh, with Jim Bean’s best mate, eating a pizza and catching up on all the goss. It’s been a long 3.5 years since COVID locked us all in our place. There’s lots to catch up on!
Thursday 24th August (day 25)
The main reason we are in Scotland at this time of year is to be here for Mrs C’s Big 0 birthday party. It’s not for another 12 days though, so we’ve been chauffeured across the country in the Tesla so we can see Mrs C or in my case, meet her for the first time, and pick up a car we have generously been loaned for the duration of our stay in Scotland. We had a lovely visit with Mrs C and Jim Bean’s little sister, once again catching up on all the news.
With our own wheels again, we headed out into the traffic (!), and took a wander around Glasgow University, adding a few steps to the day. It’s an old establishment, sandstone and turrets, set on a hill, with loads of statues of ancient men surrounding it. However, it was a nice walk, an opportunity to stretch our legs, and discuss the latest antics of our offspring. If only they came with an operation manual, and an off switch!
Friday 25th August (day 26)
After a few beverages last night we had a late-ish start to our day. The weather was threatening to ruin it, but we headed off anyway, bound for Glasgow and lunch with the mums.
But first, we stopped to say hi to the Kelpies. These are of course stunning, huge sculptures of two horses, that are adjacent to a main road between Edinburgh and Glasgow. I have seen them before as I drove past. In fact, the last time I saw them, I thought there were numerous Kelpies, at numerous sites, as we drove past them quite a few times, lost on unfamiliar roads and following a hopeless guide in a long convoy. True story.
Anyway, up close, the Kelpies are awesome. I love them and I especially the one with the bowed head. The artistic aspect of them is beautiful. They are so shiny in their silver skin, that is perfectly detailed. Even on a gloomy day they look realistic and appealing. Apparently they are modelled on two Clydesdale horses with the best names, Duke and Baron. They stand tall and proud on behalf of all the horses that have worked across the area, providing all sorts of transportation and other services. My dad was apparently a bit of a horseman, with some skill in handling horses. Whenever he knew he would be near a horse he would make sure he had an apple or a piece of sugar on hand. I think he would have really liked this pair of grand Scottish horses.
Eventually we had to leave the Kelpies to go and collect Mrs C for lunch and meet my brother, his partner and my mum. They have now arrived in the UK and are driving up to Scotland today, meeting us for lunch and then going on to Edinburgh and their accommodation in the city centre. We all arrived at the lunch venue in good time to enjoy a nice lunch and a few first time meetings. The mums met each other and I met two of Jim Bean’s nephews, and everyone met my family.
With no time left in our day, we were back on the road and heading back across the country (literally) so that Jim Ben could catch up with his dearest daughter for the first time since we arrived in town. That gave me the opportunity to try to digest our lunch with a glass of wine. While we had been out in Glasgow our lovely host had procured the three of us seats at a Fringe Show. How great is it that I am in Edinburgh, during the Fringe and have tickets to a show?
When Jim Bean returned we jumped on the bus, scored the front seat on the top deck (!) and off we went to join the crowds in town. Our show was an improv one, that took it’s cues from the audience and created a story about the northern lights being a projection, complete with a soundtrack of songs, comprising tunes from well known musicals. It was very funny and very clever in equal measures, and a fun way to spend a couple of hours. It was also another nice way to end a very full day. I am going to need a holiday to get over this holiday.
Saturday 26th August (day 27)
Luckily it’s a lovely day for a walk! Jim Bean headed off this morning to meet up again with dearest daughter for brunch, and I took a wander around the town. It was packed to the eyeballs with people, likely because it’s the last weekend of fringe, the last night of the tattoo and a bank holiday on Monday. People were shoulder to shoulder all along the Royal Mile and along Princes Street and everywhere else. Despite the thick crowds I managed to watch a couple of street performers and I even managed to bump into the other travellers! Together we wandered down to the farmers market that is on every Saturday, and I scored a delicious falafel wrap and a good coffee. Jim Bean picked me up and we headed for Inverleith Park. It was very nice to sit in the park and admire the city skyline. It’s a good spot to pick out the various landmarks, away from the crowds.
With the afternoon ticking along we decided to try to buy a rainproof jacket for the evening. You just never know! So we headed off in the direction of the nearest department store. My dislike of the thought of shopping meant I quickly saw a “squirrel” in the form of the harbour and insisted we walk up the break wall to the end, and back. It’s a lovely way to spend an hour, in the fresh air, in a part of Edinburgh that was historically a rough a neighbourhood. Give it a few years and I am sure this area will be highly sought after. Maybe I should buy the property that’s up for sale …
Back in the car we finally got to the store, bought the jackets and got the heck back out of the shops! It’s safe to say that we have had more than enough of traffic, but it never stops, and we have spent the day negotiating it yet again. So after getting ourselves ready for the Tattoo, we took the bus down the hill and into the city to meet the other travellers and get ready to go. Now, the thing is that Super Gran doesn’t know that we have bought her a ticket to the show as part of her birthday present. It’s a secret we have been keeping since May! So, as she was about to eat her dinner, we told her needed to get a coat, ‘cause she is off to the Tattoo! Her reaction was priceless. She burst into tears, blubbered her thanks, cried some more, and said things like “when we were walking around the castle, I was wishing it was me going” and “I’m such a lucky mum”! Eventually she finished her meal and we were off up to the castle!
The tattoo has been an annual television viewing event in our Australian home since I was a little girl. It aired on a Sunday evening, towards Christmas each year and we were all in position early in the evening to watch it. This was in the days before on-demand viewing, so it was always planned well in advance. When the opportunity arose to get tickets and attend the real deal, it was a no brainer. So, Jim Bean and I bought the best seats in the house, looking straight down the venue at the castle and the gates! They were extortionately priced, but it is a once in a lifetime event, so again, a no brainer. The other travellers didn’t buy their tickets until much closer to the event, so they weren’t seated with us, but we could see them in the distance, flashing their phone torches at us.
The entrance to the event ran with the expected military precision and before we knew it, we were seated and the last show of the 2023 season started. The theme was “Stories”, and we were treated to a spectacular show of music, dance, lights, bagpipes, fireworks and of course mass pipe bands! The castle was used as a backdrop for a light show and the lone Piper played from a landing within the castle walls. It was amazing to sit in the stadium and watch it all unfold in front of us, just like it has on the television so many times over the last 50+ years (I’m getting a little emotional). This is absolutely the trip that keeps in giving! Unfortunately, it had to come to an end and we were out of the event space with the same precision, and on our way down the hill. Super Gran and the travellers found us, and we compared our wonderful experiences of the show.
I know it’s kitsch and touristy, but I am so pleased we went. I am thrilled the 5 of us did it together and our mum had a surprise highlight thrown into her trip.
Sunday 27th August (day 28)
Today’s the big day, the biggest Broon family reunion since 2014. But first we have to get there. We headed off with the car full of stuff to stay away for the week, as this is the part of the trip we are spending with my Dad’s side of the family. Since I last saw them, we have sadly lost one of my cousins and my Dad’s eldest sibling, my uncle. The two were father and daughter, so there has been some significant loss. We are also spread all over the world, so when I say family reunion, I don’t mean everyone. As my dad went to Australia, so my aunts left Scotland, one bound for Canada and the other to Mexico. My aunt in Mexico will be arriving in Scotland tomorrow, although her son, my cousin is here. I have never met him, so that will happen today. No one from my Canadian family are here, but I have met them all before. After today, there will be just one cousin left to meet, from Mexico, my aunt’s daughter. We are both in our 50s and never met. And if all that sounds exciting, my brother hasn’t been back to Scotland since our parents brought us here in 1977. So, there are a lot of people he hasn’t seen for most of his life, and like me, some he has never even met! It’s going to be a big lunch. And of course, Jim Bean hasn’t met any of them. A baptism of fire!
Our trip up to the family’s homelands in Angus took us into Perth, so we had to have a stop, for a geocache, a coffee and some last-minute shopping. We didn’t count on a traffic jam building while we were off the motorway, and naturally that meant that we were late for our own party! It didn’t seem to matter, and we were soon mixing and mingling with The Clan as if we last saw each other a week ago. My three Angus cousins (and my cousin-in-law) and their mum, my aunty-by-marriage, were there, along with all their children, some of them adults now with partners in tow. My dad’s brother from Alloa was there with his wife and my three younger cousins, and their granny from the other side. My cousin from Mexico was there, with his son (a young adult), and then there were the 5 of us. In total there were 27 of us, representing Scotland, England, Australia, China, the US and Mexico. It’s amazing who will turn out for you when you trek halfway across the world. We spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying a roast, a couple of drinks and catching up, before we made our way outside for a family photo. It was a bit like herding cats, but we got there in the end.
After a lovely afternoon we headed back to the wee village were our eldest cousin lives and enjoyed chatting away to them for the rest of the evening, interspersed with a much-needed walk to aid the digestion of the many calories consumed over lunch. I am very much looking forward to spending this time among family, exploring this part of the world again, and doing it with my brother. There’s a lot for us to see, and not much time to see it all.
Monday 28th August (day 29)
It’s been a few years since I was last in Scotland and when I was, it was for a fabulous family reunion over about a week. However, it was just my kids and mum and I that attended from Down Under. The Drunkle didn’t come along, nor the Bearded One. This time, The Drunkle is here, so we are retracing some of our steps and paths from previous trips, and taking a wander down the historical roads of our Broon family, that weave their way through time and link Scotland to Australia.
After a leisurely family breakfast, we headed off in numerous cars, each with a local in the front seat. In our car we were lucky to have my Aunty, who generously and fondly, in her quiet but funny way shared stories about our dad and uncle growing up in this area. After a quick visit to Banff and a hello to those living there, we stopped at the Reekie Lynn. For those not fluent in the local lingo, the Reekie Lynn means the Smokey Waterfall. Our dads spent many of their childhood and adolescent days in and around this stream and the waterfall. There are many stories from here, gone now with both of them in a better place, but fortunately we’ve got them in my uncle’s book, and they ring in my ears from being told during bygone trips.
One that I love, is how the little shop at the road bridge sold soft drinks in bottles, that the boys and girls could return for a refund. Dad and my uncle returned their bottles, took their money and watched as the bottles were stacked in crates behind the shop. In true cheeky them style, they waited for the shopkeeper to get busy somewhere else, before taking some returned bottles and returning them again! For a refund! What I like most about this story is that the shopkeeper didn’t reprimand them, or send them packing. It seems he gave them another refund and almost encouraged them to do it again. I love it. Let kids be kids, and be cheeky and fun. Standing on the bridge, recreating an old photo with the next generation, I could also hear those cheeky boys splashing in the stream. I miss them both …
Just along from the bridge and the stream, our dad’s initials are carved into a tree, in the same way our Aunty’s initials are in a tree at the Reekie Lynn. Apparently, and in time, our uncle’s ashes may be scattered here. I think that would be nice. The Drunkle hasn’t seen this tree before, so it was great to show it to him. It needs a trim, but the cousins are on to it now.
The next stop on our local tour was the Peel Farm, the home of Sandy Campbell, a mythical beast from our family’s history. Sandy was a pig, a boar I guess, larger than life and known for his obstructive behaviour. In our house if you eat too much, the name Sandy Campbell might be used to describe you for a while. After indulging in some coffee and carbs we were back on the road to the small but interesting village of Kirriemuir. There is a great wee museum in town with loads of local information, sparking stories and memories.
But the town is known for two small folk from history, J.M.Barry and Bon Scott. There are 2 wee statues to acknowledge these icons, one of Peter Pan and one of Bon. We have a Bon Scott statue in Freo, so we came a long way to see this one!
Having seen two little fellows that most people know, we headed off to see another potentially lesser known fellow who was a close friend of ours throughout our childhood, Oor Wullie. I really, really, really wanted to see him, in fact he almost made the 70B4Seventy list, so I am thrilled we decided to head into Dundee and find him. He was as fun loving and cute as I hoped he would be, and you know what, he seemed pleased to see us. He resides outside the DC Thompson building, which of course is very appropriate, as they are the newspaper publisher who have printed the comic forever. We in Australia came to know him because our uncle worked for DC Thompson and would send a Sunday Post to our dad each week. It came rolled up, wrapped in brown paper, and was a highlight of dad’s week. Once he read it, we could read the Oor Wullie and The Broons comic, before the paper left our house and did the rounds of the Scottish expat community. When it finally got returned to dad, it was piled up with the others. Once I started working in an aged care facility, the papers were taken to work for one of our Scottish patients, who lovingly piled them up, as though they were his most prized possession. In hindsight, I suspect they actual were his most prized possession. I bet he loved reading the comics as much as the rest of the paper. Needless to say, visiting Oor Wullie was a trip highlight! If you head there, I can confirm that some of his other pals are also living in Dundee.
Back home in the beautiful village of Balkeerie we enjoyed a lovely family dinner before taking a great walk around the paddocks that surround the village. During our walk I discovered that Scotland has this fabulous concept of “the right to roam”. As someone who constantly sees “do not enter” and “trespassers will be prosecuted” signs, the notion of the right to roam is amazing. It also explains the people wandering across paddocks (some with rifles slung across their backs). Knowing about the right to roam calmed my nerves; I no longer felt as though I might get approached by an angry farmer! Our lovely walk also capped off a great day, exploring the local area, reminiscing, and connecting with family. I am looking forward to the rest of this fabulous week.
Tuesday 29th August (day 30)
Too fast. The week is going too fast, as is the entire holiday. The plan for today is another busy one, spent mostly in the local area, reexploring many of the spots we spent time in as children when we lived briefly in the area in 1997.
Today’s first stop was in the village of Glamis which is best known for being the home of Glamis Castle, the home of the Queen Mother. We didn’t visit the castle itself, due partly to the cost (!) and partly due to interest. I was intrigued to notice that there were signs suggesting that the right to roam may not apply to Glamis Castle! If ever it should apply, surely it is for buildings and grounds just like this. What we did do was wander around the town, because it is close to our hearts as a place where our uncle volunteered in the little museum, and where his funeral was very recently held. As we wandered, and admired the kirk, we were invited by a local, to take a look through it. Although our uncles funeral was held here, it was enlightening for us and our cousin, a local. The person who let us into the kirk showed us some of the parts of it that date back to a time when the ground was lower than it is today, including partly buried arches and a paved floor. As we stood there, I wondered if the queen mother had ever stood in this room, or this kirk. Probably not, as they likely had their own within the castle grounds, but who knows?
Grateful for our spontaneous tour, and with some melancholy as we miss those who have gone before us, we headed off to another place of heaps of meaning to us all, 20 Montrose Rd in Forfar, our Granny Broon’s home. As children we lived here for a few weeks on a couple of occasions and of course our cousins spent so much of our lives here. Our granny died about 15 years ago, but her legacy remains, with her name still adorning the door. I wonder if the key is still in the same hiding place? It seems the backyard has shrunk and the local shops at each end of the block have gone, but most things looked familiar, even the window my cousin and I hung out, attracting warnings from Granny’s neighbours. It was nice to come back here for a while.
When we lived in Forfar our mum was forever trying to find ways to keep three Australian kids occupied in a 3 room council house. We spent a lot of time in Reid Park and walking up Bummie. Balmashanner is a hill with a war memorial on top of it. It also seems to have shrunk, but other than that, it looks the same as it did way back in 1997. For some reason, we found it tricky to get off the hill this time, although mum seemed to know the way. I doubted that her memory from 46 years ago would be accurate, especially as she is well into her 80s, but I should have trusted her. For the record, if you go up on the far side, you can come back down on the nearside, but there isn’t really an easy path across (and nor is there much in the way of connectivity on the top of the hill).
Back at the bottom, we decided to sample a good old Forfar Briddie. Mrs Bridie is buried in the Glamis kirk and Forfar is our ancestral home, so how could we not. After a brief discussion about who makes and sells the best Bridie’s, we headed to the Mclarens bakery and partook of a bridie each. Now I have to say, having grown up on Australian meat pies, and partaken of many many good ones, the bridie didn’t speak to my soul in the way a pie does, but I could see it’s appeal, especially a fresh one, heated in an oven (not a microwave). That said, for the bridie versus pie consideration, and so many other reasons, I am glad my dad emigrated to Australia.
Onwards on our tour, we headed up the road from Forfar to the seaside town of Arbroath. This is home to a mostly destroyed abbey, which we took the time to tour. It has a great information centre, which is needed because the weather may preclude visitors from wandering through the actually abbey ruins. Luckily for us the weather was lovely and we were able to explore the ruins of the Abbey, imagining the structure as it was way back in medieval times. Of course the Abbey is most famous for the place from which the Declaration of Arbroath left on its journey to the then Pope. It’s always about religion …
After wandering the Abbey we made our way down to the Harbour for some famous and delicious fish and chips, shared with a few seagulls. The view from the harbour was worth the windswept photo. It is very clear why the wall exists. The weather on either side is markedly different. Not far from Arbroath is the lovely beach at East Haven, a place where our dads worked. I am not sure of the stories, but they have something to do with farms (of course). I think, like all the stories, there is more information in my uncle’s autobiography. I must get a copy.
Since arriving in the UK I have been keenly watching for squirrels and loving their cheeky faces and funny antics. I have seen my share of grey ones and tried hard to find an elusive red one. This evening four of us took a drive down to some local woods, and walked through them as the sun was setting. Way, way, way up in the very top of a very high tree I was lucky enough to spot and follow a busy red squirrel, leaping from branch to branch. I am slowly ticking off the Big 5 of Scotland (like the Big 5 of Africa but smaller and less likely to kill you).
Wednesday 30th August (day 31)
Today we are venturing further afield but covering many more places that our family have been familiar with for a few generations. But first we stopped in to say hi to my cousin who generously got up from his bed, after working night duty. Having been a shift worker, I would have told everyone to come back another day! We didn’t outstay our welcome, heading further north to meet up with my “Mexican” aunty, who arrived back in Scotland yesterday. We all headed over for lunch at Duthie Park in the steely city of Aberdeen. I must have been here before, but it was not at all familiar to me. I thought it was quite nice. I am not sure why Jim Bean makes fun of it …
After lunch we headed back down the road, stopping to admire the ruins of the stunning Dunottar Castle. I think the catch cry, Once Seen, Never Forgotten is very appropriate. We didn’t go and explore it from the inside, but it was easy to appreciate it’s grandeur from outside. I can imagine the trials and tribulations it has seen, and the secrets it keeps deep in it’s soul. It looks as though life would have been tough behind it’s walls, cold, damp and windy, so I am grateful we were there on a beautiful autumn day. The exception rather than the rule.
On our way back to Balkeerie we made a couple of lovely stops to admire the view looking down onto the very pretty Gourdon Fishing village and then to wander along, around and under the lovely old Bridge of Dun. (We have been home a while now and recently the bridge was under water and damaged. I am very glad we weren’t there in that kind of weather!).
Back at home we were treated to a delicious spaghetti bolognaise, fit for a family of many, spread out to eat together across a number of tables and chairs, but nonetheless having a family feast. To top off a great day, when everything was quite and we least expected it, we heard and then caught a glimpse of a tiny hedgehog! I cant tell you how excited I was, nor how long I sat there on the step outside the back door, hoping for another siting. I think the meowing of the house cat on the other side of the door put hedgey off. Oh well, that 2 of Scotland’s Big 5 that I’ve seen already, with just the Red Deer, Nessy and a Highland Coo to go.
Thursday 31st August (day 32)
A couple of days ago we hatched a plan for nine of us to head out for an overnighter to Inverness, via Loch Ness. Today could well be the day I spot the big girl, The Loch Ness Beastie, right in the middle of an organised search for her.
We did well getting nine of us up, organised and out of the houses by 09.30. The first part of our trip involved a cross country, up hill and down dale drive to a café at Laggan for morning tea. I had no idea that there had been such a significant and devasting deforestation of the highlands, as part of an agricultural improvement program and the Highland Clearances. In fact I had no idea that human clearing had occurred either! While there is little evidence of the human clearing, there is certainly a lot of evidence of deforestation across the area we drove to get to Laggan.
After enjoying our morning tea we headed on to Glenfinnan where we fluked our arrival to coincide with a train traversing the viaduct. It wasn’t a steam train, with Harry Potter and his pals onboard, but it was fun to see all the same and drew an impressive crowd. To stretch our legs we walked out to the viaduct, inspected it from below and wandered back to have a look at the Glenfinnan or Bonnie Prince Charles monument, as it is more affectionately known.
The lone highlander atop the monument overlooks a small graveyard and the much larger Loch Shiel. Again, there is so much history here, the place where it all started to unravel for the Jacobites who were keen to reclaim the thrones of Britain from the Hanoverians for a Stuart king. More about that later.
Back in the car we headed back on ourselves for a while, before making a turn north, passing and stopping briefly at the Commandos memorial, honouring the more recent memory of British Commando Forces from the second world war. It is impressive and from its base there is an even more impressive view of Ben Nevis and Aonach Mor, across the River Spean valley. One day I would like to come back here and climb Ben Nevis, a hike that will put our climb up Bluff Knoll to shame (and you’ll recall how hard I found that!).
Onwards in the car we arrived in Fort Augustus for a late lunch sandwich just in time to watch the locks on the loch in action. I know these things are commonplace here and elsewhere in the world, but there is nothing like them in Australia as far as I’m aware, so I find them fascinating and fun! I love their practicality and their rationale, as well as the spectacle of them. These attracted a crowd, us included. I think I’d like to houseboat on Loch Ness! We could use a lock and get to find Nessy. What excitement that would be.
After scoffing our lunch we all set off, bound for our accommodation at Inverness. The others blasted off ahead in their cars, with a plan to meet up at Urquhart Castle. But I was in no hurry. I came here to see Nessy The Loch Ness Beastie. So, just along the way, we pulled over and climbed down to the edge of the loch.
I am not ashamed to say that I cupped my hands to my mouth and repeatedly called out “Nessy, Nessy, Nessy”. I was nothing short of thrilled and overwhelmed by the experience of being at Loch Ness, and when the Beastie popped up and called out “Janie, Janie, Janie” I nearly died a fan girl death! I think Jim Bean thought I had finally cracked!
Back in the car we met up with the convoy at the fence of the Urquhart Castle. It is definitely an imposing and impressive looking place, somewhere which I suspect a fair maiden could be rescued from by the Loch Ness Beastie. Onwards we arrived at our overnight accommodation, a huge former boarding house in Inverness. Now folk seem to be a bit derogatory about this town, but it looked nice to me, and it has a wonderful location, at the top of the loch. Again, I would like to come back here and explore. But for tonight, we stayed in, ate pizza, blethered away with everybody and eventually slept in our beds after a fabulous day of exploring this amazing part of Scotland!
Friday 1st September (day 33)
It was truly wonderful to wake up in a house full of my family, and then make and eat breakfast together. I suppose many families have done this many times, but when a family is as diversely distributed across the world as ours, it’s a rarity that takes on a special meaning, despite its mundaneness. After cleaning up and re-packing the cars, we bid farewell to our supersized house and headed off towards today’s adventures.
Not far out of Inverness we arrived at Culloden, at the place where the battle between The Governor of England and Prince Charles’ armies took place. Of course this history is not told at school in Australia, so I had a lot to catch up on, but the excellent information centre did a great job of telling both an abridged and thorough version of the battle and its prequel. From what I can tell, Bonnie Prince Charlie, who we saw yesterday atop the plinth at (where), headed down into England to have a word with (who) about who owned what. It seems he got a bit greedy and decided he would like the borders redrawn, in favour of Scotland. Naturally that wasn’t well received, and he and his troops were sent packing, with battles fought all the way back to Culloden.
As you would expect, the governor had more than enough troops and weapons to push Charlie and his mob back. Eventually Charlie’s exhausted mob of farmers, townspeople and others found themselves at Culloden, with the governor and his army not to far away. A couple of different plans of attack were drawn up, but in the end, a battle was fought right where we stood, with the governors army decisively winning what was a bloody battle with rifles and bayonets. What is not clear to me is why this happened. Both sides appear to have been made up of a mix of English and Scottish fighters, religion doesn’t seem to have been a huge focus, nor politics. I maintain that testosterone seems to have a lot to answer for, and that the ever present desire to rule of land doesn’t seem worth the loss of life. Maybe my thinking is just too superficial. Despite my own bewilderment, the site was very enlightening, if somewhat sobering, so I am glad we visited it, and of course it gave us another opportunity to spend valuable time with family. I also found myself a lovely new handy bag, a beautiful purple and green tartan, with a cute heiland coo on the front. A holiday gift to myself.
From Culloden the Long drive through purple heather and green hills (matching the colours of my new bag) started. Again I was wishing I could share the driving with Jim Bean, but instead I tried my best to passenge and navigate as we made our way to the busy town of Pitlockerie for some lunch. We said goodbye (for now) the other Aussies who are London bound, with Super Gran shedding a few tears. After a few more laughs, sitting in the sun, eating a sandwich we also bid a very fond farewell to my Scottish family, descendants of Clan Lamont, and forced to change our name by “the Campbells”. A new reason for alliance with the McDonalds just came to light!
Although we spent just 6 short days together, it was fabulous to reunite with the clan. Each time we see each other, always many years apart, we connect on a level that only family can. Stories flow with ease, memories are made and banked for “next time” and the ties that bind us are tighter a little more. There is also sadness that some have left us forever and that was certainly the case again this time. With both a dear cousin and a larger than life uncle missing, our travels were that little bit less bright, but we didn’t hesitate to add them to our stories and talk about them at every chance. I hope that happens when I join them, our grandparents and my dad. Without a shadow of a doubt they were having their own gathering in the after life. It is likely it was more lively even than ours!
Back in the car we headed down the road to Edinburgh, leaving behind the clear skies of the highlands. Fortunately we had dinner with Jim Bean’s daughter and SIL to look forward to, and we made good haste, arriving back at our accommodation with time to say hi to our ever-considerate host, and get ready to turn around and head out again! It was very lovely to meet Jim Bean’s adored daughter, and spend time with her and her partner over a delicious dinner at an Italian restaurant in a former mill, that is being redeveloped into a dining and celebrating precinct. We were regaled with stories of their trip to Disneyland, where they got engaged (from now on they will be referred to as a s and Mr Disney), and heard about Mr Disney’s recent appearance in a self-written and co-presented Edinburgh Fringe Show. What an achievement for a young person to make their first live audience appearance at Edinburgh Fringe! Of course behind every successful fringe actor is a dedicated Ms Disney, handing out flyers and negotiating the support crews. A wonderful team effort, that it was fun to hear all about. A great end to a long day.
Saturday 2nd September (day 34)
The next festival, The Festival of Mrs C starts today. It is Jim Bean’s mum’s birthday (a big 0 birthday) on Tuesday, and the first of the celebrations start today. After a quick stop in at Jim Bean’s long suffering hairdresser, we needed to make a very hasty dash across the country from Edinburgh to Glasgow, with Jim Bean’s daughter and SIL, to Celtic Park, to take a tour of the silverware and some of the stadium. As has been the way of travelling here in the UK, we struck traffic and were late for the start but guided in to join the rest of the family, just in time to hear about the trophies, including the European Cup.
We also got to see a painting of the winning team and hear the story of the cap held by the goalkeeper. Apparently he was responsible for collecting all of the players false teeth into the cap, and placing it beside him at one of the goalposts. I didn’t find it at all hard to believe that many of the players had dentures, reflecting that my dad had a full set from a very young age (although I think he would have left them in, rather than be a gummy shark on the field). I imagine most of theirs were partial dentures and I hope they could all recognise their own teeth at the end of each game! Anyway, when Celtic won the European Cup during the game that is immortalised in the painting, (who) did a very quick u-turn and bolted up the field to retrieve the teeth as the fans stormed the ground. Luckily he was able to scoop them to safety so that the heroes of the match could face the press and others with pearly whites in-situ. When recounting this story to our host later in the day, he and Jim Bean added to it, by informing me that (who) was a trained dentist! No wonder he scampered up the field to secure the prized cap and its precious contents!
After touring the change rooms, going into the dugouts and sitting in the sponsors seats in the stand, our hour-long tour was over and we were escorted to the lovely Restaurant 7, for a very impressive late lunch / early dinner. All 12 of us dined on a delicious 3 course meal, before we headed outside and spotted Jim Bean’s very own paved, implanted in the forecourt of the ground many years ago. Although it meant very little to me (but I did enjoy it) Both Jim Bean and his mammy seemed to thoroughly engage with it and were very happy to have had the opportunity to walk in the hallowed grounds of their beloved team. Jim Bean was even heard to say something like “my first game was when (who) played his last game”, as if he donned the boots and kicked a ball himself. Such a dreamer! To finish the afternoon we all returned with the birthday girl to Jim Beans sister house for a family catch up to dissect the experience.
Thankfully our road trip back to Edinburgh was far less stressful and we were back in time to take a tour of the new home of Jim Bean’s daughter and SIL. It’s always such an exciting and grown up thing to buy and move into your first home. It looks like they will be happy and comfortable within their castle. Long may it continue!
Sunday 3rd September (day 35)
Sunday morning. What better time to do some work? Unfortunately, that’s the price I pay for taking 10 weeks off. Some things just can’t wait. So, I did that while Jim Bean and our host went along to the sports bar to watch a derby football match between the two Glaswegian teams. By now you will have worked out which team Jim Bean was cheering for. Fortunately the computer I was using was set up in the conservatory and Edinburgh was having a “heat wave” day, so after finishing my work I hatched a plan to spend the afternoon outdoors.
Of course our custom now is to ascend to a high point in the city before we leave, and with just a couple of days to go in Edinburgh, we decided to tick this off today, a glorious sunny day. Although we normally don’t ascend a hill to do this, given our lack of steps over the last few days, and the glaring Arthur’s Seat that dominates the city, we decided to hike up to the top. It was a decision many other folk in Edinburgh had also made, so we had to share the path with quite a few other people. Jim Bean decided we should first walk the crags, so we started on a more gentle slope, with grassy options, and a great view of the city! Apparently someone falls off the crags at least once a year. I can see why!
The issue with climbing the crags first is that we basically had to go almost all the way back to ground level to then start climbing Arthur’s Seat! As usual, going down was tough, on a gravel path. At the bottom we chose a path and started the climb up again. There are so many ways to go up, and somehow we chose the hardest option, with me crawling on hands and knees at one stage. Eventually we made it to the top and admired the 360° view over the pretty city, along the Firth of Forth and out to sea!
I enjoyed that Sunday afternoon exertion and as a bonus, the walk down wasn’t too difficult. In fact it was so easy that Daisy the dog did it twice!
To thank our wonderful host for having us in his home, we all went out for what was a very good Indian meal at a local restaurant. They served the biggest papadums I’ve ever seen, with some delicious chutneys and yoghurt. The curries were also delicious and I got my fill of rice, something I can eat every night of the week! Lucky for me, we rode the double decker bus there and back, and I got the front seat on the top deck both times! It’s like the ‘op on, ‘op off without the million dollar ticket price!
Monday 4th September (day 36)
Today is our last day in Scotland to do any sightseeing. The plan is to head to Berwick and have a look around. That means crossing back into England, so we may grab Scotland’s last, and Scotland’s first geocaches.
We set off from our Edinburgh accommodation and returned pretty quickly, thanks to me forgetting to pick up my camera. On the road again, Jim Bean was roaring down the motorway until I redirected him onto the coast road and from that point we were never going to get far. Like yesterday, the weather was perfect, second day of a “heat wave”, and perfect for admiring beaches along the edge of the Forth as it empties into the North Sea. We also cruised past the many golf courses along this stretch of coast. It’s just as well the “right to roam” law exists, or your average Scot might miss out on some wonderful coastline.
Within a short time we were at North Berwick (nowhere near Berwick) and enjoying some brunch in a sweet cafe along a very pretty high street. We were able to do a little bit of our shopping along here, buying a book or two for Evie. As usual, we aren’t shopping for too much, as it’s all too hard to pack and carry. We also took a bit of a look at the coast, but the cool nip in the breeze drove us away from the foreshore, towards the Law that we saw yesterday from Arthur’s Seat. The Law is (what). Naturally, we had to climb it.
The climb instead was easy compared to yesterday, with a wide path wrapping around the Law. Unlike yesterday, it was quiet, with few people walking up to the top. Although the notice at the bottom did say that there are 8 ponies living on the Law, I didn’t expect to see them. Luckily for us though they were all waiting for us, not too far from the top. They are very pretty brown ponies, built for the steep terrain, whose job it is to munch away on the grasses. They are doing a fabulous job, and enhance any Law-top photo I was able to get them in.
At the top of the Law there is a ruined building and a (replica) whale jaw. I am not sure why the whale jaw bone is there, but the first (real) jaw was installed their way back in (when). I also have no idea how, way back in the day, they got it up there. As well as those 2 things to look at, there is of course the view, which is outstanding, and far better than the view from Arthur’s Seat. We could see back along the coast to Edinburgh, making out the castle at the end of the Royal Mile, and yesterdays peaks.
The view of the wee town of North Berwick is also great, and further down the coast we could clearly see Tantallon Castle. In fact the view is 360°, and there is a directional map, pointing out all the obvious sights and sites that it is possible to see. With the sun shining and any nip in the air now gone, we stayed up on the Law until mid afternoon.
Eventually we did descend and make our way along the road to Tantallon Castle, simply because we had used up most of our day enjoying North Berwick, and had no time to meander further along to Berwick (next time). Although not overly old, or overly important in the scheme of things, Tantallon is a great place to visit for so many reasons. Firstly it is a beautiful ruin, sitting on a stunning cliff along a picturesque coastline, with the best view of Bass Rock that it is possible to have.
We could see all the birds flying around the rock, and trialling the fishing boats. After climbing up the spiral staircase into the ruins, we could also see deep into the crystal clear (and no doubt freezing cold) water, wondering if there would be anything to see if divers or snorkellers were brave enough to take a dip!
Eventually we needed to leave the ruin, but we were lucky enough to see a small birdy murmuration and grab a picture of a beautiful wee finch. Another one for my UK bird collection. Although we didn’t get anywhere near as far as we originally intended to today, and barely scratched the surface of North Berwick and it’s surrounds, we did have a great time, and the sites we visited were as good as any in Scotland. In fact, a local asked what my favourite place in Scotland had been so far, and I said “here”. As always, I hope there is a next time, so we can stay a while and explore some more.
Back in the car we headed to the southern edge of the city and Jim Bean headed off for a visit with his daughter, while I rode on the front seat of a double decker bus all the way back to our accommodation. It took a full hour, and while I didn’t have a guided tour, with a full description of the sights and sites, I did have a great view of much of the city from y premium seat. Almost as good as any ‘op on, ‘op off bus! A great way to end a perfect holiday day, capped off with a home cooked, prime Angus sirloin steak. When in Scotland …
Tuesday 5th September (day 37)
Today is our absolute last day in the UK for this trip and Mrs C’s Big 0 birthday! Our entire trip itinerary was planned around being here in Scotland for this big day. But first there is some shopping to do, of course. With a Hedgy McHedgehog secured as a token of our appreciation to our Edinburgh host, we headed along the road to Glasgow for the birthday celebrations, with part one taking place at the River Inn over a lovely lunch for eight. Mrs C was endowed with flowers, gifts, balloons and badges, surrounded by her 3 children and one of her 5 grandchildren.
After lunch we enjoyed a fabulous afternoon of family fun, stories and memory making at Jim Bean’s little sisters house. There were more balloons, flowers and gifts, as well as cake and photos. The birthday lady certain got very spoiled. Fortunately for us, we got a ride all the way back to Edinburgh late in the evening, but in time to hand Hedgy McHedgehog to his new owner. We’ll see you next time Hedgy.
The Solo Avocado 