Alloa &c

December 9, 2022

Alloa. Check After returning from a quick visit to Alloa, I decided that I’d like to see the back of Stirling Castle.  What I found was a lot of open ground leading to the steep cliffs of the castle that would have left many an attacker dead.

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Back to Stirling for a couple days

December 8, 2022

I’ve stayed at The Lost Guest House in Stirling before. Clean, fairly priced and a short walk to the city center.   Love this local! Been before and it drew me back like a magnet. It’s the craic Heading to the Smith Gallery The story is simple. The ball must have been kicked high, at […]

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Dryburgh Abbey

December 6, 2022

Coming down from the Wallace Statue to the Abbey which was begun around 1150. This yew was planted around 1136, so older than the pile. This monolith is in great shape.  I think it is a tribute to King James I Lightning? And back in Galashiels for one more night  

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Temple of the Muses

December 6, 2022

Only an ass would eat dry hay in a field of green grass. Google maps after the bus but I was totally unaware of this monument. . Aside from wondering why there was a footbridge here, what is that? David Steuart Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan (1742-1829), was admirer of  The Poet but really liked […]

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Hawick

December 5, 2022

Although if one pronounces the town as it is spelled the look from the bus driver makes one ask the proper pronunciation and hears its something like: Hoyk   The Horse Slightly reminded me of the Toll House Shoring up the river front I’d learn more about James Thompson the next day. Somewhere, under all […]

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Selkirk

December 5, 2022

I hadn’t been, the day was wet, the bus was handy.  

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Melrose Abby &c

December 4, 2022

Brian Forrest & his wife Nancy picked me up at Abbotsford and took me to lunch and a wee drive around. Like most of these old piles, Melrose Abbey has suffered not only from old age but the change in climate has apparently effected the mortar resulting in falling building stones. I just like well […]

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Abbotsford

December 3, 2022

  A short train ride from Gala gave me this view, with haar over the home of Sir Walter Scott.  Gobsmacked! A bit of a wee collector was Scott And a writer enjoys other people’s books too. A terrific holiday decoration And these guys were great! The garden walls were inlaid with Roman artifacts Statue […]

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More of the Great Tapestry

December 2, 2022

But not all.  You’ll have to see for yourself And the craic was good.

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Galasheils

December 2, 2022

Was recently named “the happiest place in Scotland”. And I don’t know where the fly would keep the tip money anyway. The Poet abounds Last time I was in Galasheils, the building to house “The Great Tapestry of Scotland” was under construction and now I could see the results. Hand stitched by 1000 people, the […]

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