Scotland Part 4

Edinburgh Day

On Sunday Joni and Fiona were both off work and we elected to have a visit to Edinburgh. When we arrived in the city it was quiet and parking in the car park on King's Stables Road. Once in Princes Street Gardens we had our first glimpse of Edinburgh Castle standing at the top of an extinct volcano.

In the park there is a magnificent fountain. This known as the Ross Fountain. Further information is available at the following link: http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst8527.html

The Ross Fountain

In the park there was a magnificent specimen of a Scottish thistle,

but even as we walked the rain began and so we ducked into the Royal Scottish Academy. Once the rain stopped we continued our walk along the next section of the park, passing the Scott Monument. This is a huge structure and it seemed incredible that any author could be worthy of such a memorial.

Wikipedia has the following description:

The tower is 200 feet 6 inches (61.11 m) high, and has a series of viewing decks reached by a series of narrow spiral staircases giving panoramic views of central Edinburgh and its surroundings. The highest viewing deck is reached by a total of 287 steps (those who climb the steps can obtain a certificate commemorating the event). It is built from Binny sandstone quarried in nearby Ecclesmachan. This oily stone was known to attract dirt quickly and was probably a deliberate choice to allow the Gothic form to quickly obtain the patina of age. Arguably the soot of Edinburgh's chimneys, in combination with smoke from the nearby railway line and Waverley Station perhaps over-egged the result, and it is now very hard to make out the numerous carved figures. Bill Bryson has described it as looking like a "gothic rocket ship'.

Once through the park we opted for the more gentle climb on to the 'Royal Mile'. Part way up we spied seagulls that thought the were need of some body piercing. There many historical buildings along the Mile and many attractions and outlets aimed at tourists.

Near the top we were about ready for a tea break, which we happened to take in an interesting cafe. The cafe was named after Deacon Brodie.

According to Wipedia "William Brodie (28 September 1741 – 1 October 1788), more commonly known by his prestigious title of Deacon Brodie, was a Scottish cabinet-maker,deacon of the trades guild and Edinburgh city councillor, who maintained a secret life as a burglar, partly for the thrill, and partly to fund his gambling.

By day, Brodie was a respectable businessman, member of the burgh council and deacon (or president) of the Incorporation of Wrights and Masons. Part of his job in building cabinets was to install and repair their locks and other security mechanisms and repair door locks. He also served on a jury. He socialised with the gentry of Edinburgh, meeting poet Robert Burns and the painter Sir Henry Raeburn. He was also a member of The Edinburgh Cape Club.[1]

At night, however, Brodie became a burglar and thief. He used his daytime job as a way to gain knowledge about the security mechanisms of his clients and to copy their keys using wax impressions. As the foremost wright of the city, Brodie was asked to work in the homes of many of the richest members of Edinburgh society. He used the illicit money to maintain his second life, including five children, two mistresses who did not know of each other, and a gambling habit. He reputedly began his criminal career around 1768 when he copied keys to a bank door and stole £800. In 1786 he recruited a gang of three thieves, Brown, Smith and Ainslie.

The case that lead to Brodie's downfall began later in 1786 when he organised an armed raid on an Excise office in Chessel's Court on the Canongate. Brodie's plan failed and Ainslie was captured. Ainslie agreed to turn King's evidence, to avoid transportation, and informed on the rest of the gang. Brodie escaped to the Netherlands intending to flee to the United States but was arrested in Amsterdam and shipped back to Edinburgh for trial.

The trial started on 27 August 1788. At first there was no hard evidence against Brodie before the tools of his criminal trade were found in his house; copied keys, a disguise and pistols. The jury found Brodie and his henchman George Smith, a grocer, guilty. Smith was an English locksmith responsible for a number of thefts, even stealing the silver mace from the University of Edinburgh.

Brodie and Smith were hanged at the Tolbooth on 1 October 1788, using a gallows Brodie had designed and funded the year before. According to one tale, Brodie wore a steel collar and silver tube to prevent the hanging from being fatal. It was said that he had bribed the hangman to ignore it and arranged for his body to be removed quickly in the hope that he could later be revived. If so, the plan failed. Brodie was buried in an unmarked grave at the Parish Church in Buccleuch. However rumours of his being seen in Paris circulated later and gave the story of his scheme to evade death further publicity.

A little after we left the cafe my efforts to sort out my back pack gave rise to some hilarity. I also made the mistake of asking Fiona to hold my camera. Above is the result of this decision.

Here is my photographic nemesis at work in the castle. We had an informal competition to see who could take the best masterpiece without people in it. We could just about take pictures without people in them, but who knows what a masterpiece is.

This is certainly not a masterpiece. I really can't recall what the conversation was about, but I am sure that this Scottish guide was not interested in my tall fisherman's tale. If you look beyond the figures there is a glimpse of the magnificent views visible from the castle walls. It was impossible to see along the Royal Mile as the staging for the military tattoo was in place.

Once well into the castle we were ready to get down to the serious business of getting close to history. First Joni had to make sure that the cannons were properly lined up to demolish Bill Bryson's Gothic Space Ship.

Next Joni and Fiona had to find out what it felt like to be the Princes' in the tower.

Whoops! Wrong story - wrong tower.

This was followed later by a spell in the dungeons. In fact the castle was used to house prisoners of during the second world war.

After this it was time for Joni to do some guard duty. Later on I joined him. In the second picture I am the smart one in the pack-a-mac kilt and Joni is half way up the wall.

Before leaving the castle the group paid homage to Field Marshall Haig http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Haig,_1st_Earl_Haig

Once back on the Royal Mile we spied a kilt making mill. It was a vast warren of levels, paths and spaces. We looked to find our tartan and discovered that the McNorwood clan was wiped out at the dawn of time, or perhaps never existed.

Joni explored some steps and found that it was a good short cut back to the car. Notice the photographer and the couple posing.

At the bottom of the castle we spied a very brightly coloured bird. It seemed to have difficulty flying, but it does seem to have something in its beak.

A pair of helicopters ceremoniously escorted us over the Forth Bridge towards our evening meal at Nando's.

I am glad that we were warned about the curry strengths. I chose medium, which for me was a very pleasant flavour to go with the chicken and salad.

A nice evening sampling whiskey, eating more of my delicious birthday cake made by the fair Fiona and playing a board game. Was a good ending to a great weekend in Scotland. We are very grateful to Joni and Fiona for there hospitality and kindness and that they were could fun company to be with.

Finally don't use the SATNav to get home it takes you through Jeburgh to the A1. In future avoid Scots Corner. There is a more modern service station only a few mile north of it.

Scotland Part 3

July 9th. My birthday. I am a state pensioner. Appropriately, the model engine is the 'Flying Scotsman'

Breakfast was fun. Joni and Fiona had a little time before they set off and I was able open my presents and cards. Before the end of breakfast Joni had to leave, but returned to post a birthday card. Pretty precise timing for the arrival of a card to me from Milton Keynes. (Thank goodness I am not typing this in word or the grammar checker would have a fit about the last 'sentence.)

Fiona was going to work today and so Irene and I went off on our own to explore Dundee. Dundee is where Joni had set off for work and only took us 20 minutes to arrive after him. From Cupar the journey is across the Firth of Tay. The Tay is crossed by two mighty bridges. This is the information about the road bridge:

The Tay Road Bridge
2250 metres in length, the Tay Road Bridge spans the estuary of the River Tay between Dundee and Newport on Tay.

It leads traffic directly onto the centre of Dundee and is mainly used by commuters.The bridge was designed by William A Fairhurst and was opened to traffic on 18th August 1966 having taken 4 years to build at a cost of approximately £5 million.

The cost of building the bridge today would be well over £100 million.

Having crossed the bridge you are immediately aware of a huge supermarket to the left of the bridge. We swung to the left behind Tesco's and attempted to access the first multi-storey car park we came to. We entered the car park on our second attempt. The trick is to have the car in gear, the hand brake off and your foot on the accelerator before pressing the button on the ticket. In with seconds to spare.

From the car park we walked along the outside of the railway sidings until we were able to turn left across the railway and reach the promenade. Further on we could see the more dramatic looking Tay railway bridge which was to be out first destination. The rise and fall and rise of this bridge is well documented by the press and celebrated in poetry. Dundee University has this brief statement about the bridge:

The original Tay Rail Bridge opened in 1878, only to fail during the stormy night of 28 December 1879 while a train was crossing. The train, with seventy five passengers and crew, poured off the collapsing bridge into the icy river with all lives lost. An enquiry blamed the exceptional weather conditions, and poor quality design.

The bridge was re-constructed in 1887, and the bases of the original's supporting legs can still be seen along the eastern side.

Naturally, I took many photographs of the bridge from various angles.

We walked to the end of the promenade. We did the tourist thing of taking each others' pictures.

Irene is convinced that the tree behind, my lamp-post and the bridge are elements of a picture on a postcard that she had sent to her. Here is our attempt to reconstruct the scene.

From here we walked back to the road bridge, but not without recalling the cause of the real fame about the Tay Railway Bridge. The greatest shame was, not that it fell down, but that one William McGonnagall wrote a poem about. His poem is now permanently recorder for posterity in stone along the embankment near the bridge.

As disinclined as I could be to inflict torment on anyone I feel obliged to include his poem here:

The Tay Bridge Disaster by William McGonnagall

Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.

'Twas about seven o'clock at night,
And the wind it blew with all its might,
And the rain came pouring down,
And the dark clouds seem'd to frown,
And the Demon of the air seem'd to say-
"I'll blow down the Bridge of Tay."

When the train left Edinburgh
The passengers' hearts were light and felt no sorrow,
But Boreas blew a terrific gale,
Which made their hearts for to quail,
And many of the passengers with fear did say-
"I hope God will send us safe across the Bridge of Tay."

But when the train came near to Wormit Bay,
Boreas he did loud and angry bray,
And shook the central girders of the Bridge of Tay
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.

So the train sped on with all its might,
And Bonnie Dundee soon hove in sight,
And the passengers' hearts felt light,
Thinking they would enjoy themselves on the New Year,
With their friends at home they lov'd most dear,
And wish them all a happy New Year.

So the train mov'd slowly along the Bridge of Tay,
Until it was about midway,
Then the central girders with a crash gave way,
And down went the train and passengers into the Tay!
The Storm Fiend did loudly bray,
Because ninety lives had been taken away,
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.

As soon as the catastrophe came to be known
The alarm from mouth to mouth was blown,
And the cry rang out all o'er the town,
Good Heavens! the Tay Bridge is blown down,
And a passenger train from Edinburgh,
Which fill'd all the peoples hearts with sorrow,
And made them for to turn pale,
Because none of the passengers were sav'd to tell the tale
How the disaster happen'd on the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.

It must have been an awful sight,
To witness in the dusky moonlight,
While the Storm Fiend did laugh, and angry did bray,
Along the Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay,
Oh! ill-fated Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay,
I must now conclude my lay
By telling the world fearlessly without the least dismay,
That your central girders would not have given way,
At least many sensible men do say,
Had they been supported on each side with buttresses,
At least many sensible men confesses,
For the stronger we our houses do build,
The less chance we have of being killed.

The 'good' poet made sure that the last Sabbath day of 1879 was remember'd for a very long time.

Moving on rapidly we had a good view of the road bridge which, thankfully in more ways than one, has not fallen down or we might remember it for a very long time.

Near to the road bridge the 'Discovery' is docked. We took our photos and some touristy ones.

We had a pleasant break in restuarant opposite the ship and I saw the sky darken as we sat and from here it was a dash to get my raincoat from the car and head off to the Dundee Contemporary art gallery.

It is a beautiful building and we went to the showing of work by Nina Rhode called 'Friendly Fire'. (url: http://www.dca.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/friendly-fire.html.) Circles or circular movement seemed to be the theme as well as collecting objects to make an art work.

We were particularly impressed by the sculpture made of the remains from a firework display.

I experimented with using different shutter speed to record various spinning wheels.

On the way out from the gallery we passed Dundee's hands-on science museum. We popped our nose in and took a picture of the model dinosaur on display.

It was still raining so we decided to head off somewhere else and finished up at the behind some modern apartments further down the shore of the Tay. We walked passed a strange looking boat with little sign of what it was. But, I decided to put my nose in and was greeted by a friendly chap who bemoaned that no one ever visited. So, as much out of pity as to get out of the rain. we paid our £5 and went in. The ship turned out to be the HMS Unicorn. It was built and a roof put on, because it never went to sea. But it is the oldest ship still afloat. The url is:http://www.frigateunicorn.org/ and the brief description is:

His Majesty’s Frigate UNICORN, of 46 guns, was built for the Royal Navy in Chatham dockyard, and she was launched in 1824.

The classic sailing frigate was a fast and powerful warship, and was one of the most successful and charismatic ship designs of the age.

UNICORN is a unique survivor from the brief transitional period between the traditional wooden sailing ship and the revolutionary iron steamship, and is now one of the six oldest ships left in the world.

These are my pictures.

From here we made our way back to Cupar. We spent a little time with Fiona before setting off to meet Joni at St Michael's Public House for my birthday meal.

Scotland Part 2

Joni was free from work today and Fiona swapped her work day. After breakfast they drove us down to Loch Leven. This is half way between Edinburgh and Perth; just off the M90.

Following the road we came to a RSPB centre where we parked in the hope of woodland walk. We found the cost of walking to a hide a little exorbitant, but found our way to the upstairs cafe. Positioned alongside a large window, overlooking the loch, were three powerful telescopes and these were free to use. So, aided by an enthusiastic volunteer the party spent a good few minutes, for free, helping us in our study of the bird life.

They also had remote control cameras on the island. These could be swivelled around until you found something of interest to zoom in on. Our guide was very excited by a bird which was very much out of place. I can't remember much about it. The on screen picture was much clearer than this photograph.

Lost bird of Leven

From here we drove on to 'The Pier'. Here there was a restaurant, shops and a place to book boat trips to the main island. On the island is Loch Leven Castle.

The official guide gives this account:

"Originally the site of a 6th century Pictish fort, the 14th century tower which forms the nucleus of Lochleven Castle is one of the earliest and best preserved tower-houses in Scotland. A royal stronghold that was granted to the Douglas family in 1390, the castle is first known to have been used as a state prison in 1316 when King Robert the Bruce imprisoned John of Lorne there. The castle’s most famous prisoner was Mary Queen of Scots, imprisoned there from 1567 until her escape in 1568. While held in Lochleven Castle, she was forced to abdicate in favour of her infant son James (later King James Ist, uniting England and Scotland)."

Tickets were purchased for our trip out to Lochleven Castle, but the weather began to look threatening. So we went for a short walk to take up some time before lunch. The first thing we encountered were carvings of animals. We think this is an otter.

At the end of the walk we had our first view of Lochleven Castle across the water. We were next to Kirkgate Graveyard which is best viewed from the water.

Loch Leven Castle from Kirkgate Graveyard

We made it back to the Pier for lunch just before the rain came. After rain we were ready to board the ferry and enjoy the 10 minute ride to the castle.

There were few people on the island. It is well kept and even as we disembarked a lawn mower was at work.

Irene had fun on the spiral stairs.

I enjoyed experimenting with ground level photography

Someone was not cooperative

We all posed together

We admired the skill of a determined grouse photographer

In the damp woodland at one side of the island we were introduced to the delights of the infamous Scottish midges.

Having explored the castle and the island we boarded the boat and returned to the mainland just as the rain started again.

Our drive to our next destination led us back through Cupar and the sun began to shine again and so we continued through to Leuchars.

Cupar

When we arrived in Leuchars it was the home of RAF Leuchars and we saw signs asking that the RAF stay. We have recently found out that the army is to take over the base. Will the people of Leuchars like this?

Out of Leuchars is the Tentsmuir Forest, surrounded on three sides by a wonderful beach. The beach is accessed through a pay barrier which opens the way to a forest drive were vehicles are parked at the edge of the dunes.

Someone was very excited by all the shells lying around; particularly the razor shells.

Razor shells and collector

The beach is very wide and clean, with wonderful patterns made by the wind and the flowing water.

As we left the beach I spied a what seemed to a lone bright yellow clump of flowers, but when I looked closer, I found that it was a miniature eco-system supporting bright caterpillars and red insects. There is even a lone ant in the centre of the picture.

And so we headed back through the woods and to Cupar for a good meal and the company of Tay.

Confidently striding out to find the car

More from the adventures of Tay