If you ever go to Edinburgh and find yourself in one of its countless excellent pubs, you may want to strike up a conversation with one of the grave looking, old guys at the bar drinking pints. If so, you will want to be able to hold a conversation while also not making a fannyContinue reading “Travel: A Survival Guide to Edinburgh Slang and Scots Words”
Tag Archives: Scotland
Explore the cosiest bothies in the Scottish highlands
There’s something uniquely Scottish about bothys. These tiny mountain shacks are normally found in remote parts of the Scottish highlands and islands. They can be found in all kinds of conditions – some with running water and a fireplace and even electricity! Other’s don’t have more than an old fashioned hearth where you can throwContinue reading “Explore the cosiest bothies in the Scottish highlands”
Travel: The ruins of Duntulm Castle on Trotternish
I visited Duntulm on the northerly most point of the Trotternish peninsula on the Isle of Skye back in 2010. Many many moons ago, perhaps several thousand years ago, the now mostly ravaged and ruined castle was originally a Pictish fortress, forming one of a chain of duns or forts stretching along the north coastContinue reading “Travel: The ruins of Duntulm Castle on Trotternish”
The Gloaming Part 4: Tam O’Shanter
When chapman billies leave the street, And drouthy neibors, neibors, meet; As market days are wearing late, And folk begin to tak the gate, While we sit bousing at the nappy, An’ getting fou and unco happy, We think na on the lang Scots miles, The mosses, waters, slaps and stiles, That lie between us and our hame, Where sits our sulky, sullen dame, Gathering herContinue reading “The Gloaming Part 4: Tam O’Shanter”
The Gloaming Part 2
The sky puts on the darkening blue coat held for it by a row of ancient trees; you watch: and the lands grow distant in your sight, one journeying to heaven, one that falls; and leave you, not at home in either one, not quite so still and dark as the darkened houses, not callingContinue reading “The Gloaming Part 2”
The Gloaming part 1
THE GLOAMING COMES, THE DAY IS SPENT, THE SUN GOES OUT OF SIGHT, AND PAINTED IS THE OCCIDENT, WITH PURPLE SANGUINE BRIGHT. ALEXANDER HUME, Poet, Scotland. 1599
Travel: Walks along the Water of Leith, Edinburgh
The Polish Bear and I went on a lot of adventures together while living in Edinburgh. One of our favourite walking trails was the devastatingly beautiful Water of Leith. This natural body of water crosses over the Forth and Clyde Canal, which I’ve written about extensively before. The Water of Leith snakes its way throughContinue reading “Travel: Walks along the Water of Leith, Edinburgh”
Travel Poetry: The Crackling Thunder of Frozen Lake Menteith
I wrote this poem in 2011 during a particularly bewitching snow-storm on Lake Menteith in Stirlingshire, Scotland. I had borrowed a pair of old, worn out and blunt ice-skates that were a size too small. And together with my friend, we set out to skate on the lake and also record the audio of theContinue reading “Travel Poetry: The Crackling Thunder of Frozen Lake Menteith”
Travel: Luminous Edinburgh during Christmas time lights the way through winter
Edinburgh is bewitching at all times of year but arguably the most captivating time is before and during Christmas. From early December the area in Princes Gardens is turned into an enchanted frozen amphitheatre. The faerie wonderland buzzing with a German Christmas market and overflowing with handmade, wooden and delicate trinkets, along with carnival ridesContinue reading “Travel: Luminous Edinburgh during Christmas time lights the way through winter “
Travel: A weekend trip to the medieval town of Linlithgow: History through the mists of time to today
The beautiful burgh of Linlithgow charmed the pants off me when I went there a few years ago. The town sits astride the Forth and Clyde Canal (which I’ve written on extensively) which is around half way between Edinburgh and Glasgow. There’s a train link on Scotrail which goes between cities that takes you there, andContinue reading “Travel: A weekend trip to the medieval town of Linlithgow: History through the mists of time to today”
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