Tag Archives: Scotland

Tackling Scottish ridge walks in winter (Rousse)

NP was seriously considering TW’s suggestion that they walk ‘The needle’ in January. Neither had the fitness nor skills to tackle this treacherous ridge near Ullapool under winter conditions. I hoped that my pleas would put them off such a … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dealing with unwanted garden intruders and a boat ride to a Scottish island (Rousse)

I climbed out of bed and stepped across the room to open the shutters. Outside our bedroom window I saw a small dog in a bright red Santa jacket nosing through the vegetable patch, and a man – presumably the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Meeting ‘famous’ people in Scotland (Belle)

I was beginning to think the marketing blurb for this Famous People of Scotland tour was slightly misleading. I was introduced to Sean Connery, who was a thirty-something wildlife welfare officer, and to our coach driver, whose name was Rabbie … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bruce Springsteen spends Christmas in Scottish Highland lodge (Rousse)

Bruce Springsteen was amongst the dozen or so guests at the highland lodge over Christmas. Bruce and I exchanged a couple of words as I was gathering some of my belongings from the deck as the first stage of packing … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A holiday cottage and wedding invitations (Rousse)

I was worried about the safety of the family’s holiday cottage. Although the front door to the building that we shared with the neighbours was secured with a Yale lock, the door to our porch and the second one from … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Afternoon tea in the Palm Court at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh (Rousse)

There were huge queues outside the public lavatories on Princes Street, so I crossed over the road, held my head up high, and climbed up the steps of the Balmoral Hotel. The door staff, concierge, and receptionists barely looked up … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Delayed Christmas party action (Rousse)

Much later than usual, in January we finally hosted our annual Christmas party. EH came under sufferance. JK arrived speaking with her childhood Lancashire accent. Not a trace of the west of Scotland could be heard in her ‘new’ voice. … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A mountain ban (Rousse)

On holiday in the far north of Scotland, I joined a walking group. Each day the leader took us a different route across the moorland, up the mountains, and along the beaches. It was wonderful. One morning we climbed a … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Polar bears take up residence on Scottish coast (Rousse)

As well as the occasional whale, it was now possible to watch polar bear families resident on mini icebergs, just off the East Lothian coast (Scotland).

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London to Oxford and Oxford to Edinburgh by train (Rousse)

It really was too much to ask my 81 year-old mother to walk all the way from London to Edinburgh, so I suggested that we cut a few miles off the route by taking the train to Oxford. In the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment