One more slice of small town Angus for you before I hit the Big City. The GBG takes me to all the best places, and I was THRILLED to be hitting the port of Montrose for the first time. You’ll know the name from Ronnie Montrose’s band of the early 1970s. Which came first, the… Continue reading JOHNNIE MONTROSE
Month: August 2022
BRECHIN WELCOMES THE PUB TICKERS
My late June raid on Angus was a basically a tick list of Proper Scottish Football Teams. Forfar, Montrose, and Brechin, whose fortunes had plummeted when I stopped by in late 2019. “The City” had plummeted from Championship to League 2 in successive seasons, and after a year’s respite due to Covid they fell into… Continue reading BRECHIN WELCOMES THE PUB TICKERS
THE OSNABURG
You left me with a short wait for Forfar’s Osnaburg to welcome me with open arms, enough time to admire Doig’s furniture store, the bridie shop, and, er, the candle store. All Proper towns have dedicated candle shops. It’s a pretty, bustling town crying out for a Wetherspoons and Greggs. Joking. The Osnaburg duly opened… Continue reading THE OSNABURG
A FORFAR FAFF
I’ve no idea why Angus isn’t a chapter in the Guide, when Loch Lomond gets one and it isn’t even a place, but I guess the same applies to “Mid Wales”. The towns between Dundee and Aberdeen are all worth your time, though only Arbroath has smokies. Most English tickers only know places like Brechin… Continue reading A FORFAR FAFF
MEMUS MEANDERINGS
When a GBG entry is called “Drovers” you expect something rural and unfussy, but actually you rarely get it. The Drovers in Memus in agricultural Angus promises mor(e) than it delivers, sadly. Wiki tells me “A story is told of a kelpie at Shielhill Bridge, leaving its cloven hoofprint behind on a stone as a petrosomatoglyph.[2]“. Which is… Continue reading MEMUS MEANDERINGS
ANGUS, BON AND THE ROODS
You left me waiting for a Chinese takeaway in Kirriemuir. I nipped back to the car to retrieve Baa Baa Toure, who I’d left behind. He gets very upset at being abandoned in the dark in a council car park, particularly next to a statue of Bon Scott. Now, I never knew Bon was raised… Continue reading ANGUS, BON AND THE ROODS
PETER PAN AND THE ETERNALLY YOUTHFUL GBG TICKER IN KIRRIEMUIR
Still reporting from late June, as I head along the Angus coast and spend a night in the birthplace of two (2) legendary names. Last year we stopped in Blaigowrie (3 ticks), another place I’d never heard of before 2021. Kirriemuir (pop. 6,000) ? Nope. Best stop the night and explore. The Airlie Arms is… Continue reading PETER PAN AND THE ETERNALLY YOUTHFUL GBG TICKER IN KIRRIEMUIR
ANY POT PLANT IN A STORM
As you’ll know by now, my final twenty-two GBG ticks are in northern Scotland, a country I didn’t actually believe existed a year ago, but have spent more nights in than Sheffield this summer. My late June trip to Perth, Tayside and the Grampians was a triumph, though I must have sat on my phone… Continue reading ANY POT PLANT IN A STORM
MADRI SAMPLED. NOT BAD, SHOCKER
James is about to have a fifth (5th) go at his driving test. Five attempts is a respectable number if you ask me. When I took my 5th test all you had to do was change the Dire Straits CD for Chris Rea while going round corners. I look forward to the time when my… Continue reading MADRI SAMPLED. NOT BAD, SHOCKER
MINDING THE BIKE IN THE LION
I came back from the Isle of Man on the Mannanan, a boat obviously named after Liverpool wing legend Steve McManaman, somehow resisting the keg option on board. The ride down the Mersey towards Pier Head give you tremendous views of the Merseyside Marvels; New Brighton beach, the Magazine, Birkenhead docks… Sadly I’m returning home… Continue reading MINDING THE BIKE IN THE LION
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