WARNING : CONTAINS CRAFT 5pm on a Friday night on the mean streets of central Aberdeen. Mrs RM was still turning the University IT off and on again, I was lugging around my overnight bag (mainly phone rechargers), and I had no new GBG ticks to do, unless I jumped on the ferry to Orkney.… Continue reading FRIDAY NIGHT IS CRAFT NIGHT IN ABERDEEN
THE THRILL OF THE GRILL
While I’d been slogging my way up to the Highlands and round the Moray coast towards Aberdeen, Mrs RM had taking the easy option of a Logan Air flight from Southend. I think you should demand she blogs about Southend, you know. She’ll have had this view as the plane bumbled towards Trump Airport in… Continue reading THE THRILL OF THE GRILL
THE CHRONICLE OF NAIRN-IA
Oh, come on, what would you have come up with ? It’s certainly in a magical location, with a view across the Moray Firth to Cromarty and the start of the UK’s biggest GBG desert (next Guide stop John O’ Groats). Charlie Chaplin used to come here on holiday. Sadly his NBSS scores for the… Continue reading THE CHRONICLE OF NAIRN-IA
INVERNESS PART III – WEE JOCKS AND ALIENS
You left me in the second new GBG entry in Inverness at 7pm, pondering how to spend the rest of my evening before LBC becomes listenable. I could have walked up and down the Joker Steps 127 times (not smoking). I could have walked round town taking photos of all the listed buildings. I could… Continue reading INVERNESS PART III – WEE JOCKS AND ALIENS
SPECIAL GBG DRAX QUIZ EDITION
According to Dave this blog (or possibly Mrs RM) will explode if I don’t post daily. So here’s something that took my fancy while perusing the pristine GBG in Macgregors in Inverness. Thrillingly, I managed to avoid spilling mayo on it. Simple question. Study the Guide entry and tell me what’s unique about it. Tom… Continue reading SPECIAL GBG DRAX QUIZ EDITION
INVERNESS PART II – AMERICANS GO “WOW”
Last time in Inverness, I’d been impressed with pubs and beer quality. If Edinburgh = Manchester and Glasgow = London, then Inverness = Cambridge. Don’t @ me. But two of those, the Phoenix and Blackfriars, are (temporarily) closed so it’s a good job there’s a Spoons, Brewery Tap and fiddle pub to take up the… Continue reading INVERNESS PART II – AMERICANS GO “WOW”
INVERNESS PART I – BELIEVE
Back in Inverness at dusk, I headed straight for the now iconic Joker Steps. I’ve no idea why those folk are heading for the Bronx to do the iconic dance when they’re in the Highlands. It’s four years since I last visited Inverness, back in the early days of this blog when even 100 words… Continue reading INVERNESS PART I – BELIEVE
OCTOBER ’19 STOCKTAKE + NOVEMBER PREVIEW
“When the leaves come falling down, I’ll be ticking in a Highlands town” Van Morrison, When the leaves come falling down, 1999 Or in the words of Katherine Bush’s Halloween single from 1980 “October will be magic again“.* BLOGGING ACTIVITY 77 posts in October, which gives you a clue to how many pubs I used.… Continue reading OCTOBER ’19 STOCKTAKE + NOVEMBER PREVIEW
CARRBRIDGE OVER UNTROUBLED WATERS
One more from Scotland before the international break monthly review, and a highlight of my Highlands week. My last pub before the last train back to Inverness, so a bit of a rushed effort in the Cairn Hotel in Carrbridge. I really love visiting pubs in places I’ve never heard of (not Scotland). 708 people… Continue reading CARRBRIDGE OVER UNTROUBLED WATERS
AVIEMORE-OR-LESS
I’d been looking forward to Aviemore since I decided to swap Orkney ticking for the Cairngorms. EVERYONE has heard of Aviemore; it’s the best-known place in Scottish after Paisley, Edinburgh, Berwick and Carluke. This is the Cheddar Gorge or Windermere of the North. A long parade of bakeries and hiking booteries (?) awaits you, and… Continue reading AVIEMORE-OR-LESS
