30 years ago, in the weekend that it looked I might be conscripted to fight the first Gulf war (we really did think that), I flew up to Edinburgh to meet a girl called Siobahn (i.e. Shivawn) I’d met on the Christian dating site. We drove up to Cromarty the next day, the furthest I’d… Continue reading AN EMOTIONAL RETURN TO CROMARTY
Tag: Scotland
A NIGHT ON THE BLACK ISLE
And on and on the Scottish trip goes; 677 miles now as we reach Fortrose on the Black Isle. Today’s football quiz, especially for our American readers; Name the Scottish Premiership team in the OS extract below “Ah, but do you mean the Cromarty Under-11s Premiership ?” asks reader D. Mackay. We’d booked a night… Continue reading A NIGHT ON THE BLACK ISLE
WHAT’S THE STORY IN TOBERMORY
I was a Balamory dad. When I went part time in the early 2000s to take James and Matthew to pubs, it was Balamory and those Thomas the Tank Engine videos voiced by Ringo Starr (the best post-Beatles output IMHO) that we watched together. And I could leave the boys in front of the telly… Continue reading WHAT’S THE STORY IN TOBERMORY
SOMETHING TO MULL OVER
After that minor diversion caused by the need to be topical, I return to the epic Scottish trip at the end of June and remind you of the route, reaching 510 miles as we pulled into the car park at Oban ferry terminal at 07:45. Luckily, the previous night’s seafood extravaganza had left us unscathed… Continue reading SOMETHING TO MULL OVER
GUESS THE PUB GOES TO BAVARIA
Greetings from the nerve centre of retiredmartin, the only space in the house I’m allowed while Mrs RM arranges sofas, carpets, lino and probably other things I wouldn’t understand. Don’t faint, but I’ve just been to A NEW PUB ! It might even make WhatPub, if not GBG22*. Details to follow. Thanks to Sheffield Hatter… Continue reading GUESS THE PUB GOES TO BAVARIA
“I can’t understand why Stranraer lie so lowly”
And finally, we arrive at the highlight of my short Southern Scottish saunter. NO-ONE had given me a good word about Stranraer, so you’ll know how Maidenhead feels now after Mrs RM and I dissed it. But, like Peterlee and Peterhead and Peterborough (there’s a theme here) that negativity only made me want to visit… Continue reading “I can’t understand why Stranraer lie so lowly”
PORTPATRICK – THE QUIET BEFORE THE BORIS BRIDGE
More holiday snaps from what felt like a forgotten corner of the UK, albeit one that will shortly see holidaymakers flocking in their millions to the Boris Bridge tentatively scheduled for early summer, which will make my ticking in Northern Ireland easier. Portpatrick is one of a select band of places in Wigtownshire with real… Continue reading PORTPATRICK – THE QUIET BEFORE THE BORIS BRIDGE
DRUMMORE – LIVING LA JOE DOLCE VITA
3rd March 2020 More brave exploration, a first-ever trip to the Rhins of Galloway, the bit in the South-West of Scotland that looks a bit like Italy. Just as I was drafting this postI noticed this tweet from the Great Tand, whose family come from Drummore. @NHS_Martin More spelling. pic.twitter.com/qsHY4rmg70 — Tandleman (@tandleman) March 8,… Continue reading DRUMMORE – LIVING LA JOE DOLCE VITA
JORDANHILL : THE COMEBACK
This is where it gets exciting, as ScotRail whizzes me to a third (3rd) Spoons in 90 minutes, which sounds like a Jason Statham movie to me. Just before tht I stopped at Rutherglen for, er, comfort reasons, and remembered what their Spoons was good for. Rutherglen hasn’t suddenly gone micropub/craft bar made since I… Continue reading JORDANHILL : THE COMEBACK
THE WEAVERS – NO STRATHAVEN FOR HALLOWEEN HATERS
No, that’s not BRAPA after a third pint of barley wine tonight. This is the sight we’ve all faced in pubs since the middle of October, uniform Halloween tat, to be replaced by Christmas tat next week (if not already). As you’ll know, I don’t believe in celebrating anything, bar my own birthday (22 December… Continue reading THE WEAVERS – NO STRATHAVEN FOR HALLOWEEN HATERS
