TartanTed

The boys took a side trip to Eire on Tuesday but the whole family ventured South of the border on Wednesday to visit with friends in Gilsland.

Of course no visit to Northumberland would be complete without including some aspect of Hadrian’s Wall and this occasion was no different as we managed to take in Housesteads and Vindolanda,

Northumberland

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Monday we took advantage of our Lothian Buses Ridacards and took the #41 bus from our hotel to George IV Bridge at the High Street. From there it is but a short walk, uphill, to Edinburgh Castle where we bought an Historic Scotland 7 day family pass which gets us into both Edinburgh and Stirling castles as well as many more historic sites.

We arrived at the Castle Esplanade around 12:45 and made our way up to the One o’clock gun battery just in time to witness the ceremonial firing of the gun at precisely 1 p.m. This coincides with the dropping of the timeball mechanism at the top of Nelson’s Monument on Carlton Hill the original purpose of both being to set the maritime clocks on ships needed to navigate the oceans.

Edinburgh Castle

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Continuing my quest in search of bridges here is an update on those walked to date:

On our first full day in Edinburgh we visited the Castle, St Giles Cathedral, and walked down the High Street as far as the Tron Church.

We got off the bus at George IV Bridge so of course I logged it as bridge #3 and we ended up on Waverley Bridge over the station #4.

Tuesday was the boys side trip to Dublin where we met up with my friend Colin, now a resident of Eire, and we walked around the City center. Could have logged many bridges over the River Liffey but confined myself to Ha’penny bridge (#5) and O’Connell bridge (#6).

Bridges Update

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I guess Andy and I got off the bus at the wrong stop!

Well I suppose there is nothing else for it but to visit the Guinness Brewery while we wait for the next bus home.

The immigration officer at Dublin Airport raised an eyebrow when I told him we would be staying 6 hours. Nevertheless he stamped our passports and wished us a good time; I could tell he thought we were crazy.

Thanks to Colin for the whistle stop tour of Dublin.

6 hours in Dublin

Visiting friends in Biggar and staying at the Elphinstone Hotel overnight rather than traveling the 30 or so miles back to Edinburgh on a cold and frosty evening. The temperature tonight is 28F and the road gritters have been out spreading salt on the roads since before dusk so the decision to stay overnight was wise.

Convivial company, consummate cuisine, and comfortable crash pad.

Could not ask for a better evening of catching up with friends and sharing memories of happy days.

Biggar in Lanarkshire

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Andrew and I were sent out from the hotel to buy water at Sainsury’s store which is just over the road from our hotel. However, as we had purchased a family day ticket for the City buses and a number 41 just happened along, we hopped on the bus and headed towards the City Center.

The Dean Bridge was our objective and we walked it in both directions.

Bridge #01 – check.

Day 02 and we have arrived in Biggar.

All four of us went to “The Coffee Spot” for lunch although I only had an Empire biscuit and Andy had an Irn Bru (for those who don’t know – Google it). Our agenda here was to visit the local fish and chip shop before heading for Cadger’s Brig.

Bridge #02 – check.

As the story goes William Wallace is supposed to have crossed this bridge dressed as a pedlar to spy on the enemy English camp.

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Nothing to do with the 1985 movie of the same name although perhaps the title is vaguely in keeping with the “Grand Tour” theme.

Regardless of any such associations, here for your enjoyment, is the view from our hotel room in Edinburgh.

We arrived here on a spectacular autumn day of sunshine and frost although the light wind managed to be particularly biting thus forcing the purchase of gloves, scarves, and hats.

We also visited a coffee shop on Queensferry Street to warm up with hot chocolate and pastries.

During the “Scottish Enlightenment” of the late 18th / early 19th centuries Edinburgh was known as a “hotbed of genius”.
In the 21st century Edinburgh has become a beautiful, historic, cultural venue full of festivals and charm.

Today the Ted family descend upon the unsuspecting streets of the City although we have been here before.

In 2003 we had travelled about 35 miles to have our photograph taken in Charlotte Square; in 2016 our journey was a tad longer – more in the order of 5,000 miles.

The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means, or those of more humble origin who could find a sponsor. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transport in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage. Though primarily associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were made by wealthy young men of Protestant Northern European nations on Continental Europe, and from the second half of the 18th century, by some South and North Americans. The tradition declined with the lapse of neo-classical enthusiasm and after rail and steamship travel made the journeys much easier when Thomas Cook made the “Cook’s Tour” of early mass tourism a byword.

And so our clan of Scottish origin sets off on a personalized, albeit somewhat Scotland specific, Grand Tour. The children are heading rapidly to the age where they will not have any great interest in “hanging” with their geriatric parents on vacation and so I have decided to take them on a tour of their ethnic roots before it is too late.

Eighteen hours of air travel stuffed inside a variety of low humidity aluminum tubes with a succession of coughing and snoring people with whom one would never, in normal circumstances, choose to be in such close proximity for even the shortest time never mind a six hour trans-atlantic journey.  

• Touch nothing
• Maintain a good level of hydration (non alcoholic)
• and try not to lose it with your fellow passengers no matter the provocation.

Hopefully there will be a “DAY 02” entry tomorrow – wish me luck!