William Blackwell’s Travels

Skipton Castle &c

January 27, 2020

There is not much to do in Long Preston where I’m staying at The Boar’s Head. The Maypole is the only other pub town but is more focused on the food end. Since it looked like it would be a nice day, I took the train to Skipton, just a few stops down the line. […]

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Burns’ Supper

January 26, 2020

The celebration in Dumfries is over a week with lots of music. Having been to the town before, there was little new to see but I enjoyed meeting people in divers pubs. The weeds stuck in the bushes told me that when the River Nith rises it overflows it’s banks Afternoon band. With this old […]

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Burn’s Night in Dumfries

January 24, 2020

I was done with Scotland and heading to England when it was pointed out to me that after nearly 2 months in Scotland it would be weird to not stay for Burn’s Night, the celebration of The Poet’s birth. Where better to start than the Globe Inn where he would come for a pint of […]

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Grassmarket & Royal mile Pub Crawl

January 21, 2020

Temp 9c dew point 8c. Fibromyalgia flaring. Don’t know what is worse, the pain like your the side of beef Rocky Balboa tenderized, massive fatigue or copious perspiration for very little activity like simply getting dressed or walking slowly. Could use a bud. Days like this the MASH theme plays in my head. Decided that […]

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Craigmillar Castle

January 20, 2020

This is embarrassing. I can’t recall how many times I’ve been in Edinburgh but in the last year that has to be over 6X and I did not know there is another castle, still in OK nick, in the Capital! But maybe it’s just not marketed properly? For example, the car park is too […]

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Rosslyn Chapel

January 19, 2020

Nice day for the train from Glasgow and back at my regular haunt in the city, the Sakura GH on W. Preston/S. Clerks St., Edinburgh. Zoopla has apartments at well over £700/week in this area. In another town that might be monthly. No wonder folks are moving to Galashiels and taking the train into the […]

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A Storm hit Glasgow

January 18, 2020

Over 10,000 people watch the 10m puppet, Storm, march through Glasgow to highlight the deteriorating quality of our oceans. Much better and longer videos can be found online The good Duke is always sporting a traffic cone but this one is not standard issue. I can’t remember if I gave the images on the […]

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Gourock looking doon the watter

January 17, 2020

Gourock train, Greenock East & Central & a fancy Wetherspoons, posh Port Glasgow , the end of an era and 2 near where I’m staying. Getting ready for Edinburgh again for a few. Foggy day whilst what looks like a navel vessel went by. One can catch the ferry to Dunoon here as I did […]

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Kilmarnock

January 16, 2020

Kilmarnock comes in at #15. Very nice countryside this train ran through. From the approach to Barrhead # 41 on. Unexpectedly pretty farmland so close to Glasgow. But why is there no colour to the homes in this conurbation ? If the homes are old or expensive they are old stone. Council estates and connected […]

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