If These Walls Could Talk

Another day, Another castle. People have asked me if I get tired of seeing so many castles. I don't understand the question. Each one is as different as flowers in a garden So it is with castles in Britain. There are similarities yet each has its own story to tell.

Carlisle Castle in Cumbria was built to protect England’s borders from the threat of invasion from the north. But not from the Scots as you might think, from the Picts who predated the Scots. And who did the building? Why the Romans of course.

More of a garrison and fort then a castle the foundation was laid in the first century AD to protect the Empire in the North. Although the fall of Rome left the site in ruins it was re established in 685. The Castle was reinforced in 1092 and continued to be expanded and strengthened to withstand attacks from the English when the Scots who controlled it and attacks from the Scots when the castle was in English hands. It even withstood an English on English attack during the War of the Roses.

Along the Ramparts

William Wallace, Richard III, Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie were all here as conquerors, defenders or prisoners.Some of the most intriguing stories however come not from the famous but the anonymous. Were the carvings in the walls of keep done by prisoners as first believed or merely the work of bored guards? In the dungeon below, indentations in the limestone walls show how desperate prisoners literally licked the walls for water, surviving long enough to be executed or sent to the West Indies as slaves. Was this, as many believe, the place where the lyrics were written to the well known song Loch Lomond?

So many stories. The same and yet different stories of struggle and sacrifice, hardship and hope, victorious and vanquished.

Another castle? Yes please!

carvings in the keep

Potter's World

Mr. Jeremy Fisher, Mrs. Tiggy -Winkle, Mr. McGregor. No these are not the new teachers at Hogwarts. These Potter characters are the creation of Beatrix Potter. Benjamin Bunny, Jemima PuddleDuck and of course Peter Rabbit can be found throughout England's Lake District.
While many of the towns and villages have shops that feature “Officially Licensed” Peter Rabbit gift items, we went in search of a less retail based experience with the animals of the stories. We considered the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere http://www.hop-skip-jump.com/ which may have been good if we had young children. Instead we chose to visit Hill Top, the actual home of Beatrix Potter. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top/features/beatrixs-hill-top-house
The road to Hill Top was narrow and curvy as with so many roads in the district. Also, as with the

Vines at the entrance

other roads, the trees, farms and views of the lakes was spectacular. A limited number of people are allowed in the house at a time so we had an opportunity to explore the garden. This was an actual farm so although there are herbs and flowers in the garden there is not a created home for fictional characters.

 The house itself is filled with excerpts from Potters letters and sketches of her characters in every room. Many of the items are displayed in a rotation so guests can see different things during subsequent visits. Original drawings and illustrations can also be seen at the Beatrix Potter gallery in the village of Hawkshead, a short distance from Hill Top. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beatrix-potter-gallery-and-hawkshead 

notes from a distorted window

Time prevented us from visiting it so we drove the curvy road back to our home for the week. And guess who was waiting in our garden? A Peter Rabbit of our own.

The Lovliest Spot That Man Hath Ever Found

If you are a lover of poetry or English Literature, this is the place for you. I am talking about the Lake District. It is also the place if you love walking through field and fell, hiking up mountains or fishing in rivers and lakes.

The title of this post comes from Lake District poet, William Wordsworth. He and his contemporaries including Coleridge and Scott often wrote of or were inspired by the natural beauty of the region. It is truly an outdoor lovers paradise. Miles of trails through fields and over hills, along the lakes and rivers run throughout the region. Just be sure to shut the gate as you cross through pastures of grazing sheep.

For the truly ambitious hike up Old Man Coniston, just over three miles up on somewhat rugged terrain.https://www.walklakes.co.uk/walk_2.html At least that is what we heard. We chose to pass on this one as it would take a full day and there was so much to see in only a week. We did do some hikes through beautiful forests and walks through charming villages.

Whether you come here on a literary pilgrimage or just to stop and literally smell the roses, there are not many places lovelier than England’s Lake District.

“You may leave the Lake District, but once you’ve been, it’ll never leave you…”
                                                                                                                           Anonymous

A Good Walk Spoiled

If you are a golfer, (or married to one),no trip to Scotland would be complete without a visit to some of the country’s most famous courses. Just over an hour drive from Edinburgh are Carnoustie and St Andrews, sites of many British Open Championships. Sorry, I meant THE OPEN.

Scottish courses can be very different from those in the United States. I had seen the rugged landscape before, both on television and on other courses we visited this trip. But Carnoustie seemed almost desolate. If not for the greens and the flags and the golfers it could have been any one of a number of moors overlooking the ocean.. We were surprised and delighted to discover that the course

Pot Bunkers

was open to anyone wanting to go for a walk as long as we stayed on the path and listened for the call of  FORE. There were others walking the these paths, some with their dogs and others cutting through to climb down the cliff to the beach. Of the four courses here I am not sure which one we walked but after days in the city it was nice to be away from buildings and traffic noises.https://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/

On to St Andrews, known as the “Birthplace of Golf”. The town itself reminded us of Carmel, California. Upscale boutique shops and restaurants filled small streets and alleys located off the main thoroughfare. We stopped for lunch at Forgans http://www.forgans.co.uk/st-andrews/ a very cool restaurant (it had a reading room in the dining area). Butternut Squash

literary lunch

Wellington and Duck Confit Shepherd's Pie, my taste buds are happy just writing about you.

St Andrews is actually seven courses with the Old Course being the most famous. https://www.standrews.com/ While this one is not accessible to non players there were quite a few people like us driving up to look at the course from the walkway along the border. Although there were some running out on the course during play to quickly snap a selfie on Swilken Bridge at the 18th Tee most spectators left the links to the golfers. Near the Old Pavillion is West Sands where the beach scene from Chariots of Fire was filmed.

Can you hear the theme song?

                 

     As always, too soon it was time to leave. A good walk spoiled? Not if you walked here.

Jewel of the North

As with many cities, Edinburgh is comprised of a cluster of hills. The most prominent of these is Castle Rock, the location of Edinburgh Castle. https://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/. There has been a castle on this site since the 12th century. Its political and military importance give it the distinction of being the most besieged place in Great Britain.

Although no monarch has lived there since 1633 the royal palace is filled with items from the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, including the chamber where she gave birth to her son James who would later become King of England as well as Scotland.

The castle is also the home to the Crown Jewels of Scotland. The crown, scepter and sword, survived Oliver Cromwell and his destruction of all symbols of the monarchy only to be locked away again with the dissolution of the Scottish Parliament in 1707. It was not until the author, Sir Walter Scott, was given permission to look for the items in 1818 were they returned to the people of Scotland and displayed at the castle.
                                                                                                                                                                    Like most of the Scottish castles we visited, this one pays tribute to the military. Within the walls of the castle is the Scottish National War Memorial, the Scottish National War Museum and the regimental museum for the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, also known as the Scots Greys. The

highlight of this museum was seeing the French Eagle, https://www.military-history.org/articles/napoleonic/royal-scots-greys.htm and the life sized statue of a soldier with his grey horse.  

The role of this castle in all things military include Mons Meg, a state of the art artillery piece from the 15th century and the Half Moon Battery whose cannons are set to fire upon anyone approaching the castle. We also went into the dungeon where prisoners of war were kept in the 1700’s.

This was a great castle to visit if you have limited time in Scotland. The exhibits provide a look into the vast history of Scotland in one location. For us it brought together the pieces and parts we had discovered during our three weeks in the country. It is easy to understand why Scotland is a jewel to be acquired (if you can).

City of Stories

Edinburgh-city of Kings and Criminals, Authors and Adventurers. It is very much a modern city with a history that will not be forgotten.

Sir Walter Scott monument

If my friends who love literature visited Edinburgh I am not sure they would ever leave. This is truly a city of stories and storytellers. It is in fact UNESCO’s first city of Literature http://www.cityofliterature.com/the-literary-city/read/edinburgh-city-literature-starter-10/10-edinburgh-literary-statues/ Statues and monuments are located throughout the city to honor authors such writers as Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as writers of philosophy and economics David Hume and Adam Smith. Although she does not yet have a statue, the Elephant House one of the pubs where J.K.Rowlings penned her Harry Potter books has a large sign proclaiming it to be the “Birthplace of Harry Potter”.

A small museum off the the Royal Mile-the main drag of the old city- The Writers Museum celebrates the work of three of Edinburgh's famous sons; Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns. https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/writers-museum It is located in a house in Lady Stairs Close. Lady Stair and her family are believed to be part of the inspiration for Scott’s novel, Bride of Lammermore.

A visit to Grassmarket provides plenty of other inspiration for tales to be told. From Half Hangit Maggie http://www.the-grassmarket.com/history/maggie-dickson.html to the collection of cadaver “volunteers” at the White Hart Inn The colorful history of this part of town will inspire anyone. Pull up a seat at the Last Drop Pub, across the square from the gallows ( I love a good pun ) and learn about some of the infamous citizens of Edinburgh including serial killers Burke and Hare http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/burke.html and the real Jekyll and Hyde, Deacon Brodie http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-31018496.

Site of the Gallows

Stories of “Murder Most Foul” are not confined to the poorer sections of town. At Holyroodhouse Palace, the official residence of the British Monarch in Scotland, https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse/highlights-of-the-palace-of-holyroodhouse#/#mqos bloodstains are said to be still visible from 1566. It was in the oldest part of the palace where David Rizzio, the private secretary of Mary Queen of Scots, was stabbed to death by her husband Lord Darnley and other Scottish nobles. The mystery around the death of Lord Darnely himself, although not at the palace, is just another chapter of Royals behaving badly. https://www.historicmysteries.com/murder-lord-darnley/ .

the Palace gardens

Not all of the stories are based on murder and mystery. One of the most endearing stories is that of Greyfriars Bobby a skye terrier who stayed by the grave of his owner for 18 years. A memorial bronze statue of Bobby stands at the entrance to the cemetery. The dog himself is buried just outside the border but as close as possible to his owners grave. But this may be the greatest story of all. Recent research seems to prove that this tale was a publicity stunt to get people to visit Edinburgh. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2021906/Greyfriars-Bobby-hoax-Dog-kept-vigil-masters-grave-publicity-stunt.html Whether truth or fiction it is still, like so many others, a tale well told in a City of Stories.

Mans best friend

Identity Crises

     We do not usually take guided tours or transportation but who can resist a deal? As always John had researched places to visit and things to see. He groups things together on the daily itinerary geographically so we don't waste time zigzagging a city. All we needed was a detailed walking map. We went to the Edinburgh Visitors Center to get one and naturally we were bombarded with visual advertisements for this “midnight walking ghost tour” or that “secrets of the city” bus ride. Every city, it seems, has ghosts and secrets. Anyway as we waited for our turn at the counter we noticed a combination ticket for the Castle, Holyrood Palace, the Royal Yacht Britannia and a three day hop on hop off bus pass. All of these things were on our itinerary except the bus but if someone is going to include it for free then ok. Especially since one of the stops was near our flat in Leith. It was a deal too good to miss even if it meant appearing like -tourists.

     I know that sounds funny since we are traveling around to so many places but I am talking about TOURISTS; people who visit another country or place and complain because it is not like home. They stay in large groups and block the doorway or walkway for other people. They are usually loud, pushy and more concerned about getting back to the hotel for lunch since it was part of the travel package they bought. Some tourists are so busy filming or taking selfies that they don't actually see anything. Invariably, if there is a shop within a hundred yards it will be filled with tourists buying the most ridiculous of things as gifts or mementos. There are those tourists so afraid of being robbed that getting to a wallet is like breaking into Fort Knox..And they always travel in buses.

     But here we were “hopping on” to a double decker open air bus with many tourists. We were given headphones to hear the narration as we drove past significant places in and around Edinburgh. It was awesome. Not only did we get a great view of the city from the top deck, but we were also able to get a feel for the size of the city and what was or wasn't walkable. The narration included some great background information about the city as well as some of the famous and infamous citizens both past and present. With four different lines we were able to traverse the city with ease, at least for three days. It is definitely a good choice when visiting a city for the first time. Now where is the shop with the bagpipe magnets?

Loving Leith

     After our time in the Highlands we headed back to big city experiences in Edinburgh Our flat was actually Leith, a suburb of Edinburgh. It was an old cooperage with a lot of the industrial architectural elements remaining.

 We checked in as quickly as possible, in a hurry to get to a pub to watch Scotland vs England in a World Cup Qualifying game,although we had been assured that England ALWAYS wins. We had trouble finding a pub that we could get into as the ones showing the game were standing room only with people pouring out into the streets. Finally just before halftime we found a place that we could actually sit down and see the game. With only four minutes left Scotland had the lead; you could feel the excitement as the seconds counted down. Sadly, with one minute left England scored ending the game in a 2-2 tie. It wasn't a loss but it also wasn't a win. The once full and loud pubs were empty and quiet.

This is a very cool neighborhood with great restaurants and pubs along the river.Two of our favorite restaurants were the Ship on the Shore https://www.theshipontheshore.co.uk/ for really fresh seafood and live music and Kazban Mediterranean http://www.kezbanedinburgh.co.uk/. Both of these were close to our flat so we were able to park the car and walk to them. For pubs, Teuchters Landing is a must do http://www.aroomin.co.uk/teuchters-landing-bar-edinburgh/. Go for breakfast and be prepared to share the Full Scottish with at least one other person.


Leith is also the location of the Royal Yacht Britannia, the decommissioned vessel of the British Royal family. You can board the yacht and see not only how the Royals spent leisure and business time but also ho the ship was used in times of crisis such as evacuating refugees from Aden during their civil war. The casual elegance of the decor, plus the tea room made this a lovely place to visit on a cloudy and sometimes rainy afternoon .http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/

It was easy to take public transportation into Edinburgh making this the perfect place to stay away from the noise and crowds of the city- a true hidden gem.

Offal Isn't Awful

   

     As we drove from the Highlands to the Edinburgh, the Scottish capital we realized we had committed what for some would be a mortal sin- two weeks in Scotland without having Haggis. Now for some this would not be considered a sin as much as a demonstration of good sense. After all, the ingredients that make up this dish are not things most Americans would consider appetizing or even edible. But we are not opposed to some animal organs. Liver and hearts are fine-kidneys-no way! I was raised with fried chicken gizzards and make giblet gravy for my family on Thanksgiving,( John and others get gravy without the “bonus” protein). We had enjoyed Black Pudding in both England and Wales;how different could Haggis be? We resolved to correct this oversight at the first opportunity.

     That opportunity arrived quicker than expected. About an hour later we stopped for lunch in Pitlochry, a small town known for its live theater and as a hiding place for Rob Roy Macgregor. Port Na Craig ,http://www.portnacraig.com/ is a lovely little restaurant and inn on the Tummel river across the street from the Pitlochry Festival Theater. There it was on the appetizer section of the lunch menu- Haggis, Neeps and Tatties accompanied by a whiskey jus.  Never heard of it? Neeps are mashed turnips, Tatties are mashed potatoes and Haggis is …..Haggis. Think sausage patties, only these are a mixture of sheep heart, liver and lungs mixed with onion, oatmeal,suet, spices and salt. It is mixed with stock and traditionally encased in the animals stomach although most use artificial casings today. Mmm Mmm good?


     John ordered it as a first course, just in case.


     A lovely layered dish was brought out in a bowl. Potatoes on the bottom, then the Haggis and turnips on the top surrounded by a thin gravy or jus made with broth, whiskey and a little cream. It looked beautiful. Now for the moment of truth. It tasted like sausage with potatoes and turnips. It was actually quite good. The resourcefulness of the Scottish people was again demonstrated as things as humble as root vegetables and sheep organs were turned into a delicious and somewhat elegant dish. Mmm Mmm Mmm  GOOD

Highland Fling

   

The Highlands of Scotland, home of Rob Roy, Jamie Fraser, MacBeth and William Wallace. These and other larger than life historical and fictional men come from a land that is larger than life.
The Highlands are unlike any other place we have been. Simply put you have to go there to understand it. The landscape is as varied as the people, as complex as the history of Scotland and as unpredictable as the weather. It is an area of the country that has known great sorrow and suffering yet vehemently retains a spirit of pride and individualism. The people are practical and self-sufficient; happy to sit for hours to tell the stories of their villages and clans.
     We stayed a week on a croft, a remodeled farm house, in Ardgay surrounded by fields of grazing sheep about an hour north of Inverness. During that week we visited a Castle www.dunrobincastle.co.uk/ with beautiful gardens, took a cruise on Loch Ness,(no sighting of Nessie that morning) https://www.jacobite.co.uk/ and visited a scotch distillery https://www.balblair.com/.

 John was even able to golf at the local course www.bonarbridgeardgaygolfclub.co.uk/ . It was 9 holes so he played it twice. Clubs were available for rent so he didn't have to bring his for this trip. We attempted a day trip to Orkney island but predictably unpredictable weather prevented the ferry from sailing that day.
  Of course we had to include a visit to Culloden battlefield, site of the end of the Jacobite uprising and “Bonnie Prince Charlie's” claim to the throne of Scotland.https://www.nts.org.uk/Visit/Culloden/. The visitor center did a tremendous job presenting the information about the battle from both the Scottish and English perspective using parallel timelines, film and artifacts. The moor upon which the battle took place is available for visitors to walk and see markers where specific clans fought and died in an unsuccessful quest for independence.


As an aftermath of Culloden the English government set up policies that were unfavorable to the Highlanders ;prohibiting the wearing of clan tartans or the playing of bagpipes and the Clearances-the removal of families from their lands- were some of the ways King George II tried to destroy Scottish culture. To enforce these policies Fort George was established https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/fort-george/ .This Fort continues to be in active use and was one of the locations where Allied forces practiced beach landings for the D-Day invasion in 1944. Ironically the fort is also the location of the Highlanders military museum http://www.thehighlandersmuseum.com/ . The English government realized that the best way to control the Highlanders was to use them. The wearing of tartans and the use of bagpipes was acceptable if it was in service of King and Country. This led to the establishment of many Highland brigades in the British military. These units were and still are sent throughout the world as they are known to be victorious, even in the harshest of conditions.

The Highlands are a special place. The winds that come up unexpectedly seem to carry the voices of the people who fought and died to live life on their terms in a land that is harsh and beautiful and completely unforgettable. These lyrics from A Scottish Soldier seem to say it best:

There was a soldier, a Scottish soldier
Who wandered far away and soldiered far away
There was none bolder with good broad shoulder
He fought many affray, and fought and won

He’d seen the glory, he’d told the story
Of battles glorious and deeds victorious
But now he’s sighing, his heart is crying
To leave those green hills of Tyrol

Because those green hills are not highland hills
Or the island hills, they’re not my land’s hills
And fair as these green foreign hills may be
They are not the hills of home