World Pipe Band Championships 2015.

Ran out of hours last night after a long day on the trek.  Headed off early into town to pick up a bus for Glasgow and made our way to Glasgow Green where the World Pipe Band Championships were taking place.  Spotted the Midlothian pipe band,  (not our Midlothian, but it's twin from the USA)

 

Competitors were there from all over the World, some young, who were still learning their trade, some rather colourful,

This pair were there from Malaysia,   not sure how they did overall.

This years winners were the Scottish band from Shotts and Dykehead, previous winners whilst the favourites ended up fourth.   Need to watch the highlights on BBC TV, Wednesday night.

A wet day but at Festival Time so what.

Before I forget, yet more chaos on the roads as the A720 ground to a standstill about 4 pm this afternoon,  this time we were on a bus heading home and fortunately were not trapped in the long queues around the Fairmilehead and Straiton areas.   Like yesterday, no idea what the cause was.

Headed into Edinburgh this morning (despite the rain which had returned).  First call from the bus stop was coffee in the Peacock lounge of the Warldof Caledonian Hotel.  where being realistic, nice to get a better coffee than Starbucks,  in a cup and in nice surroundings.

The Edinburgh Festival and Fringe well under way and the town was busy,  a wander through the old Nor Loch ( Princes Street Gardens)  watched over by Edinburgh Castle.

PAst the Ross Band Stand where a group of young musicians were playing ,

Along to the famous floral clock, which as usual is looking good,

Couple of street artists nearby before we went into the art gallery.

 The Art gallery was very busy as folks came in to shelter from the rain, some lovely and interesting paintings.

Running out of puff and in need of R & R , we headed for the Standing Order, where the "Pole Dancer"! was on duty - nice to see him, passed a couple of hours before the bus home.

Sun supposed to shine tomorrow - wait and see.

An interesting day in sunny East Lothian

Big surprise this morning, sunshine, and we even had breakfast in the garden -  first time this year.
 
A busy day today with our visitors from "down South",   headed off via Costco to the Mercat grill, picking up a nice wee Brandy (health use only),  Then hit the coastal trail to East Lothian,  forst stop at Prestongrange to see the Beam Engine,  marvelous piece of engineering brought up from Cornwall to help clear the water from the coal mine there - the area was one of the earliest industrial complexes in the area, with salt pans, glass works, brick works, chemical works and a coal mine,  serviced by the harbour at Morrisons Haven across the road

Onwards through Port Seaton to Cockenzie where the power station is nearly totally demolished and as far as I know the twin chimneys will be demolished on  26th September when it it is expected that thousands will flock to the area to hear the big bang as they drop.

Along the coast and onto the golf trail, through Longniddry, Aberlady, Kilspindie, Gullane, and to Muirfield where we had a cuppa at the magnificent Grey Walls Hotel, which sits adjacent to the "Open Golf Course" at Muirfield, 

Not sure who was playing in therio old bi-plane, but there was one doing all sorts of stunts before landing on the airstrip within the Duke of Hamilton's estate at Archerfield Golf and Country Club.

Headed round Dirsleston and on into North Berwick where we could not get parked as it was so busy, beaches busy and place was mobbed.    So onwards and eastwards, stopping to get a nice view of the famous bird sanctuary at the Bass Rock on one of the quieter beaches.

Quiet run through the white witches home at Whitekirk, and along the old A1 to Haddington , a totally underrated town with an an amazing history, well worth a wander through the back streets, gardens, etc.

Biggest blip of the day was ending up being stuck on the A1 about four hundred yards short of the Whiteccraig slip road, The main road was stationary due to an accident involving a horse box - so both lanes north and southbound were blocked, massive diversions,  poor souls - took us thirty minutes to get off the road but as we were heading to the Mercat Grill it was not too much of a drama,  but we do know that the congestion continued for several hours.  We did eventually take the back road home via Edgehead, Gorebridge,  and Temple Village (stopped at the temple Church yard where the Knight's Templars will hold a service on Saturday), village was originally known as Balentraddock in the days of King David when he gave the Temper Knights who had fled from France sanctuary.

Never mind -  good day today,  but thunder, lightning, and flash floods forecast for tomorrow.

IPA visitors from Holland and Belguim

Lovely day on Sunday so the drive to Newcastle with the IPA Scottish Motorcycle touring Group, was quite pleasant apart from the delays caused by horse boxes and trailers on the roads through the Scottish Borders.   At one stage I was positive that some folks were even taking empty horseboxes out for a run just to frustrate other drivers.

We were heading for Gosforth where we stayed overnight, and this morning met up with twenty two members of the Dutch IPA who are over for several days and basing themselves at Fort William.

 

With the two groups together there were twenty three bikes and some thirty bodies who set off from the ferry terminal at North Shields, headed west along Hadrian's Wall to Carlisle, then north to Glasgow for lunch with the local IPA section members there, before heading on to Fort William.  

Due to other commitments I took the easy option and headed up the east coast on the A1, so a couple of hours later was safe and sound at the Mercat Grill for cuppa before going home.

Glengoyne, a lovely dram

Out and about today as driver for RGB who was leading a deputation from the Guild of Maltmen to the Glengoyne distillery,  just north of Glasgow.
A beautiful small distillery, the soft waters for the still come from the springs below the nearby volcanic plug, quite a steep nearby hill (bit much for me).   Distillery is well worth a visit with a lovely visitor centre, a group of excellent guides, and a varied choice of visits from the standard walk through, to multiple tastings and at the end of the day, a voucher to get discount on a lovely single malt.

had a good blether to one of the welcoming staff who turned out to be a retired Police Officer from the former Strathclyde Force  ( pre Police Scotland) and who was also in community services so we had a great deal in common and had to be dragged away.
The alternative means of getting there is to walk the West Highland Way, the  ninety nine walk from Milnagavie, north Glasgow, to Fort William,  which is actually shorter by seven miles than driving by road.    The W H W walkway actually passes within three hundred yards of the distillery which makes it one of the first points of interest en route north - however, there is a regular hourly bus from Glasgow which stops on the doorstep.

Tomorrow,  heading south with the IPA - Scottish motorcycle touring Group to Newcastle for a bit of a rendezvous on Monday morning.   More to follow.

Bit dehydrated - time for a dram methinks.

Selective knocking needed - perhaps.

Watching the London Cycle Road Race last weekend, a superb spectacle and great advert for the country -  BUT what did occur to me was that the roads being used by the cyclists must have been surveyed and repaired before the event.    Having driven both cars and a motorcycle around the Edinburgh area, there is no way such an event could be held up here without major road repairs taking place - they are a disgrace.  On one section the other day even the bus was avoiding the bus lane because it was so bad.

But, reading the latest revelation / accusations being directed at Police Scotland where some journalists are complaining that the Police have been "spying" on them -  what !!!  certainly the "Pot calling the kettle black" , the press seem to have forgotten  that the News of the World, Sun court case has not long finished with all the hacking and phone tapping they were involved with and condoning.

To me, the rank and file of Police Scotland are suffering because of the continual interference by bungling politicians and senior ranking officers making a hash of what was and which could still be a great job.   Time they all remembered that every officer holds the rank of Constable in the eyes of the law and that the badges and scrambled egg which adorn the uniforms mean sweet tiddle all to the majority of the Public who just want the "polis" to do their job.

Personally, I think it is time that we had a campaign to support the Police along the lines of Help For Hero's.     Time to promote the "Thin Blue Line".

  

Berwick and Roxburgh - in the "Good old day,s"

Mid week once again and not a lot to show so far, apart from several bags of plastic and boxes of cardboard for recycling !!!   How exciting,  BUT,  recycling is very topical, and of course is a Government target set by our friends in Brussels.  So looking at my weekly collection, I can honestly say I am doing my bit for Queen and Country (so to speak).

Rummaging about at home in my boxes of badges I came across these two which are certainly dated back to the 60's .

 These were two of the small County Police Forces were part of Berwick, Roxburgh and Selkirk Constabulary.  This Police Force later merged with Lothian and Peebles Constabulary and Edinburgh City Police forming Lothian and Borders Police  which in turn has been swallowed up in the recent merger producing the current Police Scotland Force.     Times have changed and not necessarily for the better,  lets hope the current adverse publicity will result in some improvements in public perception and for the general moral of the serving officers.