Tattoo ; bike rides and the X Factor.

Been a busy weekend at the Grill  so as half expected I did miss the ride out from Glasgow on behalf of the young paramedic,  but I have heard that the group who took part had a great day out and covered nearly three hundred miles - well done.

TV tonight, BBC screened the highlights of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, brilliant, a real spectacle and I am sure the thousands who watched it live on the Castle esplanade will take back memories to the far flung corners of the World.

What a contrast to the start of the latest series of the X Factor where the odd balls from all over the "Universe" appear to have congregated to torment us - talk about trying to sort out the wheat from the chaff  - hopefully there will be someone reasonable to stop us switching over.

On a different note - some really harrowing images of immigrants fleeing from Syria and Libya , drowning the the sea as overcrowded ships / rafts sink, and then seventy one bodies suffocated in the back of a truck in Austria.   Time these criminal gangs were lined up and shot.    What amazes me is that despite all this publicity about people fleeing for their lives, there are still families in the UK who are heading off to support the IS scum - just how stupid are these folks.    Lord knows what these countries will do if the conflict ever ceases, there will be no one left to rebuild the infrastructure,

Kenny Allan.

Really sorry to hear of the death of a former colleague and latterly "Boss"  Kenny Allan who passed away on 23rd in Peebles.

When I joined Lothian and Peebles in 1966 Kenny was a PC in the Traffic Department at Dalkeith and took me out for my driver assessment before I could drive a Panda car.  On the drive I kept hitting manhole covers on the road, along Seafield Road I think, and he said that if I hit another he would hit me !!   He  had a bit of a fiery temper to say the least.  later he came to Penicuik on promotion and was one of the two station Sergeants,   again his temper at times got the better of him and one day he lost the plot with someone on the phone in the booth in the office, thumped the bakelite phone back on its cradle and the whole lot shattered - even Mrs Watson the typist fled the building.
He was a scratch golfer and I heard a tale of him playing golf with Ian Nimmo, fluffed a putt, threw his club in the air where it lodges in the branches of a tree - and as Nimmo rolled about laughing Kenny was chasing him !!!

Ken eventually ended up as Chief Superintendent, Divisional Commander of E Division at Dalkeith, where I was based so I had daily contact with him, a good boss.    Somewhere, if I can find it I have a photograph of him and Yvonne Murray, who was helping me with a project,  she came up to Dalkeith and brought her Commonwealth Games medal to show to us.    RIP.

Two sets of two wheels once again

Certainly a happy bunny tonight having been back out on the "Steed of Steel" for the first time in nearly seven weeks whilst it was away for a bit of TLC.   Just a mild case of missed a heart beat as the battery was a bit low, having been sitting for so long - anyway a good run round the city By Pass soon charged it up.
RGB using the "Time Machine" so all we need now is to get some time off together to have a wee run out.
Had hoped to do the charity run on Sunday from Glasgow in aid of one of the paramedics there who died recently,  up to Arrochar, Green Wellie, and Oban, however, with friends from Canada arriving for the afternoon and night before flying home, looks like that idea has been knocked on the head.

Mercat Grill been busy all week, and hopefully the wee bit of decorating taking place will transform the former darts area, which is now used as a dining and meeting facility.

a treat for our anniversary

Just home from an overnight stay at the Marine Hotel and Spa,  North Berwick,   Nice surprise as it was our Sapphire wedding anniversary and we only learned of the treat on Saturday morning -  we had the Nick Faldo suite  which certainly fits the description of a "room with a view".

 

Peace, quiet and points of interst

Been a busy week, family away home now, so head down and things back to normal - apart from the weather - so it looks like we have had our spring and summer and are now heading into Autumn.  If this is a sign of things to come then better get the wellies and thermals out.

Watched the BBC highlights of the World Pipe Band Championships last night and was wondering where all the pipers were when we were there !!!  Missed them somehow,   anyway very good result for the Shotts and Dykehead Band, the winners and World Champions.     While there I spotted this bloke measuring the sound from the pipes ;

Perhaps they should be issued to the Police to check the volume of these megaphone exhausts fitted to cars and motorcycles, go faster exhaust systems which do nothing more than annoy - time they were controlled.
Nice run out around Peeblesshire and surrounds on the way home on Monday,  down through the Meldrons

From the maps and information available it would appear that there has been some form of habitation and settlements there for around 5000 years.  The picture (not very good ) is of the White Meldron which has signs of a an ancient fort on the the summit.

At Barony Castle  work is really progressing with the restoration of the stone map of Scotland, made by Polish Cartographers - well worth a visit.

Popped into Peebles and while snapping the crest above the door of the Masonic Lodge, dating back to 1716

One of the clients of the Central Bar (opposite) pointed out that the house next door to the Lodge had been occupied at one time by the explorer, Mungo Park, who had been killed while in Africa.

  Headed home and stopped off in the peace and quiet of Roseberry Reservoir,  who needs to travel miles for a bit of quiet !!!!!

Now need to wait and see what the weekend has in store.

The "third" Forth Bridge

Sunday,  sun actually shone again so we took a run over to see how work was progressing at the third Forth Bridge crossing .  Lots happening but the iconic rail bridge, now a World Heritage Site takes a lot of beating.

This photo was taken from Battery Road , North Queensferry near to the spot where Queen Margaret landed in Scotland in the 1052.

Towers on the new bridge are up to their full height and it is now possible to see how the road platform is taking shape and also how it is suspended by the cables above.

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.