That's All Folks

Well that is it.

We fly out of Edinburgh in the morning, British Midland International to Heathrow, on to Toronto then home.

Great trip.

I hope you enjoyed the blog

Mary King's Close

Ian Rankin fans will remember that in the novel Mortal Causes a body is found in Mary King's Close and John Rebus has to go down under the city to investigate the murder.

Mary Kings Close is in a section of the city, built over and long forgotten and under the City Chambers.

Ian Rankin said he had gone on a tour through these long forgotten narrow passageways and houses and was struck with the idea of a body being found there. It is after all, a pretty creepy place.

In the 1600's the this area was full of narrow streets running down the steep side of the hill from Edinburgh's main street, the Royal Mile. It was a maze of tenements some seven stories high. People lived in very close quarters along with their livestock. There was no sewage system, people lived crammed into small rooms used a bucket which was dumped into the street and everything ran down hill to a putrid lake at the bottom where, from time to time, they drowned witches.

In 1645 the plague hit Edinburgh, probably brought from Europe by rats on ships docking in Leith. The plague spread through these crowded quarters like a wild fire. In 18 months it had killed a substantial part of Scotland's population.

Mary King's Close is now a tourist attraction. Interesting and kind of fun, in a macabre sort of way even if the guides probably play a bit loose and free with historical fact

A bus to where?

I thought the Hunter's Tryst bus might prove interesting but unfortunately, we seem to have missed the bus.

Sandy Bell's Pub

Coming back to our apartment last night we stopped in to Sandy Bell's Pub on our corner for one last drink. I am always surprised at how small some of these pubs are. This one is long and narrow with not much more that seven feet between the bar and the wall. It was the kind of bar where the regulars rolled their own and went outside for a puff.

As the evening went on,more and more people came in and then, in the corner, at a table reserved for musicians a fiddle player, a guy on guitar and another on harmonica started to play. As the evening wore on they were joined by a mandolin player, a guy on spoons and a woman with an amazing voice who sung the occasional ballad. They played all night with hardly a break, customers harmonizing along with the old traditional Scottish tunes.

t was like a slice from the past. Quite an experience. Needless to say it turned into more than a nightcap and I did drink too many McEwan's and whiskeys but, it was great.

Edinburgh City Apartments

There is no question that when traveling in the UK, staying in self-catering units like this one is the best option by far. We did this last year when we were in Cornwall and York and it sure works for us. You can get up when you want, make coffee, have a slow breakfast then face the day.

There seem to be quite a few units available for rent in Edinburgh. We people we decided to rent from have some very nice, centrally located units. When we were first here we stayed on Jeffrey Street, about three doors down from the Royal Mile and a short walk from the Airport bus or the rain station. This time we are in Greyfriars, very close to the University of Edinburgh, the meadows and of course the Greyfriars church.

On top of that I really like the way the people we are renting from handle things. There are lots of options but I would recommend them to anyone wanting to visit this city. They are Edinburgh City Apartments Check out their site.

Greyfriars

We are back in in our new favorite city. We are staying in a lovely, comfortable apartment in an older building overlooking the Greyfriars graveyard, famous for many things, including serving as a jail for Protestants (aka Covanentors) back in the pre-Reformation days. They jailed them before hanging them in the Edinburgh market square, or sending the lucky (?) ones off to Australia. Many, many, hundreds died... Who knew?

This graveyard is even more famous for being the place where the master of that cute little dog, Greyfriar's Bobby, is buried. The dog is alleged to have sat by his master's grave every day for 16 years... Or maybe I exaggerate. Perhaps it was only 12. Anyway, I can't imagine the dog really lived that long or believed that the scent of decay really represented his beloved master...

But Disney made a movie about it, so it must be true. (What kind of boring movie would that be? Dog sits beside/above buried coffin, year after year after year after...)

The view from our window is of tombs and monuments to the dead. There is also a row of mausoleums right under our window, the nearest one topped with statues of women, one on each corner. The closest one is missing her head, and the next one around appears to be holding a couple of snakes. (My knowledge of saints is lacking... Is she meant to be a holy figure? A goddess? A muse? )

Leaving Keswick in the Rain

Our last morning in Keswick the skies opened up and it poured. We trudged down to the bus station and headed into Penrith early. We figured why wait in our room when we can spread out in the train station.

We had a quick trip on the Transpennine Express, a little under two hours, up to Edinburgh via Carlisle and Lockerbie.

And, what great timing, when we arrived here in Edinburgh the sun came out again.

The Reiver Curse

All the time we have been here in England we have been in an area has seen its fair share of turmoil. The Scots and the English were in a constant state of warfare for almost 1000 years. During that period of time there was also the problem of the border reivers. They were kind of private raiders and plunderers who moved across the area burning farms, stealing cattle and creating general mayhem,

Shelley’s family and mine seem to have roots in this area. Shelley’s family, the Salkeld’s were on what is now the English side raiding north. Hunter was on the Scottish side raiding south.

The Archbishop of Glasgow, Davin Dunbar was quite upset about the state of affairs and, insisted that a curse on the reivers be read from the pulpit in every parish.

In Carlisle there is a stone with a part of the curse engraved in it and the reiver names are carved into the floor. The sculptor was from a reiver family. Part of the curse is below.

I curse their heid and all the haris of thair heid; I curse thair face, thair ene, thair mouth, thair neise, thair tongue, thair teeth, thair crag, thair shoulderis, thair breist, thair hert, thair stomok, thair bak, thair wame, thair armes, thais leggis, thair handis, thair feit, and everilk part of thair body, frae the top of their heid to the soill of thair feet, befoir and behind, within and without. I curse thaim gangand, and I curse them rydland; I curse thaim standand, and I curse thaim sittand; I curse thaim etand, I curse thaim drinkand; I curse thaim walkand, I curse thaim sleepand; I curse thaim risand, I curse thaim lyand; I curse thaim at hame, I curse thaim fra hame; I curse thaim within the house, I curse thaim without the house; I curse thair wiffis, thair barnis, and thair servandis participand with thaim in their deides. I way thair cornys, thair catales, thair woll, thair scheip, thjair horse, thair swyne, thair geise, thair hennes, and all thair quyk gude. I wary their hallis, thair chalmeris, thair kechingis, thair stanillis, thair barnys, thair biris, thair bernyardis, thair cailyardis thair plewis, thair harrowis, and the gudis and housis that is necessair for their sustentatioun and weilfair.

It goes on for 1100 words or more. A bit excessive. Some Carlisle city aldermen think the stone has brought the city bad luck and want it removed.

Both Shelley and I think the Archbishop went a bit too far. perhaps in explains why both of us have problems with authority figures.

Down the Road to Penrith

We challanged the BBC weather forecast and won again. It was a great day despite their gloomy predictions. Shelley and I took the bus to Penrith where we catch our train tomorrow. It is about 16 miles east of Keswick.

I like the Brit's attitude about buses. They seem to run everywhere and seniors ride for free after 9:30 in the morning and all day on weekends. So when it gets boring, they just hop on a bus and ride to another town, have cuppa tea and ride back.

Just in case you aren't about what is acceptable they post rules on the bus.
No smoking, no smelly food, no hot, fizzy or alcoholic drinks
Using a personal stereo or mobile phone? Keep them quiet.
If the bus is full give your seat up to someone who might need it more than you
Don't put your feet on the seats
Keep dogs on leash and off the seats
Any questions?

Penrith is, or was the market town in the area.It is much different from Keswick. It is very much a working town an interesting maze of narrow streets. The original builders used a lot of red sandstone which is a real contrast to the slate used in Keswick.

We had lunch in the Gloucester Arms Pub. It is an old "Elizabethan lesser town residence" dating back to about 1580. Some of the original wood paneling remains intact, the ceiling are low and the fireplaces you can see were originally large enough to cook in a side of beef in.

There is a claim that the Duke of Gloucester, who became Richard the third, stayed there at some point but it is dubious claim at best. The Duke had a castle a few blocks away. It seems unlikely he stay in a local house considering the options.

The pub was very traditional with four bitter taps together ot the bar. As well as the usual selections of Smithwicks, Bottingtons and the lagers they had Hawkshead, Black Sheep, Old Speckled Hen and Hobgoblin bitters.

Castlerigg

This morning we walked up to the stone circle near Keswick, up the hill forty minutes. We started off mid morning and made it back for lunch, so that is pretty near.

The circle is one of many in the Lake District. No one really knows who exactly made the circle or why but they date back to any where between 2500 to 1600 B.C. so, they are pretty old. We hope to be able to figure out how to see some of the others but it is a challenge. None are that close to each other and none really easily easy to get to.

It is quite an experience to visit. Castlerigg is on a high meadow surrounded by mountains on every side, It is a very special spot. You can imagine groups of fairly primitive peoples gathering on special occasions to celebrate here.

Shelley and wanted to see the circle without the crowds so we got up early and walked up to Castlerigg this morning early. We were there before 7:00. Four photographers beat us to it.

Hiking with dogs!

These guys amazed us! Each had his dog, and each also had a huge pack with gear (for himself, and for his dog).

They seemed to do well --they leashed the dogs whenever sheep were in the fields, but they struggled over each style with the dogs. (In some parts of England --- Cornwall and the Lake District -- there are access ways for dogs through styles, but not in Northumbria along the wall.)

We took pictures for them (with their cameras) at a turret or fort along the way. And their dogs were so cute! The one walking on the wall was a scruffy rescue dog; the other, docile and well trained.

Anyway, these are the guys and dogs we met at the end of the walk, hanging out in the shade on the road outside the pub at Bowness on Sollway. But the dogs could not enter the pub with their possessions. So sad.

Its a dogs life

At the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall, there is a pub called the King's Arms.

On the front door of this pub, there is a sign: "Sorry/No dog's/allowed."

Imagine! The poor dogs! After a long walk along the wall, they reach the only pub and can't bring in their... what?

Exactly which possessions of the dogs are not allowed within the confines of this final pub?

We don't know.

We were co-hiking with two young men and their dogs (we met them a few times), and when we reached the pub, both men were relaxing outside, backs against the outside wall, legs sprawled out into the narrow road, dogs sitting politely beside them.

We greeted them and congratulated them on completing the journey -- they had huge packs with camping gear AND dog food! -- but it never occurred to us to ask: "Which of dog's possessions were not allowed into this pub?

Red Squirrels?

Shelley and I are sitting here in the bar below where we are staying having a bowl of olives with olive oil, garlic and chili and drinking shiraz. We thought we'd share the sign we saw this morning with you.

What is so special about red squirrels I had to ask? Shelley who is my source of all knowledge reminded me that grey squirrels have been pushing out the native red squirrels and of course Beatrix Potter lived close to here. Her story about Nutkin squirrel and his brother Twinkeberry remind us that red squirrels are precious.

We never saw one.

(For the record Shelley did not remember the names Nutkin nor Twinkleberry but we do have access to Wikipedia)

A Very English Town

Despite being very Scottish, Edinburgh is a very international city. The street is full of tourists from all over the world and you hear a a chorus of differant languages. Walking Hadrian's Wall we met Australians, Germans, Dutch, a Finnish couple, plenty of Brits. We were the only Canadians we came across and we one person in our group was from New York City.

The Lake District must be where the English come on vacation. You do hear the occasional accent but, it is fairly rare.

So Keswick is a very English town. Last night as we walked to dinner the locals we lining up for their fish & chip take away.

It is Pronounced Kisick

This morning we said our goodbyes and headed off our separate directions.

Shelley and I caught the bus to Keswick where we are staying at the Cafe/Bar 26. After about a 30 minute drive through pasture land and through small villages we started to get into the mountains.

I thought Keswick was a quite little town with not much going on. It turns out to be quite the bustling little community. We wandered around a bit a grabbed a bite to eat after arriving. It reminds us of Banff or perhaps an Adirondack village with a British flavour. Lots of gift shops and an outdoor store on every corner.

We are staying at the Cafe/Bar 26 which has rooms upstairs and good lunches and breakfast in th bar downstairs.

Our Host Ian

We stayed a couple of nights at a Carlisle B&B. Our landlord, if we can call him that, at the Marlborough House B&B in Carlisle was a bit of a character. He and I didn’t get off to a great start right off the bat, he was less than co-operative about getting access to the internet. He begrudgingly agreed to let us use the computer to log on but wouldn’t let me hook up my laptop to the system.

He owns the pub across the road from the B&B and promotes it in his own special way. “So, where are yas goin’ for supper?
I said, “We aren’t sure, perhaps across the road or…”
“Or what?” he said, “Yas can’t beat my prices, Two meals for ten pounds. Bloody good food too. Not like the crap you get at other places around here.”

So we went across the road. He was right. The food was good.

He was wondering about who would want a hot breakfast in the morning. I said the I wasn’t sure. I had been eating a light breakfast each day. He said, “Have the full English breakfast, Why not? We have eggs, smoked bacon, tomatos, mushrooms, beans and good Cumberland sausage, not like that shit sausage yas get in Canada”

Shelley asked, “Can I just part of the breakfast? Like a boiled egg and some toast?”

He told her, “Ya gets the full English breakfast, what yas don’t eat, we’ll just feed to the dog.”

Despite his curmudgeonly front he was a great guy. Basically, what you see is what you get. Drove the lot to the train station this morning and made a special trip to the bus station for Shelley and I because we were leaving later.

The B&B was good, clean, comfortable and the place was friendly. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. And he was right, the full English breakfast was good and Shelley made a couple of small dogs happy. The pub food was very good good and his prices are very good. One pound ninety for a shot of scotch.

We Have Walked Across England

Well, we did it. We walked across England. Today was mostly across pasture land, through a few small villages, a four km detour when our guide got lost, and finally across a salt plain by the Firth of Solloway and into Bowness.

About 4:00 this after noon we arrived at the King’s Arms Pub and got our certificates. Over the last week we have crossing paths with a whole community of hikers many who drifted into the pub shortly before or after we did. There were lots of congratulations all round and lots more beer. In fact I think that this trek is fueled by beer.

Tomorrow we all go our separate ways, one person is staying here in Carlisle for a few days, an couple are off to Portugal and a some are heading home. We are taking the bus to Keswick in the Lake District.

From Banks to Carlisle

We started the day just before the small village of Banks. After taking the obligatory Banks photos we moved on through the pasture land. In fact most of the day was spent walking from farm to farm, across field after field, dodging the occasional bull, (they looked more interested in the cows than us) we went down country lanes twisting and turning through the English countryside. There is little evidence of the wall through this section and the further we walked the less frequent sightings became. Unlike the more harsh and rugged highlands, this land has seen significant development for a very long time.

The more people, the more the wall was plundered for it’s stone. In one case a whole priory was build, using Roman stone taken from the wall. The scenery is pastoral as opposed to spectacular but it is all very pretty.

On the outskirts of Carlisle we came across sheep being sheared. It was quite impressive, they grouped the sheep with their young lambs so they wouldn’t run. They herded the sheep through a chute and did them one at a time. What a racket though, lambs bleating, looking for their mothers, mother sheep baaing, looking for their lambs. When that group of mother sheep were all done and released, they let the lambs all go. They all paired up quickly then relaxed a bit

We walked 26 km today, though most of the terrain was fairly gentle, I got my first blister. We are staying at a Carlisle B&B tonight

Tomorrow morning we are walking the last leg of this hike. The Carlisle to the Irish Sea section is about 22 km of flat ground, originally salt marsh. We walk to Bowness on Solloway, get our certificates and have a celebratory beer, which is how we have been ending every day come to think of it, We’ll have dinner with the rest of the crew tomorrow night then head our separate ways.

Not any Thinner

One of the things that surprises me is that I don’t think I am losing any weight. We are walking on average about 21 km a day, over pretty strenuous landscape and I think I should be getting a bit more trim. In fact I know I deserve to be more trim with all this exercise.

I have been eating light breakfasts and just a sandwich and an apple for lunch but who knows. It must be supper, We have been eating pub food. The food in British pubs is hearty to say the least and they love potatoes. Some of the meals have been huge, add to that quite a bit of beer and I guess that is my answer

Onward from Twice Brewed

We got started a bit later this morning as a result of the fact that The Twice Brewed Hotel was a little later with breakfast than we expected. Our B&B which was the Vallum Lodge, about 100 metres down the road from Twice Brewed, was very good and made arrangements for the three of us staying there to eat early. They were great, I think those of us who got sent down to the overflow spot, got the best deal.

The day started with a series of Crags bringing us to the highest point of land. The scenery was spectacular. The wall is very present through this section of the walk and wonderfully so. The remains of turrets and milecastles perched on the edge of those towering crags has to make each of us wonder what it must have been like for those Roman soldiers, manning those towers day after day. Winter must have been very tough.

The landscape is rugged and the weather unforgiving. We had a taste of that unpredictable British weather this afternoon. We thought we’d get a great sunny day but as we moved through this high ground a thunderstorm developed very quickly. In fact, we got soaked in a series of rain showers and ended the day in a rain and hail storm.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was that we were entertained by the RAF jet fighters training through the hills. Pretty amazing flying.