Invading Scotland
July 1st, 2011 at 9:58 am by David Farrar
On Monday driving from Darlington to Edinburgh and got distracted by a sign pointing to Hadrian’s Wall. So we turned off the motorway and headed to Chesters where they not only had section of Hadrian’s Wall intact, but remains of Cilurnum, a roman cavalry fort. This was the commander’s quarters.
This is the River North Tyne, and you can see on the far side the remains of the wall continuing on. There was originally a bridge here of course.
The location also has a museum with hundreds of well preserved artefacts, especially engraved stones.
Nearby was this lovely field of poppies.
And another section of Hadrian’s Wall.
The border between England and Scotland is well marked, unlike the Welsh one. They have some mobile retailers selling food and souvenirs at the border, plus large rocks with Scotland marked on one side and England on the other.
Had a well located apartment in Edinburgh, just up the road from Holyrood. My second visit to Edinburgh – a truly lovely city.
No caption needed!
Caught up with an old friend and colleague at Monteiths. Most of the bar was inside, but they had covered over this alleyway to create an enclosed outdoor area.
A statue of the great Adam Smith.
Tags: DPF, Scotland, United Kingdom
July 1st, 2011 at 10:12 am
Beautiful photos, especially the fields. Not at all what I imagined Scottish countryside to be like!
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 10:45 am
Great pics!
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 10:50 am
Consul George- “I say, this is interesting! There seems to be a large orange hedge moving towards us.”
Centurion Blackadder-” Uh, thats not a hedge Consul. That’s the Scots.”
From Blackadder Back and Forth….
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 10:51 am
The border between England and Scotland is well marked, unlike the Welsh one.
Of course the Scottish border is well marked,
How else would you know where it was safe to pop into the local blacksmith and get married after 1753 when you were eloping…
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 11:32 am
Stuff the old rocks, where’s the whiskey factory?
[DPF: Those photos are coming]
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 11:47 am
That photo of the Edinburgh street is remarkable for the near complete absence of cars. Was it closed off or is it always like that? (Hint, hint, Auckland Council…)
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 1:31 pm
Are you heading to Ross and Cromarty David? It’s the home off my ancestors, a village called Badachro in fact.
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 2:02 pm
Adam Smith’s greatest feat was traveling forward in time, seeing John Key’s deals with the casinos, and going back to his own time to write a warning:
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Adam Smith – economist most likely to be admired by those who would prefer to imagine what his ideas were.
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 2:47 pm
In Roman times the Scotland-England border was at Hadrian’s Wall. Now it is a long way north of the Wall, at the eastern end at least. I suspect that sneaky English people move the border markers a few centimeters north each night so that they can steal Scotland gradually without anyone noticing.
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 5:08 pm
I remember the border posts with the markers (Scotland is engraved on one side, England on the other) from when I was there in ’99. We pulled into one of those areas near Jedburgh and we found a piper playing to welcome everyone tourists into Scotland. Made our trip.
Campit – my recollection of Edinburgh (esp the Royal Mile up to the castle) is that the old streets in the centre of the city are pretty much like that, with few if any cars.
highlight – Edradour, Scotland’s smallest legal distillery in Pitlochry
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 8:30 pm
there is a little town in the Borders called Selkirk .. the birthplace of my father so if by any chance you blinked and went past BUT took a photo, please post
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 8:32 pm
and yes, my dad was a piper AND a whisky lover .. my favorite is The Glenlivet followed by Taliskar
Vote:July 1st, 2011 at 8:37 pm
Selkirk?
You are a lowlander and probably a bloody Sassenach jaba!!
Vote:July 2nd, 2011 at 1:08 pm
wouldn’t be at all surprised Johnboy
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