Scotland 27th June to 2nd July

Flight from Toulouse to Edinburgh was straight foward, hire car ready so we were with friends by 5pm. The temperature as 14C. 

Derek and Selina live one mile from Edinburgh castle in a lovely treed area. Derek and Selina work for Goldman Sachs from home. They have two teenage boys who are high achievers academically, football, swimming. Very busy household so as well Derek can be taxi driver, coach, timekeeper, cook as required. Selena does the 4.30am shift to get boys to swimming.zzzzz. They live beside a  lovely walk along the Leith through historic Deans Village into the city.

We took a nostalgic walk along Princes Street, Grassmarket, into John Lewis and up some of the Royal mile. The buildings in our favourite city are unique.

This building has been converted to £1m apartments.

Classic street near the Haymarket

What was Jenners department store, sadly closed with the similar malaise of many highend department stores around the world.

Scots monument looking it's usual moody self.

We met a couple of work colleagues of Jeff's for lunch. The elder, George, started BCF in Edinburgh which invented, manufactured the animal scanning equipment Jeff used. Have kept in touch over years. George lives beside Murrayfield (rugby) and Alan is a keen cyclist so lots of chat.

Alan (on left) was amused by our purchase of new cycle seats on our way into the city and said we should buy leather seats being the best, think we will work our way up to £200!  per leather seat. Alan had undertaken a 90hr cycle in Sweden the previous week. We are considering a two week, 1200km cycle in France next June 2025 hence seats purchase.

The Grassmarket, no longer The Cookshop or Broom shop trading.

We went with Selina and Derek to the Raeburn pub for a great pub meal; haddock, chips with mushy peas. Got to do it at least once.

Saturday we were off to Duns in the Scottish Borders to stay with Hamish Hall and his partner Lesley. Hamish came out to New Zealand working for Jeff scanning in Marlborough living with us for 12 winters. He has a unique sense of humour and made light of many a situation while scanning all over Marlborough and Golden Bay. Was great for all of us. He still scans but only in the Scottish Borders and casually contracts in the grain harvest around about as a driver or bin man.  They live a a small enclave of maybe six houses surrounded by rolling grain fields and woods. A delight.

Usual story, although Hamish and Lesley have lived in Scotland all their lives, have never been to Dawyck Botanical Gardens, 25ha of arboretum and a 13th century castle replaced by a mansion in 1830.  It is near Peebles. Jeff and I have been before but never tire of the plantings and vistas.

Cones on an Abies koreana

Now the home of the Balfours who have planted hundreds of rhododendrons.

Moi, Hamish and Lesley. They both cycle, although Hamish went mad cycling all over Europe a couple of years ago has eased off a bit. They both have many family members living in the Borders and are quite content.

Hamish also decided we should also hike to the Millennium cross on the top of a hill he had driven by since 2000. Was good fun and it gave views towards the the coast and 

Galashiels. 

The classic stone fence synonymous with Scotland. When we scanned there for 20 years ie 20 winters, we often would set up beside these fences to run the sheep. Often in snow or at least zero degrees. Hard to believe now.

The hearty climbers with Hamish as tour leader.

Ended the day with a sundowner in the new "summerhouse" a necessary garden feature in Scotland to keep out any chill breezes, a summer high of 17c today. Very toasty in the wee house.

Next day we caught up with Susan, Hamish's previous partner, who we have kept in touch with. Susan also works from home in Tranent for the Bank of Scotland and keeps an eye on her elderly parents.  Drove down to near York where we are housesitting for a couple who have gone to their holiday house outside Budapest. We will be caring for their three pets, dog and two cats while living on their house. York was pretty busy but we wanted to see the Minister as last time we tried it was covered in scaffolding for many years from the fire of 1984 which collapsed the south transept.

Morpeth is a market town in Northumberland. Flowers always softens the harsh look of these hard towns. Good coffee. After the ghastly affairs served in Spain and France it is a joy to ask for a double shot flat white and get a coffee you recognise.

Took the steps up the tower, a struggle for many.

York Minister is an Anglican Cathedral with beginnings in 627AD but the bulk of what we see today began in 1220 and finished in 1472. It still has the largest piece of medieval stained glass (the last judgement) in the world. 

The other reason visitors go to York is to see "The Shambles" 14th timber framed houses still standing and in use.