Glasgow Gallivanting: July/August 2019

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Loch Long from Eilean Donan Apartments

There was no Gallivanting post in July because we were too busy gallivanting away from home. We stayed in three different places, and just look at the views we had! First, we travelled up the west coast to Dornie and spent a week in a beautiful apartment on the banks of Loch Long (see above).

On our way home, we stopped for a couple of nights at the Isles of Glencoe hotel. I think the view from our window here was even better (see below).

Loch Leven from Isles of Glencoe Hotel

After a few days at home catching up with friends and family we were off again, this time to the east coast just this side of the English border. When I saw the view below online it sold me the cottage we rented in Lower Burnmouth. This is our bedroom window – I admit when we got there I was disappointed to find that high tide that week would always be during the night while we slept and mid-afternoon when we were out. The view at low tide was much less picturesque because there is no sandy beach. However, towards the end of our stay we made sure we were home early enough one day to catch the tide, and watched mesmerised as it receded. Expect many, many more pictures when I finally get round to writing this up …

The North Sea from the Old Lobster House

When we weren’t away gallivanting, we managed to get a few walks in from home. I’ve posted about the Greenock Cut walk before (in April 2016) and nothing much has changed, except there wasn’t a cruise liner in port at Greenock last time.

Plaque at Greenock Cut
Greenock Cut
Cruise ship viewed from Greenock Cut

We’ve also done the walk to Callander Crags and Bracklinn Falls before. However, that was pre-blogging which allows me to do a then-and-now gallery. Here’s 2008:

Callander Crags 2008
Callander Crags 2008
Bracklinn Falls 2008

Followed by 2019 – I don’t seem to have taken any pictures of John, how remiss of me! The cairn is to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 with a small plaque added (and later defaced) for Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Jubilee Cairn
Jubilee Cairn
View of Callander from the Crags
Bracklinn Falls
Bracklinn Falls

A new-to-us walk was Eglinton Country Park. The park has a really interesting history and I might do a full post on that later, so just a couple of photos for now.

Cairnmount Hill
John at the loch

In June I wrote about the Oor Wullie art trail, which has taken over several Scottish cities this summer, and posted a few of the Wullies I had snapped. I have many, many more but some people found them ugly or scary so I’ll only add one, Wonder Wullie. I’ve met several other weird figures over the past couple of months though! Joining Wullie below are a cow met outside a pub in Dalwhinnie; Nutkin, from another art trail in the Highlands; the Clyde Mascot from the Commonwealth Games in 2014; Elvis, who has not left the building; and Glasgow University’s Lion and Unicorn which I’ve featured before, but not with their new lick of gold paint.

Wonder Wullie
Dalwhinnie coo
Nutkin
Clyde at Kelvingrove
Elvis at Kelvingrove
Lion and Unicorn, Glasgow University

Clyde and Elvis can be found in Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery which we visited in August to see the excellent Linda McCartney Retrospective (on till January). No photography was allowed in the exhibition but, as always, we came away with a new set of shots. The organ in the Centre Hall is extremely photogenic.

So are the Floating Heads (by Sophie Cave) which grace the East Court, and the Spitfire which flies over the West.

Kelvingrove Heads
Kelvingrove Spitfire

However, I can’t believe I have never properly looked beyond these to the stained glass windows at the end of each gallery. They are quite different, but both stunning (though I prefer the blue bird).

Some new murals by Art Pistol have appeared along the Forth and Clyde Canal at Firhill. Inspired by Mackintosh, one is based on his well-known work Roses and the other on the lesser known Sailing Ships. They’re under a bridge so hard to capture, but I tried. Again, I think I prefer the blue one.

Mackintosh Murals, Firhill
Mackintosh Murals, Firhill
Mackintosh Murals, Firhill

Glasgow Women’s Library welcomed some Kenyan visitors recently. As part of a British Council funded programme the Library has partnered with a group called Book Bunk in Nairobi. Founded by Wanjiru Koinange and Angela Wachuka, Book Bunk aims to transform three public libraries in Nairobi, from throwbacks to a colonial era which excluded Africans, into inclusive spaces with heritage, public art and shared experiences at their core. Read the GWL blogpost about Wanjiru and Wachuka’s visit, watch the Book Bunk video and weep – and if your finger strays towards the Donate Now button, so much the better. Wanjiru, on the left of the picture, is also an author and read some extracts from her debut novel, The havoc of choice, which follows one family during the 2007 Kenyan election and its violent aftermath. It’s not out till next week, but I’ve pre-ordered a copy and can’t wait for it to arrive.

Finally, to two fabulously floral events! My friend Irene held a garden party at which she raised over £1500 for Pancreatic Cancer UK. Cheers Irene! We had a great time.

September sees the heritage festival Doors Open swing into action throughout Scotland. Glasgow’s turn isn’t for another few weeks, but in this 30th anniversary year a celebration was held last weekend in the city’s Govanhill Baths. Blooms with a View filled the old Ladies’ Pool with flowers and acted as a base for various events. We had booked tickets for a talk on Saturday which was unfortunately cancelled, but decided to turn up anyway because we wanted to see the Baths. Here’s the Ladies’ Pool in its “glad rags”.

Ladies’ Pool
Blooms with a View
Ladies’ Pool
Blooms with a View
Ladies’ Pool
Blooms with a View

You might have noticed that underneath the flowers the pool is rather the worse for wear. Originally opened in 1917, the baths survived until 2001 when the city council decided to shut them down. Local residents were outraged and staged a 147 day occupation which saved the building from demolition. The campaign became a charitable trust and has so far raised about £7m towards refurbishment. Officially, the baths are closed again in preparation for work to start, so we were glad to get this opportunity to visit. We also sneaked a peek at the other two pools – the learners’ pool, which looked rather gross, and the main pool which looked rather better!

Learners’ pool
Main pool

No Scottish words this month, I’m running out of time. Happy September!

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97 Comments »

  1. Anabel, you certainly had very nice views from all the places you stayed. The then and now photos are always interesting. That organ is so beautiful!

    Jude

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  2. What a busy July and August you had! It looks like you had some fabulous walks. I love the views of Loch Long and Loch Leven. The organ in the Kelvingrove Museum is certainly colorful and photogenic. I can’t find that book you mention either on Amazon or Goodreads. I wonder where I can find it? Also the Linda McCartney retrospective sounds interesting. And kudos on raising all that money for pancreatic cancer. What a fun couple of months. 🙂

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  3. Anabel, I just wanted to let you know that I have nominated you for the Blogger Recognition Award – on my blog). No need to retag somebody if you do not want to. It is just a way to let you know that I really enjoy reading your posts 😊

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  4. Sounds like you’ve been very busy gallivanting! The room with a view looks stunning! Hope it doesn’t flood though if there is a super tide – probably an optical illusion but the water looks very close!

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  6. Wow, Anabel… where to start? I used to comment about your busy and full single months, but these two summer months combined sure look like a fantastic summer to me! Not a spare or dull moment, from art, to culture, to nature. I absolutely love the views out of your accommodation windows in the beginning. It would have been interesting to see two photos side by side at high tide and low tide. But, indeed, the high tide one is spectacular! Often, when I read your multiple-day gallivanting posts, I envy your being in one place for several days. That makes travel so much less exhausting and stressful!

    And, how sad Wullie only gets one feature photo. 🙂 I really like that blue bird in the painted glass window as well. And, as always, I like your “then and now” galleries. That colorful organ is quite special as well!

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    • Ah. Liesbet – I can’t give away all my secrets all at once! When I come to post about Burnmouth properly, believe me, there will be multiple shots of the sea at different tides from every window of the house! You might be sorry you asked 😉. We definitely enjoyed having full weeks in one place this year rather than our usual three week road trip. It was relaxing and we got to know an area more thoroughly.

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  7. Wonderful to know that you’ve been on the road and delighted to travel with you vicariously. Dorny(or Dornie) is my nickname but I’ve never had the good fortune to venture there. And how I would love to sail Amandla on Loch Leven. You look as fit in 2019 as in 2008. Sorry that you missed John in the 2019 set of images at Callander Crags and Bracklinn Falls – I always adore seeing his smiling face. But happy to seem him appear later looking as handsome as ever at Eglinton Loch. Ahoy from Jerico, Colombia where we are doing a bit of overland travel.

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    • Hi Lisa, or should I say Dorny! Maybe you’ll sail to your namesake some day. I almost didn’t post the 2019 pic because I thought I looked a bit stressed – the main reason was that the area round the monument was beset with biting insects and I couldn’t wait to move! Not the usual midges, but equally annoying. John is very happy with your comments and is preening himself 😉.

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  10. Yup! This definitely counts as gallivanting! Two months worth too. You do get to some very interesting places Anabel. I’m starting to think I need to get out more.

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  11. Anabel – I kept going back to your photo of Loch Leven. Absolutely mesmerizing – it makes me think you photo-shopped it, but I doubt you did! What a glorious way to spend your gallivanting time – Cheers – Susan

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  12. Wow what a busy month you had. So many great walks and you very nearly strayed into England didn’t you? Be careful! The ladies pool looks really interesting.

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  13. I saw the heads and Elvis when I was at the Kelvingrove, but I didn’t notice the stained glass either. I do like the bird! September’s a busy heritage month here too – Heritage Open Days and Open House London are on consecutive weekends, and Kingston has decided to complicate things even more by putting on their own Heritage Festival that combines them both and adds more events, so I expect to see a lot of confused people in the museum this month!

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  14. The photos are stunning, Anabel! High and low tides definitely make a difference when exploring and for photos. I think I have mentioned before how you and your husband stay in great shape with all of the walking. You are inspirational! The photogenic organ is amazing and likely more spectacular in person. I always appreciate all of the information and enjoy your beautiful posts, Anabel:)

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  16. I have not been well and reading makes me feel more dizzy so i have slumped in my blogging. I hope to hear something soon after I get my ultrasound done. Now…Love the pictures of your vacation places-so peaceful looking and that high tide-it looks like the water is right out your window that you can touch it! Why do idiots feel the want to deface something. I just don`t get it unless the ruler was Stalin or Hitler. I love the other pics and the blooms look so great in that old pool place. I am glad they are savings it

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  17. Hi Anabel – just loved these … but am also looking forward to your Eglinton Country Park post – I think I came across it when I was looking around for my Rare Breeds A – Z posts … but maybe not – it looks an amazing place … so I’ll wait. The Lobster cottage looks to be in just the right place … I must get up one day … cheers Hilary

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  19. You’ve certainly got around. Some great walks there. August has been a poor month weather wise with very few dry days. Hopefully September will be better.

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  22. P.S. I meant to say that I am one of the “others” having grown up with the Broons and Our Wullie I really prefer my Sunday Post character and am not impressed multicolored sculptures of Our Wullie that seem to be popping up all over the place these days.

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  23. An interesting journey and some really excellent photographs. My play area growing up was Bellahouston Park. Spent some time looking at the photographs of the Baths and found them somewhat depressing (sorry) If I get back to Glasgow in the not too distant future, there are a number of things on my list and the Art Gallery is one.

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  27. You have been a busy bee as usual! Some wonderful views. Looking forward to more posts about your trips. Lobster cottage sounds nice. I have seen Elvis at Kelvin grove as well as the floating heads. Quite a few years ago now though. Good idea to use the pool for blooms. Will it ever reopen as a baths do you think? X

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  28. Excellent post as ever. Burnmouth is nice. It’s a classic east coast fishing village, more like Catterline or Pittenweem than those just across the border.

    The windows at Kelvingrove are great. I spotted them a while ago but always forget to look at them amidst everything else there.

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  29. Sounds like a busy couple of months, Anabel! Govanhill baths looks awesome. of course, I love all of the sculpture pictures, and I’m a sucker for an art trail. I saw a post on Twitter yesterday, showing the Oor Wullies being loaded onto a truck and taken away. I hope not all of them end up in private collections, and are still dotted around for the public to enjoy them.

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  30. Lovely pictures! I did some Glasgow galivanting last month! I visited family in Beith and managed to take a boat trip on Loch Lomond and visit Lochwinnoch. I did bump into an Oor Wullie once or twice, too 🙂

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  31. Only been to Kelvingrove gallery the once, but the floating heads and Spitfire stuck in the memory banks. As did The Mackintosh exhibits and that painting by Salvador Dali (I wasn’t so keen on the latter – too Catholic – but it did make an impression)

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  32. Lots of wonderful photos here, I don’t know which I like best. The view of Loch Leven is gorgeous, the sea looks like it’s about to come in through that window, and that organ looks absolutely stunning 🙂

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