Glasgow Gallivanting: July 2023

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Sycamore Gap, Hadrian’s Wall

At the beginning of the month we were away on a four centre tour of England. Just one picture from each place because more will follow eventually – but as I am still about a year behind, not for some time! We started with a few days in Northumberland (see above) before staying with our friends Valerie and Kenn near Leeds. One of the places we visited with them was the Yorkshire Sculpture Park where we saw Barbara Hepworth’s Family of Man, recently restored after more than 30 years on display.

Family of Man by Barbara Hepworth

From there we continued further south to the East Midlands to visit another friend, Janet, in Derby. She suggested going to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, where a tree is dedicated to her father. Set in beautiful parkland, there are scores of poignant memorials to those lost in war. For example, the one below commemorates soldiers shot for “cowardice” in World War 1.

Shot at Dawn, National Memorial Arboretum

Finally, we broke the journey home with a stay in Aysgarth in the Yorkshire Dales from where we had some lovely walks. Altogether, a wonderful two-week break centred on the company of old friends.

Aysgarth Falls

Talking of old – I had a birthday. I managed to spin out the celebrations over two enjoyable weekends, but I still felt none too chuffed at reaching the age of an OAP (Old Age Pensioner). It sure beats the alternative though!

On the Saturday evening, the day before my birthday, we visited the Banksy exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art. Glasgow is very honoured to be the only venue for this and tickets have sold like hot cakes. No photography is allowed (you must put your phone in one of those lockable pouches) so you will have to take my word for it that it was very good. We also saw a Banksy exhibition in Amsterdam a few months ago, so photos from that should (eventually) trickle through.

We booked the exhibition for 18:30 and dinner for 20:00 which turned out to be perfect timing – pictures of our delicious meal at Opium are definitely available!

Cocktails
Hot and sour soup
Mains
Desserts

The following weekend we went to Stirling (by train – this is important) to utilise John’s birthday gift to me: an afternoon at the Old Smiddy Gin School at Stirling Distillery. We came home having distilled our very own bottle of gin (and sampled plenty of other gin in the process).

Stirling Distillery
Botanicals for gin
Topping up the ice
Always a cocktail in hand
Our finished gin
Safely home!

In other news: not much new on the women’s history front, just a couple of walks which I’ve featured before, although Glasgow Women’s Library did have a fabulous Three Decades of Volunteering event with a cake (left) which tasted as good as it looks.

We made one other gallery visit, to the Hunterian, part of the University of Glasgow. It has recently been rehung thematically, and although I didn’t like all of their choices I was impressed with their efforts to make the connections between some of the art on the walls and the shameful history of colonialism and slavery.

A Lady Taking Tea by Jean-Simeon Chardin (1699-1779) is a prime example:

The World in a Teacup
A Lady Taking Tea by Jean-Simeon Chardin (1699-1779)
A Lady Taking Tea information label

Closer to home, the portrait of Alexander MacFarlane by John Vanderbank (1686-1739) directly links the profits of slavery to the University.

Portrait of Alexander MacFarlane
Portrait of Alexander MacFarlane information label

Interestingly, in 2018 Glasgow was the first UK university to acknowledge its roots in slavery with the publication of a comprehensive report, Slavery, Abolition and the University of Glasgow, after which it launched a plan for reparative justice. Also interestingly, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is undertaking a similar project with its collections. I commend these actions wholeheartedly.

Kelvingrove: Museum of Empire
Introductory panel

And the bridge and the penguins? I always write about them! The base of the central spire of Stockingfield Bridge now has a red tiled infill and there is a new mural referencing the Cadder Pit Disaster of 1913.

Stockingfield Bridge
New red tiles
By Lambhill Stables

Some of the penguins have taken up fishing and one is learning to play the bagpipes while the rest cover their ears with their flippers. They are prepared for all weather eventualities with a parasol / umbrella and kites – but who let them loose with a cannon? Duck!

Fishing
Bagpipes
Kites
Parasol / umbrella
Fire!

Finally, the eagle-eyed might have spotted the heavy bandaging on John’s arm in the birthday galleries above. Just after we came back from holiday he had a small operation to remove a large swelling from his elbow (bursitis). I’m pleased to report that it is healing well and the bandaging is now much reduced.

Post-op bandaging
Bandaging after wound check

So another hectic month goes by. Happy August!

England, Scotland, UK , , , ,

76 Comments »

  1. Belated birthday greetings. You certainly packed a lot into a month; a nice diverse selection of locations and activities. Followed by gin — now me I’d go for creating Scotch! Those penguins are just the best!
    Bernie

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  2. Happy belated birthday, Anabel! It looks like you had a wonderful celebration. There’s so much to pack in here. I love your walks and the memorials in the gardens are interesting especially the one to soldiers shot for “cowardice” in WWI. Funny that they’d have a memorial to them, but shoot, I would be a coward in any war. It’s cool that you were able to distill your own gin. And it’s funny, I just saw a Sunday Morning episode about the Banksy exhibit in Glasgow, so I was able to see the artwork on the show. That dinner looks delicious, especially the soup and the thing that looks like dumplings. I’m also glad John’s elbow is healing nicely. It’s nice to catch up again after being away in Italy so long. I’m just now settling back in at home. 🙂

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  3. A belated Happy Birthday to you a d many more after that! Michael and I both Like gin so I could see us enjoy this. It looks like you are having a great time regardless of that bursitis. I’m glad it’s healing well. I love that very first image you took at Hadrian’s wall. I also love that you spotlighted the poor men that were shot for cowardice. Ever seen Paths of Glory? Very sad film. I lovevthose penguins!

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  5. Not surprised you are a year behind. When I used to holiday backpack I had so many photos from those two week long trips it often took me weeks to sort out the best sets for posting. Went to visit the new penguins In the gorge near the Botanics recently and it was completely fenced off due to a dangerously leaning tree or some such so a semi wasted trip as I never got near them. Welcome to the ranks of the OAP brigade.

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  6. Happy Birthday Anabel. It sounds like you had a great time away catching up with friends. I’m glad to see you picked up on Kelvingrove’s statement about its relationship with slavery, I’m planning to write a piece on this later in the month. Its good to see museums addressing this issue

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  7. Happy Birthday to you and great to know that John’s elbow is healing well. I can’t begin to understand why anyone ever decided it was a good idea to shoot people because they were afraid of going to war. It’s simply horrendous.

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  9. Happy belated birthday Anabel! You’ve certainly had another busy month. Your tour around England visiting old friends sounds a lovely way to spend a couple of weeks. I hadn’t realised Glasgow was the first university in the UK to acknowledge its links to slavery, that’s really interesting.

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  10. Happy Birthday, belated though it may be, and many more to come. Your trip to England sounds fun and there’s nothing like spending time with old friends on a special occasion. I envy you some of the things you saw and I’d certainly like to toast your health with a glass or two of that gin!

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  11. A belated Happy Birthday Anabel. Your grand tour of England looks fab. I have always wanted to visit the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and the waterfalls. Have you sampled lots of your homemade gin? Hope John is on the mend. X

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  12. Belated Birthday wishes, the gin trip looks fabulous. A happy, busy month involving gin and cake. Sounds like a win to me!

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  14. What a great month! You visited some of my favourite places in England, although I’ve not yet been to the National Memorial Arboretum. Your birthday celebrations sound great (belated happy birthday 🎂) and the increasing acknowledgement of the role of slavery in the past of some of our institutions is to be welcomed. Have a great August too!

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  15. Hi Anabel – what a delightful interesting filled post – lots going on that you’ve been able to enjoy … and now with personal gin to enjoy in the evening (well I assume evening?!). I’ll be back to read about the Cup of Tea – and to see what the Hunterian have done re repatriation re the slave trade and colonialism. I’d love to get to see the Hunterian … but I’ll be over to check out your thoughts.

    So glad John’s bursitis has been sorted out – better than bashing it with a Bible, as they used to do in times past! Happy retirement years … lots ahead – also love the tree on Hadrian’s Wall – cheers Hilary

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  18. Belated birthday greetings, Anabel and not looking at all a year older 😉 I like the shot of the Sycamore Gap on the Hadrian’s Wall, we did a short walk there just to say we had been there. Love to do a long distance one, perhaps one day.

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  19. I was interested in the exhibitions reflecting on connections with slavery. It would be good, I think, if this sort of thing got some general traction in the public consciousness. I know that the gap between what I was taught at school and what might be reasonably considered the truth was enormous.
    It doesn’t do us any good to live a lie.

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    • I’m seeing this more and more in museums and similar places. Sadly, it sometimes gets a backlash from the “anti-woke”. I’m particularly thinking of the reaction to efforts of England’s National Trust to research the connections of their properties (obviously many by the nature of the organisation) to slavery and colonialism.

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  21. How can you be a year behind? I’d have forgotten it all, Anabel! I need Facebook to remind me where I was last year. Love Aysgarth, and YSP. You remind me that it is Yorkshire Day tomorrow. One year we were scheduled to walk at the Staffordshire Arboretum on 1st August. Not sure why it didn’t happen.
    You wouldn’t be being Ageist, would you? I’m 65 + 10 this year. The end is nigh!

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  22. So they let you go south of the border. Did you have to get a stamp in your passport? You will when you get your Independence 🤣
    The YSP is a favourite of ours – we’re usually there a couple of times of year – although routine was disrupted by you know what. When we go we always check out the Family of Man.

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      • It’s good to know you that the posts gave you the idea to visit ysp. I think that’s one of the things with the WordPress community – we give each other ideas.!

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  25. Yet another wonderful month gallivanting, and many happy returns! Welcome to the OAP club 🎉💕 once again thank you for sharing the penguins, they never fail to make me smile.

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  28. Did you walk all of Hadrian’s Wall Path? I finished it last year and really enjoyed it, though the first and last days were not so good, it’s the middle bit the best I think. I also walked Offa’s Dyke Path so that when I finish walking the coast of Scotland I’ve sort of walked around all of England, Wales and Scotland as these inland paths (very roughly) follow the border. Although of course the Scottish border is rather far from the eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall so it is a pretty approximate claim.

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  29. Well, you have been a-gallivant, Anabel! I can see why you needed the train to Stirling! On to less happy things, Shot at Dawn is so meaningful marking as it does tragic events of WW1

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  30. A belated Happy Birthday Anabel and I hope John’s arm is doing okay 🙂
    I’m afraid the Barbara Hepworth thing does nothing for me at all – neither does Banksy’s stuff, a child could do better – but Shot at Dawn is so meaningful. I like the photo of Aysgarth falls – it’s ages since I’ve been there – and the gin distillery sounds interesting. Did you come out feeling a bit squiffy? 🙂 The red tiling on the bridge looks good and the penguins never fail to make me smile 🙂

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  31. Well, there has been a lot of gallivanting this last month! That Sycamore Gap is such an iconic shot, isn’t it? It must be one of the most recognisable sycamores anywhere. In your other adventures – YSP? Tick. Aysgarth? Tick. But you’ve introduced me to yet more must-visits. Hope your husband’s arm continues to heal.

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