The week in Glasgow Gallivanting: 11th-17th March 2024

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The penguins say it must be Spring, the tulips are out

We had a rare (for me altogether at the moment) and rare-on-foot (for John) day out in the countryside last week, taking a 7.5 mile walk along some quiet paths and backroads between the towns of Stewarton and Dunlop, then getting the train back. We should have got good views across to Arran, but although it was a dry day it was quite murky and we didn’t, so we contented our selves with looking at the following:

1) Trees, some with fairy houses attached.

Gate into Lainshaw Woods
John in Lainshaw Woods
Fairy house in Lainshaw Woods
Fairy house in Lainshaw Woods

2) Cute farm animals including a very newly born lamb.

This lamb was so new it could hardly totter and still had its cord
Too busy eating to bother with us!
What are you looking at?

3) Quirky signs. I wouldn’t call my house Cauldhame (cold home) and I thought the second one said No Antics at first. We were behaving impeccably, so I was quite offended.

Cauldhame
No Artics ‘s (sic)

4) Dunlop Kirk with nice doors and a bench …

Viewed from below
Dunlop Kirk and bench
Millennial bench
Sit/ rest / enjoy God’s love surrounds you
Side view
Blue door
Blue door
Above door – Main building erected 1641, extension 1923

5) … and a very interesting graveyard.

Information board
Hamilton Mausoleum
Stone on side of Hamilton Mausoleum to Agnes Cochran wife of John Kerr, date illegible
Hamilton Mausoleum
Statues inside Hamilton Mausoleum
Gravestone of John Dunlop, Jean Gilmour and several of their children who died in infancy (and one who made it to 27)

6) Old road signs in Dunlop

Stewarton 2 1/2, Kilmarnock 7 1/2
Dunlop road signs
Beith 5 1/4, Dalry 9 3/4

7) Dunlop Church Hall and some very strange critters in the garden opposite!

Dunlop Church Hall
Scrap metal cow
Scrap metal cow

So not a bad walk overall!

And what happened around Glasgow this week?

  • The penguins are back out as you can see at the top of the post. I missed them presenting some of the tulips to Mum for Mothers’ Day, which was Sunday 10th March, but caught up this week. And clearly some of them over-celebrated for St Patrick’s Day! A few too many pints of the black stuff I think.
  • When I saw the stuffed toy on the Botanic Gardens’ fence I thought a small child must have lost it, but I followed the instruction not to look away and discovered the other side of the notice was a list of ways to help Palestinians.
  • While walking along the canal to some friends’ house for dinner on Friday we were charmed by the sunset.
  • We made a foray into the Glasgow International Comedy Festival by attending Alan Bisset’s Moira Trilogy, a series of very funny monologues. It took place in Webster’s which is my least favourite of the four nearby churches which have been turned into performance venues, the others being Oran Mor, Cottier’s, and the Mackintosh Church. Those three have retained the soaring experience of church architecture whereas Webster’s auditorium is basically a black box. You could be anywhere.
Mothers’ Day
St Patrick’s Day
Stuffed toy on Botanic Gardens fence
How to help Palestinians
Sun setting behind the gas holders
Canal reflections
Just a black box
Alan Bissett as Moira

And as usual to finish, a gallery from the cyclist. This is from a ride in Stirlingshire, the highest point of which was Burnfoot Wind Farm.

Upper Glendevon Reservoir
Photo courtesy of Mark Davison
Ochil Hills in the background
Above Upper Glendevon Reservoir
Descending towards Upper Glendevon Reservoir
Cambuskenneth Abbey

So another good week, and this week promises to be even better. Enjoy yours!

Scotland, UK , , , ,

68 Comments »

  1. I love the word “murky” to describe a gray, overcast day. And the scrap metal cows are fabulous. You found many treasures on your walkabout. And the little penguins with their tulips are very festive. I always love the countryside views of John’s bikerides. They entice me to come to Scotland – someday!

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  5. I saw my first new born lamb yesterday. A joy to see and a sign of Spring round the corner.
    As for the other lamb you saw, well we are fortunate in being able to get out and about and enjoy life. For too many people there are unspeakable acts of cruelty making that impossible.

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  6. Love those penguins. I’m relaxing in a hobbit hut in Tarbet, drying out from a rather wet few days on the Cowal Way. I did stop off at Glasgow, but after a long day of hiking, I was devastated to find the little critters were miles from my Travelodge. ☹️

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