Tuesday, May 13, 2003

 

Day 19. Scotland. Tueday 13 May 2003. Return to Cricklade

Well we are up early for breakfast and packing for our return to Cricklade this morning. Again the breakfast is excellent. There are 2 other guests present and we discover they are from Canada and visiting Edinburgh on holiday. The odd thing is he is in a dark business suit with white shirt and dark tie. They have no transport and get around Edinburgh by bus. Not at all like tourists.

We say good buy to the B & B manageress and thank her for our pleasant stay. Our journey will take us via the A701, A702 and A7 across to the M6. We make a detour to Pennicuik and the Edinburgh Crystal Glass Company established in 1867. We arrive early and rather than sit in the car awaiting opening we sit in the warm morning sun.

The staff arrive and go in a side door further down the side of the building. One of us needs to go to the toilet and slips across to the side door. In a while I do too, I forgot to go before we left the B & B and do the same. I quickly locate the toilet, use it and head outside again. The place is deserted; I could have robbed the place.

The factory shop is now open so we enter the large factory showroom. Pat buys some autumn plastic place mats; Ian buys some expensive cut crystal glasses. Gillian and Anthony buy some glassware, too.

We now return to the A7 and head across scenic country with little traffic. It is pleasant to drive here after the congested South. Gillian and Ian share the driving. At 2 p.m. we stop for a late lunch at Longtown this is my Irving grandmother's Davidson country, Kirklinton and Heathersgill are signposted down the road. I do wish I could have stayed for a day or two and explored Grandma's country. Ah, well I don't suppose I will ever see it now.

We find a little old fashioned cafe of yesteryear with old-fashioned prices. I'm on soup again tomato this time and roll with a few of Pat's side dish of chips and nice pot of tea to go with the meal.

Down on to the M6 we stop later at our old favourite, Charnock Richard. Anthony and Gillian are impressed with the size and the bridge over the motorway with restaurants and shops over and down the far side. On our way again we stop for petrol south of Birmingham and then the last leg to Cricklade. We made good time, 8 hours from Edinburgh including stops.

Every one of us was tired and I went to bed early.

posted by OldEric 3:07 am