Back to Reality...

[endlessrarities]

Well, I'm back home after a brief foray into Dumfries & Galloway.  It was a bit of a Busman's Holiday -  I got up close and personal with four Early Bronze Age flat axes and a halberd (oh yes, it's a halberd.  No doubt about it....).  I also took the opportunity to do some serious sight-seeing. 

Visiting the ancient monuments of Dumfries and Galloway is like visiting old friends.  I'm not one of those people who goes somewhere on holiday, falls in love with the location and immediately wants to up sticks and move there.  But if my lifestyle allowed it, I would genuinely like to live out my days in Dumfries and Galloway, and in particular, the area around Kirkcudbright.  I once landed a job there and spent a few happy months getting to know the area.  Unfortunately, my personal circumstances at the time meant I had to throw in the towel and take on work elsewhere.  It's a decision I've regretted from time to time, even though I'd be the first to admit that staying in the post would have been virtually untenable.

As a holiday destination, D & G really can't be beaten.  It has scenery to die for, and it's heaving with history and archaeology.  Any Americans or Aussies out there who fancy paying a visit to Scotland and go on a history hunt could do no better than to fly to Prestwick, then head south towards Kirkcudbright and Dumfries.  Okay, there's no mountains.  But there's hardly any midges, either!!

Anyway, I feel it's my solemn duty to introduce you to the joys of Dumfries and Galloway, and to the wonderful monuments that abound there.  I tracked down a wide variety in my travels, ranging from Neolithic chambered tombs to early twentieth century farm-buildings. 

For starters, here's some Nice Scenic Views.  The first was taken south of Dumfries, and looks out across the mouth of the River Nith towards the Criffel, the rather imposing hill that overlooks New Abbey:-

 

The second is a view towards the town of Kirkcudbright, where some scenes were filmed for the original 'Wicker Man':-

 

And lastly, here's an atmospheric shot of the coast near Ardwall and Borgue:-

 

We were lucky with the weather.  This wasn't much comfort to me, as I was confined to gloomy rooms tucked away in various museums most of the time.  Though we did manage a rather wonderful 25 mile bike run yesterday... 

Today was lousy, so I had to cancel a planned trip to Threave Castle.  We went to Threave Gardens instead, and yep, I've come back home with two more hellebores.  These are Helleborus Lividus, and their leaves are very pretty.  But more on the hellebores - and more on the ancient and historical monuments of Dumfries and Galloway - in the days to come.

And no, I haven't forgotten the Grooved Ware!!

Comments

[medievalmuse.livejournal.com]

Some of your images of the wilder parts of Scotland are very soul-stirring - these are so tranquil and calming like you could sit and meditate for hours on end.

What a lovely area and one I'd love to visit - thanks for sharing.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

You ain't seen nothing yet!!

Wait until I introduce you to the monuments!!!

[medievalmuse.livejournal.com]

*dies happily in Scotland*

[writeonq.livejournal.com]

Looks so gorgeous! Glad you had a good weekend :~)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

A bronze age halbard?

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes...

They're quite snazzy.

There are miniature ones in the 'Wessex Culture' dagger graves, too...

Look out for them next time you take a jaunt to a museum. I'll be doing a post eventually, but I've got so much to post about in the meantime I think it'll be a while before I get round to it...

[roaming.livejournal.com]

you're killing me over here, I can't remember the last time I was there. Well, not "there" where you were, but Scotland in general. Fav town = Dunkeld. Not that I've seen them all, but that one stood out for me. Dougie Maclean and all that, ya know!

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

I've been to Dunkeld - I went to visit Dunkeld Cathedral and the tomb of the infamous Wolf of Badenoch, who's one of my favourite historical anti-heroes...

I liked the town itself, but have bad memories of the place because we were heading back from the cathedral along the riverside to find a place for dinner when a stupid local oik decided it would be a right laugh to turn a massive water rifle/cannon/blunderbuss on me and soaked me through. I was not amused and sadly I haven't been back since and haven't really got much desire to return.

I remember going to a fun pub, though, which had impromptu jamming sessions in which anyone could grab a fiddle or a whistle or whatever and join in the entertainment.

It's just a shame the oik totally ruined the experience for me.

[roaming.livejournal.com]

jeez, who would think to do such a thing? Over here, the cops would be on his arse for "assault."

I wonder if you were at Dougie Maclean's Taybank hotel. He used to have sessiuns there. Maybe still does, but he no longer owns it he sold it. We stayed there and it was a lovely B&B.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm reliably informed we could have gone down the same route here. It seemed a bit OTT at the tome - I just gave him a severe talking to.

He probably thought I had no sense of humour. He was drunk at the time... And I suppose it helped blast the midges away.

I'm sure the place with the jamming sessions was the Taybank Hotel - it certainly sat on the banks of the Tay! It was a really nice place.

The weather was wonderful, too... A lovely hot summer the likes of which we haven't seen for a number of years...

[bellakara.livejournal.com]

Lovely photos - good to hear you had a nice time. The landscape is beautiful.