Glasgow

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Glasgow to Montreal

6:51 AM

What a morning! I’ve been tossing and turning since a little past 5! At 6, I said enough! and I got up, showered, packed, etc. Although I’m not hungry, I figure it would be smart to get a bowl of cereal in me. Then, I’ll have to zoom downtown. So far, it looks like I might make the airport for 8:30. I could be there for 8, but I think it would be silly throwing away a free breakfast. Besides, I’m in no real rush, I don’t have to check in until 9. It feels weird to think that ‘tonight’, I’ll be sleeping in my own bed! I’ve put tonight in quote marks because it’ll be tonight in Canada, but very early morning here! The jet lag coming wasn’t too bad, but I hear that going west is worse. It’s like living the same day twice. Anyhoo, tomorrow should be interesting! When I get ‘home’ I want to soak, and wear something I haven’t worn in a month (I had the same three tee-shirts, one sweater, and one everyday pair of pants !).

9:01

I’m all checked in and ready to board at 10:15! It’s incredible: the subway arrived at the same time I did, then I got to the bus stance just as they were getting ready to go. Check in was a breeze, but it would appear that I have to get my luggage in Toronto to clear customs and then get it back on the plane. I’ll figure it out when I get there ! I bought (my uncle) a full litre of ‘Highland Park’ (no smaller size). I figure I might as well get him one I like rather than pick and choose at random. Edradour was more expensive (and not as good!) Turns out ‘Wallace’ is a liqueur made from single malt whiskey. Thanks for nothing, lady!

I just set my watch back to hometime. It’s 4AM there!!! I’ll be in Toronto at 13:15 EST. That’s 9 hours from now ! I have to catch my connecting flight at 15:00. It’s going to be tight!

12:08 EST (from now on, EST)

Despite some minor turbulence, the flight has been smooth. We’re flying over Quebec now. The in-flight movie was ‘Titanic’! Can you believe that the return flight is a whole two hours longer?! Due to winds we’re going to be delayed. Oh well, just so long as I’m on the plane for Montreal at 3!

I am amazed by the quality of the vegetarian (actually vegan) meals offered. Lunch was TOFU served with peppers and rice with bread and fruit salad and crackers for dessert. Our snack (well mine!) was a whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber with orange juice and a tangerine on the side. Of course, I’ve had tea.

 

It was cool flying over the north(ish) Atlantic while the boat (‘Titanic’) sank (yes, I am morbid!). I can’t believe that movie still makes me cry. The worst/best part is at the end where the photographs are revealed and one sees that Rose has fulfilled all her dreams. Now, my dream has come true. This time around, I shed tears of understanding of the miracle incurred by the realisation of dreams, while the previous two times I wept out of petty jealously. Oh, I am no longer the same person anymore! I’m not even the least bit worried about clearing customs, etc. and making my 3:00 flight! Whatever happens, will happen. I can’t advert my fate. It’s fate, a fate I created that has brought me here. Jack Dawson’s right: ‘Make it count’, live each day. I realise now that each new dawn is full of opportunity and each new day full of adventure. Life can’t be perfect, but this is close!

4:20 pm

I made it!!! We arrived over a half hour late in Toronto, but I had no trouble clearing customs. My handbag had to be opened and rifled through, though, since the x-ray machine picked up something ‘weird’. (I had all my ‘hardware’ in there: clothes pins, miniature grappling hooks, and a pocket knife, among other things. The ‘searcher’ started laughing, she couldn’t believe how prepared I was for any situation!)

Leaving Toronto took forever. We taxied for over 15 minutes, then we had to queue (very Brit. word!) to take off. Now, we’ve landed, but our gate is currently occupied by another aircraft so we’ll have about 8 minutes to wait. (L. Pearson airport, Toronto, was undergoing major renovation, so planes were delayed leaving. The plane at our gate in Montreal was one such plane that had been delayed like ours.) This is the worse thing that’s happened to me since I left a month ago. Poor me!

Right now, it’s supposed to be 9:23 Glasgow time, but I feel on Montreal time. I’ll get back to you in a few hours! The snack this flight was ice cream on a stick. It was funny looking at the business travellers in ties and suits dealing with it!

It’s good, but weird, to be ‘home’. What is the definition of home ? I guess it’s where you understand what makes people tick (in both good and bad sense). It’s where the rhythm of life is so engrained in you as to be unnoticeable to you. It’s where you can ‘go with the flow’ and not have to think about it. I dinna ken, really. But when you’re home, you feel it. And this is home. Not Montreal as such, but Canada, in general. I understand Canadians. I can guess what motivates Scots, but only guess. I don’t know what motivates Canadians, but I do know how they think. I really am a Canadian above all else. These people, a veritable crazy quilt of cultures, are my people. I’m starting to get a sense of identity that I couldn’t see until I left the country and saw other cultures.

That’s it! I went to Scotland in search of myself, and succeeded. I am astounded by that last entry. I had to leave Canada in order to understand what makes me Canadian. I learned valuable lessons on this journey, lessons that will stick with me for ever, and through all my travels.

I know the journal is not always eloquent, but it was jotted down on trains, planes, and buses, while standing in line, or eating dinner. Sometimes, I’d just lean against the corner of a building or plop down on a bench somewhere. It was written during stolen moments of time. I cannot imagine travelling without it.

Thank you for sharing the most incredible adventure of my life with me.

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New and Old Lanark

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9:03 AM

I’m at Glasgow Central waiting on the 9:18 train to Lanark. I can’t believe how easily I got here ! Last month, searching for tickets and my departure stance would have been nerve wracking, but today it was as easy and normal as going to the bathroom! Hard to believe this is my last day in Scotland. I have to admit that if I see another continental breakfast in this lifetime, it’ll be too soon! I’m fed up with cold rolls, cheese, jam, tea, o.j., cereal, etc. I’d just about kill for my unhealthy Cheeze-Whiz on English muffin with a glass of chocolate milk!

However, it’s good that breakfast is healthy since practically everything is deep fried here. I’d just about kill for some steamed or lightly poached fish, steamed broccoli, and plain sticky white rice! At least last night I had a baked potato. I think I’ve had enough French fries for quite a few millennia (and it’s not like I’ve been eating them a lot, just once or twice a week. I must admit I like ‘The Pancake Place’’s herb fries, though). What I couldn’t believe was the time I ordered mac and cheese. It had a full inch of fat floating on top of the cheese and greasy French fries on the side! I went through a lot of napkins getting rid of the worst of the grease! I can’t believe last night, though, I actually (very politely) complained about my meal in a restaurant!

I met a girl last night who said something interesting. Going home is scarier than staying because you’ve changed while the people you know haven’t.

10:38

The train ride to Lanark was AWFUL! (mostly underground or ugly scenery and slow!!!) But worth it. Guess where I’m standing. I’ll give you a hint. The plaque says: ‘Here stood the house of William Wallace who in Lanark in 1297 first drew sword to free his native land.’!!! I’m also next to St. Nicholas’ church, site of the world’s oldest bell, outside of which is a statue of Wallace.

Next, I’m off to the ruins of St. Kentigern’s church where ‘Wallace married Marion’ (TIC lady). I like to think that he did marry her, since he was pious. Anyhoo, this is a beautiful little town ! I didn’t realise that so much of Wallace would remain!!! (And the TIC woman asked if I knew who he was!)

2:54

New Lanark is lovely!!! It’s undergone an extensive restoration scheme that should be finished by the end of the decade/century. Outside, the buildings are all stone, very simple, incredibly beautiful. Inside, they ‘house’ all the modern conveniences of life. I have to look up Robert Owen. I think I would have liked him. The conditions in his town were a zillion times better than in other towns during the same time period, 1820s.

The ‘Annie McLeod Experience’ was great—it was a ‘ride’ that narrated life during the 1820s complete with sound and light effects.

Now, I’m waiting for the 15:22 train. I’m pooped, what with going to bed too late and getting up way early. Tomorrow and the next few days will probably be killers. To be honest, I’m not looking forward to going in to work on Friday. I would have liked the weekend just to get my bearings back! I am looking forward to the pool, though, if they have it going!

I wonder what the weather’s like back home. Here, it’s usually too hot or too cold. It’s hard to get comfortable. I’m forever putting on and removing my sweater and/or coat! The rain hasn’t deterred me in the least and I’ve seen so little of it! I thought, a month ago (already!) that by today I’d be fed up with travelling. I just can’t believe how much I’m wishing that tomorrow I could get on a bus to Ayr, then to Aberdeen, then to… I’ve got ‘the bug’!

8:08 pm

Well… my trip’s essentially over… Tomorrow, it’s the U straight to Buchanan street, then a bus to the airport. A month ago, checking in at the airport was scary. Now, I think of it as a nuisance. It’s like I’m not scared of ‘stupid’ things anymore, well not scared, more like worried, I guess. That’s still not the right word. I guess I’ve just found ‘blick’. (In my Liberal Arts Integrated Essay Seminar class, we talked about discovering a new human emotion called ‘blick’. We had debates over whether or not blick could actually exist. I swear, I’ve found it!) Whatever the emotion, it’s almost gone now. When it comes back, I’ll just think back to this trip ! I could never have given myself a more wonderful present!

 

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Dumfries to Glasgow By Way of Carlisle, England

9:25 am

I guess that the Scots’ definition of ‘early’ is different from mine. The earliest train to Glasgow is at 13:30 and won’t get me there till 4. The earliest bus is at 4! So I figure my best bet from here is to go back to Carlisle on the 10:20 bus (sigh). I should be there by lunch. Since it’s a big centre, there are more likely to be buses to Glasgow. At least I’ll be seeing something ‘new’, rather than ‘bumming’ around here all day. I’m not meant to see the transport museum, I guess! Oh well, as long as I get to New Lanark tomorrow, the pamphlet’s made me very curious to see it ! Besides, isn’t this what travelling’s all about? Changing your flexible plans?! Why even bother to have a plan ? ! I just hope I’ll find a place to stay when I get wherever I’ll end up tonight! The important thing will be to be in the vicinity of Glasgow tomorrow night! Heck, this isn’t really a ‘waste’ of time, where in Canada can I get ‘stranded’ in Scotland??!!

I very much enjoyed my stay at Inverallochy (the B and B). The bed was incredible! It felt good to have a place where I could get comfortable (you know, in leggings, tee-shirt, barefeet, no bra, etc.) and know that no one would walk in on me. I can’t believe how not ready I am to go home! I’m not fed up in the least bit. I have learned a valuable lesson: be careful where you end up on a Sunday! Of my three Sundays here, or was it four? Yes, four. Two have been ‘downers’

1)   Pitlochry, being a ‘tourist town’, everything was open

2)   Skye. Good thing there was lots of walking country!

3)   Perth. Scone. Need I say more?!

4)   Dumfries. Nothing much happening!

Oh, I have had the most incredible month of my whole entire life!!! I actually feel different, more brave, more adventurous. Life is wonderful, I’ve allowed myself so many opportunities. I’m in Scotland for pete’s sake! Yes, no one can take this experience away from me. It belongs to me. Maybe I could get back here next spring break…!

noon

I’m on my way to Glasgow!!! I got to Carlisle with 5 min to spare. This bus requires reservations, but since there was room, they made an exception, no fuss at all, and very courteously.  I’ll be in Glasgow at two rather than 3:45. I might still be able to catch 1.25 hours of the transport museum! Things do work out for me. I’m starting to think that I might have a guardian angel !

5:19

I’m home!!! (That’s Glasgow!) I can’t believe how ‘far’ I’ve come in the last month. I navigated myself from the bus station with a minimum of map reading and no detours whatsoever. The youth hostel costs a £ more/night in July and August, so it’ll be £25/  nights. At least it includes breakfast!

I did make it to the transport museum and I had almost 1.5 hours to explore. It was sufficient. I liked the recreated street (the museum invented a street and lined it with shops and businesses from, I think, the 1920s. It included a fascinating history of the underground), and I can’t believe just how fascinated I am with old cars! Of course, the model boats display (it was huge) was my favourite. An hour more would have been great, but this was better than not going at all! So, my day wasn’t a ‘waste’ after all. I just hope I won’t have a hard time getting to Lanark tomorrow (I didn’t get a chance to go to the rail station, but I figure there should be several on a weekday). One day left. Boohoo!

A final note on Dumfries (that’s Dumfreece (like ‘fleece’), not Dum-freeze): I go to Scotland to get away from the Americans (not true!) and they ‘follow’ me here for a 4th of July celebration in the town square ! A final note on Galashiels: their travel agency featured a display on Canada with special importance placed on ‘tourisme Québec’ !

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Perth to Stirling, the Wallace Monument, and Bannockburn

11:43 am

I’m sitting by an oak tree planted on 11th Sept, 1997, ‘the 700th Anniversary of William Wallace and Andrew Moray’s decisive triumph at The Battle of Stirling Bridge’.

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I am sitting, gazing in awe at the site of the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Straight ahead, I see the Abbey Craig and Sir William’s monument. It is a long way to the monument, but not a trek. It is a sacred pilgrimage that only too few could understand. It is peaceful here now. The grass is neat and green, trees dot the field. But the monument in view serves as a reminder that the Scots will not be usurped.

I’ll be on my way, now, with a lump in my throat and my heart heavy at the thought of the thousands of casualties—on both sides of the border—who died for a proud ideal of conquest and a proud ideal of freedom. Scotland the Brave.

12:45 pm.

After a strenuous uphill trek that almost makes Ben Nevis look easy (let’s not exaggerate) I’m standing (actually sitting) as close as I’ll ever come to the Wallace statue. The wind up here is phenomenal, so I’ll go in. I truly feel I have reached my Holy Land.

6:26 pm

Wallace’s mighty claymore… as simple as the man who held it was courageous. There was great video presentation in the form of ‘Wallace’s Trial’, a special video screen in the shape of a man’s face was attached to a body. It was most convincing. ‘Wallace’ spoke much as I would have imagined he’d speak (in terms of choice of words). I learned one new thing about Wallace: as Guardian, he began dismantling the feudal system in Scotland to replace it with a fairer system based on Ancient Greece and Rome.

I must admit that the climb up a very narrow spiralling staircase was terrifyingly enclosing. Had the various landings been any further apart, I doubt I could have made it up to the fantastic crown and its glorious view over the environs. (The sky had cleared, seemingly for me!) Getting down was worse, my head was spinning as I inched my way down and people squeezed their way up. (That staircase was one of the most negative experiences in my trip. I really do have a mild case of claustrophobia.)

I enjoyed a wee lunch in the tea room after. Unlike American and Canadian museums, Scottish museums don’t seem to…um… inflate the prices of meals offered in their restaurants.

After? A walk back to Stirling bus station and a bus to the Bannockburn Heritage Centre. I felt something different there, as I crossed the field of Bannockburn to Bruce’s enormous equestrian statue. My ancestors died there alongside their King and friend. In a sense, my blood was spilled on that battlefield. Both monuments were sobering moments, but it was at Bannockburn that I finally realised the pride that one feels at being allowed to wear the Bruce tartan.

Something in me has changed now that I have achieved the main goal of my pilgrimage to Scotland. It is as when I walked the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City. I cannot explain the feeling, but it is a special one indeed. Perhaps it is the knowledge that I have stood where history dramatically changed its course (although I sometimes feel that history’s course is set) and where the destiny of nations was forged. I used to say that Colorado was the most spiritual experience of my life. Scrap that. Walking the fields of Stirling and Bannockburn are far more so.

I’m glad I have chosen to spend two nights in this converted church (The Scottish Youth Hostel). It’s £11.50/night with breakfast, but I have one night free. Incredible that when I tried to book ahead I couldn’t get one here, and when I arrived on the spot, there was one! It helps that I arrived before 10:00AM.

So tomorrow, the old town jail and the castle. Perhaps a (very) quick run to Falkirk if there’s time. It is the 700th anniversary of that decisive (for Wallace) battle.

Now, for a major digression—a note on Fort William, of all places, as well as Glasgow. In Glasgow, I was greeted with bagpipes and despite the city’s similarities with Montreal, I knew I was in Scotland. In Fort William, I was greeted with a polka festival. Felt like I was in the Ukraine or Eastern Europe! The moral of this story? Scotland is a cosmopolitan country. She is a modern country trapped in an ancient land. She is beautiful and vibrant, peaceful and serene. No, the Scots are not (historically speaking, of course) barbarians. Who would not fight for all the Scots have? You know what? The English are/were just jealous!!!

A week from today, my trip will be over. Note to self, call the airport Friday. But I won’t be done with Scotland, far from it! There’s so much I won’t have time to see: Kildrummy, Aberdeen, Dundee, and Glamis Castle, St. Andrews, Cambuskenneth Abbey… The list grows longer every day. Still, I have seen more than enough. Besides, I want there to be something for me to come back to!

As the days go by, I find myself getting more and more used to the routine (perhaps I should put that in quote marks. The only routine is packing and unpacking, saying hello and goodbye, going place to place.) of travelling. ‘Home’ and all its luxuries seems so far away. Slowly, this is becoming real life. I’m not ready to go back, far from it. All I really miss from back there are green vegetables and tofu! But, I see the money slowly trickling to nothingness, I have just a little more than I initially budgeted for, but my expenses have begun to increase. Thank goodness for self-catering! (A ‘little’ more than I had initially budgeted for?! I would find out a few days later that I had almost a full £100 more than I thought in the bank!)

8:56

I’m in the common room and a light keeps flickering on and off, ‘tinkling’ as it does! A music and light show all in 1!

I love Stirling! I do! I do! I do! It just gives off the most incredibly good vibes. I had planned to go for a short stroll around the hostel grounds (a cemetery), but ended up on a longish stroll around town! I found the castle and cannot wait to visit it! The jail looks promising also. Stirling is the first place where I’ve wished I could stay ‘forever’, the first place I’ve wanted to ‘do’ completely before moving on. Still, I want to move on and I’m trying to decide on the next place to go. It’s either Ayr or Dumfries. I guess it’ll depend on available beds and ease to get there.

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Exploring Glasgow and on to Edinburgh

About 8:25 AM.

J’ai fait le ‘tour de l’horloge’. That is, I slept from 7:30pm to 7:30 am (interrupted, of course, but only briefly). Why don’t I feel refreshed? Because my body says that it’s early morning! But, since I got up at ‘normal’ G.T., I’ll most likely go to bed at a normal time and wake up on time tomorrow!  Breakfast was great. I haven’t spent any money this morning and I have in me a full bowl of Alpen cereal, two glasses (warmish, but very tolerable) milk, one glass powdered O.J. (icky), and two sandwiches (1 whole wheat, the other yummy white) composed of cheese (processed, naturally…!) apricot marmalade ,and real butter. Now that’s an ideal breakfast for the type of day ahead! None of that American sweetroll ‘crap’. I’m all set to go to the city centre, now. It seems that the Necropolis doesn’t have an opening time. The cathedral (me going to church?!) opens at 9:30. It’s 8:28 (am) now, so by the time I get going it’ll be about 9:00. The walk to the city centre I’m told takes 30-45 minutes, so I should be arriving just as everything opens. I think that I might spend the morning in the city centre, then hike back to see the transport museum this afternoon. I’ll see.

My first ‘real’ morning in Scotland (ie. awaking in bed!) is bright and sunny, a few harmless clouds can be seen in the distance. It looks coldish, though. Anyway, later, I’m anxious to go and explore!

P.S. glad to see I got over the depression?!

10:35 am

I just finished touring the Glasgow Cathedral and its cemetery. This church was constructed during the Middle Ages and finished a few centuries later. I touched stone that was cut by a man who lived in the 12th century!  Contrary to North American equivalents, we could go everywhere and touch everything in this cathedral with one minor exception.  The cemetery is so old that most of the names have disappeared from the stone. The oldest I’ve seen is mid-eighteenth century. (The oldest gravestone I saw during my month long stay in Scotland was mid-fifteenth century! It is a St. Kentigern’s church in Lanark. There’s no date on the gravestone, but you can easily identify it by the skull with crossbones. It’s to the left of the entryway into the cemetery by way of the reconstructed arch in the ruins.) I like cemeteries. They are so peaceful, they don’t care how their inhabitants got there! That’s enough morbidity, I’m going to climb the Necropolis.

P.S. jaywalking appears to be the favourite Glaswegian pastime! Remember, look right then left! (It took me over a week to ‘learn’ how to cross streets in Scotland, and even after a month it still didn’t feel all that natural! I don’t even want to count the number of times people told me to ‘go back to Canada if you don’t know how to cross a street’!!!)

3:50 pm

I’m back at the hostel, waiting in the lobby for Haggis. It’s been an excellent day.

The Necropolis was beautiful despite the fact that several crypts and nooks and crannies were obviously the lodgings of derelicts. It’s a huge cemetery built on a hill. What I liked is that while they maintain the grounds (ex. grassmowing) they don’t repair the stones, allow things to crumble, etc. I almost tripped on a vase that had rolled down a steep hill and was lying flat on its back in the middle of the road! It was obvious that it had been lying there for a while.

Lunch was yet another yummy veggie burger with onions. They’re cheap and plentiful in Glasgow, to my surprise. (Actually, they are very common all over Scotland, even in the smaller towns and you’ll soon discover that it almost became a sport to try the local veggie burger! Although I occasionally found two that were similar, generally no two burgers were exactly alike in taste, texture, or condiment. They made for a cheap meal which varied more than one might imagine!)

After, I bought postcards and a Father’s Day card for Dad. I mailed a postcard to (my stepmother) for her birthday, as well the card for Dad. After, I rode the ‘Clockwork Orange’ (ie the Underground, subway, metro, metropolitana, etc.) back here. It’s clockwork, orange, convenient, and easy to use! as well as cozy and comfortable. (I soon came to realise that it’s a lot easier to use the U to get to the hostel, even if you have to walk maybe five minutes more than if you took the bus. Here are the directions from the Kelvinbridge (bridge, not hall) station. Once above ground, you turn right on the road. You follow its natural curve, and cross an intersection. Keep going straight, this road will merge into Woodland Road. Cross Woodland Road (careful, it’s dangerous!) Follow the youth hostel sign you’ll encounter almost immediately. Easy when someone tells you, but very difficult when you have to discover for yourself! I took the long way for all, but one of about six trips on the U!) Now, I’m going to ask the hostel if I can use their bathroom to freshen up.

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4:08 pm

‘No problem.’ It’s amazing what going to the bathroom, washing your hands, and refilling your canteen (I didn’t carry a water bottle on this trip, rather a 2L hiking canteen. With its strap, it was easier to carry, and its flat shape made it less cumbersome than a bottle.) can do to your spirits! I must that the tap water here is excellent, (that stopped in Inverness, where the water situation went bad. It just didn’t taste good in the Highlands; most likely this is do to the peat which makes the water brown. I also noticed in Pitlochry that the water was making me mildly sick, but not enough to stop my fun, so I put off buying expensive bottled water until the last possible moment. Inverness.) I’m refilling my canteen in bathrooms (the water in bathrooms runs very frequently, so it is usually fresher and better tasting.). Speaking of which, the public one near the Necropolis is unbelievable. It’s clean enough to eat off the toilet bowl , the sink and faucets are sparkling, there are (fake) flowers around the mirrors (there were some in the airport bathroom too, and someone said it was ‘unScottish’), drinking cups and soap are within easy reach, etc. The paper towels are blue and the toilet paper is pink, which makes the water go red!) It’s obvious that Glasgow takes pride in itself. I’m going to wait outside now. Later, perhaps in Edinburgh!

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7:00 pm Edinburgh (!)

Luck does follow me! Haggis was about 45 min (no, that’s not the lucky part, let me finish!) late. The road here was lovely, I saw sheep. Our Haggis driver was most cordial. Arriving here, the people from Haggis asked if I had lodging. No, I said. Well, they said, we’ll ring a couple of places for you. Less than 15 minutes, later I’m settled very comfortable in a B and B two whole minutes from Haggis where the proprietor, Yvonne, picked me up!  For £10, I’ve got breakfast, too! I’ll be staying here, most likely, when I return to Edinburgh. I’m going to take a shower, I stink!

Oh! and I’m sharing a room with a guy from… Laval!!! I’ve had a whole conversation in French today!

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10:16 p.m.

One of my ‘roomies’, a great guy from Edmonton named Michael, and I went out for dinner tonight. Unfortunately, my meal had a bit of hidden meat in it. Considering what I’ve eaten today, I figured a little extra protein wouldn’t hurt, even if it was gross! Besides that, the pasta and sauce was wonderful. One problem: how much to tip! I just realised I probably gave too much! Like 75p too much! Oh, well, the service was good, and I had a little extra. I will have to watch that, however.

Tomorrow, I’m either off to Perth or Pitlochry. Haggis doesn’t run on Sundays, so I’ll have to spend two nights wherever I do go. I’m told that there isn’t much in Perth, but I wanted to see Scone, Dundee, and Saint-Andrews, not to mention… The Cliff (at Kinghorn that King Alexander III rode his horse off of in 1286, pretty much launching the Wars of Independence)!!! I might just get off at Perth, make my own way around Fife, get to Pitlochry and go on from there.

… (long rambling about possible plan. I ended up pretty much missing Fife. It’ll be for next time!)