A World of Pipes, Murrderr and Romans

[English Bloke]

Lots of stalls selling everything. This one selling traditional sweets.


Competing bands had to store their gear under cover because of intermittent rain showers. Alex has a story to tell about this particular band from Calgary Alberta.


Not all piping. There was also highland dancing.


I don't know anything about it but was very impressed by the agility it takes to dance around the crossed swords.


Heavy athletics, this the 56lb weight. This guy is a Polish chap called Sebastian Wenta who is very well known on the Games circuit. Both he and his brother Lukasz seemed to be cleaning up on most of the events.


Two man axel lift.


Two man, overhead log lift.

As well as the Pipeband Championships it was also a splendid festival of Kilts too. With that we wandered back to the car and headed out of Glasgow for Dumfries. I didn't take me long to shed my jacket and tie in the carpark for the drive south. Much more comfortable in my comfy shoes.


We stopped for a brew at Cairn Lodge services Happendon, Probably the best garden feature of any services anywhere in the world.


This was our ultimate destination.

[English Bloke]

We thought we'd stop by and visit our friends Emma and Robertson who run the Ferintosh Guest House. Whenever Robertson and I get together talk invariably turns to Whisky, and then the talking turns to tasting so I'd sensibly booked us in for an overnight stop rather than just a fly by so we could enjoy ourselves properly.


Comparing bottles... That's a 41 year old Glenfarclas I'm holding!

We went out to eat at Cavens Arms, the best food in town, but on the way we passed the Blockbuster Video and Pound Stretcher shops which now occupy the site of the Kirk where Robert the Bruce and Sir Roger Kirkpatrick murrderred The Red Comyn.

The words of Kirkpatrick to Bruce were "I mak siccur". This can be taken two ways. Either he was going to "Make secure" the area after the fact or he was going "To make sure". mmmmmm. I don't think preservation of forensics was much on the agenda in 1306... Either way ol' Comyn was dealt the dirty and the rest is history, as they say.


Emma points out the plaque.


Which reads...


The Robert The Bruce Pub which is just over the road.


Tom, my tea-total Son.


Emma and myself.


Robertson orders his scoff.


In the morning we ate the famous Ferintosh Breakfast and after a chin wag on the stairs, we left to continue our trip.

[English Bloke]

We crossed the Border into England (missed the picture, sorry.) on the M6 and at Carlisle, we turned left. We wanted to have a shufftie at that wall our 'Adrian 'ad built.


Tom's not seen any of this before so I figured the best place to start would be the Fort at Vindolanda. There are a number of ways to get to it but the route I chose took us through the tiny village of "Once Brewed". Not for any particulat reason, just I love the name.


Also spotted this fella lurking in the English Hedgerow.

The site of Vindolanda is a Roman fort with ajoining settlement.


As you come through the newly build visitors centre there is a path leads you down to the archeological site. The Romans first occupied the location in AD122 (or there abouts)


The same view as above would have looked something like this 2000 years ago.


Civilian houses outside the main Military Fort.


Course me being me, I went straight to the pub... This is the location of the Village Tavern.


Tom stands in the ruins of the main Garrison.

[English Bloke]

The museum houses many fascinating artifacts.


Shoes in various sizes. The nature of the mud they were found in has preserved these treasures in excellent condition. Hard to grasp they are 2000 years old.


Some of the Jewellery looks as though it was made yesterday. Some beautiful things on display too. The picture doesn't capture it fully.


Storage jars.


A grave stone.


This skull has been anylised and dated and it comes from a person with ethnic root in the southwest of Scotland. It was found near to one of the gates and is believed to have been mounted on a pole. A stark warning to locals not to mess with the Blokes inside.

There is also a reconstruction of a part of the wall and watchtower (milecastle) in both it's wooden and Stone forms. These were built and added to at various times.




Milecastle and wall (reconstructed)


Wooden watchtower (reconstruction of earlier fortifications)


The Kilt drew lots of admiring glances and a few good compliments.

[English Bloke]

Next we travelled to the Roman Army Museum at Carvoran.




Roman Cavalry mock-up.


Roman Centurian... I used to be a Centurian... of sorts.


Our 'Adrian.


As we drove around the area we stopped at Cawfields. A lovely recreation area close to the wall.


I also paused to get a snap of a village cricket match. Because we are in Englandshire I thought it might be appropriate. Just as I was peering over the hedge and taking the picture, the bowler clean bowled the facing batsman. I nearly got a picture of the wickets in the air. I do hope it wasn't because he was looking at me and not the ball. (oooops!)


A bit more wall.

[English Bloke]

Camera looking South. The North Yorkshire Dales are behind me.




We also stopped off at Lanercost Priory. It was founded in 1169 (or thereabouts) as an Augustinian monastery. Despite being "dissolved" by Henry VIII in 1536 (during the dissolution of the monastries) parts of the original foundation survive and are still in use.








The nave of the original priory church survives as the local parish church (Church of England) - services were allowed to continue after the dissolution as the building was used as a parish church. The church is dedicated to Mary Magdalene (a statue of her, given by Edward I, sits near the top of the west elevation of the church). The west range of the monastic buildings, known as the Dacre Hall also survived the dissolution and now serves as the local village hall.


Stained glass window. Loosly translated it says "Esteemed Doctor".


The final leg of the drive home seemed to take forever and I was pretty tired by the time we did get back to the house. Good fun trip though. Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

[Ryan Ross]

Fantastic pictures! Thanks for sharing them with us!

I found the sling bullets in this pic to be particularly interesting, as I've been known to use a sling myself and always wanted to try it with a lead missile in place of a rock.