Monday's walk...10 km around the best of Ayr.

 

We did our favorite Ayr walks yesterday along with Eileen, combining shore walk, old railway line and two parks which meant a total of over 10 km in lovely sunny conditions.

Along the old railway line...

and through its tunnels.

Great views over the river Ayr.

I was delighted to see the progress of the Alloway Railway Tunnel (ART) Project ** which has successfully installed the first section of a mural that will eventually become one of the longest murals in Scotland.

After the tunnel (and a coffee stop) we headed over to Rozelle country park...

then crossed over Golf Course to the pretty walled gardens of   Belleisle  Park before checking out the sea swans on the way home.

**Like to think I helped influence this project by contacting them re the possibilities of doing a similar project to that of the Colinton Tunnel 

Great day bad night...

 

Eileen's delightful garden played host to us yesterday afternoon for a lovely wee family gathering in perfect conditions.

Sadly then spent the evening getting depressed in front of the telly...but then history has taught us that it never ends well! 

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench...three lochs,three benches in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh.

 

                                         Dunsapie Loch

                                           

Duddingston Loch

                                   St Margaret's Loch

Je suis ingénieur...

 

This is the actual bus we travelled on to get to the Commonwealth Pool for the start of our 'Three loch trail' in Edinburgh on Monday. The unscheduled repair stop I mentioned was due to a back panel of the bus flapping loose. The driver had been alerted by another driver who pulled up alongside us in the Grassmarket to let him know. Our driver went out and had a look before returning and asking if any of the passengers had an 'allen key' and seemed exasperated when no one had!!! Many of the passengers decided the delay wasn't for them and left the bus. I told him I was an engineer and would have a look at the problem for him. On inspection I found that it was actually a square socket he needed. I tried in vain to turn it with a key I was carrying but to no avail. We decided to ask a nearby shop if he had some tools we could borrow, He provided a comprehensive toolkit but without the right one for the job but I was able to use a pair of long nose pliers to solve the problem. He thanked me and said I was 'a Legend' but no, just an engineer!  

Lunch at the oldest pub in Scotland...allegedly!

 

After our walk around the three lochs on Monday we rewarded ourselves with lunch at the Sheep Heid Inn in Duddingston village which dates from the 12th century. The original inn on the site is said to date from 1360, although the current building is much later. So the site claims to be that of the oldest pub in Scotland.

It is quite charming both inside and out and the food was tasty.

In 1580 King James the 6th presented the landlord with an embellished rams head, not sure if it is the one they have on the wall though.

Other claims to fame are that the queen popped in for a wee dram back in 2016... 

...it was also probably the local of  the Reverend Robert Walker who was immortalised in the painting by Sir Henry Raeburn ** 'Skating on Duddingston Loch' - an affectionate portrayal of mild eccentricity and serene contentment. There is of course a copy in the inn with the original being in the National Gallery of Scotland in the city. 

We also took a wee walk around the Kirk which dates from the 12th century as well as the gardens of the manse.

The gardens included 'Craig's garden' so wee had to seek it out (below).

** You know I love a coincidence...on the night before we left for this visit we had dinner with some French friends who had done a Scottish road trip last year and loved their visit to Edinburgh. They enjoyed their visit to the National Gallery of Scotland and showed us a photo of their favourite painting there...can you guess what it was?

Three loch trail...

On Monday we were blessed with another pleasant day in Edinburgh and after dropping Ada off at school we took ourselves over to Holyrood Park which sits just beyond the palace.  

To get there we hopped on one of Lothian's popular and inexpensive buses and sat through its 49 stops and an unscheduled repair stop (more later) to reach the entrance by the city's Commonwealth Pool where we popped in for a coffee stop and a view for old times sake.

Have to say after a few upgrades it is looking remarkably fresh but Pauline doesn't recommend the scones! 

After entering the park we decided to go clockwise around the Queens Drive, in the shadow of Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat.

Then, rather than continue along the low path I made Pauline climb up the rocky path (much against her will) towards Arthur's Seat before turning off and heading down to St Margaret’s Loch which lies in the shadow of the ruins of St. Anthony’s Chapel.

We then headed back uphill with some great views over the city.

 

This time diverting away from the summit to head down to the pretty Dunsapie Loch, on the other side of the hill.

From there we made our way to the many steps that take you down to Duddingston village, our destination for lunch and the last of our three lochs.

Duddingston Loch