Pilgrimage 1

Another long weekend, another long walk. Part-time working is paying off!

My original plan was to walk and wild camp in the highlands, but the weather forecast for the north looks unpleasant. Instead, I look south for alternatives, and discover St. Cuthbert's Way.

Following in St. Cuthbert's footsteps, this walk goes from Melrose Abbey in the Scottish Borders across the English border and the Cheviot Hills towards the sea, and over a causeway to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumberland. I convince a friend to join me, and as there is hostel accommodation on the way, we travel light.

Saturday: Bonjedward - Morebattle - Kirk Yetholm

On Saturday morning my friend awaits me with coffees at the bus station in Edinburgh. A bus takes us in 2 hours to Bonjedward just north of Jedburgh, where we join the trail at noon, walking 25 km (15 miles) to Kirk Yetholm. On the way, we visit and climb around in the ruins of Cessford Castle, and stop in Morebattle, where a Danish minister is restoring the derelict church building which in the meantime acts as a cafe.

There are no other walkers on the trail - but then we skipped the first leg of the walk (Melrose to Jedburgh), which most other walkers would have done on the Saturday, so we are one day ahead of everyone else.

Walking is effortless. It must be the nice company, conversation flows easily. I wonder if this will still be the case on day three.

We cross Wideopen Hill, the wind in the back pushing us up and over.

Walking into Kirk Yetholm in the evening, we find a wooden box with duck eggs for sale and buy some for breakfast. We have a chat with the locals about the merits of each of the two pubs in town, the Plough and the Border. The Plough sounds more fun, and indeed it is. We sit with lorry driver Mark who is at first a bit shy at admitting that he is collecting sheep to take them to the abattoir in Aberdeenshire, their final stop before Morrison's supermarkets. I think he's worried I might disapprove, because I look like a vegan.

While chatting and getting our food we also find ourselves in the middle of a lively pub-wide game of beer pong with the locals. Ping pong balls are flying high, and when we later check out the classier and much quieter Border Inn for a night-cap, the contrast is stark.

Back at the hostel I take a late shower and find a top bunk bed in the full dorm. The bunk beds shake whenever the girl below is moving, and despite an early start and a long day of walking, I'm not getting much sleep.

Jazz festival #5

I volunteered at the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival for the fifth time - ten days of sleeping in, half-days at work, hanging out at gigs, showing people to their seats and the loos, keeping musicians happy and hydrated, pointing at things. Happiest ten days of my year, can't wait for the next one.

Spiegeltent on George Square / Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Spiegeltent during gig

Spiegeltent during sound check

Updates 3

My old team won an award for SIMD16, our statistical publication last year (*click*). The award is a fairly big deal for statisticians, and as my friend G said, obscure awards are the best kind. Here is a curated selection of Tweets about our big moment when we picked up our trophy in London:

Awards and all

Updates 2

So much has happened!

• I went on a few lovely walks, walk descriptions will follow. One of them in the Harz mountains in Germany, would you believe it? I didn't take many notes though, I was having too much fun with my two highschool friends who walked with me.
• I finished my Open University course on statistics - took a lot of time! I didn't realise it was going to go for a whole year when I signed up... Exam results will be out soon, I think I got 75-80% - we shall see. (Update on this update: it's 85% !)
• We're moving! My flatmate bought a new flat, one mile closer to town, with a tiny strip of grass (the garden) and a fox. We'll have a guest room...

Updates 1

To keep those of my lovely friends, who I talk to in real life way too rarely, updated on my life, here's a list - who doesn't love a list?

• Top 1 news: I was promoted and now have the best job ever. At the interface of research and policy, I support local and national government in using evidence to fix child poverty in Scotland. I basically find out and explain what needs to be done to address the things that cause child poverty, and how this can be monitored. As a side benefit, this job might send me to the Shetland Islands.
• Related to this, I found going through the promotion board very stressful and was extremely relieved once that was done. Once the first paycheck arrives I'll be even happier. Also, no need  to try and impress anyone at work anymore, I can let my work speak for itself. Liberating.
• I bought a bivvy bag - this is a waterproof sac in which you stick your mat, your sleeping bag, and yourself and sleep in the hills. To be tested soon.

Old flames

I met up with Campervan Boy. Remember Campervan Boy (*click*)?

He was the first man I met through online dating three years ago. I hadn't seen him since then, but after a weird coincidence involving me being at his workplace, and him giving me a butt dial, we arranged to catch up.

It was nice! I remembered why I liked him. He's a good one, a free spirit, unpretentious, cheeky. I also remembered why we didn't work out. But I'm glad we met - it makes me think that online dating wasn't a complete waste of time.

Dancing on the beach

We were at my friend J's flat in Leith for some blues dance practice but then all went to a beach hidden behind an industrial estate nearby. J brought a battery powered amplifier for music, and we danced on the beach under a full moon and the late sunset. We had wine and threw pistachio shells into a fire made from driftwood and some smelly, chemically treated planks.

My blues-curious friend A who I had brought was delighted this was happening and so was I. She now thinks I'm the coolest person ever. And when we ran out of steam we just sat around the fire, chatting, each of the girls cuddling up with a boy in a blanket.

Moffat hills in February

One week to go

I'm 30 days into my wheat free lent and I miss this:

Pancake Tuesday

Happy Pancake Tuesday!

It's pancake Tuesday, which means that from tomorrow, lent offers another chance for making up for a failed dry January! I haven't yet decided what I'm giving up, but there's one more night to sleep on it.

So, what are you giving up until Easter?

• Chocolate?
• Coffee?
• Alcohol?
• Social media?
• Complaining?
• Moderation?
• Your hopes and dreams?

Happy Chocolates-on-Special day everyone

This is what my flatmate got from her partner for Valentine's Day:

• a card outlining how weird and wonderful she is
• three bars of soap
• Swiss chocolate
• two blowtorches

Thanks for sparing me the pain and resentment of a slowly fading love

I was searching for an example of using the words "thanks for sparing me ..." and found an electronic greeting card saying something semi-witty, but it started quite poetically with this sentiment:

Thanks for sparing me the pain and resentment of a slowly fading love

Back to school

I am early.

I find my way to the notice board and send some other lost souls theirs. My class assembles. Fiddle 1a. We are the second intake this year.

A dozen people from all walks of life. The youngest, a Canadian community gardener in her twenties. The oldest - hard to tell, there are three candidates in at least their seventies. One of them built his own fiddle. He used to play fiddle tunes on a cello to which he added an additional string. Some hesitant conversation and then the teacher arrives. Irish and ohmygod so hothothot.

Last term, my Uke class rehearsed in the language room. The occasional German writing on the blackboard used to tempt me to add something witty, but I could never think of anything witty. Today we're in the addiction room. There are colourful charts about cocaine, cannabis, "ecstacy" and other drugs, with beautiful illustrations, drawings and commentary. It smells funny here. Musty.

The class begins with a long round of introductions. There is another German. This fact we both take with the usual slight embarrassment that is common when German emigrants meet.

We learn to hold the fiddle and the bow, with a floppy hand. The teacher asks us to play the A string. I think I know which one is the A string, but what to do with the bow? The part of the bow that touches the strings is made of hair (horse? hamster?) and needs to be tightened before playing. But by how much? I shout stop, too advanced, and the teacher slows down. We take 25 minutes to tune three out of four strings. In the process we lose two strings which is not so bad considering how many fiddles there are in the room.

The difference between a fiddle and a violin is that you shouldn't spill beer on a violin. I like this relaxed approach to learning music.

New year, new challenges

Happy new year everyone! I spent my Hogmanay the Scottish way - in a bothy with a fire, Scots in kilts, dancing, singing Auld Lang Syne, and a long new year's day walk in the snow.

My 30 Days, 30 Cards challenge was a great failure. I wrote not thirty, not twenty, not ten, not five, no, not one single Christmas card last Christmas! I did write a little thank you note to my Ukulele teacher though, so maybe that counts. I'm saving the cards for next year for another try.

But moving on, tomorrow starts the Kinder Scotland challenge (*click*), where I'm trying to do a random act of kindness every day for three weeks. The challenge is that they all have to be different. Apparantly, the first ten are easy, but then it takes creativity to come up with new acts. Wish me luck.

That's this year over, next one please

2016, eh? What a year to be alive. I tried to make 2016 a bit less shite by not moaning about it, but I did moan about the moaners which is just as bad. Anyway, as December is nearing its deserved end, it's time for review, reflection and resolutions. How convenient that I keep a blog, so reviewing my plans for this past year is easy.

I made a number of resolutions (*click*), some of which worked out to a degree and some did not.

Overall, I probably didn't laugh more. There was a major increase in the laughing amount during my Ukulele classes but that was offset by the mopey months before, when I contemplated the sadness of being lonely. Anyway, it was a good resolution and I shall hang on to it.

1. Laugh more

No speed dating! Plans were made but then my friend's grandad suddenly died and we all didn't feel like it anymore and then forgot. More boys? Equally, nope. I think 2015 was peak boy for me.

Did I get fit? In a way - I have established a weekly yoga routine, so that's something. Should be good enough for now, together with my cycle commute and the occasional hillwalk. At least I hope that it's good enough, as I gave up swimming before I even started. But I do want to check out the fitness machines in the park behind my house. What a luxury to have them there. I just need to get over the feeling of looking silly on them. Of course I'll look silly on them, so what.

2. Use fitness machines in park

As for new resolutions, there's something about food. Food stopped being the enemy years ago when I decided that life's too short for diets. However, I have treated food poorly, taken it for granted, and not given it the attention it deserves. My pasta and cheese binges surely don't make the pasta feel appreciated. Any successful attempts at cooking I negate by shoveling the food into my mouth while watching a TV show. My mum must have sensed something, because she gave me this book a few weeks ago:

It is inconceivable that picturing myself at dinner with Mr Darcy won't make me be nicer to food.

3. Do food better

And finally, reflection. What else happened in 2016? I went part-time and now work four days a week. This was a great decision and there is no going back. I started to study statistics. I took up the Ukulele and signed up for the fiddle. My Uke teacher said with my mad Uke skills I'm already halfway there - he's a charmer. And finally, in addition to yoga, I've also established a meditation routine and am all zen now.

So, 2017, bring it on.

North Berwick to Dunbar

I did another long walk yesterday. The stretch between North Berwick and Dunbar is the final section of the John Muir Way - and the only one I have walked to far. And conveniently, both towns can be reached by train.

John Muir Way

North Berwick is a seaside town 25 miles northeast of Edinburgh. It sits beneath a hill, North Berwick Law, which was formed by a volcanic plug and then shaped by time and Ice Age. North Berwick Law stands out in the otherwise flat area and can easily be spotted from as far as the Pentlands or Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh. In fact, I climbed it once with my friend Colin. It looks quite tall from afar, but we were up and down in an hour and spent the rest of the day on the beach. 

I left North Berwick at 10.30 am and followed the well-signed route south, past North Berwick Law. The route desription on walkhighlands.co.uk (*click*) said that East Linton would make a good stop for lunch. The walking was flat, I saw few people, most of them with dogs. It was quite a long walk to East Linton, maybe 7 miles (10 km), and by the time I got there I was quite hungry.

The pretty town centre had a couple of delis - both closed - but no cafe or tearoom. I passed a co-op supermarket, but I was really after a hot drink and some soup. I started to wonder if the walk description maybe suggested I should have my packed lunch here rather than talking about dining options in East Linton - when I spotted the pub. I had soup and a coffee by an open fire and was more than happy.

I didn't stay long though, as I wanted to get to Dunbar and the final section on the clifftops before it got too dark for walking on clifftops. Leaving East Linton I walked along a river Tyne (but not the Newcastle one), across field, and when the sun started to set I reached the saltmarshes of the Tyne estuary. Pretty cool, I hadn't expected any saltmarshes.

Walking through John Muir Country Park I then saw something odd. It started with the Lamas. Then ostriches. Sheep, goats and donkeys. And then a huge castle-like structure with slides and ladders, and a little monorail. One moment in the wilderness, and in the next I find myself in a safari park.

The sun properly set when I just spotted the red cliffs of Dunbar. I skirted the golf course (you are never far a way from a golf course in Scotland), and the sky turned pink, and the cliffs turned too dark to see. I arrived in Dunbar at 4 pm.

Dunbar's centre was astonishing. The Christmas lights were wild and colourful, but when I looked more closely I saw that they were in fact sponsored by local businesses: "Season's greetings from all at Torness", or just the name of the firm with a tree or a star. Odd, but cheerful. 

My train home was very busy but warm, so that was nice. I even caught the connecting train to my local station. But when I got off there, Network Rail or Scotrail or whoever I can blame had done quite a blunder: The road that crosses the rails next to the station was closed for roadworks. However, the pavement alongside this road is the only way to get from platform 1 to platform 2 - and this was also closed. So, only one half of the train station was accessible from each side. People living north of it can only take the trains towards Edinburgh, or coming from Glasgow. Unfortunately, coming from Edinburgh, I was on the wrong side. So after walking 15 miles already and being only an 8 minute walk away from home in theory (I could almost see my house) I had to walk another 2 miles to cross the rails in a different place.

The route

North Berwick Law

Dangerous Ford! With a footbridge next to it.

River Tyne

Baby lama

The bridge to nowhere

Pink skies

Local businesses outshining each other

Sponsored Christmas decoration

Stramash

Such a musical week!

I met with my friend Francoise to jam - she on the piano, me on the Uke on Friday. On Sunday, I sang Christmas carols with my choir at the Summerhall christmas market, and today I sang more carols with the annual Christmas pop-up choir in the office. And I don't really know what Stramash means, but I was in one tonight, when my music school had their end-of-term gathering, the Stramash, where all the groups performed a couple of songs to each other.

My Ukulele 101 group was combined with the Ukulele session group, and we performed Patsy Cline's Tennessee Waltz, and then Andrew Lloyd Webber's Christmas Dream, together with the accordion 2 group.

And since making music with other people has been so much fun I signed up for fiddle classes next year. And maybe I'll start a band. Never too early for New Year's resolutions.

I'm back

It's been a bit dead over here, but I'm finally done moping now. I'm back to old form, open to new adventures and fun challenges!

Maybe it was the last weekend that did it - I hung out with my bestie Colin, and made gingerbread cookies with his girlfriend's little boys. They had a Wookie cookie cutter! Colin said choir wasn't the same without me - awww! I hadn't been going since summer as it clashed with my Ukulele group.

Or maybe it's Printer Guy who's back in the game. Remember Printer Guy (*click*)? He ticks all but two boxes: He is no laird and has no castle.

Or maybe it's because I remembered the time when I was newly single and spent my first holiday on my own, went to San Francisco, and kissed three guys in one night. Such fun.

But who can tell why we feel how we feel, all I know is that I'm done being sad, so there we go.

So, for the month of December I'm setting myself this challenge: 30 cards in 30 days. This is inspired by Kat who, last month, sent me the earliest Christmas card (and gift!) ever. Do I actually know the addresses of 30 people? Well, we'll see.

Same trip, different season

Winter walking

Callander in the morning with a view of Ben Ledi.