West Highland Way - Day 0

We started our West Highland Way adventure with a train from Waverly Station to Milgnavie on Friday evening arriving after a 90 minute journey at about 7.30 pm. A short walk took us to the Premier Inn where we had a nice dinner at the attached Beefeater before getting a good nights sleep ahead of our 95 mile walk.

John Muir Way

Cherry and Colin has a big day out for our last practice walk before the West Highland Way. Walked to the station then got the 9.15 train to North Berwick. Started on the route at 9.45 in glorious sunshine and walked through flat fields on mainly off road tracks to East Linton.

Stopped for lunch at the Crown and Kitchen and ate in the beer garden. Burger and chips, scampi and chips followed by a shared cheesecake. Very nice.

Onwards along the River Tyne to John Muir Country Park, Belhaven and finally into Dunbar arriving around 5 pm feeling pretty tired and with feet near the point of blisters. 5.45 train home and a taxi back from the station.

16 miles (plus 1.8 miles to the station).

Cirque De Soleil - Varekai

We travelled through to Glasgow to watch a touring Cirque De Soleil show at the SSE Hydro. Having seen the wonderful Luzia in Toronto we had high expectations but were pretty disappointed by this show in comparison. It would probably be quite impressive if viewing for the first time with the colourful costumes and large set. The atmosphere at the venue however was not great - a huge cavernous shed. The show was heavy on the slapstick comedy and very light on the gymnastic and circus acts you would expect from Cirque De Soleil.

We stayed at the Village hotel in Glasgow and enjoyed nice swims in the 20 m pool on Saturday and Sunday.

Edinburgh New Town Lights

Cherry and Colin had a walk through the New Town, well George Street really, to look at a series of illuminations to celebrate the architecture and history of the New Town. A little bit underwhelming but a bracing walk on a chilly night.

Jayne & Derek Wedding

We arrived at Belfast Harbour airport on Friday afternoon from Heathrow and Edinburgh and then drove a hire car through to the Slieve Russell Hotel in County Cavan. Nice dinner with Maxwell, Liz,  Michael & Lusi.

Saturday was wedding day. Very nice affair with a big turnout from the Ledlie clan.

On Sunday we had a walk on Cuilcagh Legnabrocky trail. An amazing number of people out walking on a fairly nice route. Went on Florence Court for a walk round the grounds and then back to the hotel for a vigorous swim.

On Monday went to Enniskillen and short walk round the town and along the riverside before driving back for the flight home.

Lomonds of Fife and Bishop Hill

First day of decent weather in ages so planned a biggish day out on bike and foot.

Arrived at Scotlandwell around 9 am and headed off on the bike on a wet and muddy route through the farmland and reservoirs of the Fife hills. Apart from one hill was generally rideable. Then cycled up to East Lomond and through the car park on the East Side before a push up the hill to the summit. An awkward walk down avoiding any slips before the long cycle across to West Lomond. Didn't attempt the summit but skirted around what proved to be a very rough track that was too narrow and wet for me to cycle. After quite an unpleasant long section finally got back to rideable tracks and headed back cutting short the route as it had taken way longer than planned.

After a quick sandwich I headed up on foot round the Bishop Hill Race route. I started about 30 minutes before the race start and reached the summit just before the lead runners who were up in just over 15 minutes. Lovely conditions on the hill and a very pleasant walk.

Feet and knee seemed to survive a pretty strenuous day quite well.