Since we'd mentioned some time ago that we've never been to Glasgow and would like to, Ian and Glenis arranged a two-day "short break". In pursuit of both families' Scottish heritages, we made the trip across on Monday a kind of pilgrimage to Alloway, near Ayr - the birthplace of Scotland's celebrated poet, Robert Burns. Unfortunately the day was wet and rather chilly, but we had a pleasant drive across the north of England, roughly along the line of Hadrian's Wall, into Scotland at Gretna, and north-west through Dumfries and Galloway. Lunch in a sweet and friendly little tea room at Auldgirth, then on to Alloway. We spent a pleasant afternoon at the two major sites. First was the carefully restored and maintained cottage where The Bard was born in 1759, consisting of connected byre and ... read more