Blogs from Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe - page 2

This morning was the wonderful scenic Lake Districts - visited Gracemere and paid homage at the grave of William Wordsworth. "I wandered lonely as a cloud ........in a host of golden daffodils." This is the area where the SMITH and GATE family come from. However we did not visit any towns where Lesley's ancesters lived. Cross the border at Gretna Green - a lone piper, heeland coows and Belted Galloways. Emily checks for the Dickson Tartan - a part of the Keith clan. Lesley checks for the Andison Clan Tartan. (Clan Anderson the closest spelling). Arrived in impressive Glasgow - main square full of statues of famous Scots.... read more

Geo: 55.0058, -3.06223Gretna Green, Scotland2:15-5:15 p.m.The scenery hadn't changed much. Rolling hills, sheep, cows, sheep, dry stone walls (stone walls that are stones stacked so tightly and securely that no mortar is used), and of course sheep. We also went past the location of the Lockerbie plane crash which was next to the freeway. As for the weather, the sun played peek-a-boo all day and the wind was blowing. Gretna Green is a tiny town that is famous for runaway weddings in days of old. English couples on the run from fathers could get married by the blacksmith. People could still get married by the blacksmith up until the 1950's. I have always read about it in the Barbara Cartland romances. They had a sign in book for visitors, I wrote: Finally made it here….alas came ... read more

Day 25 Carlisle - Langholm 25 miles (771) A short hop today which was just as well as heavy rain was forecast for the afternoon.It duly arrived but by then I was in my very comfortable lodgings. After cycling through the centre of Carlisle and crossing the Eden Bridge in the rush hour traffic I was soon following a quiet route out along the estuary past an enormous timber yard with its own railway sidings. The route then turne inland to cross the main railway line where I had to wait for 3 trains at the level crossing and then on a bridge over the new "missing link" section of the M6 which had recently been opened connecting the M6 amd The M74. Quiet lanes and a section of disused railway line took me into ... read more