The UK today boasts 25,000 roundabouts: the most in the world as a proportion of road space. (France has more in total.). I reckon that in the next five years there is a fortune to be made in the bicycle delivery of food and emergency supplies of water to motorists stuck in roundabout queues. We have come across some doozies. You need to understand that the Brits don't use roundabouts as in Australia where it is primarily single lanes entering from three or fo...

Months ago, I heard on radio about the introduction of Australian plants along Scottish rivers and streams. A woman compiled a book about them some years ago however I haven't been able to track it down. Apparently they came to be growing there because when they washed the imported Australian wool, the seeds were released into the waterways and deposited on the banks when flooding. If it's good enough for Australia, then why shouldn't New Zealand get in on the...

Every port or coastal town we have visited shares something in common. They all have hundreds of families "crabbing". From my observations, the crab population of the UK is safe. Shops around piers and sea walls all sell crabbing gear. It consists of a crabbing line, which is a brightly coloured plastic double ended spool around which a length of twine is wrapped. Next you buy a fine mesh bag around 10cm in length and a bag of bait which you place into the ba...

We overindulged considerably in Edinburgh and non more so than in Haggis. I had introduced Ches to Haggis in the highlands many e=years ago so as soon as she saw it on a menu in Edinburgh, she was right into it. We had lunch at The Abotsford Bar with Alison on the Monday. It's an outstandingly preserved Edwardian pub featuring an original island bar carved from Spanish mahogany and a Jacobean ceiling. It reminded me of the "Cheers" bar in Boston. Packed at ...

This is going to be a real challenge. Long stories short, covering two days. This being written sitting in the bar next to Ches who is halfway through a Yorkshire Rhubarb and Giger Gin with Fentiman's Ginger Beer. I'm into my third Pilsner. We left Edinburgh after a sad goodbye for now, to Alison and journeyed to Alnmouth where her GGrandfather (my GGUncle) went to school. For some strange reason, when James, Mary and the two boys James and John Hamilton retu...