Fife Doors Open 2025

That time of year again. Various venues across Fife were opening up to the public and offering a glimpse behind the scenes. My mum and I decided to start in Kirkcaldy before driving along the coast to Burntisland. Kirkcaldy Town House was first on the agenda and a tour was getting ready to depart just as we arrived. The B-listed building was completed in 1956 and initially serves as the headquarters for Kirkcaldy Town Council. When this administration was dissolved in 1975 and larger local government units formed across the country, the provost's lamps (pictured below) from the surrounding burghs were stationed outside the Town House as Kirkcaldy District Council was created. I must have walked past the lamps a thousand times without knowing what they represented.

Heading up the grand staircase (of course), I gazed at the mural depicting the trades of Kirkcaldy and scenes from daily life. The first room we entered had a portrait of King Charles flanked the Saltire and Union Jack. This suite is used to perform British citizenship ceremonies, where I presume the attendees have to swear an oath to the monarch. Out in the corridor, a wooden board listed all the Kirkcaldy Provosts sworn in between 1800 and 1972. A few even came back for a second go! Town and regional government structures may alter from time to time, but the one constant here is the County of Fife, a historic territory defined for many centuries. An interesting display was the Kirkcaldy town bell - rescued from a scrapyard in 1966. It was cast in 1882 and had formerly been housed within the original town house on the High Street (demolished in 1935). Construction of the new facility began in 1939 but was immediately halted by the outbreak of WW2, leaving just the steel skeleton in place. Another wall display showed the names of nine famous Kirkcaldy folk. The two most recognisable were Adam Smith and Michael Nairn. Smith is widely regarded as the founding father of modern economics theory and Nairn launched the linoleum industry that led to the Lang Toun becoming a global player in the trade. Interestingly, the only female included is child prodigy Marjorie Fleming. A writer and poet, she died just short of her ninth birthday from meningitis. We strolled through various reception rooms. The town house hosts wedding ceremonies and a recent development is the teaching of English to refugees. Kirkcaldy District Council was scrapped in 1996 and Fife became a unitary authority. The town house now functions as the headquarters of a local area committee. Housing applications are processed here, for example. There is an opulent air about the interior and - as Mum pointed out - no matter the stories about cutbacks and belt tightening, the main council offices tend to be plush. It was an interesting tour and we continued our exploration in Burntisland, stopping for lunch at a small café in the town centre. I wanted to check out the latest exhibition in the Heritage Trust building on Kirkgate, dealing with the changing face of the High Street using "then and now" photographs. Another open day was taking place upstairs in the old council chambers, enabling us to kill two birds with one stone. The heritage centre displays can be viewed any weekend but extra volunteers were on hand for Doors Open Day. Mum recognised one elderly lady. She turned out to be Dr Gordon who had practised alongside our family GP, Dr Wright, and had sometimes deputised for him. A painting showed the long-gone sugar house (built circa 1765) by the harbour, with Rossend Castle in the background, which survives today as a private residence. Sugar was refined in Burntisland until the mid-1790s. After a period of dereliction, the building was acquired in 1876 and enlarged to form a linseed oil mill. The town attained Royal Burgh status in 1540. There had been little development, apart from around the harbour area. Therefore some planning was involved in the layout of streets, rather than the settlement simply growing organically. Even as late as the 1980s, buildings were lopped off the bottom of the High Street to create a car park. Burntisland has long been in a state of flux.

In 1954, several dwellings were converted into a new police station (plus five houses for officers) but the facility now lies empty. Big changes took place on the High Street in the 1950s when 18th-century housing was replaced with modern flats. It may well have been the case that costs were prohibitive in order to bring the old properties up to the required standard. A Georgian house made way for the new Crown Post Office. This too is now vacant - a sign of the times. Prior to the internet, it would have been unthinkable that a place the size of Burntisland would not have any postal facilities. The building we stood in dates from 1845 and at one time housed the post office on the ground floor. The burgh chambers were in use until 1975, when all administrative units of this type across Scotland were dissolved. Fife-born philanthropist Andrew Carnegie gifted £3500 to finance the public library, opened by the man himself in 1907. After early cinema ventures closed in the 1930s, the Palace took over as the town's movie theatre and - quite incredibly - offered seating for 1040 patrons. It was converted to an amusement arcade in the early 70s and destroyed by arson in 1985. After many years of decay, the building was finally demolished in 2008 and the site awaits redevelopment. Across the road from the Heritage Trust stands the cavernous Museum of Communications. Well worth a visit, it was formerly the ex-servicemen's club but the building is relatively new. The exhibition also featured the various shops run by the Co-op, a common arrangement in small towns. The gasworks were owned by the local council until nationalisation in 1949. Town gas was made locally by heating coal until the discovery of natural gas under the North Sea in the 1960s changed the country's energy network. The common ground to the east of the town is known as the Links. Previously used for grazing clothes bleaching and drying, the grassy space is now a popular recreational area. It was fascinating to see the old images of Burntisland and the staff were most helpful.

To reach the burgh chambers upstairs, we had to exit the heritage centre and use another door around the corner. Straight away we were greeted by the sight of another large town bell. Originally made in 1585, it began working life in Berwick, before being purchased by Burntisland Town Council in 1619 for £36.50. Installed in the old tolbooth (pictured above), the bell was in service until the building's demolition in 1843. The modern Burgh Chambers were completed a few years later. We proceeded upstairs to view the room where Burntisland Town Council conducted its business until 1975 (pictured right). Once again, a well-appointed meeting space. The facility is now used by Burntisland Community Council - an organisation affiliated to the local authority (Fife Council). Although devoid of any real political clout, community councils across Scotland act as a conduit of public opinion and are always consulted about planning applications. Community Councils also monitor local infrastructure such as footpaths, public parks and play areas. Due to safety concerns, the steeple was removed from the Burgh Chambers building in 2013, leaving just a stump. Restoration is planned and the required stone has been purchased, but is languishing in storage until funds can be raised to finance the job. We also toured the old magistrate's room where petty offences could be swiftly processed by the Burgh Court. There's no magic formula for local government and justice procedures. Devolving down to town level brings accountability, but every layer ultimately adds complexity and impacts upon the public purse. On our way to the final venue on the list, we passed Hanselled Books - a second-hand outlet that should have been open, but wasn't. A pity, as Mum and I both like a good rummage in these places. Burntisland Parish Church is one of earliest Scottish post-Reformation churches still in use today. Occupying higher ground to the south of the High Street, the place of worship (built in 1592) overlooks the harbour. The building is square in plan, with the nave surrounded by four aisles. Each wall has a gallery, giving the church a large capacity. The main structure is supported by four thick stone columns, one at each corner. The minister is able to preach from a central position, thus providing an inclusive atmosphere. An enthusiastic guide gave us a comprehensive tour of the interior.

The building takes its place in history for hosting the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1601, a gathering that eventually led to the inception of the King James Bible (or Authorised Version). At the time, plague was rife in Edinburgh and the event was rescheduled for St Andrews. However, the King injured himself in a hunting accident while staying at Rossend Castle and - as Burntisland had a clean bill of health - the assembly was invited to gather in the town kirk. During the course of the business, the Presbyters proposed a new English translation of the Bible, in order to make the Scriptures more accessible to the people. His majesty heartily agreed and the Assembly unanimously approved the motion. When Queen Elizabeth of England died in 1603, King James VI of Scotland took the vacant throne as King James I of England. Work began on the new Bible in 1607 and it was published in 1611. Another fascinating slice of heritage practically on our doorstep. This concluded our Doors Open tour and many new facts had been learned. Burntisland today is somewhat bucking the trend of declining town centres. The High Street thrives and several independent traders offer their wares. Perhaps the population size has helped here. Always too small for the chain stores to set up shop, no massive empty retail units were left behind without a purpose in the modern world. Whatever the reasons, it's good to hear about a Fife success story.

Free Again

After flying back from Germany at the crack of dawn (having travelled through the night), I slept for a few hours before venturing out to see the excellent tribute band Free Again. They bill their show as the Free & Bad Company Experience. These rock bands achieved considerable success in the 70s. Paul Rodgers (vocals) and Simon Kirke (drums) played in both. Free were active from 1968 until 1973. They released six studio albums and one live effort. Their worldwide hit All Right Now transcended the classic rock scene to become a stomper that everyone and their granny knows. After the band's demise, Rodgers and Kirke launched Bad Company and the hot streak continued, particularly in America.

When reproducing material performed originally by Paul Rodgers, you face the immediate problem of finding someone to sing to an incredible standard. Rodgers is regarded as one of the best rock vocalists of all time and it's a tough task for a tribute singer. Amazingly, Free Again have a suitable man in the ranks. Rosyth man Alan King does a fantastic job of interpreting the material and I was blown away when I saw Free Again a few years ago. I instantly thought this isn't a guy who has spent his life singing on the pub circuit. He must have serious credentials. A little digging revealed King had fronted the melodic rock band Walk on Fire, who signed a major deal in the late 80s and sold over 200,000 copies of their debut album. Unfortunately this wasn't enough to convince the paymasters to keep the band on. Promotion was an expensive business back then and if you didn't recoup, you were out. King went on to sing the title role in the musical version of Spartacus, alongside a cast that included Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Four fifths of Free Again play in Hotel California - a leading Eagles tribute that has toured extensively in theatres for the last quarter of a century. Tonight's concert was at the Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline. Around 150 people were present. At £24 per ticket, that's a worthwhile night's work for a band that is essentially a side project. All the guys are great players and have known each other for a long time. Just as importantly, they are all massive fans of classic 70s rock. Guitarist and keyboard player Jim Bowie is the musical director for Hotel California and he put the Free Again show together. They opened up tonight with the eponymous Bad Company track, which set the tone for a great night's entertainment. Drummer Mark Anderson was in fine form behind the kit, playing the deceptively simple Simon Kirke parts. While Kirk's contributions were understated, Free featured a young bassist whose virtuosity was clear to see. Andy Fraser was a musical prodigy and a key writer for the band. His stunning solo on the extended workout Mr Big remains iconic to this day and Des Whitlie pulled it off remarkably well on stage tonight. Content to remain in the background for the entire gig, the other musicians moved aside to give Des his showcase spot. Spontaneous applause broke out among the audience towards the end of the complex bass solo. A reluctant hero! Fraser passed away in 2015 due to complications with AIDS. Not long beforehand, I met the man himself after a show at the Green Hotel, Kinross. Free guitarist Paul Kossoff was never seriously considered for Bad Company. He had descended into horrific drug use and died on a transatlantic flight at the shockingly young age of 25. Despite the appalling end, Koss could wring emotion from a guitar and a huge talent was lost to the world. Mick Ralphs (ex Mott the Hoople) took the guitar slot in Bad Company and is still with us, although highly unlikely to ever play again following a severe stroke.

Alongside Jim Bowie, Free Again's other guitarist is Calvin Laidlaw. Together they faithfully recreated the tones of Kossoff and Ralphs. The set brimmed with classics and a couple of left-field songs were thrown in for good measure. Although Rodgers and Kirke are still musically active (the former releasing an album last year), the time isn't far off when musicians from this era are no longer able (or around) to play. Tribute bands help keep the flame alive and let fans hear the material. It doesn't cost the earth to see them either. There was never an attempt to revive Free but Bad Company have reformed sporadically over the years with ever-changing line-ups. Original bassist Boz Burrell passed away in 2006 and there was even a version of the band without Rodgers. Moreover, they attracted much attention in the States with Brian Howe (now deceased) at the helm, although he was curiously airbrushed from history when Rodgers was eventually persuaded to re-join. Few vintage acts have kept the same personnel throughout their history. Indeed, Hotel California have had different musos playing the various personalities within the Eagles (who themselves weren't averse to the odd line-up change). If you like the music of Free and/or Bad Company, or even rock in general, go and see Free Again. You won't be disappointed. There is little point in me rattling off the songs they played and putting my tuppence in. Everyone has their own favourites.

Germany autumn adventure

It had been a good few years since we ventured out to Germany during the October school

holidays. It would also be my first visit to my mother-in-law's new apartment. She's still in the same village, just a short walk from the old family residence. Our outward flight had a 6.30am departure, which meant taking the airport bus from the Ferrytoll park & ride facility in the middle of the night. At least that was the theory. Our expected bus sailed by on the adjacent motorway, without even looking in. We surmised it had filled up at Halbeath, much to the consternation of the assembled throng around us. Fortunately a double-decker soon rolled in to take up the slack. It would be tight, but I knew we would make it.

Normally we stuff everything into small rucksacks and carry them on board as hand luggage. This time we had the luxury of two suitcases and it was the first time I'd used the Ryanair self-service baggage drop. Basically you put your own case on the scales and attach the printed label, before sending it off on the conveyor belt. I do wonder who came up with the idea of scanning digital boarding passes screen-up, which seems counter intuitive and confused a lot of people. There was a lengthy queue at security but we negotiated that and reached the gate without panic setting in. I dozed off on the plane. Surely the onward travel would be hassle free, right? Wrong! The first issue was a minor irritation. The German government introduced a generous scheme last year where you could travel on regional and local trains anywhere in the country for just €9 per calendar month. Buses were included too and we made full use of this ticket. Such a deal was ultimately unsustainable and we had heard the price had been increased to €49. Even so, we calculated it would be worth our while to take advantage of the revised rate. Berlin Airport has an attached railway station but we couldn't see the monthly option on the ticket machines. We enquired at the tourist office and discovered the Deutschlandticket is only available as a subscription via the Deutsche Bahn app. I guess we should have done out homework beforehand - but the the regional VBB (Verkehrsverbund Berlin Brandenburg) individual fares aren't too steep. The Airport Express train to was busy, but that's par for the course. We changed at Gesundbrunnen for a service to Angermünde - the nearest station to Schönermark village. This journey takes 55 minutes and it's not normally a problem to find a seat outside of peak commuter periods. Today the carriages were rammed and we couldn't proceed beyond the vestibule. Somehow we wedged in our cases and stood for the entire trip. But at least it wasn't late. Nicole's Aunt Elke picked us up and took us to her house. My mother in law (Bärbel) lives on the same plot of land in a separate ground-level apartment. She had rustled up a pot of pasta in DDR tomato sauce for us. A tasty throwback to the communist era. I spent the afternoon catching up on sleep and we had a relaxing evening around the kitchen table. Great to be back in the Vaterland.

On our first full day, Nicole's Aunt Gundi took us into Angermünde (7.5 miles) and we hopped on to the BiberBus - a circular route that links up local beauty spots. A rather grumpy driver issued us with day return tickets and we travelled three miles to the visitor centre at Blumberger Mühle - part of the 500-square-mile UNESCO Schorfheide Chorin Biosphere Reserve - established in 1990 and one of the largest protected areas in Germany. The sparsely populated landscape features thousands of moors, 240 lakes and extensive meadows and fields. The Blumberger Mühle territory contains a network of paths through meadow orchards, bog, moorland and a herb garden. Admission is a very reasonable €4 and the building is modelled on a hollow tree stump. An interactive child-friendly exhibition can be perused and there are toilets, lockers and a small shop on site. The café was unfortunately closed today. We had been here a few times before and were already familiar with the layout. Heading outside, we passed an enormous pumpkin, or rather what was left of it. Much of the flesh had already been cut out. We passed the sheep and saw Frederick the woolly Mangalitza pig - an old Hungarian breed almost lost in the 90s when the worldwide population fell to 150 sows. Nowadays the picture is rosier but I couldn't understand why Frederick was living alone when I'd always been led to believe that pigs were highly social animals. A sign informed us that his companion had recently died and due to restrictions regarding a porcine virus, a new buddy could not yet be sourced. A picture board displayed examples the typical bird life on the reserve. From a hide, we observed shoveler duck out on the water and great white egrets in the distance. Meanwhile a blue flash signalled the brief presence of a kingfisher. A hen harrier flew high above us. We drew a blank when skirting the swamp containing the European pond turtles. Normally a few of them can be seen sitting on logs and rocks but today they were well hidden and several slow sweeps with binoculars failed to reveal any signs of life, although a number of colourful dragonflies were buzzing around. Pond turtles are thought to have lived in the UK around 8000 years ago but any examples today are escapees from the pet trade. It is Germany's only native turtle and the conservation status is precarious. The young are mostly victims of wild boars, foxes, seagulls, martens or predatory fish such as pike. Raccoons (found in Germany) are able to open the shells of adult turtles. We wandered out to the far corner and a train hurtled by beyond the boundary fence (always a good sign). We had seen green woodpecker here before but they were not in evidence today. I climbed up the wooden lookout tower for a view across the lake and observed several egrets through my binoculars. The great white variety isn't commonly seen back home but they frequent the wetlands around the German Polish border. The general appearance is very similar to the little egret and the birds spear their prey, generally fish, insets and frogs. The species is related to the heron.

Back at the herb garden, we had lunch at a picnic table and a member of staff offered to cut us a few strips of pumpkin to take home. Offer duly accepted. There was an adventure playground around the corner but we had no young nephews or nieces in tow today. The reserve is run by NABU (Naturschutzbund) - the oldest and largest environmental association in Germany, founded in 1899. I purchased ice cream and postcards at the shop and we caught the BiberBus back to Angermünde town centre, where we had an hour to kill before the connection to Schönermark arrived. We visited a few familiar shops and had more ice cream (well, it was a holiday). Soft Eis from the dispenser is a popular choice over here. Angermünde is a small town of 15000 people and has an attractive historic centre. The bus to Schönermark was very quiet. Many of these rural services must be subsidised but full marks to the authorities for maintaining a decent public transport schedule. We had to be up before dawn the following morning as we had a day trip to Saxony planned. The 6am bus took us back to Angermünde, where we joined a Berlin-bound train, stepping off at Bernau. This time there were plenty seats available and a Berlin-Brandenburg day ticket (valid for up to five people across the two states) was the cheapest option. We met up with Nicole's father (Jens) who proceeded to drive us down the Autobahn on a 600km round-trip that would take over three hours each way. Popular wisdom insists there is no speed limit on the German motorway network, but this is only true for certain sections. A restriction of 130 kilometres per hour is often in place, equivalent to 81 mph. We made one stop where I picked up a Laugenstange - a pretzel bread stick encrusted with salt. Eventually we rolled into Hohenstein-Ernstthal and located the care home where Nicole's Oma Evelin resides. The roof terrace had a pleasant outlook across the town centre and afterwards we had lunch with the Sachse family. Wolfgang and Carmen are excellent hosts, the latter being the cousin of Nicole's dad. Their house overlooks the famous Sachsenring circuit - best known nowadays for hosting the German leg of the Moto GP series, the highest class of motorcycle track racing in the world. Two-wheeled motorsport has been staged in the area since 1927 but the modern Sachsenring arena with its high grandstands (visible in picture below) was constructed in 1996 and now attracts huge crowds for premier events.

We had previously stayed for a few days here while the Grand Prix was taking place. It was certainly loud. Today, the surrounding environment was rather more sedate and we tucked into a hearty meal of Sauerbraten & böhmische Knödel. It was soon time to head back up the road and we passed a mural dedicated to Hohenstein Ernstthal's most famous literary son. Karl May (1842 - 1912) was best known for his Wild West novels, all written before the author set foot on the American continent. The main characters were Apache chief Winnetou and his white blood brother Old Shatterhand. May compensated successfully for his lack of direct experience through a combination of creativity, imagination, and documentary sources - including maps, travel accounts and guidebooks, as well as anthropological and linguistic studies. His 90 books have clocked up a collective sales tally of 200 million. Film and TV spin-offs followed in the decades to come. As we neared the end of the homeward car journey, the enormous Tesla Gigafactory came into view. Opened in 2002, the plant assembles the Tesla Model Y and manufactures battery packs. 12000 workers are employed on site and the production target is half a million cars annually. Permission to extend the operation has been granted but environmental protests have highlighted concerns about water supply and the felling of trees. The controversy featured on news bulletins during our stay. The train trip back to Angermünde ran smoothly and we were collected by Elke. After sleeping like a log, we rose at 8am in preparation for Einkaufstag - the weekly shop. Our destination was Rewe supermarket - a major chain in Germany. They recently opened spacious new premises in Angermünde and separate bakery is also included. I was surprised at the amount of vegetarian and vegan produce on prominent display. Germany's stubborn meat-eating culture is at last showing signs of being eroded! It's always a novelty, searching for my favourite treats. Too many to list individually, but Paula's creamy pudding deserves an honourable mention. Also scooped into trolley with glee were a selection of cold cuts and little tubs of various "salads" - which often contain little or no leaves! After leaving the store, we stopped at the Dönerladen - the kebab shop. A warm lunch is traditionally the main meal of the day over here (particularly in rural parts). The modern sandwich version of the German doner kebab was created in Berlin by Turkish immigrants. Lamb is not used here. Instead, the large bread bun is filled with shavings of chicken or beef. You can also ask for a mix. Sauce and salad is added at your request. A very popular form of street food.

I took an afternoon walk around Schönermark village, sending off my postcards and dropping empty jars into the recycling container. No bottles, they had all been processed by the machine at the supermarket and a redeemable voucher issued. Both glass and plastic bottles are covered by a national deposit scheme. Sadly, attempts to introduce a similar system in Scotland resulted in the proposal being used as a political football and we are no further forward with that one. Schönermark has a population of 350 and belongs administratively and postally to the town of Schwedt. The convenience store closed a few years ago and the place has a quiet and sleepy feel. It was now Friday and 11-year-old nephew Elias was due to arrive for the weekend after school. I accompanied Bärbel and Nicole's Uncle Gerald on the "baccy run" to Poland. The border is a 12-mile drive, just beyond Schwedt and across the River Oder. The village on the other side (Krajnik Dolny) seems to base its entire economy on supplying German visitors with bargain goods and services. No regular passport checks have been carried out since Poland joined the EU in 2004. Back in the Fatherland, we had a relaxing day but did venture out in the late morning for a quick bird-spotting expedition in Elke's car. Not much doing in the wildlife department, but we stopped by at an organic farm shop on the way back. Gut Kerkow has been one of our regular haunts over the years. They raise Black Angus cattle and perform slaughtering and packaging duties, selling the premium beef in the well-stocked store. Other foodstuff is sourced from a network of high-quality German farms and dairies. There is also a good beer selection and I purchased a few Störtebeker ales. This artisan brewery is based in Stralsund and their output is widely available across the northeast of Germany. We like to support the venture and grabbed a few items from the shelves. Non-meat produce for Nicole, who has been vegetarian for some time. There is little light pollution around Schönermark and we went for an evening drive with Nicole's cousin Monique, in search of a comet that had been visible recently. Elias and Monique's young daughter Lissie were also present. The tell-tale streak didn't make an appearance tonight but we were treated to a moody sunset across the flat landscape and the moon was showing well. Back at the Hof, we caught a glimpse of a scantily-clad Uncle Bodo disappearing into the sauna outhouse.

As the weekend rolled round, I phoned my mum over Facebook Messenger and played ten-pin bowling alongside Elias on the Nintendo Switch. My days of regular gaming are long behind me but I enjoyed strapping the controller to my wrist and sending the ball down the lane. Playing in a networked tournament with multiple rounds added to the appeal. We also stoked the wood-burning stove. I think I must have tended fires in a previous life. Later in the afternoon, Nicole, Elias and I drove the short distance to the tiny Grünow village - up and over a ridge - with the birding scope and binoculars. A couple of cranes stood in a neighbouring field. We also saw several deer and a goods train rumbled by. The line runs to Stettin and a branch connects to the PCK oil refinery on the outskirts of Schwedt. Cranes are an extremely common sight in the Uckermark - the historical region (and current political district) where we were staying. The graceful long-legged grey birds have a wingspan of two and a half metres and feed primarily on seeds, roots, insects, snails and worms. They roost and build nests in shallow pools of water and the Uckermark has become something of a stronghold, with its countless swamps and small lakes. Climate change, however, is making its present felt in the form of spring droughts. Cranes were once numerous in the UK, appearing in many records of medieval dining. Hunting, along with the draining of many potential breeding sites led to the species disappearing around 400 years ago. Strangely enough, Henry VIII was aware of the issue, introducing fines for anyone caught removing eggs from the wild. Which means we should also add the conservationist string to his bow. Limited numbers of cranes have returned to Britain in recent decades and the current total population is estimated to be around 250, with six breeding pairs being resident in Scotland (Aberdeenshire). Nicole's cousin Madeleine came round later in the evening and a game of Kniffel ensued around the kitchen table. Marketed as Yahtzee back home, it's a multi-player dice game of skill and chance. Tremendously popular in Germany, I always love to play. Afterwards, news filtered through that former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond had died suddenly at the age of 69. A huge loss to Scottish politics. He secured the referendum back in 2014.

Sunday was a family day and Nicole's brother Maik visited with his wife Jenny and their daughter Malia. Still a toddler, she amused everyone by running around constantly. Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) was served mid-afternoon, a strong German tradition. Nicole, Elias and I took an evening walk and spotted a red kite in flight, quite a common occurrence around here. Monday was much quieter, as people returned to their normal working routine. We borrowed a car and headed into Schwedt with Bärbel, who wanted to purchase an induction cooker, following a short hop over the border. The journey was around 12 miles and on the way I realised I'd forgotten my passport. It's compulsory for all people in Germany to carry ID, although the chances of being randomly stopped in the countryside are slim. Crossing an international frontier without papers however isn't a good idea and I asked Nicole to drop me off in the middle of Schwedt, arranging to meet up in half an hour. On first glance, Schwedt resembles a new town, but appearances can be deceptive. Heavily bombed in the final stages of the war, the settlement was largely rebuilt in the 1960s and new housing constructed for workers in the oil and paper industries. Many local jobs disappeared after German reunification in 1990 and the population of Schwedt fell by a quarter. Nowadays 33,000 people call the largest town in the Uckermark home. I headed for the Oder Center - a shopping complex built on a radial plan and opened in 1994. I located Nicole and her mum in Media Mart, the German equivalent of Curry's. I remember the mall thriving 20 years ago but the same challenges for this type of retail outlet exist here as in Great Britain. The pervasive nature of online shopping has drastically reduced footfall and you often walk by premises with nobody inside. Likewise, it's not difficult to find a table at the catering facilities. Speaking of which, we strolled into the Chinese noodle bar and I ordered crispy duck, washed down with mango juice. Afterwards we decamped to Café Florenz, an Italian ice-cream parlour and I had Spaghetti Eis (yes, really!). Apparently invented in Mannheim in the late 60s, the dessert resembles a plate of the famous pasta dish (achieved by using a modified potato ricer) and is topped with whipped cream and sauce (chocolate for me, naturally). I love a trip to the Oder Centre, although it is something of a novelty for me, and I don't habitually frequent shopping centres back home. We didn't have much planned for the rest of the day and I hung out with some of the cats in the central yard. Little Pepina was the friendliest. In the evening we enjoyed a few rounds of rummy. As a child and teenager, I played many card games with my family. Nowadays youngsters are probably buried in solitary screen pursuits. Is that a good thing? There was an unexpected visitor in the form of a hedgehog, who strolled in through the back door, bold as brass. The spiky intruder was wrapped in a towel and safely deposited outside.

I hadn't yet gone on a proper walk and it was time to rectify this. I consulted Open Street Map and plotted a straightforward course along a farm track to the village of Passow, three miles distant. It was a fine day and the path took me on a pleasant wander between fields. I gained some head and could appreciate the gently undulating Uckermark terrain. The rural idyll is pleasant on the eye (and ears) but scan a little deeper and the depletion of nature becomes evident. Monoculture is widespread here and modern farming machinery allows crops to be sown right up to road boundaries and in places that would have previously more difficult to reach. Safe havens for animal life are now fewer and further between. Thankfully the marshy pools on the landscape are left in peace. A tractor was doing its rounds but I saw precisely zero fellow walkers. That's a normal state of affairs in these parts. Official walking trails do exist, but it's not a popular local pastime. As I entered a short wooded stretch, I suddenly became aware of a significant increase in bird activity. Finches fluttered by I passed over a pipeline that runs from the Schwedt refinery (opened 1958) to Rostock on the Baltic Sea coast - the most principal port in the former East Germany. Passow is now bypassed by the main road to Schwedt but retains decent bus connections and a railway station. The line to Stettin in Poland is currently being upgraded and a bus replacement service is in operation. The village has 1500 inhabitants and was recently absorbed administratively into Schwedt. There are a handful of businesses: a bank, flower shop, bakery and convenience store. The post office (formerly run by Elke) has gone. Nicole went to school here. On the way back I spotted what looked like a ruined farmstead. Crumbling walls remained and piles of rubble lay inside the overgrown compound. A standing stone by the roadside bore the inscription Gut Augustenhöhe bis 1952, suggesting the place was abandoned over 70 years ago. It was good to undertake a bit of local exploring and find an old relic. I spotted a hooded crow sitting high in a tree and took a nice photograph. Back home they are distributed across northern Scotland and the whole of Ireland. On Wednesday Nicole and I returned to Schwedt and visited the smaller shopping centre - buying ourselves woollen hats - before heading across the the Altstadt. The evangelical church dominates the old quarter and an artistic street fountain stands nearby. The church was burned down in 1945 and restored over the following decades.

We popped into the tourist office and I purchased a few postcards. Across the street is an independent bookstore, which previously had a branch previously had a branch in Angermünde. I bough a tourist's guide to the Uckermark - which should give me a few ideas for future missions. In the twenty minutes we spent inside the shop, several people (including a young girl) came in to collect books they had ordered. I believe Germany has legislation to prevent supermarkets and online traders offering large discounts and undercutting traditional booksellers. It was nice to see locals making use of the facility. The picture isn't completely rosy, as the Thalia outlet in the Oder Center closed a few years ago, but any measure that prevents Amazon running rampant gets my vote. We drove out to Criewen, a small village on the River Oder. The surrounding area (on both sides of the border) forms the Unteres Odertal National Park, German's only wetland example. There is a visitor centre in Criewen which hosts an exhibition about the history of the natural flood plain landscape. The water flow along the main river channel is controlled by levees which can be opened to allow any excess to spill across the flat polders. Thick guidebooks in English and Polish (with enclosed fold-out map) were available free of charge in the visitor centre and I helped myself to one. Navigation of the Oder is conducted via a parallel canal and we crossed over before reaching a tarmac path atop a substantial embankment with commanding views, which also serves as part of the 600km Oder-Neisse cycle route. Now there's a nice little retirement walking project! The park vegetation is near-native with mixed deciduous woodlands and grasslands full of blossoming flowers. Numerous river tributaries and regularly flooded meadows make the valley a paradise for waterfowl. Almost 150 species of birds breed within the park boundaries. Fish also thrive in the many river channels. We saw cranes and great white egret in the distance. A white-tailed eagle flew overhead, now a common sight around these parts. Conservation efforts have been highly successful and the magnificent raptor is no longer regarded as endangered in Germany. Seeing them glide across their territory in search of prey is a wonderful sight. We polished off an ice cream before heading back to Schönermark. Our holiday was nearing an end and another supermarket day rolled around. In the afternoon, I ventured out with Manni, who lives in an adjacent apartment. He is a licensed hunter and we set off in his 4x4 Lada - a mixed terrain vehicle that can tackle the Uckermark landscape with ease. We traversed local tracks in varying condition and I think he was rather taken aback at my knowledge of the local area (including, of course, the dismantled railway). Nothing like a series of walks to create a good mental map! We passed the birthplace of Ehm Welk (1884-1966), an award-winning writer and journalist and Biesenbrow's most famous son. An excellent tour and Manni insisted I join him on a night-time hunt next time I'm in town.

We had originally planned to travel to Berlin and stay overnight with Madeleine and Sven, before catching our early flight back to Scotland. This changed when we learned American president Joe Biden would be in town on official state business, thereby affecting local transport connections. Elke and Bodo offer airport transfers as part of their travel business and we booked a trip for the middle of the night. It also meant we wouldn't have to find a taxi firm to collect us from Madeleine's place. Off we set at 3am and the journey progressed without incident, which couldn't be said of the airport experience. The metal detector at security let me pass through without comment but I noticed my hand luggage being placed aside after the usual x-ray procedure. I assumed they were interested in the birding scope. Imagine my surprise when the police were summoned as apparently my bag contained traces of Sprengstoff (basically explosives!). I was flummoxed but the security officer said they just needed to perform a quick analysis. Meanwhile the policeman present was jovial about the affair. I learned that certain types of hand gel can contain glycerine and this was what had triggered the alarm. Bärbel uses such a product and had handled the scope the day before. Problem solved, but I fetched a cold Cherry Coke to steady my nerves. After a night of virtually no sleep I zonked out on the plane and next thing I knew, we were back in Scotland. The bus back to Ferrytoll Park & Ride was quiet and Dolly Duster whisked us back to the house. The German goodies pictured above were stashed in our case. Another great adventure.