Falkirk foray

The weekly bus ticket I use for commuting to work is valid throughout Fife and also includes a few surrounding territories, one of which is the town of Falkirk. I had decided to use my pass to visit these additional areas at weekends, effectively giving me a free trip and allowing me enjoy a few beers should I so desire. The direct bus service between Dunfermline and Falkirk has recently been greatly improved but when I made this journey the weekend runs were limited and I had to change at Kincardine.

My home village of Cairneyhill is on the Stagecoach Glasgow bus corridor and there is a service every 15 minutes. They all stop in Kincardine and that was the simple part of today's journey. I had a little wander around the old town, famous for being a crossing point on the River Forth. The Kincardine Bridge dates from 1936 and originally swung open to allow shipping to head further upstream. This arrangement ceased in 1988. Another crossing to the west of the town was constructed in 2008 and named the Clackmannanshire Bridge, despite the entire structure being within the Fife boundary. I clambered aboard the Falkirk bus and an Indian couple in front of me enquired whether the service stopped anywhere near the Kelpies. More evidence that the spectacular sculptures are known worldwide. The driver answered in the affirmative and said he would give the guys a shout when the bus approached the relevant stop. I've visited the Kelpies several times and we often take overseas guests to see them. The metal art installation is just a short drive away, free to access and breathtaking in scale. Worth seeing in the dark when the horses are illuminated from within by a series of changing colours.

The bus pulled in at the Falkirk Stadium, from where a path leads into Helix Park - home of the Kelpies. The Indian visitors disembarked with enthusiasm and I made a mental note to research a circular walk that would take in the sculptures and perhaps other local points of interest. But this wasn't on my itinerary for today and the bus continued towards Falkirk town centre. For some unknown reason, this was actually my first time properly exploring Falkirk, despite living less than half an hour's drive away. I'd been in and out to football matches and the retail park on several occasions but today would be my first detailed look at the town centre. I had passed through the town previously on one of my canal walks but didn't have time to appreciate the sights, although I did manage to visit the excellent museum at Callander Park which is just a 10-minute walk from the High Street. My first port of call today was the historic Faw Kirk Graveyard, situated by the church that gave the town its name. The original Faw Kirk is reckoned to have been established around the 7th century and the current building has parts dating from 1450, although it was largely reconstructed in the 18th and 19th centuries. The kirkyard houses the tombs of two key figures from the Battle of Falkirk, where William Wallace was defeated by English forces in 1298.

Sir John de Graeme was Wallace's finest knight and his body is rumoured to have been carried into the burial ground by the great man himself. His resting place is a grand affair while a more discrete location marks the grave of Sir John Stewart of Bonkyll - a direct ancestor of James the sixth. I walked through the town centre past the impressive Steeple which stands 140 feet tall. I was keeping an eye out for a newsagents in order to buy my Saturday papers. Every large town has a WH Smith or similar chain on the High Street, doesn't it? Not so in Falkirk it appears. I eventually found an independent outlet to serve me. My dad is a retired journalist and I grew up surrounded by newspapers. I tend to buy a couple of Saturday publications, mainly for the supplements and magazines. That keeps me going in printed matter all weekend! I can't really foresee a long-term future for newspapers as circulations spiral downwards and the readership becomes ever older. Real ale pubs seem to be thin on the ground in Falkirk but there's a handy Wetherspoons with a decent selection of cask brews in good condition. I availed myself of three pints, relaxing with the papers before heading on my merry way out to Callander Park. This former estate is now council owned and Callander House hosts the town museum and a vintage tea room. Evidence of the Roman-built Antonine Wall runs through the grounds. As it was largely a turf bulwark, it hasn't survived to the same extent as Hadrian's Wall down south.

As stated earlier, I had previously explored the extensive museum galleries. I found the exhibition on the Antonine Wall fascinating. Upstairs was a comprehensive section on the industrial heritage of Falkirk and the wider area. This kind of thing is also right up my street. I quickly revisited these rooms then headed down to the basement to learn more about the history of the house and step inside the preserved Georgian kitchen. A couple of people wandered in behind me and immediately a guide in full maid regalia stepped out of the shadows. Thus began a talk on the role of the kitchen and suddenly the room was flooded with more visitors - a coach party I suspect. It quickly became apparent they were mostly fans of the popular Outlander TV adventure series which is broadcast worldwide. The show is set in Scotland and has attracted a huge following, some of whom make a pilgrimage to visit the filming locations. Callander House is one of those places. Whatever floats your boat I suppose. It also gives the country a significant tourism boost and it was clear that several people in the assembled group were from overseas. Local history was woven into the dialogue and the guide mentioned the presence of an ice house nearby. There was also reference to the huge Carron Ironworks that dominated the industrial landscape of this corner of Stirlingshire until the 1980s.

I made my way across to the location of the old ice house - another one ticked off. I followed a circular trail that took me past the Forbes Mausoleum, looking rather forlorn and covered in graffiti. William Forbes was a local businessman who earned a vast fortune and became the biggest landowner in the county. His descendants controlled Callendar House until the 1960s. The Forbes tomb is still family owned and therefore outside the care of the local authority. Its location in a remote corner of the park has made it a target for vandals. Apparently the Forbes have had the structure cleaned up on several occasions, only for the damage to occur again. It's also a difficult one to call as the paint removal process can cause damage to the stonework. I truly fail to understand the mindset of the vandal. Wanton destruction purely for the sake of it. Tragically, these actions usually take place in the perpetrator's own backyard thereby fouling the nest in horrible fashion. Lowlife of the highest order. Time to return to the town centre, grab a bite to eat and plot my next move. I decided to walk up to Forth Valley Hospital on the edge of Larbert, about 3 miles away. From there it isn't far to the hamlet of Torwood which has a number of historical sights nearby. It was an uneventful stroll, following main roads and I could have saved time and shoe leather by jumping on a local bus. The hospital was opened in 2010 and apparently has a nice restaurant. I intended to sink a pint on the return leg and the Station Bar in Larbert town centre was a possible destination. I wandered up to Torwood and walked out to the ruined castle which was well signposted. I wanted to find the mysterious Blue Pool that apparently lay around a mile distant, but map details were sketchy.

Dead reckoning it was then! After a couple of fruitless forays, I found a path that seemed to lead in the right direction. Unfortunately the rain had started to pour and I hadn't brought my waterproof poncho. Having come this far, it seemed like a massive cop-out to scurry for whatever scrap of shelter I could find. Onward I trudged. I had read the pool lay in a clearing and when I came across a power line passing through a gap in the trees and a handy break in the wall to my right, it looked worthy of investigation. After 50 yards, I more or less stumbled upon the circular pond. Obviously man-made, the water is indeed a curious shade of turquoise and it certainly looks deep. I didn't have time to dally as I was in the process of being soaked to the bone. After a few quick photos, I began the return trek. Later research revealed the pool to be a remnant of the mining industry. I couldn't help thinking if I'd taken a bus to the hospital I would have escaped the worst of the weather. Another item on the list was the Tappoch Broch. There are many examples of these Iron Age structures in the Highlands but they are rare in lowland Scotland. I had already seen the signs for the broch but it was a miserable experience tramping over open ground in the downpour. Once again, I adopted the attitude that I'm here already and - moreover - I was already wet, so how much worse could it actually get. Tappoch is well worth seeking out. The layout of the broch is easily discernible and a surviving staircase and gateway are the highlights. Back at the hospital, I decided just to catch the bus home. The Stagecoach services to Fife pass through here and it's within my travel zone. The Station Bar down the road would have to wait for another time. I have since returned and enjoyed a couple of pints within the historic Victorian interior. I've also sampled the hospital food and can confirm it's worth stopping by if you're looking for reasonably priced nosh. The hospital grounds contain a network of woodland trails set around a lake so it looks as if I'll be bussing it out here again at some point in the future.

West Fife Alps

I'm a dedicated walker. This frequently includes modest hills but I'm not a climber or mountaineer. I do intend to tackle a Munro at some point but all in good time. Besides, an arbitrarily set threshold of 3000 feet doesn't make these peaks superior or guarantee a superb view. Living in West Fife, I have the Ochils almost on my doorstep. Although most widely associated with the Wee County (Clackmannanshire), the rag-end of the range does extend into Fife, finally tapering out at Norman's Law near Luthrie. Three modest mounds stand within a short drive of my house. I started by scaling Saline Hill.

The village of Saline has a population of just over 1000 and lies close to the boundaries with the counties of Kinross and Clackmannan. I had already tackled this climb a few years previously with the walking group from my old place of work. Around half a dozen people would turn up for these expeditions with the inevitable call-off here and there. What I could never quite get my head around were the folk who regularly said they would go but never did. I mean, why bother? Anyway, I had a vague recollection of the route up the hill and also that it was largely pathless sheep grazing terrain. I made good progress and picked a route where I only had to negotiate one barbed wire fence. With a bit of practice you can get over these obstacles no problem. This year has been a great one for butterflies and I snapped some lovely photos on the hillside. I uploaded them to Facebook and Instagram during a pause and marvelled at how we now take this instant communication for granted and that 4G is available pretty much anywhere - in Central Scotland at least.

I reached the summit and enjoyed the views across the surrounding landscape. Saline Hill is like a two-humped camel and has a second, slightly lower peak. I thought I might as well do both. As I stood in the dip between the two high points, I noticed a couple of kestrels hovering above. They were rising from the hilltop and no doubt scanning the area for potential prey. I love the way they seem to be painted in the sky and I managed to take a few nice photos. Of course they were gone by the time I reached the summit. I lounged in the long grass and enjoyed the solitude that is usually the case on the more obscure hills. I was looking down upon the village of Steelend and remembered that the walking group had taken this route back down. I decided to go for this option to make it a circular walk. I couldn't find a suitable point to cross the burn in order to access the village and instead skirted the pastureland back towards the farm road that I'd taken on the ascent. This provided a bonus in the form of Killernie Castle, a 16th century tower house now in a completely ruinous state but an interesting find nonetheless.

Back in Saline, I munched on a mince bridie from the local shop. I remember following a Facebook page a couple of years ago about new management taking over the premises (I think the previous owner had retired) and their plans to turn the place into a gourmet hot and cold food outlet, alongside a number of other fancy services. It all sounded rather too good to be true and I guess it was as the business is now run by an Asian family as a traditional village store and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. A sign on the main street informed me the mobile post office visits twice a week. The logical location for this service would of course be the shop. Whether the traders don't want to run it or whether the post office has downgraded its presence, I have no idea. My mother was the postmistress in Lochgelly for many years and it was a successful operation. It must be more challenging nowadays as so many transactions are completed online. The next climb on my list was Knock Hill - a name known around Scotland for car and motorbike racing. The track sits at the foot of the titular hump and has been a popular venue for decades. The easy way up would be to park near the circuit and use the access road that serves the transmitter masts on the summit. That sounded rather boring and I worked out an alternative approach on the map.

Returning to Saline, I walked a mile north of the village then cut along a farm track behind Saline Hill. Once again there were many colourful butterflies around and I was able to photograph them at close quarters. Knock Hill hove into view and I switched to the trackbed of an old mineral railway that was closed back in the 1930s and is now a core path. I wanted to scramble up the green slopes of the hill and left the railway to approach the looming mass. I picked out a faint sheep track which led upwards and I made rapid progress. I'm quite happy to admit I'm strictly a fair-weather hill walker as I see no point in getting soaked if you can avoid it. There had been a recent dry spell and I was able to walk through and sit down on the long grass and heather without getting wet. I slogged my way to the summit and had a bird's-eye view of a race meeting in progress. The final piece in the jigsaw was a blast up Hill of Beath, adjacent to the M90. It's possible to park on a disused motorway flyover and from there take an old concrete road formerly used by lorries transporting coal from an opencast mine. You leave this track before it crosses the M90 again and there is a dichotomic stretch where you walk through a scenic grassy valley, screened from the thundering traffic a mere stone's throw away.

The initial ascent soon gives way to an easy walk to the summit although there was sheep muck everywhere. All good organic matter I suppose. I had done this small hill twice before. The first time with a colleague and then with Nicole on our first climb together. The peak offers a wonderful view of the Forth Bridge although it was a hazy day and my photographic efforts were hampered. Turning round, I saw the sculpted contours of the old opencast site, now fully accessible to the public as part of the recently-opened Fife Pilgrim Way. Rotating further, I was treated to the sight of Saline Hill and Knock Hill standing proudly side by side. To the east, I could look down upon Hill of Beath Hawthorn's football ground. The Haws are one of the few Fife teams ever to have won the Scottish Junior Cup - a tournament that attracts over 150 entries from the various regional leagues around the country. It is truly one of the world's great footballing contests and I was there that day in 1990 when the Haws lifted the trophy by defeating Lesmahagow. My dad drove us down to Kilmarnock to see the match at Rugby Park. This was just before the old-style terraced grounds began to be redeveloped into modern all-seater stadia. I'm glad to have caught both eras of being a football fan. Speaking of our national sport, I was due to be meeting my mate Paul at the Cowdenbeath game so it was time to descend by the reverse route and head through to Central Park - a venue that is most definitely stuck in the past. We won 3-1, yay!

Evening Edinburgh wanders

Finally a nice sunny evening after work! I had a few Edinburgh walks planned and it was time to knock one off the list. I've been commuting by bus recently on the weekly Fife Megarider Plus ticket and one advantage is I can nip over to the capital as part of the deal. It's just a 15-minute walk to the bus stop from my workplace and downhill all the way. After arriving in Edinburgh, I had a seat in Princes Street Gardens and decided to do the Queen's Drive circuit around Holyrood Park. My water bottle was empty and I googled for a refill station. It turned out there was one inside Waverley Station at the entrance to the toilets, which incidentally are now free (as they should be).

I strolled down the Royal Mile and had a look at the Scottish Parliament building. There was a protest camp set up to campaign against climate change. You certainly can't deny the science. If we could all change our ways a little it would cumulatively add up to a critical mass. Across the road is Holyrood Palace, official residence of the Queen when she is on royal duties in Scotland. I've never done an actual tour of the palace but did once attend a special exhibition of Faberge Eggs. I skirted by the protesters and picked up Queen's Drive in the clockwise direction. There is a pavement all the way round and basically you hug the lower slopes of Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat - the extinct volcano that dominates the city skyline from afar. I have climbed to the peak on a few occasions. The ruin of St Anthony's Chapel soon appeared on my right and I hiked up the footpath for a closer inspection.

Little is known about the origins and demise of the religious structure but it is reckoned to have fallen into disuse around 1560. The chapel sits on a rocky outcrop and there are fine views down to St Margaret's Loch, the first of three bodies of water I would encounter. I had sufficient elevation to see all the way across north Edinburgh to the Firth of Forth. I picked my way down to the loch and continued along the road, steadily regaining height as I approached Dunsapie Loch. This part of the route is closed to regular vehicles which made for a pleasant traffic-free walk. There were many runners and cyclists out training on the challenging gradient. I had planned to make one deviation from the circular route, a visit to Dr Neil's Garden, nestled on the shores of Duddingston Loch in the urban village of the same name. This involved descending a long flight of steps but it was worth the effort to emerge in the tranquil surroundings of the garden. There is ample bench seating and it would be the ideal place to go for some quiet and peaceful reflection. I spent half an hour here stretching my legs and gathering my thoughts. Ok, so I probably checked Facebook as well. Also in the village is the Sheep Heid Inn, reckoned to be one of Edinburgh's oldest surviving watering holes. Climbing back up the stairway was stamina sapping but I was rewarded with great views of the loch below, which also functions as a nature reserve.

Eventually I began to descend towards my starting point. I jumped off a little early at Holyrood Road to walk past Moray House College where I trained as a secondary school teacher in 1996. I re-emerged on the Royal Mile and made my way back to the bus station. As Sod's Law would have it, a Fife-bound bus had just departed and the next wasn't due for an hour. I wandered over to a nearby Sainsburys and grabbed myself a snack. When I came out, the rain was positively belting down. You certainly take the rough with the smooth when out and about in Scotland. At least I didn't get a soaking up on Salisbury Crags. I decided to repeat my evening excursion to Edinburgh a week or so later when I combined a city walk with a visit to the German meetup. I have been a member of the German group since 2006 and it meets monthly in a pub. The venue this time was the Fountain Bar and that tied in nicely with a wander through Morningside and a hike up Blackford Hill. I had agreed to host the meetup which entails being there at the start to welcome people and collect the £1 donations. I calculated that although I wouldn't be pressed for time, I couldn't afford to needlessly dawdle. I headed up to Tollcross, past my old haunts of the Cameo Cinema and Cloisters Bar. The Cameo dates from 1914 and is worth visiting for the architecture in the main auditorium alone. Caryatids form the supports and there are big comfy chairs. The modern capacity is 400 but was apparently more than double this figure back in the day. I guess they packed 'em in. People were probably a bit skinnier as well. There is also a licensed bar and you are welcome to take your drinks into the theatre. A successful campaign in 2006 prevented new owners from converting the historic cinema into a bar/restaurant with just the smaller screens remaining. Fortunately the council sided with the protesters and the building has now been upgraded to B-listed status, protecting it from further proposed acts of vandalism. How shocking that such a culturally iconic picture house (Scotland's oldest in continuous use) could be threatened in this way. I personally think it's important to support these institutions. Watch a film or simply drop into the bar, which can be accessed from inside and outside the cinema.

I didn't have time to pop into Cloisters for a pint. Formerly a Parsonage, the pub is a ale haven and a no-frills environment. Stand at the bar or sit on the benches to sup your pint. With nine cask pumps and ten artisan keg taps, there is something for all discerning beer drinkers. I love traditional cask but have nothing against the new-fangled craft scene. Anything that pulls people away from mass produced lager is alright in my book. Not everyone sees it that way of course but they fail to consider that today's 24-year-old craft freak might one day be a middle-aged traditional beer enthusiast. I walked through the district of Bruntsfield - home of the excellent Chocolate Tree - then into Morningside with its good range of shops. I popped into Waitrose in search of a bite to eat and found a big sushi set in the reduced section. Perfect! The supermarket had tables for consuming snacks but it was glorious outside and I found a handy wall across from the Dominion Cinema - a long standing independent picture house that I've never visited. Must change that one day. I reflected that although my job might give me hassle at times, I do often have the opportunity to be out enjoying myself when other commuters haven't even started the journey home. I pressed on and ambled through the decaying "Wild West Town" in an alleyway just off the main drag. Apparently this was opened as a tourist attraction in the 90s but flopped. The row of buildings has a fading frontage denoting the saloon, jail, horse trader etc. A curio worth investigating if you happen to be passing.

As I left Morningside, I passed over the railway tracks wondering why the Edinburgh suburban route has never been reopened. The rails are still used for freight movements and occasional diversions and it seems unbelievable the capital city does not make use of this transport corridor. In modern parlance it could be termed the proverbial no-brainer! I arrived at the Hermitage of Braid nature reserve which encircles Blackford Hill. I followed the burn to the original estate house which now functions as a visitors centre. Just beyond lay the remains of the ice house. I must admit I do have a thing for those primitive freezers from a bygone age and there are quite a few dotted around the country, usually in varying states of repair. I navigated my way up the hill and the tall transmitter mast made the target obvious. There were quite a few people at the summit and it's obviously a popular spot. The Royal Observatory building is close at hand and the views across the city were fabulous.

I could see in all directions and spent a while taking it all in (as well as getting my breath back). Although I'm reasonably fit for my age, a short sharp climb still takes it out of you if you aren't used to it. Still, the only way to remedy that is to actually go out and do it. I was keeping an eye on the clock as I had to be at the Fountain Bar for 7.30, although no doubt Texan Dave and his German wife would be there super early. I descended the staircase but took a more direct route towards Morningside. I had considered walking around Blackford Pond but time didn't permit. In any case, I later read it was a man-made creation, so no great loss. I briskly retraced my steps and looked for a street named Viewforth which would take me across the Union Canal to my destination district of Fountainbridge. The canal terminates here at Lochrin Basin and the view from the road bridge revealed a colourful array of barges. I have been walking the Scottish Canal network from west to east and will one day finish my towpath trail here. The Union waterway branches off the original Forth & Clyde Canal at the Falkirk Wheel.

I arrived at the Fountain Leisure Park which I used to visit regularly. I had an unlimited pass for the cinema, the type of deal where you pay a monthly fee and only have to go two or three times to make it worthwhile. The 13-screen venue always showed a wide variety of films and I loved slipping into the anonymity after a hard week's work, treating myself to a takeaway, watching a couple of movies over the same evening and enjoying a pint afterwards. McCowan's Brewhouse was and still is next door to the cinema. The Golden Rule, a Good Beer Guide regular, is tucked away around the corner. The Caledonian Sample Room stands just along the road, as does the old school 80-shilling haven the Athletic Arms (popularly known as Diggers). There were also several great ale options on the walk back to Haymarket Station. Much simpler times, but my present life is ultimately more fulfilling. My meetup destination tonight was the Fountain Bar, previously a working-man's type boozer with a dartboard but only bland keg beer. Friendly enough though. Today it has been redeveloped into a real-ale specialist pub and restaurant. Personally I'm not complaining as it's another great drinking establishment but I do wonder if a certain sector of the population feel their traditional watering holes are being taken away from them. A similar fate befell the Auld Clachan along the road which has also been reinvented as a cask-ale paradise aimed at white-collar workers and now trading as Lock 25. But it's all governed by supply and demand and I personally think the smoking ban - while in my eyes welcome - did hit the old man's style of hostelry pretty hard. Then again, basic boozers were at one time large-scale purveyors of unpasteurised ale. Things change, you can only run with it. David and Brigitta (now sadly deceased) were indeed present at the meetup when I arrived. Several new faces mingled with regulars. Most enjoyable.