Black Sabbath

I have been a massive fan of rock music since my early teens. My uncle had an enormous LP collection (he worked in TV production so perhaps received freebies) and during a family visit he invited me to choose one to take home. I came away with Glory Road by a band called Gillan. Not a bad start!

Gillan were named after lead singer Ian, former frontman with the mighty Deep Purple. The group had a fair bit of success in the early 80s before Ian returned to the Purple fold. On guitar was the excellent Bernie Tormé who passed away recently and had the unenviable task of temporarily replacing the great Randy Rhoads in Ozzy Osbourne's band. Randy had tragically lost his life in a plane crash and Ozzy of course began his career on the back streets of Birmingham with Black sabbath.

Yes, you encounter a lot of tangled roots once you start investigating rock family trees and you may already detect a rather anorak-type approach on my part. Gillan was my entry point to the world of hard rock. The appetite was further whetted by the acquisition of singles from acts such as Motorhead and Saxon - purchased with birthday record tokens. My folks also played an unwitting role, permitting me to borrow the occasional cassette from the library on their account, whereby I discovered Iron Maiden and Meatloaf. It was however the Sabs who became the first band I followed in terms of building an album collection. I walked three miles to Woolworth's to kick-start my vinyl-buying habit.

Fast forward 30-odd years and I learn of a major Sabbath exhibition taking place in their home city of Birmingham. My initial reaction was succinct - I must go. Never having explored the area before, I thought I might as well spend a few days in Brum and see what our second-largest city has to offer. I booked myself a return coach journey, three nights in a hostel and an online ticket for the event. Something to look forward to over the summer. I took the Glasgow bus from my village to hook up with the direct National Express service to Birmingham. I flashed my smartphone ticket at the driver and grabbed a seat. I haven't done a great deal of long-distance bus travel, but enough to realise a comfort stop is included somewhere down the line. It was an added bonus when the driver pulled into Tebay Services in Cumbria. This place has a huge selection of local produce for sale, including pies and ale. I found space in my rucksack for a couple of bottles. Something to enjoy in the hostel over the stay. I had plenty to read: the new Irvine Welsh novel on my Kindle, a paperback biography of guitar legend Mick Ronson and a couple of obligatory train mags. Eventually we rolled into Digbeth Coach Station. I knew the hostel was just a short walk up the road and I'd already scouted out a real-ale pub around the corner. Two pints of a fine local bitter and then time to check in. Now, this was my first visit to a city-centre backpackers establishment. I've stayed in many rural bunkhouses and hostels. Nicole and I often prefer this option to a hotel. You can keep costs down by cooking your own food and there's always someone to have a blether with. The prefix "youth" certainly no longer applies as most guests - at least in the country - seem to be middle aged. I did expect a different demographic in a bustling city but as I was arriving on a Monday, I hoped to avoid the weekend party crowd.

It was a friendly and fairly chilled place. Large comfortable common room, small but functional kitchen and a four-bed dormitory. At £15 per night, I certainly couldn't complain. A higher proportion of younger people but curiously quiet. Most folk seemed glued to their devices! I did strike up a couple of conversations but was happy to plug into some Sabbath sounds and set the mood. The hostel offered free toast for breakfast which was most welcome. Off I headed for the Birmingham Museum which was just a 10-minute walk in the direction of the famed Bullring. I passed a large fruit & veg market on the way and proceeded to Victoria Square, currently a building site as tram tracks are being laid through the city centre. Fortified by a last-minute pork pie, I hit the exhibition at my allotted time of 10.30, although I could easily have turned up and paid on the door. I had read the event focussed solely on the original incarnation of the band and that no space was devoted to later frontmen such as Ronnie Dio (and indeed Ian Gillan!). This was clearly explained at the entrance. The exhibition paid tribute to the four Brummies who founded Black Sabbath and how the city gave birth to heavy metal. Fair enough - absolutely no problem with that! I enjoyed browsing the displays and watching extensive video interviews with Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Bill. One gallery played the breakthrough Paranoid album on a continuous loop (perhaps a different release was featured each day?). Even though I'd heard the songs countless times, the Sabbath themed surroundings leant them an extra dimension and I found myself listening intently. The exhibition literature rightly pointed out that the style of music pioneered by Sabbath became a worldwide cultural export for Birmingham and questioned whether this was properly recognised by the city's leaders. Among all the Sabs memorabilia were a few artefacts relating to Ozzy's solo career. This served to broaden the appeal of the exhibition as the Ozzman later became a household name in his own right.

Two hours later, I emerged thoroughly delighted that I'd made the effort to come down. I wanted to have a look at the rest of the museum - which was free. I particularly enjoyed the galleries dedicated to the history of Birmingham. Another undoubted highlight was the complete Staffordshire Hoard - the largest haul of Anglo Saxon gold and silver ever found. By this time it was lashing rain outside and I knew I'd have to literally make a dash to my next destination - the Wellington real ale pub which lay a couple of streets away. A quick consultation of Google Maps fixed the route in my mind and off I splashed. A dozen handpumps greeted me and I proceeded to sample. The pub doesn't serve any food (although you are welcome to bring your own) - it is dedicated to ale, pure and simple. What a place! After a few pints I decided my next move would be to a Chinese buffet. I trooped down to the Oriental Quarter and found a restaurant that cost £15.99 per person, which was reasonable considering the fine spread on offer. A memorable day and it mattered not a jot that I was rather bedraggled upon arriving back at my digs. I still had a couple of days ahead of me and set off the following morning to tour the main sights of the city centre. Birmingham is a curious mixture of old and new. I particularly liked the old fashioned feel of Gas Street Canal Basin and the modern Centenary Square. I was starting to get my bearings and pushed outwards along the canal to link up with an old railway trail that I'd researched beforehand. I passed the two brick towers on Waterworks Road, said to be the inspiration for Tolkien's book title. The author lived in the city as a lad. I had of course planned some of these routes in advance but sometimes random pavement bashing also bears fruit.

I chanced upon the Birmingham Walk of Stars - a series of paving stones inscribed with names of famous Brummies. Jasper Carrot, Noddy Holder and Murray Walker to name but three. Interesting enough, but nothing to compare with Black Sabbath Bridge which spans the canal. A commemorative bench features cut-outs of the original band members. I had read about this previously but it had slipped my mind. My three nights in the hostel were up but I still had another day in the city as my bus didn't leave until 2230. I decided to take a couple of short train trips and treated myself to a full English breakfast in a local Digbeth café. I wondered why the area was allowed to look so shabby. Lots of overflowing trade waste bins. Surely not too difficult to clean up? I headed out to the preserved suburb of Bourneville - home to the Cadbury chocolate empire. I gave Cadbury World a miss as it's more of a kiddie attraction and instead checked out the excellent Selly Manor Museum - housed within a beautiful 16th-century timber-framed building. It was preserved by George Cadbury who acquired the place in 1907. The modest admission fee was a few pounds well spent. I liked the charming layout of the surrounding streets and it was a lovely area to stroll around, featuring many quirky dwellings.

Back to the remodelled New Street Station which has a huge shopping complex on the upper tier and a link to the bullring via a glass walkway. All very futuristic. You enter colour-coded departure lounges after passing through the ticket barriers on your way to the platforms. Plenty seating is available which is a nice touch, as are the water bottle refilling points. Glad to see them slowly spreading around the country. I then headed in another direction to Aston, the spiritual home of Black Sabbath although the area has changed out of all recognition since the 1960s. The stately mansion Aston Hall is an impressive sight and the football stadium Villa Park is close by. I had a look at both locations but unfortunately the rain began to fall, in contrast to Bournville which had been sunny. Eventually I rocked up at the bus station for the long trip back to Scotland. I didn't get much sleep on the coach but that's not so much of a problem when you are homeward bound. I arrived in Glasgow at quarter past six and jumped on the first bus to Fife. What a wonderful few days away!

Broughty Ferry Bound

Visits to Dundee are akin to waiting for a bus! I hadn't been there in ages then three trips followed in quick succession. This time, the purpose of my visit was to check out the new footpath from the city centre to the lovely coastal town of Broughty Ferry, a total distance of around four miles. A previous bugbear was the fact there was previously no way of doing this walk entirely off-pavement, due to public access through Dundee Docks being prohibited.

All this changed recently with the opening of a shared route for walkers and cyclists which threads its way between the port perimeter and the railway line. Providing this missing link is especially welcome as the section beyond the port authority is a lovely meander along the coast. Hopefully the new purpose-built walkway will attract a healthy interest. I started at the modern waterfront development where the new V&A museum is located. I worked my way along to the old docklands where HMS Unicorn is permanently berthed. The frigate is reckoned to be the world's oldest floating warship from the days of sail. It now functions as a museum and can be hired to host events. The new section of path is aesthetically unremarkable, being hemmed in between a security fence and the railway embankment, but the views change for the better when you emerge at Stannergate Roundabout. A footpath takes you along the coast with trains hurtling by along the East Coast Main Line to your left. Broughty Castle is a clear landmark in the distance. The plan was to jump on a train back to Dundee at the end of my walk. A consultation of the timetable informed me I'd have time to stop off at the Fisherman's Tavern for a pint or two. I had previously explored the castle and town (Mum & Dad used to have a caravan up here) so heading straight for the pub seemed perfectly in order.

The Fisherman's has been in the Good Beer Guide for donkeys years and you don't need to seek out the handpumps here - they are staring you in the face as soon as you walk through the front door. There are always half a dozen ales available in tip-top condition. I arrived just before 12 and the place was fairly quiet. The weekend lunchtime rush hadn't quite begun. I plonked myself on a bar stool

and perused the pump clips. Sure, you pay a bit more for a pint in these types of hostelry compared to the chain drinking barns. However, the atmosphere tends to be convivial and the ales are well looked after. Customer service is also first class. Not that I'm campaigning against the likes of Wetherspoons. They too have their plus points. Time to head round the corner for my train. Express services thunder straight through Broughty Ferry but there is an hourly local stopping service. Unusually, there is a level crossing right in the middle of town adjacent to the station. A nice touch is the preserved signal box and model steam train.

I was waiting on the platform when suddenly it flashed up on the screens that my train had been cancelled. Cheers Scotrail! I thought about going back to the tavern but upon checking the local bus timetable, it transpired that Stagecoach run buses up this way and my weekly Fife Plus ticket would be valid. Off I went on the bus back to Dundee and I popped into a Wetherspoons in the city centre. I'm not quite sure how they manage to sell ales at two quid a pop but I ain't gonna knock it back (the price, I mean). Purists rant and rave about Spoons but my argument is they don't browbeat

breweries into trading with them. Free market and all that. Moreover, the ales are generally well cared for (most certainly not the case in some other chain establishments) and there's usually a good choice on offer. Yes, it takes a while to be served at peak times but that would be the case anywhere. More power to Spoons owner Tim Martin. (Dodgy political views notwithstanding).

Mini Museums

Ever since I was a child, I've loved a visit to a museum. My affinity probably stems from primary school trips to the sprawling Royal Museum in Edinburgh, where you could have endless fun pushing buttons to activate the machinery housed within glass cases in the engineering gallery. Museums have been the highlight of many a trip to a new city and sometimes the main reason for going in the first place. As I write, I'm planning a journey to Birmingham to see the major Black Sabbath music exhibition.

However, smaller collections can be just as informative. A great example is the Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery, housed in the same complex as the library and adjacent to the railway station. The galleries are packed with exhibits and you learn an incredible amount about the history of the town and surrounding area. The artwork hangs upstairs. Paintings aren't my passion - I normally seek out the highlights whenever I find myself in a famous gallery. I do attend the changing exhibitions in Kirkcaldy as they often feature photography or sculpture displays. A lovely building with a small café and of course the town library. Admission free.

I must confess I miss the old high wooden bookshelves which have been replaced by modern units. They surely carry less stock. Another interesting place to visit is Methil Heritage Centre, further along the coast. Formerly a crown post office, the permanent display focuses on the local Levenmouth area and the back room contains temporary exhibitions. I happened to catch the story of the nearby Cameronbridge Distillery. The origins stretch back to 1824 and the plant is now owned by global drinks giant Diageo. Cameronbridge produces grain whisky on a massive scale and is the biggest in Europe in terms of volume. As expected, there were examples of antique bottles and other paraphernalia but what I found most interesting was the literature provided which explained a great deal about the whisky-making process as well as the fortunes of Cameronbridge over the past couple of centuries. A lovely little afternoon out.