Outing to Alnwick Castle 6 May 2024

Forty nine pensioners met on a gey wet and misty Monday morning for our first outing of the year to Alnwick Castle.

Our coffee stop was at Eyemouth Golf Club where we should have had lovely views over the coast but the haar was down obscuring any view.

At Alnwick Castle we made our way round the Castle at leisure. There were many historical artefacts in the various buildings. It was lovely to see current family photos as well as paintings. Here again our views over the local countryside were obscured by fog. There was an opportunity to try broomstick flying lessons with one of the members of staff but I don’t think any of us were tempted! The Castle has connections with the Harry Potter books and films.

High Tea was at the Blue Bell Hotel in Belford. Dessert was on the menu this time. We did cause some confusion as the hotel thought that only one decaf tea and two decaf coffees were to be provided nothing for anyone else.

By the time we were traveling home, the fog had lifted and we manages to see the sea.

Walk 287 - Tranent Circle - May 2024

Thirteen Strollers met up for the Silver anniversary of the Strollers for a walk at Tranent. 1999 when it all began seems a long time ago but I’m sure when I was younger I used to watch the programme ‘Space 1999’ which seemed a long way in the future!

We met up in the High Street by the statue of Jackie Crookston commemorating the ‘Massacre of Tranent’ in 1797 in which 12 people were killed by the militia who were brought in to quell protests about conscription. From there we set off towards the Elphinstone Road and crossed over it and followed the shale path past a couple of ‘sink’ holes, reminders of the long mining history of Tranent dating back to the 13th century.

Following the path back up to meet the road again we then turned to follow the path to Fa’side Castle. Once a ruin it was restored at the end

of the 1970s and completed in 1982 by the Craig family guided by the author Nigel Tranter and the Restoration Society he had set up.

We didn’t see the ghost of the ‘green lady’ as we passed by. She died when the castle was attacked and fired by the English in 1547 and is said to roam the castle.

From here we followed the road and path back to Tranent but because of the haze we didn’t see much of the views as we might have done, the ‘Kingdom of Fife’ was lost as were views of Berwick Law and the Bass Rock. You can’t trust Scottish weather even though it was a nice day for a walk.

Thanks to Drew for the walk and hopefully the weather will be as kind for the next walk to Peebles.