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Wee Places Worth A Visit - Add Yours!


pozbaird

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Had originally planned to visit the Wallace Monument in Stirling, but it is shut for restoration until 4th April.

Guess I'll just have to walk the 5minutes down the road to the Wallace memorial in Elderslie.

Can't get used the one in Elderslie being labelled the "memorial," it was always the monument when I was growing up. I don't think I even knew about the usurper in Stirling until I was about 20 or so.

:)

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New Lanark. I take a wander down there at least two or three times a year with my camera. It always looks different. I used to always stop in at the chippy/tea room in Lanark in St Vincent Place on the way through but there's a restaurant inside the Mill these days that is absolutely fantastic. Stocked full of local produce. It's not just the walk up and down the hill from the car park to the Mill, there's a country walk up and over the Falls of the Clyde. Last time I did it was a few months ago. It was really icy and parts of the waterfall had frozen. Made for some great pictures

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Mount Stewart is one of the wonders of Scotland it has to be seen to be believed. It can be visited in a day by train to Wemyss Bay then ferry to Bute arriving in Rothesay there is a but that runs back and forth to Mount Stewart.

If you're over in Bute, then St.Blane's church ruins are worth a visit.

Very atmospheric and nice views too.

Haven't been to Bute for ages so can't recommend any places for beverages, alcoholic or not.

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/bute/stblaneschurch/

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New Lanark. I take a wander down there at least two or three times a year with my camera. It always looks different. I used to always stop in at the chippy/tea room in Lanark in St Vincent Place on the way through but there's a restaurant inside the Mill these days that is absolutely fantastic. Stocked full of local produce. It's not just the walk up and down the hill from the car park to the Mill, there's a country walk up and over the Falls of the Clyde. Last time I did it was a few months ago. It was really icy and parts of the waterfall had frozen. Made for some great pictures

Agree. Super place. Good recommendation SD.

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If your camping Strathfillin Wigwams is in a stunning setting with hills on both sides. On the A82 just before Tyndrum(the west Highland way passes through the campsite) and the green welly shop. There's nothing better than sitting with friends outside your tent with a campfire and a little beverage or two in this stunning setting. Wigwams as well if you donr fancy roughing it. Plenty of wslks or hill climbing if you fancy. We like to walk to Tyndrum( if the weather is nice) with the dog before having a refreshment or 2 at the pub

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Between Blair Drummond Safari Park and Callander is a fantastic Antiques Centre in Doune.

I could spend all day wandering around the very comfortable setting, looking at a myriad of nostalgia inducing exhibits.

They also have a rather fabby (if a tad pricey but worth it for the quality) tearoom.

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I'm just back in from a trip to the Riverside Museum. Been a few times before but never had the time to visit the Tall Ship.

http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/riverside/Pages/default.aspx

Went onboard Glenshee ship today and it was a magnificent treasure trove. Built in 1896 and has an amazing history. Restored with lots to see and do for young and old.

They even have a cafe on board. Tea/coffee and a scone and jam for £2.50.

http://www.thetallship.com/

Two new exhibits in the Riverside museum that caught my eye. Both of Ewan McGregors motorbikes from Long Way Round and Long Way Down festooned with Saltire stickers.

As a fellow biker I can only admire what they achieved.

Both places are free to visit but obviously donations are most welcome.

If anyone wants an idea of what this small nation has produced over the years in terms of mass transport then this is a must see place.

Breathtaking.

The Riverside Museum is braw'. The grub in the cafe there is excellent. Cracking home-made scones and soup. Last time I was in we were talking to the waitress about the top quality home baking there and how we had expected pre-packed sandwiches and not much else. She said that their fish and chips is superb and people are coming into the museum just to eat the fish and chips. We put a couple of quid in the car park ticket machine and (this is a good walk), walked along towards the Armadillo and SSE Hydro Salmonella Burger Arena. If you take the lift to the top of the adjacent car park roof, you can get good angles for photos of the Hydro. Then continue over the squinty bridge, walk back the other side of the Clyde for good photos of the Finnieston Crane, over the Bells Bridge and back to the Riverside Museum. When we got back we nipped in for a coffee - and I swear, the place was mobbed with folk scoffing into their fish and chips! They looked and smelled great - going to give them a go next week. Edited by pozbaird
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Sorry was a typo on my part. I also call it "The Wallace Monument", but I like the other parts that surround the site.

Sadly overlooked by our local councillors - I feel that more should be done to encourage people to visit.

I've often thought that RDC planners might consider "lifting" The Monument and transplanting it by Paisley Abbey and the Town Hall, just so they could build houses on the site.

Nothing would surprise me with those eejits.

The site of the monument , is the site of the original settlement in Elderslie and of some sort of fortification that was there when Wallace was a lad. .

The Monument is well worth a visit as , you will be able to see where the original mote was and then take in the views .To the north east you can see Swift park . By looking west , you will see the Thorn Inn or wander along the road toward Paisley , and take in the fine hostelry that is , the Elderslie Inn.

You may also get the chance to meet some BAWA regulars like Windae Cleaner or the Webmiester himself , Div . .

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Living in Englandshire I don't get north as often as I wish but on most trips home I always enjoy stroll around Mugdock country park.

It's only a few miles from milngavie or if you are on the Blanefield road it's well signposted.

Plenty of car parking

Large open space for kick about with the lad or ample space for kite flying - boules - or frisbee

Head through the courtyard to the victors centre / info / toilets - Few craft units

Also lots of outdoor seating for reasonable price cuppa - ice cream - or bacon butty / indoor seating for when it's wet!

Then decision time - do you turn left and head down the hill past the small garden centre - BBQ area and pond to feed the ducks or right to the children's play area and adventure course to let them burn off steam.

Either way the walk is circular passing both the excellent Mugdock castle and the gun remments set up to protect Clydebank from the German air threat.

I usually google both on arrival to appear super knowledgeable and impress the kids!

Excellent views over the firth if Clyde - down to the area and across to paisley.

Area is always well populated walkers and it's nice to exchange a cheery greeting with fellow day trippers.

Excellent way to introduce young ones to nature - history and outdoor fun.

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Living in Englandshire I don't get north as often as I wish but on most trips home I always enjoy stroll around Mugdock country park.

It's only a few miles from milngavie or if you are on the Blanefield road it's well signposted.

Plenty of car parking

Large open space for kick about with the lad or ample space for kite flying - boules - or frisbee

Head through the courtyard to the victors centre / info / toilets - Few craft units

Also lots of outdoor seating for reasonable price cuppa - ice cream - or bacon butty / indoor seating for when it's wet!

Then decision time - do you turn left and head down the hill past the small garden centre - BBQ area and pond to feed the ducks or right to the children's play area and adventure course to let them burn off steam.

Either way the walk is circular passing both the excellent Mugdock castle and the gun remments set up to protect Clydebank from the German air threat.

I usually google both on arrival to appear super knowledgeable and impress the kids!

Excellent views over the firth if Clyde - down to the area and across to paisley.

Area is always well populated walkers and it's nice to exchange a cheery greeting with fellow day trippers.

Excellent way to introduce young ones to nature - history and outdoor fun.

I like your style. This is a tactic that I will now employ. Cheers.

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One thing I found out yesterday was that the first post WW1 taxis in the UK and used in London were built in Paisley which I was not aware of.

I reckon Shull was one of the original owners.

William Beardmore & Co Ltd was Scotland’s largest engineering concern, and a division of the company built the first new post-war taxicab in Paisley, Glasgow. The cab was introduced in 1919 and because of its sturdiness and comfort it became known as the ‘Rolls-Royce of cabs’. A new model, the Mk 2 ‘Super’ followed in 1923. A Citroën cab was introduced in 1921, as was an updated version of the pre-war Unic. In 1925, an attempt to introduce a two-seat cab nicknamed the ‘Jixi’ that would run at a lower tariff, in parallel with the existing four-seat cabs was vehemently opposed, and eventually repulsed by the trade. However, the lower tariff was introduced anyway and the trade, already suffering from the Depression, was severely hit. The Conditions of Fitness had not been altered since their introduction, and by 1927, no British manufacturer other than Beardmore was actually producing cabs for this small market. The Conditions of Fitness were reviewed in 1927 to try and attract more makers and revised rules were introduced in 1928, although a Morris-Commercial appeared before their introduction. Following the review, Beardmore introduced a Mk3 and both cabs proved very popular.

http://www.lvta.co.uk/history.htm

Brilliant, Slash!

Interesting to me, anyway.... I never knew about this Paisley car factory. (I worked at Rootes).

Just been on a wee wander through the www to find that it was down at Underwood; that Beardmore himself sponsored (£7k = £500k today) Ernest Shackleton's 1909 Nimrod expedition to try to reach the South Pole (possibly to get Shackleton away from his wife, Eliza!); and that is how the massive Beardmore glacier came to be so named.

That South Pole would be worth a wee visit. Shackleton didnae quite make it...

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I used to visit wee Gem up the Braes if that counts. She was always keen to share her hidden treasures.

Parts of the Braes were used during the WWII as a decoy site aimed at confusing the German Luftwaffe.

http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/GlenifferBraesDecoy

In the late 50's and in the 60's Glenburn boys often played in those bunkers. We pretended we were in tanks or submarines and had great fun. Of course it was well known that you would go to jail for about fifty years if you got caught playing there. From memory, I'm pretty sure there were signs saying that entry was absolutely verboten.

On the 'Just in fae' thread a couple of months back I posted about a crowd of my pals and I being chased by a bull at the foot of the Braes by Nethercraigs School. Around that spot there used to be, and possibly still are, a series of smallish dips. They were all identical, maybe half a dozen or so and I'd guess about thirty feet or so in diameter. These were supposed to be where a German bomber dropped a stick of bombs when it was abandoning its mission and heading home. My dad always reckoned it was true and it was commonly believed. Maybe the decoy thing up the Braes worked.

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a wee bit out of the way from Paisley but, if you're ever up that way

The Red Poppy Restaurant in Strathpeffer is worth a visit but best to book in advance. Even though it's in the back of beyond, it gets busy.

and, when I'm up there next month, i'll be heading out for a wee sojourn to the St Mirren Cemetry at Rogart {between Golspie & Lairg} to see what that's about.

Down in London, The Natural History Museum at Kensington is magnificent & for Shull, it is free in thumbup2.gif .

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Locally check out Walls Hill. A nice walk and a bit of history.

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/43011/details/walls+hill/

Also not sure if I mentioned pastmap before

http://pastmap.org.uk/

The walled garden at barshaw (so many people miss it)

Summerlee industrial museum shows what should have been done with the mill complex.

Crinnan Canal and Crinnan well worth a detour, great for an easy bike ride.

Castle Campbell is stunning,

Graymares tail by Moffet is a bit of trek up but worth it if you head out on to the hills. (also drive on to St Mary's loch)

Although most years I go to Islay, Coll is well worth a visit are Lewis, Harris and the Orkney's

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a wee bit out of the way from Paisley but, if you're ever up that way

The Red Poppy Restaurant in Strathpeffer is worth a visit but best to book in advance. Even though it's in the back of beyond, it gets busy.

and, when I'm up there next month, i'll be heading out for a wee sojourn to the St Mirren Cemetry at Rogart {between Golspie & Lairg} to see what that's about.

Down in London, The Natural History Museum at Kensington is magnificent & for Shull, it is free in :thumbs2 .

Strathpeffer Spa baths are great fun, free and sells auld fashioned sweeties. Check the local 'legends' carved into storm-destroyed sequoias up behind it.

The cafe in the old rail station is very nice and friendly . Check the TOTAL history of Scotland carved into the tree trunk outside the bookshop.

The Scots Magazine some years back had an article about the St Mirren stone, reputedly where he was buried on a hillside up there. I believe I linked to it on here... Years back....

I'll have a search, if I can help....

Natural history museum: huge queues of Furriners! :(

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On the Inverclyde theme, the Greenock Cut is another I intend to do soon. I was up there on the mountain bike a few years ago, but fancy a stroll this time.

Did the Greenock cut a few years ago with my great Uncle ( who was pushing 70 but walked me under the table ), It was a hot summer day and IIRC the tall ships were docked in Greenock, a fantastic day out.

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Troon is a lovely wee town.Walk along the beach before returning to the town along the streets and finishing in the Blueberry coffee shop.

There is also a cracking wee chippy down at the harbour of Troon, they do suppers of pretty much every type of fish available. Its called the Wee Hurrie I think.

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