59 To 60 Part 21

                                                                               09/08/21

Hello and welcome to part 21 of this blog and for a Monday start it has been heavy rain to start although it has gone off at the moment and I’m just waiting to see if it is off for they day or just a while it keeps saying thunder but it has been saying that for a few days now but it has not appeared, may be a late cycle today as it stays on i may visit the V&A as i would like to see the night fever show that is on at the moment we shall see how the day goes. But first i have to make room for for my beer hawk dispenser and that could be a big job on its own. Just back from a wee 20miles on bike a good way to start the week and weather not to bad but by the end it did look really dull and rainy.

Back in the house now after a few stretches and light weights and feel not to bad, we shall see what tomorrow brings weather wise. To be honest since i was young the weather did not really bother me especially the snow i am a fan of winter which i shall talk about later, if I am out walking or on bike and rain starts i will finish the walk or cycle but if i look out the window and see it is raining then i would probably not go out. Ive walked and climbed in some storms I’ve even been blown of my feet going up Schiehallion and because i had done this many times i did decide to turn back but not before i found shelter for my sandwich and cup of tea.

We have a saying there is no such thing as bad weather it is just bad clothing 😂 although i have not been to a Munro in a while i am hoping i can go this winter for a weekend of camping walking and bit of drinking maybe even get to the clachaig inn for some live music and food n beer we shall see. I shall add more about this soon of course but for now well tea time and someone has to make it and it looks like that’s me.

                                                                             10/08/21

Hello and welcome today i thought i would go all urban photographer and visited Crawford Priory an amazing place and such a great day but feel i have to go back soon as i think with summer it overgrown with trees and the likes, it was good as me and Helen had the day and the place to ourselves.

                                                                        Crawford Priory

This sits about 2miles south west of Cupar in Fife it lies just outside the village of Springfield and it can be difficult to find as we found out but was worth the search, it was originally built by 21st Earl of Crawford in 1758 and it was enlarged and extended in the early nineteenth century by sister of the 22nd Earl Lady Mary Lindsay Crawford ( just a brief history) this place has been left untouched for a lot of years now and has trees and bushes growing all around which makes it hard to get to and i fear in another 50 to 100 years it will no longer exist which is a shame as it is pretty awesome to see.

We spent a fair bit of time here but never managed to find the staircase which was bit annoying so in autumn i am going to go back when some of the trees and bushes have lost their leaves, i wish for once i had a drone but their are a couple on YouTube well worth a watch it is so cool. Having got through holes in the fence i was able to get a peak inside and although it is pretty much a ruin it must have been stunning to see it all in one piece. All the doors stand firm and some of the designs are still there truly magnificent.

You wonder how they managed to build this how they got the stone there where they got the stone from as well and to this day it stood the test of time mmm you’ve got to wonder as half the houses being built these days will never stand the test of time the way this or most old buildings have. There is so much more to see and hopefully one day i will get myself a drone to take some great Ariel shots. We walked the hole perimeter and managed to get close up to certain parts but if your reading this please be aware that this is an old and can be dangerous building. Of course i will do a bit more on this as i have lots of photos oh and you get some great views of the Lomond hills from here as well mmm the views from the top of this building wow must have been great.

                                                  Lomond Hills as seen from Crawford Priory

So a pretty cool day and we just made it back before the rain came on but i have to say cant wait to go back here. We drove to Cupar and decided to stop for coffee and cakes i had brought stuff with us but the rain did get quite heavy, and then it was a nice drive back to the house. A dram may be had tonight though and start to edit some of these photos. Bit of a late add i have edited few more photos so thought i would add them now, had a few beers but only half pints so really i had a pint and half which was fine after a good day.

I also received my time for the Lochness etape which is good as it has been a while since i did an etape so all looks good for a weekend inInverness so we have booked an Italians for the Saturday no drink for me of course as early start and Johnny Fox’s bar for Sunday night when a few pints will be had.

                                                                             Ged Hepburn

                                                                               11/08/21

So today took Helen to get her bloods taken and then quick trip to asda before brunch from Clarks bakery which although they gave me the wrong thing it was still very nice i think i ended up with 8 rashers of bacon instead it was meant to be a burger with bacon cheese and salad but hey ho was fine but do feel a bit dry now. Then was home and a quick set up of a new bank account as i am saving for an Electric Scooter for my 60th i will see if can post a picture of the one i want, i have the money but i thought i would challenge myself to wait until i was 60 but it is my way of trying to help the earth yes i will still have the car as i do love my Hyundai Tuscon but hopefully will be able to use this for small journeys like back and forward to work and if i am out doing a bit of shopping myself. 

                                                              from today's fun on mtb

So that done it was time for a bit of fun on the MTB as i thought it looked like it was going to rain and sure enough as soon as i got going the rain came on but it was why i bought the mountain bike so i can have a bit of fun in all weathers even though in the photo i don't look like i am having fun but honest i was. Today i am doing this blog on my lap top as i have not used it for a while and although it is fine i keep going to touch the screen to do something and keep forgetting to put the cap lock on and when i do i keep forgetting to turn it off again, but it give me the chance to post other photos here as well.

This is a picture of me in Invernesss day before i did etape i think it was 2016 so it looks like i may have a lot of choice of photos using my lap top as well as my Ipad i have a lot of winter photos and climbing photos on here and ones from the year i trekked in Machu Picchu in 2004 and when i went to Everest in 2014 although if you are reading this blog you will find a blog all about that. So that's it for today i have to take my Bike to get sorted tonight meeting a guy at 19-30 well either sorted or dropped off to be sorted brakes are a bit spongy on left side and with it being disk brakes im not wanting to try and do this on my own so until tomorrow BYEEE. 

                              12/08/21

Hello today we headed towards StAndrews but first we wanted to find st space church a lovely little place and when we found it we were lucky as the guy who lives in the house on the grounds was there to let us in for a look, now I’m sitting in the Anchor bar with a pint so I cant put any photos up so I shall tell you more about this either in tomorrow’s blog or later tonight. We went into StAndrews for little walk round and I managed to buy even more vinyl this time Chris Rea road to hell album for five quid not bad at all. We never had much time their but managed couple of photos on phone camera.

This is photo of the Leng memorial chapel beautiful place

I shall put up bit more tomorrow but honestly the last two days I have found some fantastic places and this one holds a romantic and beautiful history. For now I am sitting with a dram and just finished a chicken breast supper. So it’s been a good two days, urban photography and few beers and vinyl bought NICE. 

                                                                          13/08/21

Good morning and a happy Friday and as promised some more photos of this little chapel, it was built by Sir John Leng between 1895 and 1897 as a memorial for his wife Emily, she is the first person to be interred in the surrounding vicarsford Cemetery, imagine being able to give your wife something like this 😂 even if your not religious which i would say i am not but it is a lovely place which now only holds weddings and the odd funeral, the guy that showed us round sometimes goes up and sits with some music on as the acoustics are so good as well. So anyway some photos as promised.

There are two figure heads on a wall as well and they think this is his children so a lot of thought has gone into the building of this little chapel.

                                         

So if you ever get the chance to visit then please do you wont be disappointed and hopefully the keeper shall be their and open the door for you to get in for a look. So onto today and Helen has treatment so i am going to drop her off and then head for a quick cycle see if i can get the beer and fish and chips out of my system 😂.

Well back home after a good 23miles at fast pace in quite strong winds but yeah was good, Helens treatment was straight forward as well so we were back home around 4 so I’ve edited some more photos and am about to have my tea.

So another Friday in the house no drink tonight as hoping for a longer cycle run tomorrow and also get a bit more climbing in so i may hit Carrot hill again or seek out a bigger climb but that may be Monday it is hard to believe that the etape is only over a week away. So looks not bad tomorrow and i am hopeful of at least 30miles which as a build up is fine as i do short bursts as well to keep my pace up. So that’s it for today. G

                                                                      From todays cycle

                                                                               14/08/21

Looking grey out but hoping that will clear soon so can get out on bike again get some more runs in before next week, been to shop to pick up a parcel with my new Jack Wolfskin shoes very nice i do like their stuff. I now have a very tough decision to make it is been bugging me since i got up and I’ve only been up an hour, Black Pudding or bacon? Ooooo what’s it going to be. Well it was bacon 🥓 and very nice it was maple cure, after breakfast it was out for another climb up carrot hill still a bit windy but was feeling good today so managed another 27miles which is ok, tomorrow shall be a rest day i think and then a few short burst then rest the body for next Sunday so all good.

As you can see it was a nice day it would be good to have this next without the wind though but what will be will be, i am now back at home about to make myself a coffee and a funny meme or you popped into my head all about a gang we used to fight who stayed behind our house in a part we called the waste land it involved stones sticks and bin lids 😂 yes you read it right. It was one summers day and we were all hanging about our back garden when we heard this other mob shout something so we decided to have a bit of a scrap with them we were all in this so-called wasteland shouting at each other and throwing anything that came to hand stone sticks think i was hit with a stone in my leg mmm at this point Eric wont say a second name decided to come up with a bin lid to use as a shield just as he put it up one of there mob threw quite a big stone which hit this bin lid on the top which shot back and hit Eric right on the nose which burst said nose i have to say it was the funniest thing i seen we all walked away well me limping a bit but here is Eric with his shield blood running down his nose ha ha man when i think back to these days i cant help but wonder how we got through it without injury i don't know but we did, just a wee story for you all to read and hope enjoy. We often had a lot of run ins with people one which I remember when some guy who was a lot older than me stopped me when i was coming home from school he said that i had been given him abuse one day, i told him no you’ve got the wrong person but he kept saying it i turned my head to look away and just then he hit me in the face with a brick and then ran away like a real hard man (for hard man read coward) i never went down but it did burst my nose and move my teeth a bit I always swore to get him back but i never did, but made sure the two guys that were shouting him abuse new i was fkn furious, but now i look back and think it was all part of growing up in Kirkton some people had a reputation some people thought they did but an they were just cowards. Anyway at least i never had a bin lid with me 😂. 

Well now back with a we tin of beer listening to the football and chilling Helen is not feeling great and has gone for a lie down. Sometimes this happens after her treatment feel for her always but hopefully she will feel a bit better tonight. I am off now to edit some photos so for today BYEEE.

                                       

                                                                             15/08/21

A quiet day today as body is telling me to relax although i did go out and do the front garden and felt bit weary after that, so it was bit shopping then up to Cemetery to make sure Helens dads flowers were fine the coffee and cake whoop. I have now seen the Urban moped i want here is a wee picture of it.

I know certain people will take the piss but really i don't care i think this will be great fun especially for my photography and i cant wait until my birthday to get it mmmm but i shall try well i do have the money for the helmet and extra box saved up so that’s a good start. Had a nice bottle of red to finish Saturday off watching the cycling and football highlights and felt ok this morning but i do seem to have a bit of a sore throat and blocked  nose so have to keep a close eye on that as not wanting anything to stop my cycle next Sunday. But as for part 21 we come to an end and once again if you take time to read this i hope your enjoying it or bits of it. Thanks

Ged.