FALKIRK WALKS AND TALKS
EXPLORING SCOTLAND AND BEYOND
By way of an introduction, I am Russ Edwards and and I live in Falkirk with Carol, my better half. Carol is from Falkirk, specifically (Skinflats for those who know the area).
I was brought up in Bedford, in the East of England, and was a social worker for many years, in both Scotland and England (but I’m better now).
Back in 1974, after leaving school, me my then come-to-be-best man Ian, the son of an Aberdonian Scot and proud owner of a well-used Bedford 3 gear CA minibus, me, Malcolm, Michael Horton, (who cheated at tennis and is not forgiven), and Wayne (surname forgotten), headed North to Scotland passing, through the Lake District on the way North reaching the Great Glen, and touching on the Commando Memorial.
My original connection to Scotland was through Dad’s service wartime service experiences: Dad was called up to serve with the Royal Artillery, and was posted to his regiment, 80th Field Regiment R.A.,(also known as (the “Glasgow Gunners”) as a wireless operator.
Dad was born and bred in Bedford which was more than a little different to Glasgow and Glaswegians. As an 18 year old, Dad found himself in a different world, and I knew something of his experiences through two trips with Dad re-visiting places and people his past.
Dad loved the highlands and visited often, not least because we had a habit of an understatement
We got as far as Culloden before returning home. Ian’s response to Culloden and the Cairns was chilling: Ian was (and probably remains) a Donald and reacted to the Campbell Cairn accordingly with a certain amount of venom, which was something of an education
shifting countries.
After the war, Dad returned to Civvy Street, and was a successful accountant.I was born in Coventry (I wasn’t sent though) but was brought up in Bedford
Dad loved Scotland and it rubbed off on me.
The went on holiday to Scotland, who was, maybe is, (I lost touch with him) five of us toured Scotland in an old Bedford van which gave us the Ian, close good friend had acquired means of exploring the Scotland. Two of us were drivers. Also, as advertised, Ian was the son of an Aberdonian and I would be his best Man, and reciprocating his favour when I got hitched at Powfoulis Manor in 1983.
I left social work a few years ago (more accurately it left me), and I am retired. I like to write about history, like to take photographs and have an interest in photography and walking.
Sadly I was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which has been something I am having to come to terms with. I have good days and bad days
Dad was a gunner with the 80th Field Regiment Royal Artillery, so pretty much a baby boomer.
I am married Carol (poor soul), and we had two children both born in Falkirk. We are one of those Anglo Scottish So an Anglo Scottish Family. Between 1983 and 2019 I was a social worker and we lived between Scotland and England (mostly Scotland) between then and now.
I arrived in Falkirk in 1983 as a newly qualified social worker, and found a home in Scotland, a different country”. Subsequently, I was a social worker which was both challenging and rewarding in different ways. I married Carol (ah, these office romances).
For over 30 years I was a social worker in England and in Scotland. The job was both challenging and rewarding in different ways.
Returning to Scotland in 2019 and changing legal systems, I discovered
In Scotland and Returning to Scotland in 2019 and changing legal systems, I discovered
The trossachs
21 AUG 2023
But first off, you the eager reader, needs to know about that navigating round the site In order to access the site and to find your way around: you will need to look at the dropdown (but not gorgeous) menus accessed by
CLICKING the WHITE parallel lines in the TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE HEADER
or by
CLICKING ON THE BUTTONS IN THE TEXT BELOW
The recommended action now is to test clicking on the WHITE BARS on the HEADER or the TEXT on the BUTTONS.
At this point I would suggest that you try out the white bar thing. It explains itself when clicked and opens up a series of pages way beyond the front page. It makes life so much easier, and is highlighted for clarity rather than verisimilitude. The actual bars are subtly concealed for fun, and/or because there is a significant limit to my techy skills which are pretty naff and cause endless tirades of computer rage.
The website is most often concerned with two or three main threads:
Walking in Scotland (and beyond), and
the “40 Men of Bothkennar Memorial”
and pointing cameras at people and places i.e. photography
Oh, by the way the website logo at the top left of the page returns you to the boots logo i.e. The Spanish Boots Logo and
Anything that takes my fancy.
(The obviously weary boots themselves were discovered in Spain. Zaragossa to be precise whilst visiting with Carol, my significant other, and Arantxa a Scouting friend. The boots abandoned in the wide, empty expanse of Sierra seemed somehow emblematic, of passing through and by).
So to navigate around the site, you will need to click on the WHITE BARS in the top right hand corner of the header.
Here I need to confess to limitations in my technical skills which are limited so I must apologise. I will say that the clickable white bars access drop down menus are a lot less obvious in the actual header.
The graphic below is by the way of clarification: the actual WHITE BARS bars the actual lines are there faintly, still resplendent in turquoise, however faintly.
The Spanish Boots
The Website logo is the clickable picture of the abandoned Spanish Boots in the top left hand corner of the header. Clicking the logo from any other page returns you to the front page.
Generally, navigating around the site is about clicking on stuff. Initially you will need to click on the three white bars in the top right hand corner of the header to access a series of files: the Main Navigation on the site works by clicking on the white bars in the top right corner of the header. This gives access to drop down menus which give access to a series of web pages, each with a specific focus.
I also use buttons on pages which lead to other pages what I hope are interesting diversions.
TEXT
Now I just write about things that interest me and which may be of interest to the passing browser. Or surfer. Is that still current?
Recently, (June 2022), the emphasis re-focused on “walking in Scotland” after a week travelling round WW1 battlefields which was interesting and quite expensive, but worth it the priorities changed from WW1 battlefields to and the walking bit. Frankly there was a paucity of battlefields, memorials and stuff meant a certain level of limitation, although the story of the men of Bothkennar is resurrected.
There are also (currently working on it…) buttons below which access current the current two strands:
But let’s not be modest: in July 2019, Falkirk was awarded the prize for Britain’s Best Walking Neighbourhood. The Big Prize. Cool. And I can see the hills from where I live. And it is in the middle of Scotland
Falkirk is in the middle of Scotland and it is where I live now. A starting point at the very least.
But I really like the place and its people: the way that folk people talk to you. And it’s home for me. When I arrived in Scotland (1983) I was welcomed and I felt I belonged. It felt like home.
Now I just write about things that interest me and which may be of interest to the passing browser. Or surfer. Is that still current?
Recently, (June 2022), the emphasis re-focused on “walking in Scotland” after a week travelling round WW1 battlefields which was interesting and quite expensive, but worth it the priorities changed from WW1 battlefields to and the walking bit. Frankly there was a paucity of battlefields, memorials and stuff meant a certain level of limitation, although the story of the men of Bothkennar is resurrected.
There are also (currently working on it…) buttons below which access current the current two strands:
But let’s not be modest: in July 2019, Falkirk was awarded the prize for Britain’s Best Walking Neighbourhood. The Big Prize. Cool. And I can see the hills from where I live. And it is in the middle of Scotland
Falkirk is in the middle of Scotland and it is where I live now. A starting point at the very least.
Original publicity for Falkirk Walks and Talks
A website about Scotland, walking, people and history and, well, technology…
At this point I would suggest that you click on the spiffy LIGHT BLUE bars, top right of page header
(which is the view from Dumyat looking toward over Forth and Grangemouth).
out the red bar thing in the top right corner now. It makes life so much easier.…..
Parking at Milngavie is £5 cash for a day and includes wrestling with a ridiculous card system
And beware, the WHW does not go to Drymen but heads off and joins the WHW to the east.
So, having missed the 40th Anniversary of the opening of the West Highland Way by two years, I decided to tackle the West Highland Way in the usual way for me: bite sized portions using buses, a tried and tested way that has worked with the John Muir Way, (of JM later), the Fife Coastal Path, the Rob Roy Way. However, I have still not found out where the West Highland Way (WHW) goes approaching Drymen. I enjoyed chatting while walking with a couple of Dutch folk, but we got lost. Of this, more later.
Unfortunately, the development of the WW1 elements of the site was somewhat kyboshed by the deletion of most of the work already completed to that point. Life goes on and that piece of work is being resurrected and continues refreshed. Well, it Keeps me going…
So now I write about things that interest me and which may be of interest to the passing browser. Or surfer (is that still current?).
Recently, (June 2022), the emphasis re-focused on “walking in Scotland” after a week travelling round WW1 battlefields which was interesting and quite expensive, but worth it the priorities changed from WW1 battlefields to and the walking bit. Frankly there was a paucity of battlefields, memorials and stuff meant a certain level of limitation, although the story of the men of Bothkennar is resurrected.
“Walking in Scotland” (and beyond) and
the “40 Men of Bothkennar Memorial”
The main navigation on the site is by the ridiculously small red formeriy yellow green bars which are in the top right of the header which accesses the main drop down menu. In my defence of the smallness issue, the greens were very green. But for some reason they’ve turned red.
There are also (currently working on it…) buttons below which access current the current two strands:
TO BE CONTINUED….
The “40 men of Bothkennar Memorial”
plus random writings and photography. And anything that kind of amuses or interests me.
There will be more!
The buttons in the text of pages will usually suggest follow ups and diversions in the text, the major failing being that my definition of interesting is somewhat eclectic.
For me, the notion of walking the West Highland Way was not new going back some 40 years and potentially involving my Dutch Minister mate, Gerke. As is the way of these things, we never got around to it. So 42 years later I’m looking to go for it, solo if necessary, but who knows what will happen…..
A word to the wise: beware of the WHW non markings…….. Or, is it me? I aim to go “regular” asap and start from Milngavie (pronounced “Mull Guy” in the venacular).
The Gateway to the West Highland Way
Fortunately most of the content survived and the work continues!
