Dave Hileman

Rowena Brambleglen Pioneer /  by Dave Hileman

I am well aware, dear readers, that this last installment of the Scottish journey is past due. I understand that you are disappointed that it is tardy, however, I am properly livid. The colorful appellation is not simply referring to my adorable bill. I am as cross as two sticks. Let me go back to the onset of this issue. 

It all began with only two days left on my contract with the lad and lass and one more brilliant installment of reporting. When the lass came to me and suggested that she was rather pleased with my keen insight and delightful prose and wondered if I might like to come to the states with them for a bit. Well, I must say, I have been intrigued by the colonies for quite some time having seen nearly every episode of “Friends” and “Seinfeld” while I was recovering from my unfortunate storm-caused damage. My culinary expectations were and remain low but the idea of living for a while in New York and, perhaps, getting some Babaca bread or a famous bagel might be worth the effort. It is a paid trip after all. So I said, “yes” to the proposal. Then the horrors ensued. 

First some official with a badge and name tag took me and placed me in quarantine. Me! I have never set a feather wrong, have no common diseases, brush my beak every night and have read Dickens. Yet this person whose language I imagine might have been English, rudely and unceremoniously dumped me in a pseudo jail with animals of every kind for five days. Plus they had the gall to serve me raw seeds. Unconscionable cruelty. 

Second, after being released by my employers who had to pay fees for this stay, I am whisked off not to Broadway but to “Isle of Palms” in some place called South Carolina. There was an ocean but not the friendly, familiar rocks and craigs of a normal coast but hectors of sand followed by more sand. And the heat. Oh my. Now, much to my surprise we did have some interesting food that I will get to next week or so. I am just there long enough to wilt when we speed off for hours and hours in a car toward a place I know not, TenIsea. Poorly named as far as I know as I see no ocean at all. Again, barely in place long enough for my pillow to mold to my beak and back in yet another car and off to North Carolina. I presume it is north of SC but would not know as there, again, no ocean in a place named after Sir Walter Raleigh. We are there for some festivities and apparently the annual stuffing of boxes in a car and then, poof, hours and hours again to back to Tenisea. 

Third we ate food along side the highway more than once at one of the thousands of “fast food” options that litter the highway. In my brief experience they are sort of fast but barely food and, again, eating in the car. I shudder to think what I may have agreed to with the American visit.

My head is spinning. So, I will prevail on your patience to wait for the next bi-monthly installment of my oasis of a column where I will complete the Scotland journal.  

A proper meal in Scotland - one I fear I may never see again.

Castle Week .4 /  by Dave Hileman

We did not visit this castle but passed in on the ferry from Oben to Craignure on the island of Mull. Th early light lit up the hill behind the castle. Duart Castle is about 700 years old and the home of Clan Maclean. It dominates the view to the Sound of Mull and Loch Linnhe. It is open for tours but we barely had time to get across the street to get the bus to the other side of Mull so we could catch yet another ferry to Iona. Whew.

Castle Week .2 /  by Dave Hileman

This was the most impressive of the castles we were able to visit. This is Dunrobin near Dornoch, Scotland. This is one that is still a home but the home is in a section you don’t tour. We were in over 20 rooms. The gardens are extensive and the lawn leads down to the North Sea. A most magnificent home with a lot of history. Parts of the castle date back to the 1200’s. I will be doing several photos of three of the castles later on the site, including Dunrobin. You can learn much more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunrobin_Castle

Jill on the side of the pond with the castle on the hill.

Castle Week /  by Dave Hileman

We start our castle week overview with the picturesque Eilean Donan castle located on a small tidal island situated at the confluence of three sea lochs (Loch Duich, Loch Long and Loch Alsh) in the western Highlands of Scotland. This was the home of the of the Clan Mackenzie. The 12th century castle was mostly destroyed in 1719 because of Mackenzie’s involvement in the Jacobite rebellion. It was rebuilt in the early 1900’s and the footbridge added. It is a popular tourist and movie site.

Eilean Donan, which means simply "island of Donnán", is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint who was martyred in 617. Donnán is said to have established a church on the island.

Old /  by Dave Hileman

These crosses are in the abby museum on Iona and date from about 700. The first of the celtic crosses.

Note the amazing carving. The ship is the one Columba sailed on from Ireland to begin this mission

This is likely the first Celtic Cross mid to late 600’s

Sometimes you get lucky /  by Dave Hileman

I was taking a photo across the road of the gorse, the yellow blooming plant and I heard this nice engine sound and looked down the road and here came this vintage Jaguar Mark III circa 1960’s in this perfect color scooting up the highway. I was able to reframe and get some sort of shot quickly - not perfectly, but from Morse, found from the BBC on PBS, this is his car.

Greyfriars Bobby /  by Dave Hileman

This statue is to a police dog who did not leave his master’s graveside for a considerable amount of time - years actually. However, it is not really known how many years. The city found the tourists who would come to the site very lucrative so they “may” have replaced Bobby one or two times. Yet, finally, he dies and his memorial is much loved and a highly visited site. His grave, however, is actually just outside the gate for a dog cannot be buried inside the walls of the church cemetery.

Open Occasionally /  by Dave Hileman

This old crofter cottage is now a pottery shop that had “occasional hours.” It did not have a lot of traffic on the day we were there but these two found a comfortable bench to watch the walkers passing by on the way to either the sand beaches or the highest point of the island. Nice day to daydream and drink a coffee.

Pink-footed Goose in Daisy Field /  by Dave Hileman

There are actually two Pink-footed Geese in the photo. This is on the island of Iona in the Inner Hebrides. They are just one of 17 new birds I saw on the trip. So my European bird life list is now 18. I can sense a “bird week” emerging soon.

The "New" Cross /  by Dave Hileman

This Celtic Cross - with a bit of the cross arms gone, has been in the spot for more than 500 years. It is one of the newer crosses on the property. What makes this unique is that it is one of the pilgrim crosses, where as people approached the old stone church on Iona, they would stop and pray. There are only two old ones in their original positions, this one is about 1/4 mile from the church. One side was carved with imagery of the crucifixion the other interlaced designs to elicit thoughts of eternity. This was paid for by the powerful Maclean clan. It is known as the Crois Mhicilleathain.

Bridge over River Aray /  by Dave Hileman

The River Aray is a river of Argyllshire, in the heart of old Argyle running south from the hills to reach the sea in Loch Fyne at the county town, Inveraray. The town takes its name from the river, Inveraray meaning "Mouth of the Aray.” This bridge is on the old military road that once crossed into the town which in the 1600’s was located where the castle is now. The town was moved when the current Duke chose to rebuild a larger castle in the early 1700’s. The bridge is now a pedestrian passage to the trail to the “unpronounceable” folly at the top of the mountain.

Personal note, finally feeling better, more extensive blogging will resume soon.

The current bridge along the highway into town as seen from the ancient bridge.

Married Here... /  by Dave Hileman

Agatha Christie’s second marriage took place in this church, The Parrish Church of St. Cuthbert, in Edinburgh, Scotland. It occurred in 1930 and the honeymoon took place in Egypt, sparking the idea for Death on the Nile, as her husband, archaeologist Max Mallowan, frequently led digs in the Middle East. Along with Death on the Nile, Murder in Mesopotamia, Murder on the Orient Express were also inspired by trips that Christie accompanied Mallowan.

Christie also wrote, Mousetrap, the longest running play in history, now at year 72. Jill and I attended a performance at the St Martin’s Theatre of the play. It was sold out. And what a treat the play was and, no, I am not permitted to share the answer to who did it. Get your own ticket!

Light /  by Dave Hileman

Still doing a bit of quick work, but work! These ferns stood out in the dark woods of Argyle Castle and the woods of Inveraray. A shaft of light touched on them but the surrounding grasses were still in deep shadow. Beautiful moments.

Back, sort of.... /  by Dave Hileman

We did arrive back in the USA and brought a bit of Covid with us. Nasty couple of days and now, mending but very tired. So I will at least get a photo up but not optimistic that much more will happen for the next two or three days. Lots of photos to share - once edited and some good stories so please be patient, come back and we shall see what unfolds.

Jill and Dave, day one in Inveraray on the Loch Fyne, a long saltwater loch and the home of the Campbells.

Is it a day yet? /  by Dave Hileman

Up all last night, and all day as well, out of bed at 5am got Uber at six to the airport. 8 hour 15 minute flight did not sleep. And I have a terrible cold. The truth of the matter is that I am just out of steam. Come back this afternoon and I will have a post up. Perhaps.

The world’s second oldest steam locomotive. OH, “out of steam” now I get it. Go to bed Dave