Monthly Archives: September 2021

Difficult to know where to start on this one. The Tower is thought to have been built around 1100 AD – meaning it was probably there before the grave yard behind it —

and the carved Pictish stone at it’s base is also a later addition as it was found in the wall of an Abernethy house.

It looks suspiciously fresh to me but that just adds to the mystery —

The door and internal spiral staircase were added later – probably around the time that several human bones and seven male sculls were found during a clean up of the basement —

One of only two round towers of their type in Scotland – the other is at Brechin in Angus – they are plentiful in Ireland with sixty of the original hundred round towers built over their still standing to this day. The stone used for the initial build of the Abernethy tower is thought to be similar to that used for Rules Church in St Andrews with the upper courses being added at a later date —

Abernethy has a proud history – we all know that William the Conqueror or in these parts William the Bastard arrived on the Channel coast and was the winner at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. He probably got the second title seven years later when Malcolm – King of Scotland swore fealty to him at Abernethy —

Helen – I think we need another coffee after this one —

Don’t know when the very plain Abernethy Biscuits were invented but they now have home grown competition in the form of a variety of Clootie Dumplins in every shape and form – from the Billy Connelly lookalike – The Big Yin —

tae a Hielan coo —

and even Mary Queen of Scots —

to name but three —

The scones are pretty good too —

Don’t know what was in the dumplins —

but they certainly had me loupin on the way oot —

With a Saint Bernard dug in the picture it has to be Montrose that had blue skies today —

and with that naval bunnet it has to be the four legged crew member on a navy gunboat under a \Norwegian skipper tasked with protecting allied shipping in the North Sea during the second world war —

the big fella has pride of place opposite the seaman’s mission at the north end of the bridge —

While down by the seaside at the north end of the esplanade the X-ADV has a well-earned rest —

and well she might after an arduous cross-country trip this morning by Crieff – Methven – Pitcairngreen – Stanley – the Beach Hedges – Blairgowrie – Alyth – Kirriemuir – and past a thousand big tractors and tattie loaded trailers n a’ n a’ – enroute tae Brechin and our destination on Montrose seafront —

but it was all well worth it —

to catch what might be the last few rays of summer —

with five thousand miles coming up on her screen —

No Helen – you can’t bring that Tonka Toy home for Jaxon’s birthday —

It won’t fit into the Yeti for a start —

Run up the Saltire and listen for the bagpipes —

That’s what ‘tourists’ do when they are wearing daft hats —

No way! On Friday my lovely daughter came to visit and stayed till Saturday – first proper visit since Lockdown —

not content with making me a happy ‘ol bunny – she walked the legs off our Loki too —

and to cap it all – when Sunday came around I had a free day on the bike and used it wisely by taking a blast up to Oban —

Magic!!!

So what do you do when you find yourself homeless and fancy free on the day you retired?

Well – I ordered a new Eriba Troll and went walkabout – in the three and a half years I lived in it I hauled the little beauty as far as the Balkans and there are certainly times I wish I had her yet —

Built in Holland using aircraft technology – she had a tubular aluminium frame for strength with lightness and was clad in attractive aluminium panels. Compact to tow – she had a useful pop-top to accommodate my 6ft 1ins although the permanent double bed across the rear was just long enough if I lay corner to corner – cosy —

There was even storage space under the bed for my Raleigh Maxim bicycle —

gorgeous on the outside —

and extremely practical inside —

with all mod-cons —

and afore-mentioned double bed with an ever-changing view —

Such a shame that just like my irreplaceable Skoda Yeti they don’t make them now —

The buggers who control such things would no doubt make ME obsolete — if they could —

By the year 2000 I had spent the best part of four years riding the many Green Lanes up and down the Welsh Border area and out to Cardigan Bay with my Church Stretton mates on my XT600E and thoroughly enjoyed it -but – there’s always a but —

This time it came in the form of a beautiful new red air-cooled XJR1300SP I spotted in the window of the Forbes Brothers bike shop at the bottom of the Burway in Church Stretton on a Sunday when I would go over to meet my mates for a spot of trail riding on my XT.

The contents of my wallet were quite safe as the shop was usually closed on a Sunday – but – one Sunday it was open! In I went and the deal was done – and so started another ten year period of involvement with the XJR’s and all that went with them.

Suffice to say – it was a truly great bike that was to take me on so many adventures throughout the UK and Europe —